Whether it's Hurricane Katrina, Gustav or Ike, it's a reality check on the human condition every time disaster strikes. Often we prefer to focus our lenses on the angels that never fail to surface shortly after a storm, flood, earthquake, wildfire, or other disaster.
When Hurricane Ike unexpectedly veered our way on Sunday morning, residents of our town began to report angel sightings again, from around the country. Rescue workers saving the lives of humans, pets, and wild beasts alike. There was the local radio guy, Joe Lo, along with his crew, who went the extra mile to keep River City informed of road closures and school closings.
One of the guys at church said, his neighbor let his family use their power cord to power their refrigerator and prevent food spoilage. Utility company workers are slaving themselves to restore power to 70% of city residents who lost electricity. Churches, the Red Cross, other charities, and individuals playing disaster teams and Good Samaritans. One lady from a local charity handed out foods to utility and sanitation workers; she actually drove around in her car, using her own gasoline to feed these workers. The woman is an angel, a saint.
It is true, disasters like storms tend to bring out the best in people. But let us not kid ourselves: they also bring out the very worst in some people. In fact, I will wager that the angels admidst disasters are in the minority. There are many more demons than angels that show their faces and spout their voices in the storm. Numbered among those Hall of Shamers are some gas station owners. The storm was still more than 48 hours from Owensboro, when a friend called to alert me that one Kroger station had already jacked up their gasoline price to $4.50 per gallon. Another station marked up their price per gallon to more than $5.00. Before then the average price for regular unleaded was around $3.55. It was only after the state government sent out warnings of price gouging did the price of gas come back to earth.
While there were some people helping to clear tree limbs from their neighbors' yards, there were many more charging ridiculous prices for tree removal service. My friend the insurance guy had so many of his State Farm customers shouting at his employees as they reported damages to their roofs and demanded fast insurance checks. There were those who took out their stress on others. Grumpy customers scratched (with their voices) at the utility company receptionists, while others are heard complaining and whining about why it's taking this long to have the power back on. Some in our town complained that our utility company had no business sending trucks and workers to help out in Texas, knowing that we could get hit by Ike after it did heavy damage in Galveston and Houston. You would think that people would at least be happy that their neighbors in Texas, Indiana, and Kentucky have gotten their electric power restored; not so.
As one who has been in a civil war as well as a massive tornado that hit our city in 2000, I have seen firsthand that human nature is a two-sided coin, a double-edge sword. Yes, it is refreshing to see the angelic side of human nature. However, there is that demonic side also, and it is just as likely to show up in the aftermath of disasters. I still remember Liberians selling cups of water at $5 and higher, while fellow thirsty Liberians were fleeing for their lives and begging for drinking water.
While, when disaster strikes, it is true that some people see opportunity to lend a helping hand for their fellow man or fellow woman, some folk see dollar signs written all over other people's pain. Misery money remains a strong draw in our world. People capitalize on human misery every day -- wars, unrests, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, storms, el ninos, la ninas, volcanoes, poverty, etc. Remember those looters in New Orleans in the flood waters of Katrina? That disaster certainly brought out the very worst in some people!
It is heart-warming that some times right after the strong winds of a storm we meet the angels of humanity at their best, and we shout, "Go, Angels!" At other times, sadly, those unsaintly ones of our race follow in the tracks of hellish disasters; whenever we see such sights, we should want to say, "Boo, Demons!"
When Hurricane Ike unexpectedly veered our way on Sunday morning, residents of our town began to report angel sightings again, from around the country. Rescue workers saving the lives of humans, pets, and wild beasts alike. There was the local radio guy, Joe Lo, along with his crew, who went the extra mile to keep River City informed of road closures and school closings.
One of the guys at church said, his neighbor let his family use their power cord to power their refrigerator and prevent food spoilage. Utility company workers are slaving themselves to restore power to 70% of city residents who lost electricity. Churches, the Red Cross, other charities, and individuals playing disaster teams and Good Samaritans. One lady from a local charity handed out foods to utility and sanitation workers; she actually drove around in her car, using her own gasoline to feed these workers. The woman is an angel, a saint.
It is true, disasters like storms tend to bring out the best in people. But let us not kid ourselves: they also bring out the very worst in some people. In fact, I will wager that the angels admidst disasters are in the minority. There are many more demons than angels that show their faces and spout their voices in the storm. Numbered among those Hall of Shamers are some gas station owners. The storm was still more than 48 hours from Owensboro, when a friend called to alert me that one Kroger station had already jacked up their gasoline price to $4.50 per gallon. Another station marked up their price per gallon to more than $5.00. Before then the average price for regular unleaded was around $3.55. It was only after the state government sent out warnings of price gouging did the price of gas come back to earth.
While there were some people helping to clear tree limbs from their neighbors' yards, there were many more charging ridiculous prices for tree removal service. My friend the insurance guy had so many of his State Farm customers shouting at his employees as they reported damages to their roofs and demanded fast insurance checks. There were those who took out their stress on others. Grumpy customers scratched (with their voices) at the utility company receptionists, while others are heard complaining and whining about why it's taking this long to have the power back on. Some in our town complained that our utility company had no business sending trucks and workers to help out in Texas, knowing that we could get hit by Ike after it did heavy damage in Galveston and Houston. You would think that people would at least be happy that their neighbors in Texas, Indiana, and Kentucky have gotten their electric power restored; not so.
As one who has been in a civil war as well as a massive tornado that hit our city in 2000, I have seen firsthand that human nature is a two-sided coin, a double-edge sword. Yes, it is refreshing to see the angelic side of human nature. However, there is that demonic side also, and it is just as likely to show up in the aftermath of disasters. I still remember Liberians selling cups of water at $5 and higher, while fellow thirsty Liberians were fleeing for their lives and begging for drinking water.
While, when disaster strikes, it is true that some people see opportunity to lend a helping hand for their fellow man or fellow woman, some folk see dollar signs written all over other people's pain. Misery money remains a strong draw in our world. People capitalize on human misery every day -- wars, unrests, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, storms, el ninos, la ninas, volcanoes, poverty, etc. Remember those looters in New Orleans in the flood waters of Katrina? That disaster certainly brought out the very worst in some people!
It is heart-warming that some times right after the strong winds of a storm we meet the angels of humanity at their best, and we shout, "Go, Angels!" At other times, sadly, those unsaintly ones of our race follow in the tracks of hellish disasters; whenever we see such sights, we should want to say, "Boo, Demons!"
