Archive: Opinions

On August 5, 33 miners experienced the most horrific disaster one could imagine-they were buried alive some 2,000 feet below the surface of the earth. Trapped, frightened, and unsure of their future, each miner must have felt that their lives had come to a sudden end. They knew any rescue attempt would require a Herculean effort, world wide expertise, a faith in themselves, their country, and some Supreme Power that would not allow the lives of 33 men to die such an ignoble death.

News of the trapped miners leaked out to the foreign press. Within a few days, the entire world looked to the Chilean Government to see how they were going to handle the rescue of 33 miners. Families rushed to the site and greeted the rescue workers encouraging them to work as quickly and safely as possible. More reporters arrived as well transforming an isolated mining accident into a global humanitarian effort to rescue the trapped miners.

Work continued. Families never gave up hope. Rescue workers tirelessly maintained their shifts operating the drill flawlessly. Around midnight of the 69th day underground, the first minor emerged from his subterranean chamber as the world breathed a sigh of relief and relished in that precious moment of hope when everything that had to go right actually went right. A global audience of one billion watched the miracle of 2010 unfold on their TV and computer screens.

By the next morning another billion views joined them and watched in awe as the metal capsule was raised and lowered delivering each miner safely to the surface of the earth. The world kept vigil by their TV's and the nation of Chile relished in a groundswell of patriotic pride. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera had been at the rescue site, cheering and hugging the miners as they surfaced.

As each minor emerged, wives, mothers, and children embraced their loved one trapped so deep below ground. Rescue workers shared in the joy offering a hug, handshake, and pat on the back. Those of us watching this brilliant rescue in the safety and comfort of our homes could hardly keep back our own joy and emotions.

This was truly a global effort with expertise and assistance from a host of nations working with Chileans. It was a triumph of the human spirit for both the miners and rescue workers. Miners living under stressful conditions created a healthy environment by which they could function as normal as possible under stressful and life threatening conditions. Individuals working as a team drilled through two thousand feet of rock with such determination that the escape tunnel was finished much sooner than anticipated.

Families and friends kept vigil at Camp Hope encouraging rescue personnel above ground and their loved ones trapped below that success was imminent. Around the world people of all faiths offered up prayers and those with no faith offered words of support as the days turned into weeks.

Progress was made each day until the drill broke through to the underground home of 33 miners. As the last of the miners and rescue workers are hauled up from deep below the earth, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Confidence in the human race has been restored throughout the world. Many stories will be written, and perhaps, we may see a movie within the year.

Each of us, from the miners and the mine owners to the politicians and the world at large, ought to learn a valuable lesson about human life and the risks we take for obtaining natural resources whether it be gold, copper, coal, oil, or natural gas. No matter what we say or how we interpret the last 69 days, there ought to be some real change in the way we ask our loved ones to do what they do so we can go about living life as usual. Alternative fuels are other ways of advancing forward as a civilization are out there. It is the government's job to make sure we are pursuing these initiatives openly, honestly, and completely for the betterment of all.

There can be no doubt about those 33 miners- they are heroes in every way. Let us honor them not with medals, parades, and TV interviews, but with a real change in the way we risk human life for the attainment of wealth. And that is to the point.

----
v6i40