stuff to think about

tony pierce raises some very valid questions regarding G-Dub's reaction (or essential lack thereof) to the tragedy which hurricane katrina has inflicted upon the residents of the southern us. he links here. go look - it nearly brought me to tears, particularly the last image.

indeed, it caused me to wonder where our own leader was in all this. paul martin was the first western leader to visit thailand and the other tsunami stricken countries earlier this year, but he's been largely silent this past week. indeed, it wasn't until yesterday that he was reported to have even telephoned gdub to offer support. now, this could have been because our fearless leader was aware that georgy-boy is seemingly uninterested in these events. i'd like to think he had some other plan to go rushing in with our good-ol' canadian style peacekeeper aid and really kick some hurricane cleanup ass. i can see it now - canadian soldiers swooping down in seaking helicopters, draping stranded victims in canadian flags to shelter them from the elements and feeding them KD or maybe maple syrup drenched poutine.

somehow, i doubt it.

but the question remains - why was his reaction so different to this catastrope than to the tsunami? is it just because we've become jaded to the needs of our southern neighbours? i, as much as most canadians, take a perverse pleasure in shaking my head at the antics of the us - at their decadent culture; at their high handed military actions; at their strong conviction that they are the sole possessors of the pinnacle of world culture. but i think it's wrong to lose sight of the fact that this stereotype that we so love to make fun of is an institutional one. sure bubba from tennessee may have been overheard spouting off about how canadians are faggots for refusing to follow the us into iraq. sure we have bad blood because of the softwood lumber issue. but these issues should not supersede the fact that, on an *individual* level a whole bunch of people desperately need food, shelter, and water. an entire region has been devastated and we should do all we can to assist.

i think, anyway.