Wednesday, August 31, 2005
(Crickets chirping ...)
The silence of the international community, in response to the plight of our Gulf Coast neighbors, friends and kin, is deafening. Some of the poorest people in the country have had what little they had wrenched from them.
The United Nations response:
Annan expresses sympathy for Hurricane Katrina victims
31 August 2005 – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today expressed his sympathy for victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States and extended condolences to those affected by the storm.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, the Secretary-General said he is deeply saddened by the loss of life and large-scale destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina along the United States Gulf Coast. He also extended condolences to all the victims and their families, it added.
“I hope, in the coming weeks, all will be done to provide support for those who need it,” Mr. Annan said later at a press briefing. “There has to be effective coordination in these efforts. And I think efforts are being made to ensure that assets are in place and effective coordination is organized because without that, it is going to be very, very difficult to get urgent help to all those who need it, and to help them rebuild,” he said in response to a question.
Earlier this week Sálvano Briceño, Director of the Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) called for more systematic prevention and mitigation measures, noting that the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina and recent deadly floods in Central Europe and Switzerland prove that anyone can be affected, any day, anywhere by natural disaster.
He also said that recent weather-rated catastrophes provide an opportune moment for the media to pass the message that it is important for all to be prepared in the future.
Thanks, Kofi!
I have an idea for where to put about 3,400 of the newly homeless: In a newly vacant United Nations headquarters:
--ER
The United Nations response:
Annan expresses sympathy for Hurricane Katrina victims
31 August 2005 – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today expressed his sympathy for victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States and extended condolences to those affected by the storm.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, the Secretary-General said he is deeply saddened by the loss of life and large-scale destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina along the United States Gulf Coast. He also extended condolences to all the victims and their families, it added.
“I hope, in the coming weeks, all will be done to provide support for those who need it,” Mr. Annan said later at a press briefing. “There has to be effective coordination in these efforts. And I think efforts are being made to ensure that assets are in place and effective coordination is organized because without that, it is going to be very, very difficult to get urgent help to all those who need it, and to help them rebuild,” he said in response to a question.
Earlier this week Sálvano Briceño, Director of the Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) called for more systematic prevention and mitigation measures, noting that the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina and recent deadly floods in Central Europe and Switzerland prove that anyone can be affected, any day, anywhere by natural disaster.
He also said that recent weather-rated catastrophes provide an opportune moment for the media to pass the message that it is important for all to be prepared in the future.
Thanks, Kofi!
I have an idea for where to put about 3,400 of the newly homeless: In a newly vacant United Nations headquarters:
--ER
Comments:
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Hell, no, it's not a joke. There should be some mechanism for the civilized world to get together and talk about ways to cooperate for the good of the planet. The UN, however, has lost too much cred, is antiquated and is too tied to 1940s global reality, not the present.
Besides that, "international law" is an oxymoron. Hell, "law" is a pretty dang wobbly idea, ain't it?
Look at the looters in N.O. Dr. ER and I decided that if we were in the same boat -- ah, boatless, actually, I guess -- and we needed food, or diapers, or clothes, or shoes, or whatever, with our house literally washed away, we'd take what we needed.
We would not need a new TV or other electronics, of course. But you know what? There is fixing to be a barter economy emerge down there. Maybe stockpiling electronics isn't such a stupid idea. The electricity will come back on. Some day.
Besides that, "international law" is an oxymoron. Hell, "law" is a pretty dang wobbly idea, ain't it?
Look at the looters in N.O. Dr. ER and I decided that if we were in the same boat -- ah, boatless, actually, I guess -- and we needed food, or diapers, or clothes, or shoes, or whatever, with our house literally washed away, we'd take what we needed.
We would not need a new TV or other electronics, of course. But you know what? There is fixing to be a barter economy emerge down there. Maybe stockpiling electronics isn't such a stupid idea. The electricity will come back on. Some day.
Preach it! Preach it brother!
I agree lets clean out the UN building of the false freedom lovers and free loading hypocrites that have been there enjoying our freedom for themselves for last 50 years and use it as a shelter for OUR refugees.
I'm surprised kofi didn't suggest we trade our gulf oil for food for the victims and offer to take care of the exchange himself.
I agree lets clean out the UN building of the false freedom lovers and free loading hypocrites that have been there enjoying our freedom for themselves for last 50 years and use it as a shelter for OUR refugees.
I'm surprised kofi didn't suggest we trade our gulf oil for food for the victims and offer to take care of the exchange himself.
What I've always said is that the U.S. needs to be honest about it: either leave the U.N., or be a part of it, pay our dues, abide by its mandates.
What we have now is this hypocritical thing where we have a controlling vote on the security council, so that even the U.N. is basically an adjunct of the U.S., then we spend the rest of our time talking about what a meaningless body it is.
So yeah-either leave it, or try to make it work. Anything in the middle is a lie and a waste of time.
What we have now is this hypocritical thing where we have a controlling vote on the security council, so that even the U.N. is basically an adjunct of the U.S., then we spend the rest of our time talking about what a meaningless body it is.
So yeah-either leave it, or try to make it work. Anything in the middle is a lie and a waste of time.
Not to throw a wrench in it, but y'all DO know that the U.N. is not in the United States, don't you? That piece of land on which it sits does not belong to our country. As much as we may be hurting for aid and comfort from our allies, we don't have any more claim to that real estate than they do.
I guess I didn't make it clear that I was talking about clearing out the buildings now occupied by the UN and its bands of petty criminals acting under cover of diplomatic immunity, severing ties with the UN and reclaiming the property for the United States if need be.
The UN has outlived its usefulness. We should withdraw, then form a new organization that does not pretend to be a lawmaking or regulating body, and put the headquarters, oh, I don't know, in Felt, Okla. By the time delegated found the place, they'd be all humbled up real good.
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The UN has outlived its usefulness. We should withdraw, then form a new organization that does not pretend to be a lawmaking or regulating body, and put the headquarters, oh, I don't know, in Felt, Okla. By the time delegated found the place, they'd be all humbled up real good.
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