At this time New Zealand is in the grip of our biggest natural disaster in many, many decades. A powerful earthquake shook the major southern city of Christchurch just two days ago and flung the entire country into turmoil. A substantial relief effort is running against the clock to rescue well over two hundred people still believed to be missing, and we have sadly already lost 98. It is a disaster on a scale unprecedented in living memory, and there is not a kiwi in the world not feeling the weight of the tragedy.
Most of us sit glued, resolute, to news footage and radio broadcasts and general conversations about the magnitude of what we are in the midst of. Knowing that we'll recount the events of this week for generations to come, the emotion is palpable whenever it is mentioned. For the people (nearly 400,000) in Christchurch, their battles are immediate, life-threatening and in some cases, virtually insurmountable. May they stay as strong as strong can be and know we are all with them.
Many radio stations have taken on the admirable task of fielding calls from those in and outside the city. Some hysterically trying to locate loved ones still unaccounted for. Others ring to vent at the indiscretions of a nameless few that loot and vandalise in the worst of times. Others call using the radio network as a vital organisational tool for the distribution of donated food, water and goods. Still others call with tales of hope and strength that boost the audience, some of which will be sitting, exhausted and miserable in the debris they once called home. It is addictive broadcasting. But some calls have irked me.....
One chap rang today and said that Christchurch was feeling God's wrath (didnt say why?). Another said we are 'asking for it' building on a fault line. And yet another insightful individual attested that natures fury was upon us and we ought to just walk away. All three spiked my blood pressure due to their sheer insensitivity and timing, but the last one hurt. First because we have world class rescuers working around the clock to have to do anything but walk away. But second because it implied that nature has an intention....a maligned purpose to destroy humans.
The truth is, despite in some instances of it probably being wholly justified, nature does not act in such ways. It does not regard entities as enemies and friends. It is a complex system of interacting parts, processes and transformations of each that carries on whether we are there or not. Of course many of our actions cause great change to those elements, but nature is not a force to be angered. It is not a God that deals out punishment. And it certainly did not target the people of Christchurch. It is ridiculous to suggest so, barely 48 hours on and amid so much fear and misery that it is anything of the sort.
Nature is as nature does and the beautiful Garden City is not being punished. Two plates slid against each other....a sudden movement...a burst of energy....and a quake rocked our world. That simple...mindless rants ought to stay off the airwaves....most unhelpful
I hope they pointed out to caller number 2 that the settlers of Christchurch were unaware that there was a faultline under their homes, I believe that most scientists didn't even believe in fault lines in the 1850's. And when you considered that up until September last year no body knew about the fault how can you blame them for building there.
ReplyDeleteAnd there was an e-mail sent around explaining why God smited Christchurch http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/2011/02/23/the-sort-of-sentiment-we-dont-need/