Most of you have already probably heard that there was a very powerful earthquake off the coast of Indonesia. The resulting tidal waves that were created have devastated the area killing over 23,000 people. I can only hope that the aid being sent is able to help those who need it.
What bothers me about the whole thing as I listened to news reports yesterday and today is that there is a need to report the total number of Americans known to be killed. Yesterday three Americans were confirmed dead. Today it is six. I guess it is somewhat newsworthy but I believe it is really insignificant in the larger scope of things. Do Americans feel a closer connection to the situation knowing that some of their fellow countrymen have died? Does this fact illicit greater sympathy even though Americans make up only 0.02% of the casualties? To me a person is a person and it is a tradgedy when someone is killed whether they were born in America or not.
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While I strongly agree that this is a self-centered country I don't see this kind of news article as a good example. It's understandable for any country great or small to wonder how many of it's citizens died in such a disaster. Now, if this figure were the central statistic of the article or reported at the exclusion of aggregate figures it would be different. But, the number of dead Americans was reported near the end of the article after mentioning the death tolls and missing persons of each of the key countries involved. And even then the American deaths were only mentioned along side British and Italian deaths. I would say the article is laudably well balanced.
While the CNN article is a balanced article other reports I have seen are definitely not. But the larger point is that it matters very little how many Americans died when you compare it to the total devastation in the area. You never address the point of why is it interesting to Americans to know how many other Americans have died when the reliave number is so small. I could see it being of some importance if several hundred Americans were killed but not 6.
Why is it even noteworthy? I certainly don't care that 6 Americans were killed any more than I care if 6 Brazillians were killed. I care that 23,000 died and how that is broken up across nationality matters very little to me.
If there were a disaster in Bulgaria I would want to know if even 1 American died because my parents live there. CNN's audience are more likely to personally know an American vacationing or living in SW Asia than a local. It's a relevant piece of information and doesn't detract from the central issue (if done as CNN did).
I don't think that curiosity about how many of ones fellow citizens died is an indication of anyone being self-centered. Further, Terrence, you seem to say that the newspaper should only print that statistic if it is a large number. That doesn't make sense. If people want to know that staistic, they want to know it no matter the size.
Finally, which country in the world is the largest contributor to disaster aid for foreign countries? I would be really surprised if that is not the US. How is that self-centered?
-John
After further review ....
OK, all very good arguments. I retract my statement. Whoever said I can't admit when I'm wrong?
Actually, by portion of the budget I think the US donates the least to international aid of any developed nation. That, I would say, is an indication of self-centeredness.
And yes, Terrence can certainly admit wrong. It's an admirable trait.
Ryan,
You are correct. I just learned that this morning - that, while the US is the largest contributor in $, we rank the lowest in % of GNP given among the richest nations.
So you can retract your retraction, Terrence.
-John
when clinton was prez, we gave 1% of our total budget to other countries in aid of some form.
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