Why Are So Many Horrible Things Happening To America All Of A Sudden?
Once upon a time the United States was a land of abundance and prosperity that was truly blessed from sea to shining sea. Tens of millions of Americans enjoyed living the American Dream in a land filled with happy, healthy and prosperous people. But these days it seems as though there are new stories of tragedy and despair almost daily. Whether it is the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, or the horrific flooding in Tennessee, or the tornadoes ripping through the Midwest, or the gut-wrenching economic despair in cities like Detroit, it just seems like a whole lot of horrible things are happening to America all at once. So why is all of this hitting the U.S. right now? Why does it seem like there is just about nowhere in the United States right now that is untouched by a major crisis?
Just consider a few of the items that have been making headline news recently....
The Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill
Oil continues to gush into into Gulf of Mexico at a staggering pace. At this point, at least 4.2 million gallons of oil have poured into the Gulf of Mexico, and the Gulf Coast region is bracing for an environmental nightmare of unprecedented magnitude.
The truth is that even if this oil spill is completely stopped tomorrow, the oil that has already been spilled is going to cripple the seafood and tourism industries in the Gulf for years. The great natural beauty of the region is going to be seriously marred, and hundreds of species are going to have their habitats absolutely devastated.
It is hard to describe what this oil spill is going to mean for those living along the Gulf of Mexico, but the following couple of quotes do a pretty good job of summarizing where things stand at this point....
Richard Charter of the Defenders of Wildlife:
"It is so big and expanding so fast that it's pretty much beyond human response that can be effective. ... You're looking at a long-term poisoning of the area. Ultimately, this will have a multidecade impact."
Louis Miller of the Mississippi Sierra Club:
"This is going to destroy the Mississippi and the Gulf Coast as we know it."
The Flooding In Tennessee
Massive storms recently dumped nearly 20 inches of rain on many areas of the southeast United States, killing at least 27 people and putting many areas of Nashville, Tennessee deep under water.
In fact, it is being projected that the damage to the city of Nashville alone is close to a billion dollars.
The Tornadoes That Have Been Ripping Up The Midwest And The Southeast
At least five people were killed on Monday as a number of very dangerous tornadoes ripped across the state of Oklahoma.
But that is nothing compared to the unprecedented outbreak of tornadoes in the southeast recently. Officials there said that 61 tornadoes erupted when a massive storm marched across an area stretching all the way from Mississippi to South Carolina. Winds inside some of those tornadoes were clocked as high as 160 mph, and one of the tornadoes had a base one and a half miles wide.
Can you imagine a tornado that is a mile and a half wide heading your way?
Those tornadoes killed at least 12 people, and it is estimated that the damage that they caused could reach into the billions of dollars.
The Disappearance Of The Honeybees
Honeybees are dying off all over the United States, and without them we are going to be in a world of trouble. For the fourth year in a row, over a third of all bee colonies in the United States failed to survive the winter.
If you are not highly alarmed when you read that last sentence you need to be.
According to the annual survey by the Apiary Inspectors of America and the U.S. government's Agricultural Research Service, the number of managed honeybee colonies in the U.S. fell by 33.8% last winter.
So why are honeybees so important?
Well, because a third of all that we eat depends upon honeybee pollination.
Most flowering plants require insects for pollination. The most effective insect for pollination is the honeybee.
So if the number of honeybees continues to dramatically decline, we are going to be faced with a wrenching food crisis.
Are you prepared for that?
Immigration Riots
The recent anti-illegal immigration law passed by the state of Arizona has ratcheted up tensions on both sides of the immigration debate. There have already been some harrowing physical confrontations and authorities fear that full-blown riots could break out across the southwest United States.
But the folks down in Arizona felt compelled to do something. Due to unchecked illegal immigration, drug-related crime and gang violence had gotten completely out of control. In fact, the city of Phoenix, Arizona has become the car theft capital of the world as millions of illegal aliens who can't get work have found that stealing cars can be very profitable indeed.
But those who are in the Hispanic community believe that this new law is racist and will be used to unfairly target law-abiding Hispanic Americans. They believe that they have been disrespected and there has been a tremendous backlash against the new Arizona law. In fact, protesters have vandalized sidewalks and buildings in Phoenix with messages such as "burn this racist city".
Interesting read, I have a huge honey bee hive in a column in front of my home. you can hear them humming all day. I knew of the decline so Ive let them stay.
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