When People Need Help

We're in the storm track from California right now, and we have a parade of storms passing through in rapid succession. It's been one of those days when the weather can turn on a dime. One minute the sun is shining, and the pigeons are cavorting in the dry grass here in front of the house. When I look up the next minute, snow is screaming by horizontally and the pigeons are streaking for the safety of the Roofs of Home, where they can slide under the eaves into the chicken barn. After a few minutes of whiteout, the sun emerges again, the drift-rags melt, and the wind pelts us with a few more flakes. It's not weather conducive to working outside, and it's not much fun even in the greenhouse, as there isn't enough sun to actually warm it up.

Instead, I am doing a flurry of housework, and computer work, and cooking beans and making bread. But mostly I am feeling introspective and spending a lot of time thinking about the Haitian earthquake and its ramifications. I've sent off little bits of money, what I could afford, though I am shamed to think of how much I have in comparison to what the people of Haiti have lost (or never had in the first place). I know that what I have done is appropriate, but it still seems little enough.

I am utterly appalled at some of the things that were said about Haiti by those who are politely termed "professional partisans," and who in reality are simply thugs on the media--I'm referring specifically to Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson, though there seem to be a lot of their ilk. I know this is old news, but it's still bothering me, so that's why I'm writing now. As far as Pat Robertson goes, if I could talk to his face, this is what I would say: "Pat Robertson, you ignorant little slimey toad (with apologies to all the real toads of the world)--get off my planet! Go back to the pit you crawled out of!" That is all the consideration I will give to him. Rush is another matter, as he loves people talking back to him. But there is a way to get this parasite off the air and television. Find out who his sponsors are and let them know that until they stop paying for him to pander to the basest yahoos of this country, we will not buy any of their products. If enough people boycotted the sponsors, they would have little choice but to drop him like a rotten tomato. The biggest problem I can see with this plan is that one would have to listen to his "program" to find out who the sponsors are; I don't think I'm brave enough for that.

Well, I feel a little better now that I've gotten that off my chest.

The thing is, when people need help, they need help! You don't help them because they deserve it, or because they subscribe to your political views or religeous credos, or because they look like you. You don't help them because you think it will get you ahead in your business or to curry future favor in Heaven. You help them because they need help. That's all. That should be enough. My deepest thanks to all the people who are actually out there helping.