I'm sure everyone on this site, like myself, was anxiously watching the polls, awaiting the results from Lake County, tabulating percentages and hoping for the best tonigh. In the end, it appears the vote margin will be under 2% - hovering around 22,000. It is a great victory for Obama supporters, and it is time to celebrate all the hard work and passion that volunteers have put into the process.
But as we celebrate, we should be reminded about another very significant 22,000 - that is the number the death toll soared past today in the Myanmar cyclone disaster, with over 40,000 people still missing.
What we need now is unity - and there is noting that is more unifying than coming together to help others. Whether we are for Obama, Clinton, McCain, Edwards, even Gravel, we can set aside our differences and embrace our common humanity by reaching out to those whose lives have been decimated by natural disaster. Despite the fact that we are separated from those affected by this crisis by country and culture, we are one people and we have an obligation to one another.
Overview from the Red Cross
On May 2, 2008, high winds, heavy rain and flood water claimed thousands of lives and damaged hundreds of thousands of homes in southwestern Myanmar. According to state media reports, the death toll may reach 22,000 as a result of Cyclone Nargis; as many as 10,000 may have died in just one town.
Early estimates indicate the storm destroyed 95 percent of homes in low-lying delta regions and impacted a total of one million people nationwide. The storm also compromised the water and fuel supplies, caused widespread power and telecommunication outages and wiped out vital crops, compounding the existing problem of food shortages. Cyclone Nargis is the worst storm to hit Asia since 1991 when 143,000 people died Bangladesh and the worst to hit Myanmar since 1926 when 2,700 people were killed.
The greatest priorities for the Red Cross and its humanitarian partners at this stage of the emergency response are providing shelter and access to clean drinking water to survivors.
For more information or to donate visit the Red Cross.