Nature and decency

Ahhh, just when you think it's safe to go back in the water......


There's a tsunami.


There actually WAS a tsunami here today, an after effect of the horrific earthquake in Japan. All good thoughts and prayers for the people in Japan most directly effected by this nightmare. There was no damage in San Francisco, but coastal communities north and south of us sustained significant damage to their ports and the boats moored there. Wild. The earthquake causes an upwelling that races across the Pacific Ocean at 500 miles an hour and rips boats from their moorings thousands of miles away. It's destructive and sad, but it's an  awesome display of Mother Nature's power. As the saying goes, nature bats last.


Everything else seems small and insignificant in comparison.  


Oh, and speaking of small and insignificant, a state legislator in New Hampshire had some choice opinions to share about individuals with various types of disabilities. I saw this on the Facebook page of "Spread the Word to end the Word":   


Barrington Republican Martin Harty told Sharon Omand, a Strafford resident who manages a community mental health program, that \"the world is too populated\" and there are \"too many defective people,\" according to an e-mail account of the conversation by Omand. Asked what he meant, she said Harty clarified, \"You know the mentally ill, the retarded, people with physical disabilities and drug addictions - the defective people society would be better off without.\" Harty confirmed to the Monitor that he made the comments to Omand. Harty told the Monitor the world population has increased dramatically, and \"it\'s a very dangerous situation if it doubles again.\" Asked about people who are mentally ill, he asked, apparently referring to a lack of financial resources, \"Can we afford to bring them through?\"



This does not even bear any commentary at all. None. OK, just this: The scariest thing to me is that this guy is saying what many others think and are afraid to say. 


Maybe decency can also bat last.

It's time for a walk off home run.

Addendum: I just learned in a comment from Elizabeth that Rep Marty is a 91 year old freshman republican. Wow! I checked that out and it's true. Wow Wow! He says he was kidding with these comments and they just got away from him, but WOW again.  I generally give a wide berth to the elderly whose viewpoints are outdated, but sorry, when a person is an elected official that wide berth narrows considerably..