Chernobyl: 20 Years Later
April 25, 2006 3:54 PM Subscribe
Maybe I should've put "The Chernobyl Legacy: A Photo Essay", but it's too late now...
What struck me was the love and acceptance the mothers have for their children, and the resilience of the Russian people. It would seem a generation of people is doomed, in a country dwindling in population and rising in mortality rates.
posted by rinkjustice at 4:11 PM on April 25, 2006
What struck me was the love and acceptance the mothers have for their children, and the resilience of the Russian people. It would seem a generation of people is doomed, in a country dwindling in population and rising in mortality rates.
posted by rinkjustice at 4:11 PM on April 25, 2006
So much great photography on MeFi today! Thanks for this post.
posted by photoslob at 4:23 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by photoslob at 4:23 PM on April 25, 2006
magnificent and gut-wrenchingly sad. i need no further proof that humanity will destroy itself.
posted by gnutron at 4:35 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by gnutron at 4:35 PM on April 25, 2006
That was terrifying, so so sad. It's almost like an epitaph to the human race. Gnutron, I have to agree with you, after looking at this, it feels like there is no hope for humanity.
posted by dbiedny at 4:39 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by dbiedny at 4:39 PM on April 25, 2006
It feels like there is no hope for humanity.
Of course, it could have been far worse. The winds were from the southwest. If they'd been from the northwest, the worst of the plume would have crossed Kiev -- a city just a bit smaller than Chicago, larger than the whole of the West Midlands in the UK.
But even with that, I don't think there is hope. Really, there isn't. Because we're afraid of this, we're going to keep buring stuff for energy -- and the power classes in the world have every intention of keeping this going, because they get power and wealth from it, and emerging countries certainly aren't going to stop as long as we keep burning stuff.
By the time everyone really truly realizes what we've done, it'll be far too late. The only bright side is the bastards who've made billions raping the planet -- and the people -- will die, right with the rest of us.
posted by eriko at 5:11 PM on April 25, 2006
Of course, it could have been far worse. The winds were from the southwest. If they'd been from the northwest, the worst of the plume would have crossed Kiev -- a city just a bit smaller than Chicago, larger than the whole of the West Midlands in the UK.
But even with that, I don't think there is hope. Really, there isn't. Because we're afraid of this, we're going to keep buring stuff for energy -- and the power classes in the world have every intention of keeping this going, because they get power and wealth from it, and emerging countries certainly aren't going to stop as long as we keep burning stuff.
By the time everyone really truly realizes what we've done, it'll be far too late. The only bright side is the bastards who've made billions raping the planet -- and the people -- will die, right with the rest of us.
posted by eriko at 5:11 PM on April 25, 2006
Good (but distressing) post rinkjustice. Here is a journal by Belarusian journalist Vasily Semashko. A different take from A Guide to Belarus. There is nothing to worry about it seems, except maybe for the thyroid cancers.
posted by tellurian at 5:33 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by tellurian at 5:33 PM on April 25, 2006
there is no hope for humanity.
well, duh. if you'd read your bible, you'd know that.
posted by quonsar at 7:16 PM on April 25, 2006
well, duh. if you'd read your bible, you'd know that.
posted by quonsar at 7:16 PM on April 25, 2006
That is intense. I just watched the whole thing, now I sit here typing slowly and quietly wondering how a good God in heaven can stand by and little children suffer like that. I dont know.
posted by BillsR100 at 7:54 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by BillsR100 at 7:54 PM on April 25, 2006
so touching, so moving. one of the best posts i've seen on MeFi. mesmerizing and truly, deeply sad. makes you wonder how some people get through the day. thanks.
posted by brandz at 8:14 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by brandz at 8:14 PM on April 25, 2006
My ex-husband was from Eastern Euorope. He had scars all over his back and neck from lesions he had after Chernobyl. It was a terrible thing. God be with those folks.
posted by WaterSprite at 8:19 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by WaterSprite at 8:19 PM on April 25, 2006
That is intense. I just watched the whole thing, now I sit here typing slowly and quietly wondering how a good God in heaven can stand by and little children suffer like that. I dont know.
posted by BillsR100 at 7:54 PM PST on April 25 [!]
You think that's bad? Have you heard of this continent called Africa?
posted by mek at 8:43 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by BillsR100 at 7:54 PM PST on April 25 [!]
You think that's bad? Have you heard of this continent called Africa?
posted by mek at 8:43 PM on April 25, 2006
Oh God, I just went through the whole site. We are all lucky to be where we are, protected. (I know I'll hear about this, but really, we are...)
posted by WaterSprite at 8:55 PM on April 25, 2006
posted by WaterSprite at 8:55 PM on April 25, 2006
You think that's bad? Have you heard of this continent called Africa?
Yes, but they are privy to natural disasters. Doesn't make it any better for them, but this one was caused by HUMANS and could have been helped. We as a free nation should be helping far more than we do. Spoken as a person that spent many years helping the unfortunate. Now I'm just tired.
posted by WaterSprite at 9:00 PM on April 25, 2006
Yes, but they are privy to natural disasters. Doesn't make it any better for them, but this one was caused by HUMANS and could have been helped. We as a free nation should be helping far more than we do. Spoken as a person that spent many years helping the unfortunate. Now I'm just tired.
posted by WaterSprite at 9:00 PM on April 25, 2006
Yes, but they are privy to natural disasters.
Clearly you don't mean to say that all the terrible things that have occurred, and are still occurring, in Africa are all the result of natural disasters?
Not that I'm at all interesting in playing "whose tragedy is worse," but I think Mek's point is exactly that what is going on in Africa is comparable to the Chernobyl because they are both man-made.
posted by Doug at 10:34 PM on April 25, 2006
Clearly you don't mean to say that all the terrible things that have occurred, and are still occurring, in Africa are all the result of natural disasters?
Not that I'm at all interesting in playing "whose tragedy is worse," but I think Mek's point is exactly that what is going on in Africa is comparable to the Chernobyl because they are both man-made.
posted by Doug at 10:34 PM on April 25, 2006
Why does this have to turn into a pissing contest about who can name the worst-afflicted area or people or the most appalling event?
Eg: You think that's bad - how about the Holocaust? It was much worse, and it was caused by humans.
As to why "God" "let" this happen - well, the answer depends on who you ask. If you ask some people, it's because we have free will. Others, because they are being punished for their sins. Yet others, because they are being punished for someone else's sins.
My own explanation is quite simple: there is no God.
posted by kcds at 12:41 PM on April 26, 2006
Eg: You think that's bad - how about the Holocaust? It was much worse, and it was caused by humans.
As to why "God" "let" this happen - well, the answer depends on who you ask. If you ask some people, it's because we have free will. Others, because they are being punished for their sins. Yet others, because they are being punished for someone else's sins.
My own explanation is quite simple: there is no God.
posted by kcds at 12:41 PM on April 26, 2006
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posted by theknacker at 4:07 PM on April 25, 2006