Tsunami.

It would be nice if this was some kind of coherent statement. Sorry about your problems...

It's just much more dramatic, so it gets a lot of attention...

You mean the ink blotches are replaced by water splashes...?...

DAS

Martin Joseph haute in die Tasten:

From a German point of view I'd like to add, that millions of Germans have visited the countries for vacation, which are now devastated by the Tsunami. Besides this hundreds of Germans have been killed there - the biggest catastrophy for our people since WW II. I am sure that these facts drew a lot of attention towards this incident, while in Rwanda one tribe can kill another, slaughtering down one million people and nobody cares. Most of us have never been in central Africa, we do not want to go there and we do not miss them. This may sound cynical, but it is true nevertheless.

Frank

Cynical? No. Just shockingly ignorant and evil, considering the german people's status as the all time champions of genocide.

And what did you do about the genocide in Rwanda, in which a friend of mine -- living here in the UK -- lost several members of her family?

DAS

Martin Joseph haute in die Tasten:

I am quite sure that the majority of people from other countries think and behave similar (if not, Rwanda would not have happened). Are they less evil, because their ancestors killed native americans, aboriginees or other ethnic groups?

BTW: Did you donate?

Frank

I like to think ( and perhaps that is my error ) that most people do care but for situations such as Rwanda they rely upon their governments to act when needed.

There is very little the average citizen can do except expecting his government to behave appropriately.

In Rawanda'a case, The American government failed to act when it should have and I think Clinton even expressed regret at that failure. It was an apalling mistake that would have required few resources to address in a timely manner.