Althouse: "After the tsunami our people, even the ones who lost everything, wanted to help the others who were suffering."

September 2, 2005

amba said...: ""Not a single tourist caught in the tsunami was mugged."

Give me a break. How we cast a rosy glow of idealization on the past -- the dead had no faults, even disasters past were nobler than today's. Here's a post from back then linking to a bunch of news stories about the dark side of human nature emerging after the tsunami along with the compassion and nobility. Excerpts:

Reports and warnings came in from as far apart as Britain, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Hong Kong Monday of criminals taking advantage of the chaos to rape survivors in Sri Lanka or plunder the homes of European tourists reported missing. . . .

Indonesian officials said meanwhile that they had launched an investigation into unconfirmed reports of child trafficking in the wake of the disaster . . .

In Sri Lanka there has been gang rape, molestation and physical abuse of girls and women. In Thailand "thieves disguised as police and rescue workers have looted luggage and hotel safes". Homes of missing tourists have been ransacked in Sweden. Insurance fraud and theft of the identities of the missing have been favorites in Norway.; 9/2/05, 11:32 PM

Althouse