Jakarta

Severe flooding in Jakarta has forced approximately 430,000 out of their destroyed homes, and several cases of water-borne illness are being reported, yet Indonesia doesn't even ask for international aid. Thankfully, concerned nations around the world are responding out of the goodness of their own hearts.

The Netherlands, who formerly ruled Indonesia as a colony, are pledging $1.3 million in aid. The European commission is giving $750,000, yet the USA is offering a paltry $100,000 in aid. One Hundred Thousand?!? Are you serious? Let's compare those numbers for a minute: 430,000 people displaced vs. $100,000. That's one dollar for every 4.3 people, or about 23 cents per person. And this is a few days after the 2007 US fiscal budget was proposed, asking for hundreds of billions to support the war "effort."

I could extrapolate and call for more money to education, but that would be beating a dead horse. It's unfathomable how stingy the government can be, especially after disasters of this magnitude. It's not as if we emptied the coffers for New Orleans or Pakistan. I guess it shows what's truly important to this nation.

You can read about the story here.