Geography 101 – There is a Whole World OUTSIDE the USA

Firstly, let me say that I have nothing but sympathy for all those caught up in Hurricane Harvey’s torrential soaking of Houston. For every person lost, for every home destroyed, and for every animal killed by the deluge, I feel for you all.

And it is a big story. Big storm. Big water. Big city. Big destruction. Big continuing threats to health, safety, industry.

And in the strongest, richest country in the world.

But not the only country in the world. Not by a long shot.

Now, I appreciate that large sections of the US population have no real awareness of the rest of the world, but I had hoped that we did.

I know they shout loudly, and are expert at waving their dicks around at the worst possible time, and are happy to blame the recent floods on the gay members of society, but they are one country.

As far as I can see, the death toll is around 18 at present, although it will sadly rise. And each is one too many.

But……

In Yemen, India, Nepal and Bangladesh, thousands have died in recent floods and natural disasters. Thousands. And each one is one too many.

But not as important. Because otherwise they would be spread all over the news. And as the scale is larger, the devastation more terrifying, the reporting would be of a larger scale than that covering the US.

Except it’s not.

Because they don’t matter as much? Because we are so used to hearing about natural disasters in these countries that it just doesn’t register any more?

Or are the media just looking for new news, not repeats of old stories?

Whatever the reason, it is not good enough. Not by a long, long way.

We have enough indirect blood on our hands as far as Yemen is concerned, supplying the weapons used by Saudi Arabia to kill innocent people, without at least acknowledging that there are catastrophes across the world that deserve as much sympathy, support and awareness.

The US is more than capable of looking after its own. Whether it does or not is a whole different blog.

The rest of the world should be paying attention to the rest of the world.

Now.