x360 Journal

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September 23, 2005

Lack of Mention of Disaster Victims

I need to air some thoughts as regards to what topics and issues, at local and global levels, are intended to be covered by this blog. This follows some fairly harsh criticism from a close friend about the lack of reference (in this blog) to the recent devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in the southern USA. There may be other regular American visitors who have taken note of the lack of mention and are also (quietly) offended.

First off I very much regret if anyone has jumped to the conclusion that either myself or anyone else associated with this blog feels a lack of empathy for those affected in the Gulf Coast region at this time. We had similar criticism following both the tsunami disaster in Sumatra and 9/11 back in 2001. But just because disasters, whereever they may occur in the world, aren't addressed and at least given line space to, it doesn't mean feelings and sympathies are lacking. I didn't make mention of the recent London bombings and loss of life in my own country either, but not because I didn't care.

In the same time period that over 1,000 people lost their lives to Hurricane Katrina, a child died every three seconds somewhere in the world from hunger or a preventable disease. That's 1,200 per hour! We didn't mention them either. My point?

There are lots of causes the expedition could take up or merely mention/highlight (like humanitarian ones), but the reality is that 11-years ago Steve and I felt addressing education and inspiring young people around the world to live their dreams and become better informed citizens of the world via cultural exchange programs to best reflect our ideology and in turn be the best use of our energies. I realise these idealistic attempts at bringing people together might seem totally inept and pathetic when people are dying in water-filled basements in New Orleans and thousands of families are displaced in Gulf Coast area, but it's a focus we chose all those years ago and one I intend sticking to until the end of the trip and hopefully thereafter.

While this blog does also reflect unrelated (to the expedition) personal thoughts and emotions of team members participating in each leg, it is primarily designed to reflect the very local experiences we have interacting with the people and environment in the particular part of the world we find ourselves in. I could have made mention of Hurricane Katrina, but the truth is we didn't learn about the disaster until nearly a week afterwards (not having internet access in the field) and at that time (on the island of Trawangan, Lombok) we were totally wrapped up in our own life and death experience of crossing Selat Lombok to Bali (and I'm not exaggerating here). And even if we did hear about it sooner we might have chosen to instead highlight the more local issue of reef-bombing around Lombok, being something we'd experienced at first hand and therefore found ourselves to be better qualified and informed about to in turn publish to this blog.

So apologies again for any offence caused. I know my reticence at times on certain 'big issues' will inevitably be taken as being heartless and cold (I've been hauled up for this before) but X360 will never be all things that all people interpret it 'should be'. All we can do in life is our own little bit and for me I feel the need to focus my rather paltry contributions in very specific directions to avoid running around in circles after a hundred different causes and getting nowhere. Again, just because something isn't said or written doesn't mean it isn't felt.

Jason

Posted on September 23, 2005 10:37 AM

Comments

Posted by: Greg at September 29, 2005 3:26 AM

Posted by: Hugh (& Ben) at September 27, 2005 8:43 PM

Posted by: Craig at September 26, 2005 6:17 AM