Thursday, May 08, 2008

Murder in Myanmar

Well, apparently over 10,000 people are dead in Myanmar because of the typhoon that hit a week or so ago. And the junta that rules the country isn't letting in humanitarian aid at all, let alone on a timely basis. I wonder if this same disregard for people would be evidenced if the country was still Burma?

Of course, in one sense the US has little room for criticism. How much red tape did international help have to go through after the catastrophe of Katrina? Indeed, there is NO excuse for the lack of effort after Katrina - either for the local, state and federal governments, OR for many (not all, just many) of the people who just sat back and waited for aid rather than taking matters into their own hands.

And there is NO excuse for what's happening in Myanmar, and you sure as hell can't blame the people for it. Well... I suppose you can. Instead of throwing all the dead into the river (which I kind of sort of think will pollute that water supply for decades to come), they should carry their dead to the capitol city where this military junta rules, and pile them on the steps of that capitol.

Okay...I don't really know the solution. But something needs to be done to help the people of Myanmar, and if that means getting rid of that junta.... ?

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