“Thank God this whole tsunami thing didn’t happen
someplace like Florida or Texas. You know, somewhere more …
American. ‘Cause then it’d be a real tragedy, instead
of something I can change the channel on.”
As much as I am annoyed with a society that determines the value
of lost lives based on ethnicity, geographical location and
ratings, that’s nothing compared to the vitriol I feel for my
government right now.
Now, I understand the catastrophic loss of life involved, and I
don’t want anyone to think I’m belittling the issue by
using it as a stump for my political ideologies. What happened was
a tragedy that should garner the sympathy of the world on a scale
at least like the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, if not
more.
Newspapers across the world should have run headlines
proclaiming, “Today we are all South/Southeast Asians.”
And America, especially, should jump at the opportunity to repay
the goodwill and generosity it received following Sept. 11.
But no, America doesn’t work that way. Our government
doesn’t work that way. Our government is not one that says,
“How can I be a world power that leads by example?” No,
ours is a government that says, “What have you done for me
lately?” And by the initial response of our government, it
doesn’t look like Indonesia or India has done much for us
lately, all outsourcing aside.
Look, I understand that we’re trying to fight a
two-pronged war on terrorism right now. I understand that
we’ve lost over a thousand of our sons and daughters over in
Afghanistan and Iraq. And I understand that before we throw money
at a loss of non-American life, we should throw money into
finishing the wars that have taken our sons and daughters because,
frankly, those sons and daughters have moms, dads, family and
friends who vote (preferably Republican).
But if my government would just wake up and smell the tsunami,
it would realize it should view this disaster in Asia as another
front in the war on terror.
I’m serious.
One of the hardest-hit countries by the disaster is Indonesia, a
nation known to harbor Muslim extremists with an anti-American
agenda. I know what you’re thinking ““ “Stan, how
insensitive it is for you to even consider attacking Indonesia
right now in the wake of such destruction? You
ass/conservative.”
That’s not what I’m saying. I’m not saying we
should go in, guns blazing. I’m saying our government should
live up to its promise of “compassionate conservatism”
and go in hearts open, arms open, wallets open.
Muslim extremists and terrorists have a wide variety of points
they use in recruiting new members. America wants to destroy Islam
in the name of Christianity. America is greedy and uses the rest of
the world for its gain. America is bereft of moral values and will
destroy our way of life.
And so on and so forth. The best way to fight these guys is not
to defeat them, but to prove them wrong. If your neighbor insults
the guy down the street, and then you meet the him and he turns out
to be really nice to you, giving you food, shelter, a job and a
purpose in life, how could you possibly agree with your
neighbor?
We’ve tried killing the terrorists, but more just come to
replace them. Call me crazy, but why don’t we try killing
them with kindness instead? I’m quite serious.
If my government were compassionate, we would’ve given so
much money initially that a U.N. official would not have called us
stingy. My government would’ve given $350 million right off
the bat instead of being forced into it after being
embarrassed.
But all my government could come up with initially was $15
million? Miss Congeniality Sandra Bullock gave $1 million all by
herself.
But it’s OK because I don’t expect my government to
be compassionate. I do expect my government to be smart ““
smart in protecting me and in protecting my country. And if my
government were smart, it would’ve realized that an
outpouring of generosity right off the bat would’ve gone a
long way to combating the assorted “America is the white
devil” terrorist propaganda, not to mention help mend ties
with our allies. All of which would have helped us in our global
war on terrorism.
But no. By totally screwing up its initial response, my
government has shown me that it is neither compassionate nor
smart.
Pham is a UCLA alumnus.