It never ceases to amuse me how doomsayers invariably point to clusters of natural disasters (like the one we’re experiencing this year) as signs either of the biblical end times or, more ominous, of the self-fulfilling prophecies of global-warming alarmists coming true.
For the truth of the matter is that since time immemorial Mother Nature has unleashed such clusters upon this planet with the regularity, in relative terms, of a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Furthermore, where America is concerned, even when these disasters disrupt millions of lives and cause billions in damage, it is always noteworthy how few lives are lost. Which brings me to the wildfires now engulfing Texas.
Reports are that over 100,000 acres have been singed and 1,000 homes burnt to the ground, but only two deaths have been attributed to this latest round of wildfires.
Pretty powerful visuals of individuals who lost everything… The magnitude of these losses are (sic) pretty stunning.
(Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Associated Press, September 6, 2011)
My thoughts and prayers go out to all Texans affected.
But I feel obliged to note that, in far too many cases, wildfires on this scale are ignited not by Mother Nature, but by human beings. It is also worth noting that nature has demonstrated an infinite capacity to replenish land that might look like hell as these fires rage uncontrollably….
In any case, it would be remiss of me not to query whether the defiantly anti-government governor of Texas will now eat his words and call on the federal government to help the people in his state recover and rebuild – just as every governor has done when faced with similar disasters.
After all, the gospel Gov. Perry has been preaching since he launched his 2012 presidential campaign last month is that the only thing the government is good for is waging wars.
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