molly.com
Sunday 23 October 2005
Of Pride and Sorrow
AT DINNER TONIGHT in my hotel here in Jackson, Mississippi where I’m working for the week with the Mississippi State IT Department, I observed my fellow diners and found myself deeply moved by what I saw.
Many readers might not be aware that Jackson was not only hit by Hurricane Katrina, the hurricane that devastated New Orleans as well as Biloxi and other Gulf Coast cities and towns, but it is currently serving as one of the locations that the U.S. government has relocated those left homeless and jobless by the storm. Many of these folks are in hotels with funds provided by U.S. government agencies. They are waiting for news as to where, when and how the U.S. government and insurance representatives will get them back to work and help them rebuild their lives.
History is filled with stories of displaced people, and of course my Jewish upbringing was not without its many lessons of exactly that. Yet, I’m a middle class child and have rarely wanted for food or shelter or a place to call home. It is an unimaginable experience for me. I feel tremendous pain for what has happened, and I am angry at an administration that hasn’t been prepared or perhaps even concerned enough to ensure that people, no matter their economic status, are taken care of. If my country, supposedly the wealthiest and most resourceful on earth, cannot take better care of its people, what on earth are we doing with all that money and all those resources?
With another major storm about to hit Florida, and predictions that continuing serious meteorological and geological events are expected in the next years to come, I feel overwhelmed with sadness. I am also impressed by the people I meet who seem to be stronger than I believe I could ever be if faced with the same losses.
I’m struck by a raw sense of irony that along with being a temporary haven for many storm victims, Jackson is the last stop for many U.S. Marine, Army, and Navy recruits on their way to boot camp. In the restaurant tonight there was a group of 15 or so young men undergoing this particular right of passage.
All of them young enough to be my sons, I couldn’t help but stare at them in a sense of astonishment as they head off to experiences that could either enrich their lives via education and a chance to see the world, or leave them wounded or dead in a war that defies any sense of logic I possess. When I look at these young men - so recently boys, really - what I see and feel is honored by their courage and fearful for their futures. I can only imagine what their own mothers and families must feel right now.
Pride and sorrow seem like such disparate emotions, but they are co-existing within me as I sit and recall my emotions looking over that room full of people and wondering where their lives will take them next. I can only hope, as we all can, that we’ll figure out how to do this better in the future.
I always have believed the Web, with its ability to be used as a force for good in this world, can be used to help better distribute not only goods and services, but information and aid to all those who need. I’m reminded of Jeff Veen’s Have Hay / Need Hay usability example from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Have resources? Need resources? I hope readers will agree that this is a model we as Web developers and global citizens will focus on more and more as we continue refining our skills, working toward a better Web, a healthier world and never, ever forgetting the human face of what it is we do.
Filed under: faith(less), travel, society
Posted by: Molly | 6:13 pm |
October 23rd, 2005 at 10:30 pm
I agree! I know so many friends/family who have gone off just like that and believe that the Web can be used for things like that and beyond. And creating better ways to use and make the most of the Web for them and for those who are not as privileged as I am, is what motivates me.
October 23rd, 2005 at 10:42 pm
Some pretty cool folks at Yahoo picked up their bags and took a mini work station with a few computers and was able to get a connection out there in the Astro Dome to help hook up families that have been searching for each other.
Now I know folks have their opinions of how robust the Y! search technology is, but we were able to serve hundreds of families finding their loved ones. It was an endearing story when I heard it. Go us.
October 25th, 2005 at 3:09 am
[…] er was down too long yesterday and only two comments arrived in 24 hours in response to my Of Pride and Sorrow post, which I felt was, well, very heartfelt. Nevertheless, it got me t […]
October 25th, 2005 at 2:02 pm
How inspirational and wonderful it was and too see that web proffesionals stepped up to the plate to do something. I heard many stories of Google (via google maps), Yahoo and even regular folks helping out.
I understand your the emotions. I think we as a people need to remember we are all human. Sometimes we get caught up in our comfy worlds and forget the forgotten. Hopefully you carry this and use it in a positive manner.
Great post…
October 26th, 2005 at 2:25 am
Currently reading your book “Spring into HTML & CSS” I stumpled onto your site. Great book by the way.
Reading this comment I sit here in one of the European Unions smallest countries (5 mio. people) and just hope that there’s a lot more people in the US thinking what you think!
October 27th, 2005 at 10:01 am
For an extensive list of resources, see the following link here .
I write this from the comfort of Starkville, MS, which is 5 hours north of the coast and largely escaped major damage. The response from this community and from the nation at large has been overwhelming. People have been traveling to the coast from as far away as Virginia and Oregon, giving up their vacations or military leaves to come and help out. Churches have been turned into shelters and collection points. Semi trucks full of donations have gone down on regular schedules. It has been an amazing experience.
January 12th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Thanks Molly
January 29th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
thanx
January 31st, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Those who choose to take the “slights and disappointments” path, meanwhile, are very generously compensated for their trouble
March 30th, 2008 at 6:31 am
thanks
May 28th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
thanks for your sharing
June 7th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
thanks
June 7th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
thank you