[March 23, 2010]

Today I want to share a new blog section with you.  I’m going to call it “2-Consider”.

Many times, while doing my work, something new has been pointed out for me to see or listen to. Sometimes that stuff has really stroked me; affected me positively through a variety of elements. This stuff has changed my way of thinking or has caused me to meditate on something in my life or career. In many cases it has directed me to inspiration for my photography. This stuff could be a video, a letter, a quote, an article, etc.

Today I want to share a letter sent by Roger Water to Hernan Rojas, his chilean friend, about Chile and the Earthquake.

Pay attention to what he says about disaster relief and global obligation…Please read this and let me know what 2-Consider.

And don’t forget to send us suggestions for future “2-Consider” articles.

“Dear Hernan,

I remember you well, and I remember my times in Chile.

The audiences in Chile when I performed there were beyond compare.

What a terrible disaster for Chile.

I can send you money, and I will.

Let me know how best to help. Something personal and local? Or a cheque to one of the major funds?

This is no joking matter, and I don’t mean to sound callous, but if only you could have had your earthquake before Haiti.

Not all, but a lot of, the US population and the fund raising telethon celebrities have earthquake fatigue. Not that I’m blaming them, they do their best but disaster relief should not be a matter for charity and individual conscience. It should be a global obligation

Why is there not a worldwide fund set aside to meet basic human needs in the face of human catastrophe?

I venture to suggest that the answer is simple.

FEAR.

The USA spends 40% of tax revenues on defense. Over $1trillion per annum… Why?

Because they are afraid of Sadam Hussein or Hugo Chavez or North Korea or France or Mexico or Nicaragua or Iran or Canada or Russia? Sorry, not Russia, they are our friends now, or China? Oops sorry again?

Anyway, you take my point.

The cost to relieve the suffering of your beautiful country, would, I am told, be around $15,000,000,000 or 1.5 % of the annual defense budget of the USA. Approximately 0.75 % of the combined defense budgets of all the nations of the world.

Just imagine a world.

In which the common sense notion,

That we derive more pleasure from giving, than from taking.

More pleasure from building, than from destroying.

More pleasure from loving, than from hating,

Held sway.

Of course it wasn’t actually him, but his speechwriters!

Anyway, he also said, “ Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”

There are many thousands now in Chile who are hungry and are not fed, who are cold and are not clothed.

We, the people, steal from them all.

Your friend,

Roger Waters.

PS. Where should I send funds?”