Sunday 15 February 2009

Giving


The Palins are about to welcome Greta Van Susteren into their nice, warm home for yet another interview. It's likely to be very cosy, moose chilli will be served, there will be a lovely family atmosphere and they will talk and talk. At some point in the interview, Sarah will say how Alaska is her first priority, how hard she works to progress the great state of Alaska.

Meanwhile, ADN reports that worldwide donations of food and cash are pouring into the lower Yukon Delta region. There's been a crisis there for a few months and the bloggers became aware of it a month ago. Initially the focus was on Emmonak. People were having to choose between eating and staying warm. Much was written about it, but more than that, steps were taken to start helping. Accounts were set up, PayPal buttons installed and money started coming in. Then individuals from other villages revealled that they were in trouble as well. The appeal got bigger and people responded again.

It's very interesting to observe how different people react to the same event in virtually opposite ways. I suppose it depends on their contrasting personal values.

Individuals from far away places, who have no particular connection with Alaska, felt moved to send a contribution to the villages because they felt connected to the people there on a level that would be impossible for Sarah Palin to understand.

She could have offered assistance to the villages much faster than the bloggers. As the Governor, she had resources like money, aeroplanes and manpower. What Sarah Palin didn't have was the will to respond to their desperate appeals.

Sarah Palin didn't help them as a Governor or as a person. Not once has she expressed any real concern about their plight or shown any compassion. Not even for the cameras. She will talk about it, yes. But in a very business like manner and not offering any real solutions, because she's not listening.

So, while Sarah talks to Greta in her nice, warm home about her children, grandchildren, about Todd and the Iron Dog and how much she cares for Alaska, I would like to thank all the bloggers, all the people who helped even when they were in difficulties themselves, Dennis Zaki for the amazing footage, the list is long! In short, I would like to thank anybody who had a heart and reached out to a fellow human being. People with nice, warm hearts.

More about the worldwide donations on ADN.
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