Comments on: Japan Earthquake and Tsunami 2011, a Queue, Crowd Control, How You Can Help

By: Nha

Nha — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 03:30:28 +0000

I found that your article is so interesting to me. I’ve read and realized that crowd control is really important after the disasters. I think this is the way they always act in daily life. They’re self-discipline citizens (Not to think bad about Haiti). My country has never faced that kind of terrific event at all, but I can feel the pain of Japaneses. I love Japan and Japanese too! They’re strong nation! I’m praying for them. May god protects them all the way through! Thank for your good article. God bless.

By: Pete Abilla

Pete Abilla — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 05:27:37 +0000

In reply to Ericka Courtney.

Hi Ericka,

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.

Please understand that there was no moral judgment on my part on Haiti or Japan – just an observation of the facts. I study how groups behave – especially in lines (queueing) – and the response from the Haiti and Japan are a stark contrast to each other. I’m not saying that one response is “good” and another “bad”, but rather one response is more productive and the other is counterproductive. There’s no judgment in that statement – but it’s really a statement of fact.

Additionally, I’m not sure I understand your comment on being trained. I don’t know about you, but nobody is training me, including my government. How has the American government trained you? You seem to imply that you’ve been trained somewhat or conditioned to respond a certain way. Is that true?

Out of nowhere, you mention race as being part of the equation here – mentioning “black or white”. I find your thoughts on this particular point very confusing. Nevertheless, I’ll play along. I’m Asian, my wife is White, and I have 4 kids that are Black (3 at the time of this picture, but have adopted 1 more child since then). There isn’t a racist bone in my body. So, to be blunt, I have no – zero – idea what you’re talking about.

Again, thanks for taking the time to read and to provide a comment.

Pete

By: Ericka Courtney

Ericka Courtney — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:58:55 +0000

I find this story interesting, but I am a bit confused. My question is, what’s your motivation for placing Haiti as the “How Not to Suffer” and Japan as the “How To Suffer.” That seems a bit strange, and Yes, Haiti and there was response was unorthodox, but does that mean that we need to downplay their struggle just to appease ourselves? You must be thinking that your story is inspirational.

It is not only insensitive, but it’ callous. Not a personal attack on you, but more on your writing style. Granted you have the freedom to express yourself as you deem necessary, but…this is a bit over the top. We all get the point. I got the point. But I also, took the Hit as well. It stung. It’s not a black or white thing. Asians are NOT more acceptable because they didn’t break windows, or barge into restaurants or stores looking for food. They are merely what their GOVERNMENT created. They are trained to act appropriately in times of crisis. Americans are trained to be more loud, and aggressive and bold. That’s fine, if you like the timid approach, but if you were thirsty, or hungry, or sick and Hot, just how frantic would you be? If you had not had water in days, you might go off a bit on someone. Perhaps you’d sit back and wait your turn, perhaps you’d keep order. But you know you’ve never been in this situation, so you should lighten up on countries that were destroyed from natural disasters.

If America was told, “There will be no more gas being sold for under $4.00 a gallon after April 2, 2011. I wonder how many SUV’s would be crowding the streets. Americans would try to kill each other to get to the $3.50 that we pay now. Americans are rowdy, rude and selfish as they come, and that is ALL RACES.