I was brushed the wrong way when I read this on a friend’s social-media feed this morning:
Cassandra: Tragedy waiting to happen. All those chemicals piled on top of each other. Maybe China's way of population control. Brutal and vicious leaders in that Communist Country. Sorry for the loss of precious and innocent lives. RIP.
I’m no Sinophile, socialist or commie, but this is how I responded:
Sweller3: Yes, they’re a bit like Texas which—through gerrymandering—also eschews representative government, and displays similar disregard for public health and safety.
“No pissant tofu-eatin’ EN-VI-RO-MENT-AL BEW-RO-CRAT tells ME how to run MY bidness!”
Two and a half years after THEIR deadly explosion you can STILL store large quantities of ammonium nitrate and anhydrous ammonia next-door to a school, nursing-home and 50-unit apartment building.
The Chinese government will at least try to make it LOOK like they’re doing something to prevent similar tragedies in the future. But with Texas, one wonders: even if the blast had happened during school hours and killed a hundred-fifty schoolchildren, whether they’d at least by now have changed a few local zoning ordinances.
