More seriousness

I’d forgotten that I’d sent my two tsunami articles to Rabble.ca, and apparently they’d forgotten to inform me that they’d published them! Both pieces appear here.

The horrors in post-tsunami SE Asia continue to mount. There are new reports of organized abuse of women and children in the refugee shelters, including the gang rape of children. As many have been saying for some time, the wave was only the beginning of the misery; this is a longterm tragedy.

Then there’s this doofus named David Holcberg who’s arguing that the USA and other rich nations should not be sending financial aid to SE Asia, pretty much because government money should be spent on domestic issues only. Unsurprisingly, he writes this for the Ayn Rand Institute. Interesting how conservative think tanks have no problem spending hundreds of billions bombing other countries, but balk at spending a few million to help them.

Let me spell it out for you, Holcberg: if you don’t want to give because it’s morally right, then do it for selfish reasons. SE Asia’s collapse means a greater probability of the collapse of the world banking system, a dramatic decline in the purchasing power of big markets for the USA and increased instability in places like Indonesia where anti-US rebels are already making headway. See? Keeping SE Asia safe and happy is best for everyone.

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