As all of us know, a volcanic eruption in Iceland recently brought all air traffic in Europe to a screeching, grinding halt. As I have a trip to London scheduled in July, I followed this news item with marked--and slightly frantic--interest.
The other day I read a story about the travelers stranded in European airports for nearly a week now. One traveler complained that they have only been getting one meal a day on the airline and are out of money for anything else. They have no beds, showers, or changes of clothes. Basically, they feel like nobody cares about them.
Then I began to imagine a similar disaster happening in the United States. What if something like this happened in New York? That city wouldn't know what to do with all the relief workers who would converge upon the airports. Churches, charities, and private citizens would do whatever they had to to get through airport security and help the passengers. Instead of news stories where passengers bemoan feeling forgotten, we'd have stories of passengers thanking God for the people who came to their aid.
Conservatives and Christians have plenty of cause to be unhappy with America today. But we ought not forget the good in our nation. And it is good that Americans rush to meet a desperate need. It is good that we help our neighbors. This is an integral part of the American character, and one in which we should all take great pride.
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