Thursday, October 14, 2010

A Day of Good News

It was so refreshing to spend 24 hours watching good news.  After 68 days underground, the miners in Chile were all successfully brought one-half mile up from the depths, and they were all in relatively good health. For one whole day, there was not one pundit blathering on and on about politics in America.  No one was shown demonstrating about one cause or another.  It was as wonderful as what was happening on our screens.

For the past 68 days, the people of Chile showed a characteristic that is sadly lacking in people in the  United States - patience.

If it had been American miners, stuck in a mine, how long would it have taken for someone to complain that nothing was being done, or that it was taking too long to come up with a solution --- two, three days?  When would someone decide that there should be a "Miners Million Man March" on Washington, demanding that the President go to the mine and demand that the owners come up with a plan "right now?"  How long would it have taken some of the miners' family members to seek out the nearest camera and loudly complain that it was all the mine owners' fault, the government's fault, the fault of someone else?

The President of Chile welcomed help from the world's scientists, and ended up allowing NASA to build the capsule that successfully brought the miners to the surface. No false bravura, no claims that "Chile can take care of the problem alone" that we have so often heard some of our own politicians claim.  The only thing the Chileans cared about was getting the miners out safe and sound. Complaints and demonstrations, if any,  could come later, after the emergency was over. 

I was a miraculous, uplifting sight, and I  loved watching it.

Stay  tuned. 

8 comments:

Golden To Silver Val said...

A hardy AMEN to that!! I can't remember when I've felt so good.

Arkansas Patti said...

Chile really set the behavior bar high and you are so right about how we would have been whining after 3 days. We need to watch and learn.
It was wonderful seeing the whole world pulling together and cheering for these men.

Linda@VS said...

The very first story I remember reading in the newspaper was about a little girl named Kathy Fiscus, who fell into a well when I was six years old. I read everything I could find about the attempt to rescue her and was devastated when news came that she had died.

Something about the idea of being trapped deep inside the earth must have imprinted my young mind, because the story of these Chilean miners captured my attention in much the same way.

What a joy it was to watch each of them step out of that capsule! The miners, the families, the rescuers -- all of them touched my heart. It was humanity at its finest and must-see TV.

Joy Des Jardins said...

I've been at my daughter's house in Oakland, CA for the past week; but she and I watched with joy and amazement much of the rescue of the Chilean miners. We really couldn't take our eyes off of it...except to stare at and play with my new granddaughter. What a beautiful piece of 'good news.' ~Joy

Looking to the Stars said...

I agree with you!!! Good post. There should be more "good news" then the "we are screwed lets blame someone" news.

take care :)

Nancy peterson said...

It was an american that drilled the hole and Nasa that suppled the plans for the capsual and suppled the drinks for sickness etc. Yet Obama still thinks the United States is no better than any other country and that we are arrogant. I guess that is why the US is aways the first to offer aid to any country in crisis. It is he (Obama) who is arrogant and come November he will be brought down a couple of notches. North America (usa) is the greatest country in the world.

Cazzie!!! said...

Yep, we had mines stuck beneath the ground here in Tasmania a few years back and they were right onto it to get those blokes above ground safely.
Hubby and my cousins hubby worked in the mine industry. We have very stringent safety measures along with the USA... and it is sad that places like that and China do not give a flying goose about the safety.. just send more men down in another area. I hope now the companies learn that these are real people with real lives.. not just numbers

Anonymous said...

Best and most uplifting story I have watched on TV in many years!