Friday 13 February 2009

Idiots and the Bushfires

I feel certain that I can say that you would have to be living in a cave on Mars with no form of communication to have not heard about the bushfires.

Let's start with this. Two people have already been charged for stealing bushfire appeal money. One, a 36 year old man broke into a school and stole money. A school for FSMs sake. The other thief was a 16 year old boy.

Now that is despicable. People gave money to help people that actually need and deserve the money. You stole from people who were denied help from Centrelink because they didn't have any ID.

But that isn't the worst of it.

The Skeptic Zone had a segment on some idiots suggesting that homeopathy should be used to treat burns to burn victims. Because that sounds like a very good idea doesn't it. Let's use a form of "medicine" that doesn't work at all just because some idiots don't like proper medicine for reasons that make no sense whatsoever.

And how we have people charged for looting. Brilliant isn't it? People have lost everything and now there are bastards going around (allegedly) stealing what little these people have that survived the fires. Isn't humanity grand.

I think that the worst of it has to be Pastor Danny Nalliah. He is the head of "Catch the Fire Ministries" and was a The Sydney Morning Herald stating that:

"The Bible is very clear, [i]f you walk out of God's protection and turn your back on Him, you are an open target for the devil to destroy."


And what he said even managed to turn what you could call his most powerful supporter Peter Costello against him.

So I'm going to say congratulations to Danny Nalliah. You've managed to politicise an issue that has no link at all to what you believe, and you've pissed off many many people in the process. But at least you show that you uphold the religious values that the Family First Party is known for.

For those that would like more information on the fires themselves, according to the ABC (as of 13/2/09 at 3:19 PM (GMT+9:30)) the death toll stands at 181 dead, and 7000 homeless, of which 3000 are living in tents. Police believe that a serial arsonist may have been responsible for some of the fires. I said here that I believe that if an arsonist set at least one fire that they have the blood of all those who died in the fires on their hands.

The people that I have mentioned above are in the minority. The greatest praise has to go to the Country Fire Authority for their valiant work in containing a large number of bushfires and trying to help all those people. The doctors of the burn wards around Victoria for their work in helping those who have suffered horrible burns from the bushfires and the police for keeping law and order in the affected areas. Lastly the Red Cross and other organisations like that who are on the scene doing everything they can to help people affected by the fires.

Australians in general are helping out by donating money to the various bushfire appeals.

I'm going to say something that many people have been saying. If you would like to help please donate to an appeal such as The Australian Red Cross, and those who can should really donate blood.

If you want you can also donate money to the CFA and if you are in Australia it is possible to donate to the equivalent in your state. I know the CFS had to contain fires that were not as deadly but had the possibility of being as dangerous as the Victorian ones, and the Rural Fire Service (NSW for those playing at home) have sent men to Victoria to help the CFA. If you fell like it these organisations have volunteer brigades (the CFS, CFA and RFS are I believe primarily volunteer) that you can join and help keep the country safe.

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