Update: Mayor Michael Bloomberg cancels marathon amid controversy.
As an east coast resident of the United States, I witnessed Hurricane "Superstorm" Sandy firsthand. Can I get a witness? She huffed and puffed but, luckily, she didn't blow my house down. I lost power for a little over 24 hours, which forced me to conserve my iPhone usage and trade in my refrigerator, computer and TV for a battery-operated radio, trashy romance novel, bottled water and food stored in ice-filled coolers. Bon appetite!
Damage: one fallen tree and over 10 inches of rain. There was also the one semi-sleepless night spent tossing and turning while the wind howled like a jet engine, my house shook and I covered everything but my eyeballs in quilts and blankets for protection from Mother Nature's daughter, Sandra.
As John Kimble would say, "Stop whining." I was extremely lucky when compared to others, my hardships almost meaningless. Residents of New Jersey and New York had homes damaged, lives lost, flooding, power outage lasting days and still in effect. The headlines say it all:
Hurricane Sandy's New York City death toll climbs to 40 as city attempts to return to normalcy
Searchers on Staten Island recover bodies of two boys swept away from mother by flood waters Monday
Authorities work to restore power to gas stations in Sandy's aftermath
Cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy death toll rises to 90
Celebrities are using Twitter to get the word out about donating to the Red Cross, fundraisers and benefits are planned, New Jersey has been declared a state of emergency as well as New York ... did you see the images of the demolished Atlantic City boardwalk? It's like a scene out of "2012." Where's John "Evel Knievel" Cusack and his death defying RV jump? It's frightening when blockbuster disaster films mimic real life.
I have a loved one in Manhattan. Come Sunday, when his power is estimated to be restored, his grand total of days without electricity will reach seven. Seven days. No shower, no computer, no stove, no refrigerator, no bueno. He's been washing his hair in the kitchen sink so he can go to work because, as Mayor Michael Bloomberg can atest, life after Hurricane Sandy must go on.
Speaking of Bloomberg ... this makes me wonder ... why didn't he postpone the New York City Marathon scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 4? Isn't it insensitive? What about the city's resources? How can people compete in such a selfish event while people suffer?
Bloomberg assured the media power should be restored by Nov. 4 so that will free up "an enormous amount of police." How many emergency personnel do you think is needed for such a huge event as the NYC marathon? Just because power will be restored (hopefully) doesn't mean people aren't suffering.
Another pro-marathon argument: it's a point of pride for the city and will show everyone New York is working through the pain of this natural disaster. "We are here and we are going to recover." Bloomberg also pulled the 9/11 card when he reminded people former Mayor Rudy Giuliani made the decision to let the marathon continue after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack ... which is a different situation as well as a window of almost two months between events.
I understand the need for perseverance and hope but having a huge event the same day most New Yorkers will be with power for the first time in seven days, doesn't that seem like wondering why a woman who just went through a devastating divorce hasn't moved on after seven days? It hasn't been a week!
I think it's disgusting. There are people without food, shelter and electricity who are forced to fork over money and stay in hotels where out-of-town marathoners previously booked rooms. What are they going to do? Kick the evacuees out? What about the folks who lost homes, loved ones and everything? People are suffering! These places have been declared disaster areas! People are waiting in line for hours for gas to fuel generators and vehicles. They plan to bus out-of-town runners into Staten Island, where the race starts while public transportation just got back up and running, somewhat. Nothing like jogging against a backdrop of homes leveled by a superstorm.
I don't know about you but an annual city event wouldn't make me feel better about a terrible situation.
Another pro-marathon argument: the marathon brings an estimated $340 million into NYC. Organizers plan to use to event to raise money for recovery efforts -- The New York Road Runners, which operates the event, will donate $1 million to the recovery fund and said more than $1.5 million in pledges are secured from sponsors.
That's all well and good but, again, I wonder ... there are resources devoted to the race when there are people in peril. Also, you are "freeing up" police officers and other personnel who worked all week so they can work a marathon? Don't they deserve some time off to be with their families -- they live in the area too and were probably affected by Sandy. What about the people who are still missing? Couldn't those emergency personnel search for them instead of working this event?
This reach for normalcy is demeaning to the people whose lives will never be normal again. What about them? They aren't just people depicted by reporters on your TV screen or in a newspaper article, they are human beings.
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