The Best and The Worst

I'm going to go off the main topic of this blog, which is about life in the big city, and do a sort of brickbats and bouquets.

Two, or is it three weeks ago, one of our major cities was hit by a major earthquake. Christchurch is not known for its quakes so it came as a major shock (and yes, there is a pun in there somewhere) to its residents.

Many buildings were badly damaged in the quake. Some irreparably so, including some of our heritage buildings. Christchurch contains a lot of these heritage buildings and it is heartbreaking to see such buildings now being so badly damaged that they may have to be torn down.

The city has had a huge upheaval and yet its residents have pulled together. For the most part. For those made homeless, even temporarily, by the quake, the city was quick to come up with shelters for them until it was safe to go home.

Here's my first brickbat. I've been reading articles about a family who supposedly intimidated others at the shelter. I'm one of these people who take things like that with a grain of salt, but I will say this: If anyone at these shelters were indulging in this kind of behaviour, I say shame on you. It's stressful enough wondering if you're going to have a home to go to once things are safe and there is no call for it.

I have also heard that there were others at shelters who didn't need to be there as their homes were deemed safe. Again, I reserve judgment, but taking advantage of already stretched resources does not do one any favours personally.

Thirdly, there were reports of stealing within these shelters. As they say, 'nuff said.

Watching the news reports, I saw in one particular item a man driving past while residents were trying to clean up. He was driving by to, as we call it, 'rubber-neck'. I felt for the resident who told the driver to get out if he wasn't there to help. There is just no necessity for it. As for the driver himself, well, he ended up with his face on television and made himself look like an idiot to greater New Zealand.

I've heard it said that disasters bring out the best and the worst in people. We have seen the worst. There were reports of people looting in cordoned off areas of the city, taking advantage of the damage to steal whatever items they could. I also heard that people broke in to schools, including one special school, taking computers and digital cameras, among other things. For the pupils of those schools, it was already difficult enough, but these people obviously never realise just how much of a violation that is.

I sincerely hope when these people are caught that the law throws the book at them.

Onto the bouquets.

Our prime minister, and I have said it before that I am not a huge fan of his, was quick to lend a hand. I applauded his efforts to help ease the stress of stretched resources. There have been efforts in Parliament to make it easier for insurance claims and I heard only recently that they are also making it easier for people renting properties who have to leave in a hurry to get their bonds released from Tenancy Services.

So a big bouquet to those hard-working people in Parliament who are doing their best to aid efforts.

Also a big bouquet to Christchurch City Council and mayor, also former tv personality Bob Parker, who have also been helping with the cleanup. And they have shown they are not afraid to literally get their hands dirty when it comes to picking up the pieces.

As for the rest of New Zealand, there have been efforts to raise funds for Christchurch and I applaud all those volunteers who have been out there in the cold, wet weather collecting money.

They do say that charity begins at home and nothing has demonstrated that more than the events of the past few weeks. I continue to pray for those in Christchurch whose lives have been literally turned upside down.