guff

“I felt a little guilty adding a Beg Button to the blog while the horrible conditions in the southern U.S. due to Hurricane Katrina continue”

You shold feel guilty to not mention the victims of other recent disasters, such as the eartquake in Pakistan.
Maybe you believe that God blesses only who helps Americans and curses the rest of the world.

“You shold feel guilty to not mention the victims of other recent disasters, such as the eartquake in Pakistan.”

There’s nothing like a slam from an arbiter of what others must feel bad about. Does your moral superiority give you that glow of self-righteousness, or is it from something anyone can pick up at the local druggist?

“Maybe you believe that God blesses only who helps Americans and curses the rest of the world.”

Beyond the point such a belief would be highly suspect for an atheist to hold, your assumption ignores that my being an American provides a high probability I have relatives, friends or acquaintances affected by Katrina, and they may have been in my thoughts when I found myself blogging around that time. Or that because I fail to discuss something here does not mean it hasn’t been on my mind or affected me in some way. But I’m certain your ability to see this was clouded by your far deeper level of compassion you have for others.

Consider me scolded for my Yankee bias. I promise to work on displaying the proper amount of publically-noticeable concern towards every tragic event around the globe. It’s a shame you didn’t provide a link to where you most assuredly do this, as I’d have gladly added you to my People Who Are Better Than Me blogroll.

I like you Kafkaesquí for your multitude of good advice on WordPress support.
Now I have to say I your way with human matters to :-)

Each of us have circles of concern. In medival times folks did not even know of disasters elsewhere. The folks in Rome probably knew about Pompeii until months later when some Neopolitan ship came by.

Family, Tribe, (County, Town, City), Country, Continent, “The World”

Our viewpoint has changed with the ability to travel, but old ways die hard.
Everyone will help those with whom they have an affinity before helping those far away. It is human nature!

Americans are more likely to help folks overseas, simply because so many of us recently (in generations) came from another country.

On the other hand I’ll send a thousand bucks to “Doctors without Borders” for the Tsunami victims, but I volunteered to go to the gulf states in person. I see nothing wrong with that attitude.

Marcus