Storm & Flood 2005

U.S. vs. China

近些年来，地球母亲的脾气似乎越来越暴躁了。刚刚过去的2005年就是不甚平安的一年。2004年底的印度洋大海啸才刚过没多久，全世界就又接连不断地发生了各种自然的及人为的灾害。

天灾固然可悲。但更为可悲的，是在一向以自由、民主和文明“著称”的美国，竟然发生了弱势群体在新奥尔良被飓风Katrina袭击后，被困“巨蛋”体育馆多日，无人救助、无人照顾的人祸。除此以外，就更别提在整个新奥尔良市几乎被夷为平地之后，弱势群体大量滞留、死伤惨重，警察擅离职守，强盗横行，奸淫掳掠遍及全市的人伦惨祸了。

下面是我在这一年里，从互联网上收集到的一些照片。从这些照片中，我们可以看到，中美两国的政府与军队在面对自然灾害时，是如何表现出了截然不同的特质。这其中的强烈对比，让我久久不能释怀。

It seems that dear Gaia has become more and more irascible lately. The past year 2005 was really not a peaceful one. While the catastrophic tsunami around Indian Ocean near the end of 2004 was still haunting us, so many natural disasters followed up to rage over the world throughout the year.

What was even more regretful was the mishap that the underdog of New Orleans, LA were made to endure during and after hurricane Katrina. Even though the United States had always been touted for her liberty, democracy and civilization, the disadvantaged community of New Orleans, when stranded in a stadium, were left unattended to and without any aid or rescue for days. After the whole city of New Orleans were almost wiped out by the storm, there were even worse happening—Many disadvantaged groups were left behind and eventually died from the destructive forces of Katrina; Most policemen deserted their posts, while criminals effectively ruled the city with looting, robberies, raping, etc. Was this not more a factitious disaster than a natural one?

Below are some photos that I collected from the Internet during 2005. In these photos, the governments and the armies of the U.S. and China showed very different characteristics. The striking contrast always lingers in my mind.

Who were helping the needy and the disadvantaged? `bbs.jjwxc.net`

Who were sitting high on top? `bbs.jjwxc.net`

Who were sleeping in the streets? `bbs.jjwxc.net`

What were our dear soldiers doing? `bbs.jjwxc.net`

Only in China: Protect the embankment with thy lives! `bbs.jjwxc.net`

January 2006

后记

不管对中国还是对世界而言，2008年又是另一个巨变之年。

从年头南方的大雪灾，到5·12四川汶川的8.0级大地震，还有在8月间盛大举办的北京奥运会，中国人民与中国政府一道，向全世界展现了在全国上下的同心协力之下，这个东方大国是可以以何其迅猛的速度发生变化的。没有任何一个西方经济体——即便是“全能”的山姆大叔——可以在如此短暂的时间里做得到这一切。

但是在另一方面，奥运后被揭发的毒牛奶丑闻（再加上之前就早已屡见不鲜的黑心食品或黑心药物事件）也向世人揭露了中国社会另一丑陋的侧脸——虽然这或许不是很多中国人愿意被外人看到并指摘的。

更糟糕的是，从美国华尔街发生，进而席卷了全球的金融大海啸，也同时向我们揭露了以美国为首的资本主义的贪婪本性的一面。

如此看来，现在我们就只有拭目以待，看看历史最终向我们揭晓的，能从这众多的危机中学习，并从中崛起的是谁了。

Postscript

We observed enormous changes in both China and the world again in the year of 2008.

From the snow storms throughout southern China at the beginning of the year, to the Sichuan earth quake on 12 May, and then the Beijing Olympic Games in August, both the Chinese people and the Chinese government demonstrated to the world how fast changes could take place in this vast land with unanimous efforts from all parts. There was no way any modern western economy, including the almighty United States, could have achieved the same within such a short period of time.

On the other hand, the melamine tainted milk scandal revealed right after the success of Olympic Games, coupled with the numerous food/drug safety scandals earlier on, also unveiled to the world the other face of the Chinese society, albeit an ugly one.

Worse still, the global financial crisis, which originated from Wall Street in U.S. and spread like a tsunami to the rest of the world, also unveiled the ferocious greed of the capitalism ideal in U.S.

History will tell us who the winner(s) is/are that will eventually learn from and grow even beyond all these crises.

November 2008

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