China Earthquake vs. New Orleans Hurricane:

Natural disasters almost invite comparisons. There are many reasons why this is so and almost as many reasons why we should not make such comparisons. America has long portrayed China as an government that is ungodly at best and spawn of the devil at worst, all the while touting the vaunted ability of capitalism to care compassionately for the least regarded of her citizens.

Now comes a test for all the world to see. America went first as the hurricane struck a mighty blow against the city and people of New Orleans on August 29, 2005. Large sections of New Orleans remain uninhabited now some 34 months later. On May 12, 2008 the ground shook in the northeastern Chinese city of Chengdu the Sichuan provincial capital. The 7.9 magnitude quake left an immediate death toll of 5,000 to 9,000 souls. Days later this had grown to tens of thousands and continues to rise.

Clearly the death toll in China far exceeded the death toll in New Orleans. This somewhat invalidates the relief effort appraisal that will follow in days and weeks to come. However both tragedies serve to highlight the helplessness of the man in the street regardless of the form of the government in power. What I will be watching closely as will the rest of the world is how China deals with this crisis. How well or how poorly she addresses the needs of the average Chinese citizen will speak volumes to the effectiveness of the Chinese government and their “fitness to rule.”

I do not know if meaningful parallels can be drawn between these two natural disasters. I know I for one in this year of Olympic competition will watch closely this non Olympic competition closely. Perhaps even more closely than I will watch the athletes of these two countries compete on the playing fields of the Olympics. To me and to many the out come of the relief effort is far more important than any athletic records that may be set.