Stoopid Stuff

Stand there, don't just DO something!

When a public official hasn't done anything, or enough, during a tragedy, whether its a hurricane or a fire of a homicide, their scam to convince people that they are doing SOMETHING is to offer the hackneyed line "I'm praying for the victims". Gee, thanks. And many people hear that and nod solemnly as if to say "good work, thank you everso for that". Let me point something out. It's the same as doing NOTHING!! Talking to an imaginary superhero who lives in outer space instead of taking some kind of concrete action is not only completely useless, it is nothing but a smokescreen to cover up their venal lack of interest or competence.

There's nothing more painful to see, or more offensive, for that matter, than to see a photo of a bunch of people of otherwise good will, on the scene of the tragedy ostensibly to do some good, standing around holding hands, their eyes closed, praying. Come on, folks. Here's a newsflash. When you open your eyes, people will still be sick, dying, homeless, hungry, thirsty, everything they were before you undertook to solve there problems by talking to your imaginary friends. So why don't we hang that stuff up until the immediate problems are solved, people have a roof and some food and some hope. Maybe when you get back to your nice safe clean dry house, you can pray then. How's that sound?

I particularly hate it when something bad is happening in my life, and this comes up in the course of everyday conversation, and some goof looks at me with deep sincerity and says "I'll be praying for you". Wow, thanks. Don't hurt yourself. What you're really saying is "I can't be bothered to commit any actual resources, time, effort, money, whatever, to help alleviate your suffering. But I feel like I should do something for you, but it has to be something that takes no effort on my part and costs me nothing". Thanks for the sentiment. Now go away.

When are people going to realize that praying is an act without an action. It would actually be better if they were to say "I'll be gardening for you" or "I'll be painting my kitchen for you". Sure, the outcome would be the same, but at least some action would have been taken. This whole praying scam is just a way for people to claim to be doing something when they aren't. The frightening thing is not that they do it, but that they get away with it.

posted by mikey @ 4:05 PM