cyclon IRENE

Are you safe, Andy?

I hope everything is o.k for you and your family. We see scary videos in the news because of cyclon Irene and they say, this very moment, it has struck New York. I hope your hometown is far from it.


Lena

Hi Lena,

Here in upstate New York we only had some wind and a little rain. I know Danielle and some of our other friends were in the path of the storm, but with power out in that area, no one has been on Facebook yet to let us know how the storm was.

Hope everything is fine with them, too.

Scary things these cyclons and typhons you have in the States. Good thing is that due to your country's structure, things work out fine. That is what a well-organised state and government is about.

Lena

Lena,

Unfortunately, we are in a fight in this country against those who think government should have very little function when it comes to helping people and who would like to see government have nothing to do with preparation or response to national emergencies. If they succeed, we can say goodbye to a government designed to help in emergencies. I see nothing positive in the conservative wave sweeping the earth. It is basically anti-humanity.

You are right, Andy. Allow me though to say that you are one among very few Americans who believe that. Anyway, that is the picture we have in Greece and Europe,too. The US of A is the capital city of capitalism and private organisations and these are not always very humanitarian. In my opinion, capitalism has already been demolished as a system but which country is to admit it first? (Capitalism or Communism, for that matter.) We need governments who respect humans but where are they?

Lena

It's confusing how so many Americans don't think government shouldn't be involved in anything until they need something themselves. I know people who need lifelong treatment for thal but still oppose the health care plan that will eliminate lifetime caps on insurance for chronic illness and prevent insurance companies from refusing to sell insurance to people with pre-existing conditions.