Ignorant Citizen(s)

I don't claim to be the most enlightened person when it comes to international and national affairs.  I can't tell you all the issues that people in the US and abroad face on a daily basis.  I only know what's going on in my life and the little tidbits that the Associated Press decides to share with the media outlets.  However, I do feel like there's a certain line that one shouldn't cross when it comes to a national crisis.


I'm sure as you're reading this, you're already aware of the situation surrounding Japan and the powerful earthquake that rocked their area on March 11, 2011 around 12:46AM EST.  It occurred about 81 miles east of the Oshika Peninsula and was rated at 9.0 on the Richter scale.  This moved land masses by measurements of feet and was actually powerful enough to shift the Earth on its axis by a few inches.



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(The Oshika Peninsula is estimated to have shifted by 17 feet)


This is a pretty catastrophic event as it is.  No one expects the ground beneath them to just up and decide to move one day.  It's pretty unpredictable and frightening. It is one reason why I would consider never living in California or anywhere near a fault line.  Unfortunately this earthquake occurred under water and that amount of force caused the water to shift.  The result of this was a tsunami.  Imagine a titanic-sized Fat Albert cannon balling into the ocean and dispersing the water in all directions.  The waves that hit the coasts of Japan were anywhere from 1 to 30 feet high or higher.  The water didn't have any plans on stopping at the coast like most waves normally do.  This was a 10+ feet wall of water heading straight at you.


The amount of damage caused is unfathomable.  There are videos of houses, cars, people, and boats all floating across the mainland of Japan.  Yes, I said houses.

I felt the need to write this post to point out people and their ignorance and/or stupidity.  I'm paraphrasing here, but I literally saw someone post a status update that said "I'm tired of hearing about Japan and their tsunami.  This is just like last year with Haiti and their bullshit.  Let's deal with our own problems first before we try and help anyone else".  I'm not sure what I was more disgusted by, this person's statement or the fact that people were agreeing with them.  


What problems could you possibly have that can relate to a wall of water coming and knocking your house down?  Think you're paying too many taxes?  Are you mad that McDonalds isn't hiring?  Is Obama making your life hell because your neighbor said he is?  


How about you ask some of these questions.  Are you homeless?  Is your whole family missing?  Are you stuck without power or running water in twenty degree weather?  Are you in proximity of a nuclear power plant melting down?


You may want to say that none of this is your problem.  It's an opinion to have, although it doesn't have any merit on the humanitarian scale.  It actually is your problem.  Japan owns 20% of the US debt.  That means this country, the country you live in, runs partly in thanks to Japan.  Japan has the third biggest economy in the world.  Do you really think things are going to get any better if we ignore them and let them suffer?  


Economy, however, should be the last thing you should be worrying about.  People are likely freezing to death.  They are on the verge of suffering a nuclear event.  Families are buried in rubble or washing ashore by the thousands.


Here are some preliminary figures on casualties:

• 8,649 deaths
• 2,702 injured
• 12,877 people missing

Are you really that heartless as to say that you don't care about that amount of people perishing?  In case you're a little rusty on your math, that is around 6-7 times the amount of people lost on 9/11.  It is a great tragedy and Japan will suffer the consequences of this event for many years to come.  Radiation poisoning has already occurred and whole infrastructures were wiped away.


I have no problems with people posting their own opinion, but don't try to act like your problems are more important than people who have suffered a national tragedy and are in need of a helping hand.  While you were sitting there today sipping on a Budweiser and watching NCAA in the comfort of your A/C, someone is out there searching for a loved one and trying not to freeze and/or starve and/or not die from a nuclear power plant meltdown.

Keep your mouth shut next time, you fucking prick.

(I did remove that person as a friend, so this person will probably never read this post.  I felt that this post goes to showcase how stupid and heartless people can be.  No offense to people that died in Haiti, this post merely served as an explanation and recount to things that happened in Japan.)