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September 1, 2005
TT: Katrina in Prague
In response to this posting, another reader writes:The story is getting major coverage in Prague: large page 1 articles in the major dailies, and it's the lead story on the television news. When I met my Czech teacher this morning for my language lesson, she (a wonderful 77 year-old granny) expressed her heartfelt condolences to me and America generally (of course, she has also got a granddaughter living in Panama City, FL, so she may be paying slightly more attention to it than most people here.) She also expressed her withering contempt for the Czech President, who apparently has yet to express his condolences to his American counterpart.
As part of "New Europe," the Czechs are generally pro-American but are certainly more ambivalent in their relationship with the US than the Poles. Still, the fact that the Katrina stories have displaced the usual summer political scandals from the media shows the Czechs' innate sensitivity and interest in the wider world around them. It could also have to do with the fact that, three years ago at this time, Prague endured its worst flooding in 500 years, so that very fresh and painful memory has generated considerable sympathy for what the beleaguered Gulf Coast residents are now going through.
Many thanks and all the best to you and OGIC as you keep up this important work!
And thanks to you for writing....
Posted September 1, 2005 12:35 PM
