I was watching CNN this morning. I don't normally, but I've been obsessed, with the tragic story of the cruise ship that has run aground. This ship is the size of three and a half football fields, bigger than the Titanic, according to the reports. It is the largest ship, in Carnival Cruise Lines' fleet, and can house over 4000 humans.
This ship is now on it's side, half submerged, on a reef or a sandbar, it's not clear yet. But what is clear, is the 150 foot, open gash, ripped through it's hull, that is now being broadcast, all over the world. People have died and many are missing and the live reports from survivors tell, a truly inspiring tale of perseverance and an equally, tragic story of, sheer irresponsibility.
The captain, abandoned his ship, according to passengers. He was seen, pushing past women and children, to save himself. An inconceivable act of cowardice and irresponsibility, for a captain of a ship, for anyone really. He is now under arrest, charged with manslaughter and abandoning his ship.
One passenger said that he was in the theater, when the ship hit, and suddenly stopped. He said,
'The magician who was performing at the time, and the crew, did a disappearing act, when they realized the ship was listing.'
A couple talked about the crew,
'They seemed to have no prior training. Some were directing the screaming and pushing passengers, towards the lifeboats. But most of the crew, didn't seem to know what to do.'
'By the time we got to the lifeboats, the ship was leaning so much, they were stuck.'
'The only announcement from the crew, over the loudspeaker, said there was an electrical problem. We knew that didn't seem right.'
According to the report, the ship was traveling at a very high rate of speed, considering how close, to the island and port, it was, approximately 25 mph. People on the island said, if it hadn't hit the reef, it would have plowed into the port.
So there it sits, this enormous vessel, on it's side, half submerged. It's a vision that is hard to grasp. There are people standing, along the edge of the island, staring, in disbelief. I believe it, I would stand there too, if I could. I'm human, I'm as curious, as the next guy. But I usually stop short of the morbid curiosity, I'm usually trying to see something more, something else, it's just how I'm wired.
CNN went to commercial and when they returned, their next spot, was another in their series called 'CNN Heroes', which I happen to like. If I'm ever surfing and it happens to be on, I always stop and watch. The stories are about everyday people, who are making a difference, in the world, and around the world. I happen to think it's the best continuing segment they do. It's good stuff if you need a lift, with so much bad news, everywhere you turn. When you click on the CNN website, the headline reads, ''Young Wonders' show empathy beyond their years.'
http://www.cnn.com/....
This mornings' piece, was on an 18 year old, teenager, Justin Churchman, who is building houses, for homeless families in Jaurez, Mexico. I was impressed, so i went digging a little further, and found an article from The El Paso Times.
Parade magazine, known for publicizing the finest high school football and basketball players in the land, is picking a new brand of All-American teenagers.
They are those who provide extraordinary service to their communities. One on Parade's first, elite list of community servants is Justin Churchman, a hard-charging junior-to-be at Coronado High School in El Paso.
Churchman, 17, is the architect of a campaign that has built 16 homes for impoverished residents of Juárez.
The article goes on to describe what made him decide, at his age, to build houses for people, who didn't have homes.
Churchman said he became passionate about building houses for Casas Por Cristo after he saw Third World conditions in neighborhoods only a short car ride from El Paso. Some of the houses in Juárez were made of cardboard. Bed sheets served as doors on others.
"Obviously, that doesn't protect them from wind or rain," Churchman said. "You see that kind of thing and it goes deep."
Churchman said he started raising money for Casas Por Cristo by asking his schoolmates to donate some of their pocket change for every lap he ran to call attention to inadequate border housing. He raised almost $1,000 that way, he said.
He also negotiated a deal with oil company Western Refining to join the cause. The company has been contributing money since 2007, Churchman said.
"They donate about 10 houses every year," he said
.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/....
Please try and look past any religious biases you may have, for a moment, as I did, because I have them too. Try and see the concrete results of Justins' actions. If I were living in a cardboard box, and someone handed me the keys, to a brand new house, which would allow me to live like a human being should, I wouldn't care if he was 'Building for Beelzebub', I would accept the gift and simply say, 'Thank you.'
But I think the bigger picture, the broader, and more profound takeaway message in these two human stories, the captain and the teenager, at least for me, were the personal decisions that were made. The reaction, and personal responsibility or irresponsibility assumed, when confronted with human disaster. Those decisions mark, who we are, forever. Those decisions, rightly or wrongly, also, mark those that are affected, by those choices.
There are consequences to our decisions, and, the choices we make. The larger the crises, the more, far reaching then, are the ever, expanding consequences. Humans are affected, by what other humans do. That's how it works and none of us, in this smaller world, we seem to be living in, should think, we can decide, and make choices, in a vacuum. Many priveledged people seem to think they can, and do, these days. I wish they knew, how so, tragically, and morally wrong they are, on so many human levels.
The captain of this ship, was priveledged, with the responsibility of 4000 other humans on his watch and in his care, and he failed those people, in their greatest, and most vulnerable moment of need. It was me first, as the captain pushed past, women and children, to try and save himself. His inconceivably, self absorbed decision, cost other humans thier lives, at least 50 are still missing. Unfortunately, he will now become famous, for all the wrong reasons. And deservedly, so.
Justin was confronted with a human disaster, of a different kind; humans without homes. An ever increasing disaster, in poor areas like Jaurez, and, inexplicably, inconceivably, in a rich country, like ours.
'It goes deep'; yeah, in way more ways than one brother, it sure does.
He made the choice to dig deep, literally, to hear his empathy, to see outside himself, and try and make a difference, to those humans who were in need, of so much. Justin made a promise to himself, that by his 18th birthday, he would build
18 houses, for 18 homeless families.And he did. His personal choice, his assumption of responsibility, has had a ripple effect too.
Eighteen families, can now start over, and begin to realize, that there are other humans in the world, who care. That, has an effect, that cannot be measured on a stat sheet that records the number, that 1 more house was built in the Juarez. That new, fledgling trust in other humans, goes deep. At least for me, big picture, I believe that's why we're here. Small picture, it's why I'm writing this, and here, at Daily Kos.
There are no words, no fancy adjectives, that can adequately, mark the moment, sometimes, when that moment arrives, when you are handed the keys, to a second chance.
'Thank you', is as profound a reply, as is ever needed.
'Thank you', goes deep, in my book.
8:26 PM PT: i don't quite know what to say.
i thought this diary was, thankfully, going to slip away, quietly. i wasn't happy with some of the end product, as you know, so i shut down my screens, and went on with my day.
it's 10:18 and now i see, that the rescue rangers were at their righteous business again. it's so hard to thank invisible hands, that make these decisions. you are truly, special, special people. thank you, for bringing me home, again.