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July 25, 2006
Compassion abounds
Today's letters from readers contain some interesting positions regarding Americans who found themselves trapped in Lebanon during the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
One reader says, "You put yourself in harm's way, are warned not to go, go anyway and then blame the U.S. for your stupidity." She also doesn't want to pitch in any cash for the rescues. Another writer says of those who found themselves in danger, "We have enough trouble on our plate without people like this making more."
These are interesting positions given that the authors have chosen to make their homes on a latticework of fault lines. I suppose if they find themselves trapped under an I-beam after the next earthquake, and no one comes to help, we can at least take comfort in the fact that they knew they had it coming.
It's not like these people were in Lebanon on spring break; many were visiting family and probably found it easier to go to Lebanon than have a Lebanese person try to get into the U.S. And the most frightened and vulnerable were American children.
For God's sake, we managed to scrounge up $300 billion for a debacle in Iraq - can't we at least spend a few million on Americans?
Contrary to popular belief, the government is meant to protect us from more than just gay marriage and teachers who bring science into the classroom. Have some compassion for your fellow Americans and think about more than what it's going to cost you.
Posted by Greg Sidor at July 25, 2006 02:50 AM