Over the past few days, I've been mesmerized by the story about the 12 Thai boys, ages 11-16, who had been trapped nearly 1,000' feet below in the middle of rainy season. Though it was reassuring to see that they were reached, the options for their safe extraction seemed very limited. I'm delighted to learn that they all made it out there safely in a daring rescue operation that took place over three days.
I am disgusted by what an ugly people we've become. I see it in the hate-filled rants both supporters and detractors of authoritarian Donald Trump. More than anyone, he has set the stage for the decline in decent behavior.
As Jay Parini observed, "In the Thai cave, there were no skin colors, religious differences or questions of sexual identity. Nobody wrapped himself in a flag or questioned the science at hand. This was one of those rare times when we see how much we can achieve against terrifying odds when people work in unison, selflessly, to do something important."
Thai SEALS were assisted by cave divers from Britain, America, Japan, Denmark and Australia. Chinese rescue specialists were on hand. Israeli tech companies set up a communications network.
With the exception of the unfortunate death of a Thai diver, this is an uplifting story that shows our better angels. Maybe there is hope for us.
22 comments:
I prefer to think Trump PROVIDED the stage for others to act on their own choosing.
For the most part, the nasty stuff, both verbal and physical, has been a product of the Democrat Party and the radical Leftists who have co-opted it. They promote a Socialist/Communist model in which the end justifies whatever means necessary.
Sadly, daily news and information sources have made things worse by winding-up the bad actors with misleading and false information. Even scare tactics.
8:07 (You have no clue).Stay on course Bernie !
Trump 2020
5:30, You prefer to think? Hiow can you say that and simultaneously hold trump harmless for all the hate he has enabled? He brings out the worst in everyone.
I have just deleted a number of comments from some of the hateful peole he has enabled. There's Rolf Oeler, who intensely hates Democrats, Mslims and Obama. There is Robert Ryan, who haes Muslims, Jews, blacks, etc. These are sick and ugly people who now feel that they are mainstream.
5.30
For the most----mindless prattle.
So you would agree the bleeding heart liberal Rush Limbaugh was pushing a Socialist/Communist model when he posted a picture of the White House dog- a picture of Chelsea Clinton then a young teenager?
The right wing thought it was funny to attack every Democrat without pause.
Fox news had their hourly 10 minutes of hate attacking anything President Obama did.Nothing was too small to bitch about.
President Obama was attacked for putting mustard on a hamburger and using a standard paper clip.
Comrade trump has surrounded himself with quite a cast of grifters and incompetent people.
Pointing that out does not equal hate.
8:42 -
So according to your post, you're holding onto a 25-year old incident where a photo (of someone you don't personally know) was briefly put on screen by a TV personality?
Learn to let go, buddy.
It's not mentally healthy to hold on to quarter-century-old incidents that didn't even involve you.
I noticed over the last few hours this loyal democrat followed the playbook and deleted almost all comments that do not go in lockstep with his "opinions". I will state that the most interesting post on this blog will occur on November 7, 2018. He will explain how the vile, nasty, people responding to his rants compelled him to pick up the bottle again.
9.46
So it seems you wish to put a shelf life on rude and crass behavior?
Is that 10 minutes or six months?
As to that liberal Rush he was not even man enough to admit what he did.
He blamed a staffer for the picture.
So remembering a cowardly attack by a right wing hero has merit.
President Nixon bowed to emperor Hirohito(the guy who approved the attack on Pearl Harbor).
You can forgive but forgetting is a bad idea.
Trump 2020
Obama and Carter = Awful
Actually, I've deleted Rolf Oeler and Robert Ryan, both of whom are sick. They go off topic and engage in mindless personal attacks without identifying themselves. I have no problem with a healthy discussion. i have lots of problems with racism, xenophobia, hate and venom. And if a comment is defamatory, I will delete unless the author identifies himself so the victim knows who to sue. This is not bullying, as MM dishonestly states. This is standing up to the bullies.
Using such a beautiful moment to slam Trump is why we need our better angels. Physician heal thyself.
An example of goodwill even if the governments disagree.
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/12/27/iran.us.aid/
""The United States will deploy civilian teams composed of more than 200 experts in urban search and rescue, emergency surgery, and disaster response coordination.
That includes medical response teams from Boston, Massachusetts, and local disaster response teams from Los Angeles, California, and Fairfax County, Virginia, the statement said.
"The United States will continue to work with Iranian authorities and international relief organizations to help the people of Iran during this challenging time."
I along with 10's of millions across the world were relieved when these boys were rescued.Hundreds of strangers worked diligently to complete the mission at hand
"Using such a beautiful moment to slam Trump is why we need our better angels."
Entirely appropriate. his isolationist, nativist "America First" blather has appealed to and brought out the dark sides of many who feel emboldened by this shallow authoritarian.
It was nice to see countries coming together, in spite of the wedges that Trump has imposed everywhere.
Countries coming together
https://shape.nato.int/page139114921
"NATO and its partner countries responded to the United States' request for assistance with offers of food, medical supplies and equipment.
27 countries - Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom - informed NATO's Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre that they would provide the United States with requested items.
The aid included food supplies, bottled water, water purification units, medical supplies, tents and camp beds, generators, water pumps, ships, helicopters, financial contributions and forensic teams.
A number of other NATO and partner countries also responded, communicating their assistance via other channels "
President Trump has remembered the forgotten Americans. The President knows what is important and what is not. We can ask why go in the dangerous cave to begin with. The President allows us to ask common sense questions Again.
I was waiting for an ugly American to ask that question. You do not disappoint.
It is a wonderful feel-good story of cooperation, anyone could see this was a ratings getter. It's completely predictable the media's sensationalization of such an event. If it didn't happen on it's own, a morale officer should order one up when we need to feel good about ourselves. Not a bad training exercise either.
The cave rescue proved challenging although not nearly as difficult as helping the people of South Chicago, which is a much more dangerous place than any Thai cave with difficulties less publicized. Last weekend 4 people were shot dead. In fact in the time the cavers were trapped more than 13 people have been shot dead in the streets of Chicago.
Please advise on the branch of the Military you served,you have no respect for the President and I'm confident you had low security clearance.Snowden had low level clearance and is a turncoat.Your new name on your blog is Bernie Snowden !.
Bernie Snowden,you a fucking loser with no respect for the President !.
I'm not Bernie, but I'm a veteran of the US Army and I have no respect for Donald Trump, the most disrespectful president in my lifetime, if not in USE history.
"Please advise on the branch of the Military you served,you have no respect for the President and I'm confident you had low security clearance"
Why on earth do I need to justify myself to an anonymous coward who almost certainly never served? But I did. Like 8:29, I am US Army, an artillery unit. Never saw combat. Did have a secret clearance, but low level. Like 8:29, I have no respect for Authoritarian Donald Trump.
The clown who calls himself President has done it again. On the world stage with our Allies he has once again shown himself crass and stupid. The man has no sense of history, world or American. He is a horrible representation of our country.
Please don't say, "yes but.." The man is a moron and will hopefully be thrown out of office in his next election if there is a God and intelligence in this nation.
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