Blogs Can Help Keep the Awareness Alive

This morning, I was reading Evelyn Rodriguez' latest posts in Crossroads Dispatches following her safe return home. Evelyn was Asia earthquake and tsunamis disaster and blogged about what she saw and experienced. One of Evelyn's posts in particular has provoked some thoughts. In a post entitled Bringing Story Closer. I didn't realize on Monday when I wrote from Phuket Hospital that scale of the tsunami and numbers of people affected as I only got very sparse news at the time. I didn't intend to blog so much about it except I felt a responsibility to bring the story home. Perhaps many people, especially Americans, could not relate to an event halfway around the world I thought. You might be moved for a few minutes, but eventually you sip your morning coffee and go back to work and the daily routine. In order to help with the relief effort, I thought it was important to bring the story closer to home by sharing the my own story (regular readers already know me and could relate to me) and those I'd met. I'm particularly motivated to help the local people whom have often lost families, their homes and their livelihoods - even though most of the folks I've mentioned thus far are foreigners." What struck me in particular was Evelyn's comment "You might be moved for a few minutes, but eventually you sip your morning coffee and go back to work and the daily routine." That's how it is with disasters. I think many people just get numbed by it all after a while. Look at 175 killed in a nightclub fire). Such events have momentarily been eclipsed by the tsunami disaster. The Yet how long will it be before this disaster slips away from the front page as we all get on with our daily routines and/or the next tragedy someplace else gets attention? I was most interested to read a report on the English-language service of Tsunami disaster must not be forgotten in 2005. This report includes an interview with Professor of Disaster Studies Georg Frerks of You can listen to a Real Alternative.) So, to the thoughts Evelyn's posts provoked. It's simply this: blogs can play a role in keeping awareness of this disaster on the front page and not on page 8. Not necessarily by posting lengthy commentaries every day but perhaps by more subtle devices such as graphics or links to aid agencies or media sites with detailed information. For instance, I have some graphics and links at the top-right of this blog which I will keep there for as long as they're helpful. I'll also continue to post commentary. We can make a difference in a small way. Neville Hobson is the author of the popular Crayon. Visit Neville Hobson's blog: