For over twenty years I was provided with a radio microphone from which to debate and argue; pontificate and surmize. I don't miss it. The combative nature of the business that is. One thing that I came to know over the weekend however was that my emotions and their connection to what goes on around me are still very much intact. I spent much of the weekend angry and sad. Disturbed and motivated. Shocked and furious. Once again, just like I recalled it had dozens and dozens of times before while I was a part of the media, I watched people from another part of this planet writhe and suffer in pain. Reach out to other countries and governments all over the world who themselves appeared to suffer from apparent paralasis. What we have witnessed over the past almost two weeks in Haitti has brought tragedy and suffering into our living rooms. Twice my wife and I reached for the phone and donated far more than we ever have in the past. Thousands and thousands of people in this country and around the world dug down to give what they could to help out in any way they can. So far Canadians have donated some $50 million. In the U.S. the telethon raised a reported $57. million. The government there has set aside about $100 million. The truth is that this will amount to little more than a bandaid on the gaping wound of utter destruction. What I write each day is called "Perspectives". Lets do that then. Let's put this into perspective. Consider that the "war" effort in Iraq and Afganistan has a U.S. pricetage for 2010 of $138 billion. Not a misprint, that's a "B". I am so angry about all of this I could write an essay to rival war and peace but here is the Coles notes version. Government's amass armies and run up massive military budgets all under the banner of helping others, saving lives and protecting feedom. I happen to be one who is in full support of the concept. What I am appauled by is government's lack of ability to see the enemy, any enemy equally. The enemy in Iraq was Saddam Hussein. The bad guys in Afghanistan are the rag tag group of militants. The enemy in Haiti was an earthquake. When this bad guy left, some 3 million people were without food of shelter. Hospitals or schools. Churches or hope. The most recent estimates are that 110,000 people have lost thier lives. Countless tens of thousands of other are wounded. A great many still dying due to lack of treatment. Ganggreen setting in to wounds that simple treatment and antiboitics would have prevented. Those on the ground are referring to this new wave of tragedy as "stupid deaths". Here is the question then that I encourage you to start asking your family and neighbors. Your friends and members of parliment. Your own conscience. "How can we not rush in when people don't have sufficent water or food? Where is the medication to calm the screams of a child unable to stand the pain of their injury one more minute?" I am ashamed that in 2010 we could allow this to happen. If we don't start doing something about it, it will continue. Here is the truth. Our government is broken. The world is broken. We are a democracy and as such have the right and power to demand that those who we put into office get up and do the right thing when an enemy strikes. Any enemy. If governments can throw tens of billions of dollars of OUR money at a military machine to fight in the hills of Afganastan, than surely to God we can be there in a moments notice to lift pieces of broken concrete off a dying child. We keep hearing we are a global community. I think people are getting sick and tired of seeing "the community" only include those with oil or political influence. This needs to change. Governments need to change. You and I and all those who see the logic of equality are the only ones who can. We have to. The world is broken.
Randy Taylor
www.taylormadeleadership.com
"The Power to Change From Within"
647 262-3853
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