Muleskinner

Issue date: 5/29/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Submitted Photo Sam and Dianne Cox visit with a group of students atop Incense-Burner Peak in Xiang Shan. They climbed for over two hours to reach the peak.

Two Warrensburg residents have been visiting China since before the earthquake. Sam Cox, professor of communication at UCM and his wife Diane have talked with many people and studied news reports. Diane offered this report:

I thought I might share with you my impressions from the TV coverage and from visiting with people here about the earthquake. The whole feeling in the country reminds us of the days immediately following 9/11.

First of all, I realize that the news here may well be slanted, as all news seems to be these days, but from the pictures I have seen and what I hear, I believe it to be acurate.

I am sure there have been struggles and problems and even mistakes made that we may not know about and will not be reported, but I have found the news to be open and positive.

The central theme of the broadcasts seems to be uniting China into a massive front to rescue, recover and rebuild. The country is now in a 3-day period of national mourning for the victims. Three minutes of silence was observed across the nation.

All entertainment, even the Olympic Torch Relay, has been suspended. People are wearing mourning colors of black and blue. The TV coverage has been constant ever since the first quake struck, with a lot being repeated over and over. The injured have been shown in hospitals, but none of the dead have been shown.

The devastation of one large city after another has been shown. Personal heartaches and struggles are depicted. But most of all the workers who are helping are recognized for their efforts and courage.

A catastrophe of this magnitude has demanded a rescue effort of equal magnitude and the Chinese people, as well as many in the international community, have responded well.

It was reported that within 14 minutes of the first quake (8.0), the first army unit left for the stricken area. Immediately help began being organized. Blood donor stations were set up. Supplies were gathered. During the first three days, convoy after convoy of trucks loaded with tents, blankets, food, medicine, water, etc, left several parts of China for Chengdu province.

Continued...

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