Prioritize: America’s response to the crisis in Pakistan

Bovard sent me this link to a letter to the editor printed in Bozeman’s Daily Chronicle, quote in full below, which I felt compelled to respond to.

I was disgusted to see that the United States was sending aid to Pakistan for the earthquake recovery when here at home we have our own hurricane victims needing help. I have nothing against aiding other countries in times of need, but when we have our own disasters that need attending to, we need to prioritize.

At the moment it looks as if the reputation of the United States is more important to President Bush than helping his own people here at home. Although there were not as many to die in the hurricanes as the earthquakes, a major city needs rebuilt so people can return to their homes. Our oil refineries need rebuilt because gas is part of everyday life here in the U.S.

We have so many people jobless and with no money because of the hurricane, but yet the money sent to help Pakistan cannot be used to help these citizens of the United States of America. Something is wrong with this picture. Could it be that the United States is not prioritizing what is most important?

I would hope that each and every one of you would ponder this and think about what is most important. If enough of us can convince the government to take care of our fellow people, maybe we could make them see what a mistake they have made.

Laura Stoneberger

Bozeman

Response (ar! 300 words is IMPOSSIBLE!):

In response to Laura Stoneberger’s letter (Nov. 7th), I must also express my dismay at the United States’ response to the catastrophe of the October 8th earthquake in Pakistan, or lack thereof. It is not my intent to marginalize America’s tragic loss of over 1,000 lives, but I would like to try to place this number in perspective of the global community that we share with Pakistan, who, after Hurricane Rita, gave America $1.5 million dollars worth of aid supplies and money.

At present, the death toll in the earthquake’s wake is over 58,000 people. Worse, this number may more than double or triple during the coming winter if sufficient aid is not provided to the over three million Pakistani earthquake victims who are now without shelter to protect against the impending cold. Some two million of these are women and children. Pakistan is not a warm country; winter time in the mountainous, most affected northern region is exceptionally cold and harsh. Already, devastated mountain villages are being cut off from any and all aid by heavy winter snows, snows that will outlast people without shelter, food and medical supplies. While Americans contend with high gas prices, an estimated 2.3 million Pakistani earthquake victims don’t know where their next meal will come from.

And yet, in spite of the manifest and staggering need in Pakistan, the United States has only allocated $50 million dollars of aid: less than half of 1% of the estimated $200 billion dollars that President Bush has pledged to the reconstruction of New Orleans and surrounding areas. In New Orleans, the danger is passed, and people are in the process of moving back, rebuilding, and continuing to live their lives. In Pakistan, the gravest danger is yet to come.

Although Hurricane Katrina’s attack on New Orleans couldn’t have been prevented, the starvation and death by exposure of hundreds of thousands this winter can be, but only with the generous support of nations and individuals. Without, those who die in Pakistan this winter will not die from an unavoidable natural disaster: they’ll die from a failure of human agencies to adequately respond.

Respectfully submitted,
Mark Egge
Sophomore, MSU