| 'No Relief in Sight for the Lincoln' by Ed Stanton | |||
|
| |||
| Netlore Archive: Emailed editorial penned by 'Ed Stanton,' a pseudonymous officer aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, harshly criticizes civilian workers involved in tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia | |||
| |||
Email example contributed by Chuck V., 23 January 2005:
|
By Ed Stanton It has been three weeks since my ship, the USS Abraham Lincoln, arrived off the Sumatran coast to aid the hundreds of thousands of victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami that ravaged their coastline. I'd like to say that this has been a rewarding experience for us, but it has not: Instead, it has been a frustrating and needlessly dangerous exercise made even more difficult by the Indonesian government and a traveling circus of so-called aid workers who have invaded our spaces. What really irritated me was a scene I witnessed in the Lincoln's wardroom a few days ago. I went in for breakfast as I usually do, expecting to see the usual crowd of ship's company officers in khakis and air wing aviators in flight suits, drinking coffee and exchanging rumors about when our ongoing humanitarian mission in Sumatra is going to end. What I saw instead was a mob of civilians sitting around like they owned the place. They wore various colored vests with logos on the back including Save The Children, World Health Organization and the dreaded baby blue vest of the United Nations. Mixed in with this crowd were a bunch of reporters, cameramen and Indonesian military officers in uniform. They all carried cameras, sunglasses and fanny packs like tourists on their way to Disneyland. My warship had been transformed into a floating hotel for a bunch of trifling do-gooders overnight. |
Comments: Though some have questioned the authenticity of this article, its original publishers (Soldiers for the Truth) have vouched for its origin and I see no reason not to take their word for it.
The accuracy of its negative portrayal of civilians involved in tsunami relief efforts is another matter, however, and it's well to note that this is an opinion piece written by a pseudonymous author and that its central claims have been challenged in another editorial penned by a different officer aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, one who has made no attempt to hide his identity.
"The civilians that have been transported by our helicopters and have been hosted aboard the carrier are not a 'traveling circus’ of aid workers or 'trifling do-gooders,'" writes Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Vorce in answer to Ed Stanton's characterization of relief workers from the United Nations and other organizations. "On the contrary, these are professionals who have years of experience in mitigating human suffering and tragedy."
In closing, he states: "This time the media got it right and Mr. Stanton got it wrong."
Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between.
In any case, the USS Abraham Lincoln, which was only one of what the Associated Press described as "a flotilla of ships with many different flags gathered along Indonesia's coast" to augment tsunami relief efforts, is now wrapping up its humanitarian mission and will shortly sail home to Everett, Washington.
Sources and further reading:
Guest Column: No Relief in Sight for Lincoln
Soldiers for the Truth, 20 January 2005Guest Column: In Defense of Civilian Relief Workers
Soldiers for the Truth, 28 January 2005A Guest Column Heard 'Round the World
Solders for the Truth, 28 January 2005Lincoln Prepares to Return Home from Tsunami Theater
Associated Press, 26 January 2005
Last updated: 01/31/05
