The numbers are staggering

***WARNING*** this posting is morbid and will make you depressed. Keep reading at your own risk.


So I have been really been in shock by the enormous numbers of dead coming out of Myanmar and China due to their recent natural disasters. I have been trying to wrap my head around these numbers and somehow try to figure out why 'no one' (I use that term lightly) seems to care and why it has all but vanished from our news. I have become more aware that perhaps in America we are told what to care about by what makes headline news but maybe it is the other way around. Maybe the news agencies only put things on the news that they think we care about. And I know that the government in Myanmar has been closed off and not really eager for Anderson Cooper with his perfect hair and khaki vest to be walking through their devestation. I have been thinking about the vast numbers of lost and wanted to compare to historical events in my life and those I have been taught to see how they measure up. And I have also been thinking about how as Americans (broad generalization) we seem to be more indignent about lives lost in vain (aka an unpopular war) rather than a life lost fighting an agreed upon evil (aka a "popular" war).


disclaimer- one life is too much to lose and I am in NO way saying just because the numbers aren't large then we shouldn't mourn or realize how sad it is to lose a loved one.


**my data comes from a quick internet search and I am sure some numbers are still up for debate**


1. worldwide spanish influenza of 1918-1919 - 20-40 million
2. the holocaust- 6 million
3. the civil war - 618,000
4. US deaths from spanish influenza 1918-1919 - 555,000
5. US deaths in WWII - 292,000
6. 2004 Tsuamni - 225,000
7. US deaths in WWI- 126,000
8. Myanmar Cyclone 2008 - 77,738 (said to be conservative by UN)
9. Central Chinese earthquake 2008 - 68,858 with 18,618 missing
10. US deaths in Vietnam War-58,169
11. Child deaths from hunger and treatable diseases EVERY DAY- 30,000
12. US deaths in Iraq- 4084
13. 9/11 - 2948
14. Allied deaths on D day, 6/6/44 - 2500 on beach
15. Hurricane Katrina- 1836
16. US deaths in Afganistan- 510
17. F5 Tornado in Iowa last week (worst in 40 years) - 7

"oh jesus let us change the world with your peace

oh jesus let us bring the nations to your feet

let us walk alongside you as you bring the world around us to life" FPG