November is the month folks typically pause to give thanks for what they have. This year, though, we’d propose we all take the opportunity a little sooner than usual.
More than a week after Hurricane Sandy blew up the East Coast, millions were still without power and, the storm was responsible for more than 100 deaths in the U.S. and, according to New York City’s mayor, tens of thousands have been left homeless in that metropolitan area alone.
The development of news coverage gives some indication of how bad it actually is down there. Reports about the brute-force damage of the storm (flooded subways, blocked roads and power outages) turned to news of gas shortages and the flood of newly homeless. It seemed with every news cycle, things got worse and worse as reporters caught up with the stories.
It was at first almost easy to poke fun at some of the early news, as photos of swarms of New Yorkers huddled around Wi-Fi hotspots like moths to a flame materialized. But then as things stretched on, one realized the true victims of power outages aren’t out in public for photo ops, they’re trapped in their darkened apartments because of disability or age, hoping for a rescue.
To compare one disaster to another is a tactless exercise, but in looking at how Hurricane Sandy has developed as a news story when compared to the unprecedented tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, we find two different arcs. In Katrina everyone assumed the worse (thousands dead in the Superdome, mass anarchy, etc.) and was relieved when the news was better. In the wake of Sandy, many have yet to realize how bad it actually has become.
This is the story of two cultures, of two cities. The top news reports focus on lagging mass transit service and failing cellphone towers while, on the inside pages, it becomes more and more clear the poor are freezing in the projects.
So what does one do? Pray, first off. Gather loved ones close and realize how precious and fragile life actually is, and give thanks you have it good enough that simple fact warrants a reminder. Then you do what you can.
In the days following the storm, there has been an outpouring of support, some from areas that were, just a year ago, digging out of disaster themselves. Churches, chambers and private citizens are taking time and effort to load up supplies and ship them Downstate, and many of our local emergency responders are doing their part to help alleviate the suffering by volunteering. These are just small glimpses of what become the bright spots in the storm clouds.
If you’re wondering what you can do, well, probably the best thing is to open up your wallet. The Red Cross and other organizations need capital more than they need canned food. As we advised last week, you can make a donation very easily by texting “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 contribution. Go to redcross.org if you’d like to give more — and remember your gift is tax deductible.
And if you’d like to get your hands dirty, remember it’s more helpful if you’re ready to be called upon. Consider signing up as a Red Cross volunteer. But whatever you do, don’t ignore what’s happening down the road, because as New Yorkers — as humans — we should all take notice.