9.02.2005

End Times

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and surrounding has been pretty well described by major news media and other bloggers, so I'll skip it. I haven't seen TV coverage of course, which means that it's that much less real to me. The tsunami was harder and worse to live through, being closer and in places I actually had visited and could visualize.

Is is not amazing, though, that there were SO MANY disaster scenarios that predicted this? And is it not criminal that the Bush Admin had basically gutted FEMA and Army Corps of Engineers funding to pay for Iraq? And is it a coincidence that in a majority Black city the scale of the disaster was under-predicted, even as it was unfolding, and under-appreciated until they had to evacuate the Superdrome? Perhaps this is the easy response of a person (me) who's been trained to look for prejudice to a disaster that stymies the blame game. Any disaster does that, but I claim the right to ask, what could have been better or worse about this?

Having dabbled in disaster-relief and disaster-mitigation-planning this year (tsunami/dam project) I know that in America these events may be catastrophic and costly but they are not usually chaotic and fatal in a way comparable to this. Not at all. That was something we talked about post-tsunami, that Time magazine write about; the First World has systems and people set up to manage these crises, with the result that more is predicted and more is prevented. Also the emergency response is coordinated. Obviously.


I can't imagine why, with so many predictions and speculations about the conditions for New Orleans flood disasters, this wasn't seen as clearly as Katrina itself, whirling around in the Gulf for five days like a demented Eastern Bloc figure skater. That's what the name sounds like, anyway. Those hit hardest are the poorest of the poor, as everywhere, but the apparent blind eye turned by the Powers That Be to their plight (hundreds told to head to a convention center for relief arrived to find no relief and no coordinating authorities there) is tragic and gives me pause when I think about the role of the American government in protecting our people.

The only thing I can imagine in terms of a governemental bias, besides a persistent racial prejudice that says heavily Black areas can be neglected with respect to just about anything, is the perhaps more damning (and I mean that) belief by Bush and Co. that God and America have a special cozy relationship. The man does think so, I'm sure of it. Therefore natural disasters are God's Will, and additionally fit nicely with the current aura of contemporary millenarian End Times fantasies.

It's quite simple to neglect disaster planning and public schooling and economic responsibility and foreign policy and whatever else when you (and a sizable number of your constituents) actually think that the Rapture is coming. The Administration has been quite silent, it seems, on the topic of the Gaza pullout; maybe they're discouraged as Jews must hold the Holy Land for the Antichrist to arise! Not sure if the Antichrist is looking for ancient or 1949 or 1967 or 2005 borders.

In any case it wouldn't surprise me if they see the past year-of-natural-disasters as another Sign. To them, the Day After Tomorrow isn't about climate change or oil prices or transportation policy, no, it's about punishing the deviants (including, um, the rest of the world) who didn't line up for Jesus, Coca-Cola, white America, Iraq liberation, vanilla heterosexuality, and Bush/Cheney 2004.

On a more personal note, I left Kandy yesterday (going back in two weeks, ha) and have settled in some nice people's house in Colombo. I'm down the street from the best theatre and gallery in the city! And close to the embassy pool. They have a yellow Lab puppy. My cell phone works again. I am starting to see myself in America in six weeks, which is daunting but exciting. I don't feel in-between yet, but I will soon. Going to India (Chennai-Pondicherry-Ellora-Cochin-Trivandrum, I think) on the 25th of September for two weeks and I actually bought a ticket and everything. Hooray planning.

28 comments:

Rebecca said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Rebecca said...

dear adam,
not a joke as far as i know.

dear SPr,
as this is a typical online gibe, i'll refrain from the lecture on the cowardice of those who vent their glaring hatred from behind a shield of anonymity. if you have a real problem with me, let's talk about it.

love and kisses,
reb

sittingnut said...

this is simply shameful. at least the coward chose a fitting name second time.

Anonymous said...

Hithunoth thotàth éka karanawà bælli. Amérikànu Kristhiyàni yàtàth wijitha wà'dì hutti. Thò àya Màhà Nuwarata énné næhæ!

When the JVP comes to power, all you white imperialist cunts will be hacked to death in your luxury apartments. We won't let you exploit our country and dictate to our government just because you have a dirty white skin. So be careful m. le bisnazi. You could be next. Sarvodaya and ICES would be burned to the ground.

Wimal Weerawansa
Propaganda Secretary
† JVP †

Ikmanata pàla. D'ænmama pàla.

Anonymous said...

Instead of threatening violence on innocent civilians why don't you and your JVP clan take on the Tigers head-on? I will personally arrange for your one-way journey to the north so that your clan can be eviscerated. If you don't have the balls, its better to stay home wearing your bangles and cooking dana meals. Instead of burning houses of unarmed people, wouldn't nirvana be found in getting buggered by the Tigers and subsequently getting your entrails for dinner?

Go meditate.

Lohan said...

OMG Rebecca, this reminds me of the final scene of the Bald Soprano! Ah, and a "Wimal Weerawansa" is also there!
Sad to see you go btw.
Install the haloscan comment system(http://www.haloscan.com) so you can ban these "Wimal Weerawansas'" ip adreeses.

Rebecca said...

lohan,
i don't want to block this! it's amazing stuff. who knew i had the ear of WW himself? (new fashion craze in Colombo: WWWWD? bracelets)
fyi, wimal--
i'm not christian, i'm jewish. you have a whole different array of ethnic slurs to wield against me. and sorry, i've got to come back to kandy for work.
ciao!

Lohan said...

Dear "Wimal",
Thanks for the new name. Our land? When did you and your "front" became the owners of this island "Wimal"? ..er..it seems that you own everything!! "Your Land", Your "sacred city"...Your "puppet Moustache Rajapakse". (and your mango juice)...drink some of it and get courage to come into the limelight, without hiding behind the glasswall of anonymity. I'll pay the hall charges myself and book the D.S. library auditorium if you'd like to show up. I visit your "sacred city" everyday, so why wait for the victory of your puppet anyway?

And I echo dikbor:
Instead of threatening violence on innocent civilians why don't you and your JVP clan take on the Tigers head-on? I will personally arrange for your one-way journey[yes! a one way journey] to the north .....go meditate.

And my dearest "Wimal", the new name you gave me is hilarious! Thanks again!! May you attain "Liberation" with your "People's Liberation Front".

Anonymous said...

If sittingnut won't come to your stupid fucking meetings in stupid fucking public libraries, why should I come.

Lohan is an elitist Marxist asshole who spends most of his time translating stupid Marxist plays about thatta sopranos. He claims to be against neo-colonialism but has no qualms in cohabiting with its agents, the LTTE and NGO rats like Rebecca.

It is our land because I am the only politician who acts against these enemies of my mother land. It is not Rebecca's country. It is not Le Bisno's country. And it certainly is not Lohan's. We won't let these foreign meddlers or their stooges like you to run our country when we come to power. Get your party to run for the election and try to get at least a few thousand votes unlike last time. Get the LTTE to rig the elections for you. Your CMEV/Paffrel mates will watch your back.

Sincerely,
Wimal Weerawansa, MP
Propaganda Secretary
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
People's Liberation Front

Anonymous said...

If sittingnut won't come to your stupid fucking meetings in stupid fucking public libraries, why should I come.

Lohan is an elitist Marxist asshole who spends most of his time translating stupid Marxist plays about thatta sopranos. He claims to be against neo-colonialism but has no qualms in cohabiting with its agents, the LTTE and NGO rats like Rebecca.

It is our land because I am the only politician who acts against these enemies of my mother land. It is not Rebecca's country. It is not Le Bisno's country. And it certainly is not Lohan's. We won't let these foreign meddlers or their stooges like you to run our country when we come to power. Get your party to run for the election and try to get at least a few thousand votes unlike last time. Get the LTTE to rig the elections for you. Your CMEV/Paffrel mates will watch your back.

Sincerely,
Wimal Weerawansa, MP
Propaganda Secretary
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
People's Liberation Front

Chandare said...

mmmmmm...very interesting stuff..indeed!
Sinhala power guy,
Why do you keep signing off Wimal Weerawansa?
Why no mentions of JHU,SVV,Soma himi padanama and PNM etc.. anywhere?
Dragging them into this enlightened string of comments is too low,isn't it?

Anonymous said...

Mais JE suis Wimal l'original! Mon partie est JVP. Je ne suis pas un membre de JHU. Je deteste le JHU.

Lohan said...

I'm beginning to enjoy this, I just posted a permenant link to this post on my blog.
Dearest "Wimal",
So, do I need to support your death threats against Rebecca(and now agaist myself!!!) to prove my anti-colonialism? This is hilarious! And thanks to "Wimal" I just learnt that I spend most of my time translating marxist plays, and many other interesting things about myself!(I'd like to call this intellectual masturbation). Nice imagination "Wimal". This is very similar to what you did agaist Rebecca.

First you vehemantly called Rececca a Nazi, and then an American Chistian imperialist and now a Jew who's community should have been erased from earth by the Nazis themselves! And now you take over Nazi Hitler's job yourself! Hilariously absurd circle of thoughts! So, do you need me to join you to prove my anti-imperialism? If this is anti-imperialism, I'd rather be an imperialist!

You've said one thing correct. If this place is going to be ruled by your "Sinhala Power", than this is not my country, indeed.

And I understand, how can you show up in public after making those death threats... (Anyway, I didn't invite you to a political meeting. I was just trying to "facilitate" yout "anti-imperialism".) You may stay behind your glasswall of anonymity. And most of all, now you have a flamboyant name: Sinhalapower!
I'm glad that you're following Sittingnut. Keep going. Sometimes two become one.

Lohan said...

OOoooh! Il parle Francais! "Wimal l'original"! Comment allez vous? Detestez JHU?...et...
vous detestez l'union entre Mahinda et le JHU?

Anonymous said...

Wimal wants me to let you know that you are a really funny bugger. He says you sound like his dad. He was just having a little fun with you.

Wimal would also like to say that he doesn't really have anything against the Jews. In fact, Wimal has been a staunch supporter of Israel for years.

Wimal is only against the Western imperialism and Christian hegemony. While Rebecca is a Jew by birth, he sees her as someone who identifies with the white liberals who support terrorists like the LTTE and PLO. Rupert Murdoch is a Jew who pretends to be a white Christian. He knows how the American Christian right and the European Nordic Nazis support the LTTE.

He knows very well that you are a hypocrite. You can't even say why you have joined up with the rightist NGOs and the fascist LTTE despite calling yourself a Marxist.

T.S./The Deputy
JVP

PS

Wimal went to take a dump. He'll be back soon.

sittingnut said...

i amend my earlier comment, now this is simply hilarious.

lohan:I'm glad that you're following Sittingnut. Keep going. Sometimes two become one. - i am sorry to disappoint you but i am not as good a joker as ww so kindly keep your ignorant suppositions to yourself please or may be you want to be as 'funny' as him..

Rebecca said...

I can't properly change being a white liberal. (Bronzing cream? Brainwashing?) I definitely don't support terrorists, as my previous statements re: LTTE will attest. Christian America (which doesn't support ME) doesn't know who the bloody LTTE are--Americans are by and large ignorant of world politics (arrogant, elitist: check!). The millenarian Christians don't support the PLO (which mostly doesn't exist anymore) generally because they need a Jewish Israel to precipitate the coming of End Times.

Just for the record: I don't work for any NGOs, I technically work for the American government! It's worse than you thought.

Also: lay off on Bisno, he's not in the country and certainly has never done anything remotely "meddling" in Sri Lanka.

Lohan said...

T.S./The Deputy
JVP
: He knows very well that you are a hypocrite. You can't even say why you have joined up with the rightist NGOs and the fascist LTTE despite calling yourself a Marxist.

Just for the record:>> I haven't "joined up with" any sort of NGOs or the LTTE. I do not work for any NGOs. However, I have no "moral" problem with the people who work for NGOs. I'm not a supporter of the LTTE either. I'm totally against terrorism.

Gretchen said...

Wow, Becca, what attention you are attracting! I feel like I know a celebrity now. What have I been missing? I'm glad to hear that you'll be back somewhat soon -- although I'm away now, I hope that I can see you at some point! -gretchen

Anonymous said...

Dearest Rebecca - thank for helping our people. We sincerely appreciate it & regardless of the absolutely disgracefull revolting racist filth that has been written here.

I'm sure that the very people you personally helped have let you know how much they appreciate what you did for them. That is the Sri Lankan way - I hope you will take this with you as one of your memories.

Just for the record - Rupert Murdoch is a Protestant - possibly Preysbetarian.

I've met his son Lochie at a swish party many moons ago & I used to know his niece Caroline... next time I run into them I'll pass on your message "Wimal" ....

Hi there Sittingnut - you certainly get around - what's up with you and Lohan - no peace happening between you two - hmmm ...

Anonymous said...

http://www.morquendi.blogspot.com/

BTW - Rebecca - just to let you know this is where I usually hang out ...

Also - this is an eternal apology I have to issue to established Bloggers - I am not able to get myself a Blog id yet - if you trawl through Morquendi's Blog you will see why ...

I would like to invite you to join us - I'm sure your input will be very worthwhile -

Anonymous said...

Your photos are absolutely gorgeous.

I was sent of to Jazz Ballet classes in Colombo but prior to that I did Classical Ballet. That photos of the kids just brings back so many memories - I can't tell you. I even got to play a speaking part in the Pied Piper at a famous Theatre ... would you believe...

As for the lanterns - I can almost feel & smell what it used to be like ...

Rebecca said...

Ashanthi, do you want me to delete this rubbish? I can take it about myself but I don't want to leave it up if you're annoyed by it.

Thanks on the photos, by the way...

Anonymous said...

Isn't that funny - that's exactly what I felt about it! When I had to put up with it on Nittewa. I thought - gee whiz this guy's dishing out to you too & I was furious. The astounding thing is that he seems to think I'm only supporting you because you're white - before you're white you're a woman & this is just so chavanistic.

I can't believe the racism - it's phenomenal. I used to get A++ for my essays on Hitler - meanwhile these monsters were being created - this is what upsets me.

I think - I mean it's vile - but I think - leave it in. Let's not cover it up. Apart from the fact that I'm a size 6 - so I don't care if he says I'm fat :-).

I'm very distressed about Kevin Lomax's accident. The state of roads in this country is just deplorable.

Honestly Rebecca, I don't know what we're going to do about the whole thing - where do we start?

Anonymous said...

Boy, this is some funny stuff! Although I'm an ignorant American and can't follow half of it...
Anyway, like Gretchen, just saying hi!

Rebecca said...

ashanti, what happened to kevin lomax? i certainly don't know him but i've had my share of bizarre and unpleasant road accidents here. hope he's okay.

hi joy! duck'n'cover if the monkey flings any shit at you.

Anonymous said...

this is hilarious. some group of people found a new election propaganda strategy to discredit their enemies! Poor Rebecaa if she sincerely thinks Wimal Weerawansa writes all these stuff and if genuine JVPers will use his name to write these stuff!! Being a Sri Lankan I want to apologise to Rebecca even though I haven't read her posting.

Anonymous said...

Drop on by and browse through a huge archive of jokes

This is one of the many jokes i found amongst the many joke categorys:
A man walks into his favorite bar and saw a bum panhandeling. The bum asked if the man could spare a dollar. The man replied "If I give you money are you going to use it to buy liquor?" The bum said he would not, so the man asked "If I give you money are you going to use it for gambling?" Again the bum said he would not, so the man asked "Would you come home with me so I can show my wife what happenes to someone who doesnt gamble or drink?"