I have always wondered, where does a reporter draw the line?
Is there a code of ethics for reporter? At what point would a reporter be charged as acting unethically for not rendering help? I remember during the Iraq invasion, a reporter was asked to help in operating a soldier who had head injury.

Truth can always wait to be told. A life saved is one less casualty to be reported.

In this beautiful world when we all individually love and care for our fellow people and try to help and/or show fellow feelings to the ones that are in this cruel situation, why cannot we all collectively, as a family, do something to help these victims. I have three children and they eat at least three meals a day and I am very sad seeing those are dying of starvation. Can we do something collectively?

Cheers,

Syed

I hope too… God bless them…

Perhaps it is time to cover the story of those who most matter, the individuals. They can be helped, brought to hospital while the story is written about this aspect….this may be most humane.

You had one seat. Which would weigh on your conscience more? Having done your duty as you did, or having abandoned your purpose and chosen, of the thousands, only one? You would still be haunted by all those left behind and additionally by having failed to inform the world on their suffering. It’s hard work, but it must be done.

Syed – people are not dying of starvation in China whart are you talking about> what is needed is quick action to get those trapped and injured rescued to hospitals and provide them with the medical aid they need. What was interesting to note was that the Chinese goverment are reacting in a much more open and responsive manner to the outside worlds offer of aid and assistance completely opposite to those of the ruling military junta in Burma were lives are being lost and growing because of thier arrogance stubborness and lack of compassion to help those in need. The world needs to wake up to the atrocities that are taking place in Burma and act upon on – Where in the power of the UN? What will it take and how many more deaths from disease and poverty before the international community sits up and takes action?

John Vause – the viewing public dont need further film footage – CNN is not the only TV film crew in the world and you had an opportunity to help actual victim get treatment they obviously needed – its kind of a sad reflection of the kind of world we live in driven by commercialism and the need for in our face realism and total lack of humanity in our ever seeking quest for the big story or the intimate links to our obsession with celebrity! Saving someones life would have been the morally and ethically correct thing to do – shame on CNN!

I’ve never been a reporter but I do have empathy for those who have to make a tough decision between their assigned reporting duty and their conscience.

My suggestion is to treat a major natural disaster area like a war zone. There must be written guidelines for reporters on how to preserve their reporting duty when encountering an injured soldier. Depending upon the seriousness of that injury, a reporter might need to act differently.

Hello Mr. Vause,
I watch your reports very often and thank you for sharing your China experience with all over the world. I was born in Sichuan and visited Wenchuan/Dujiangyan when I was young.
I believe you have made the best choice to be fully reponsible to your position as a reporter.

Bless the victims and bless you.

If your on site at the disaster area one must primarilly focus to stay alive, then help others and always bear in mind that aftershocks will be evident for weeks to come. the devastation was due to severity and shallowness of the earthquake. similar earthquakes/aftershocks (maybe a little less in magnitude) will still occur in the days and weeks to come. What alarmed me from all these pictures posted is the fact that many concrete floors which pancaked seemed not to be reinforced with steel bars as is done in Greece and other seismogenic countries. Having lived in a seismogenous region(lost my home to the 1999 Athens earthquake) and experienced similar phenomena/ repeatedly my thoughts and prayers are with the devasted people of the effected area.

Mr. Vause, your reports on China is responsible. You bring the true sides of China both positive and negative. Few prejudice. Thank you.
Your reports on Tibet are also according to the facts.
News is based on and only on facts. Not on fascination.
Keep on.

Sacrificing the potential to save a life for the opporunity to continue with your report is incredibly selfish, and is part of the problem with humanity today. We have become to concerned with what we individually consider to be most important and have lost sight of the greater needs of the people around us. I hate to break it to you Mr. Vause, but with or without you, the story of the thousands of people suffering would get reported, but at the time, it was you that had the opportunity to help another person. I would much rather read about how you decided to take some time out of your day to help another person as best you could, than to read another article/report similar to all of the others out there about the people buried in the rubble.

Imagine instead of all of the journalists looking for the greatest scoop, the hundreds/thousands of them that are driving around in China decided to lend a helping hand. This is the kind of message that needs to be communicated to everybody else, people coming together to help eachother even it if means making personal and professional sacrifices. Not constant minute-by-minute up to the second reports about the pain and suffering that you choose to drive away from.

Mr. Vause, I saw your short video about the local communist party leader who, through tears, apologized and said he had to run off to check on someone urgently. You explained that he had lost his children, parents and wife. This video was moving beyond words.

you are already deserved to be appreciated as long as you objectively and efficiently cover the story, because it also can salvage people by telling the world the truth.

I was appalled at the photo of childrens bodies floating in water. If I had been the photographer I would not have taken the photo. I would have taken those poor children from the water

anyway, i just hope everyone in china quake area can be well, i hope they can rebuild their home soon, i feel sad about it, China is a friendly country, i hope the other counties can help china as soon as possible. bless them…stop rising the number of death.

You did the right thing John, because if people don’t get to hear about this they might not feel the need to help. God bless you for taking the initiative, its not as though the quake was happening there and then, teach others it’s your job, we must keep all this alive just like the poor burmese, god help them.

Saving one life at a time is the most moral thing to do. Unless you were going to find a case (with more victims and/or sufferings) neglected by others, it would be pointless to report the same things that others will.

So where are those do gooders such as ms farrow, mr gere , the mayor of paris and his cohort of city councillors? Do they have any thing to comment on the present castotrophe or do they only reserve their goodwill to the tibetians. Frankly I don’t even care how the rest of the world especally the west respond. We chinese will just get on with the job at hand and get it done ourselves. So don’t shed those crocodile tears.

Jan Zilar, I thought the bodies of children floating was in Burma not China. It is sad to see all this devastation. Makes one appreciate life and what God has blessed us with. John, you did what you had to do given the situation. However, I am not surprised that your guilty conscious is catching up with you.
God bless these Asian countries and us all.

Dear Mr. Vause,

Your Compassion is overiding your Judgement and knowledge. Once asked by a reporter in his native India, Ramana Maharshi was asked,” With all the people in your country starving to death and all the wars and deaths in your country and around the world, How can you go into states of Bliss? ” He replied the wisdom of the ages; ” Nothing goes wrong in MY world”. Meaning: You are not the Creator. You are not responsible for the outcome of anyone on this earth. Your ways are not Gods ways nor can you fathom the understabding of Gods ways. As the 1st Commandment says; ” I am the Lord your God, You shall have No other gods before me!” which means your EGO: (You are not a God, don’t get caught in the trap thinking YOU can do anything about anothers suffering, It’s between them and their Maker. Your reason for being there was a blessing from God for your compassion will write a story (and stories) that will help the situation at it’s highest level (Devine).
Carry on …………..

ED

John, I don’t know what to say. I can see it is a very very hard choice. You only have limited amount of time to make the decision. Once it is gone, you will regret either way. I, as a chinese, thank you for the sympathy and humanity that shown in this short story. This is what to bridge two very different nations. Thank you and may god bless us all.

Wow, what a tough choice to make. It’s easy for those with the luxury of sitting at home, safe and sound to judge you for your actions. There was no clearly superior moral course of action in the situation you described. I’m impressed by your ability to look upon so much human suffering and survive on the other end. The fact that you feel guilty speaks volumes for your capacity for empathy.

John, your story IS valuable don’t beat yourself up for not being able to do everything. I am shocked at the level of tragedy that the people of China have had to endure. This is so sad. I am hopeful for our world in seeing the response that has been given to the value of life, and the steps taken to help those that are suffering . You shouldn’t feel guilt. Seeing China through these pictures, seeing the perserverence of their people, shows the world we are all interconnected . Compassion has shown through this tragedy and that can only be good. Good luck on your journey in reporting and keep safe.

i would have to stop and take them back for help because if i don’t i know that i would never be able to live with myself and i know my story that i am working on would be even better just knowing that i could help the ones in need . if you do a story on them and you can’t stop and help them why bother doing the story .

Mr Vause, I truly respect your empathy for the wounded and the struggle you have to go through. I would be at a loss myself given the situation. I agree with Jennifer that there is no right decision in the situation.

Mr Choy, I give my condolences to all the sorrow that the victims and you yourself are going through. But I must beg you not to be prejudiced against any country and anyone in the world who sincerely offer their help and concern about the catastrophe.

For although we don’t have any position nor importance as the dogooders you mentioned, we all sincerely pray that God relieves all from their suffering.

Saving a life or covering a story? How shameful that someone would even think that’s a choice!!! The “story” of the earthquake aftermath and suffering will go on for days, weeks, months, and years and will be adequately covered, if not by you, hundreds of others. The lives of those begging, perhaps did not or will not.

shameful……..

People … there are six billion people on the planet and there are needless deaths every day. If you are going to hold this reporter responsible for not helping one person to the hospital without knowing if that trip would have saved the person or if they would actually die without the trip, you have to hold yourself to the same standard. What are you doing in your own community to help the homeless, the ill, the elderly? Are you doing something to teach teen drivers to make good choices? We all have opportunities every day to help … this reported just had one that stood out more then most of ours.

This reporter also serves the good of the individual and the many by shedding light on this subject and keeping it in front of us so we’ll donate to helping organizations and encourage our government to act as our surrogates by providing assistance. We all drive the other way daily when we ask others to help with our only sacrifice being to pay taxes or donate to charity so somebody else can do the hard work. The reporter is just one cog in the machine … his job is to be our eyes and ears, others are being our hands and feet. Hopefully all the parts together get the job done. Hopefully everybody has a heart and feels a sense of sadness wishing they could have done more, but no one person can do it all.

Ut Um… Well, help did show up… with two vehicles, empty seats, a steering wheel to turn the car around with, and people who knew the way to the hospital who would gladly stand on the bumpers… If you’d have gone there, I’m know the hospital would have given you a sleeping pill or two to ease your trauma, AND there would have been many “stories ” and news there for your to report on before your nap.

I think I would have opted to take them to the hospital. The news is still going to be there. Even if it wasn’t it would have been the right thing to do. Peoples lives are more important than the news. In this case it was an easy call, this news and all the different and undiscovered consequences would still await after your mission of mercy.

John, thanks for your candor. Unfortunately, there is no easy right answer to your dilemma. I simply hope that whatever you choose each time the decision arises, you and your team continue to report with the sensitivity and compassion you have shown thus far.

First of all, I hope you can get some sleep. Second of all, I think this decision isn’t something you should worry about. The decision should be made by your boss, your department, and your superior.

Personally, I think helping others is more important. Lives are priceless and carry more value than a great story. Most of people are already aware of how severe the damage is anyway, so there isn’t much contribution a great story can make.

Hi John,
I´ve seen your reports and i can imagine how you feel. To go there for miles and miles and only devastation and suffering people. I thnik, I couldn´t sleep, too. Even here, some images are always in my head. I´m sure, you´ve done right. Your thing is to tell the story in a responsible way, including all aspects, the positives and the negatives. And I think you´ve done it well.
I hope, all these people will get the help they need in time.
So, good luck, keep safe and go on..
Elke

I would empty both SUVs and loaded up the injured, especially babies, children and the elderlies, then rush them to hospital. That’s what I would do. Your producers, cameramen can wait for a few hours or a day, so can your stories.

But you should not lose 55 hours of sleep over it, I’m sure tomorrow you will come across other opportunites to help those desperately in need. Thank you.

Just think what a difference you could have made saving just one person. Life and death happens one person at a time. It’s easy for me to criticize but I really think I would have had to help by filling up that empty seat. Is it so important that someone in New York or Idaho know what is going on over there? I think that saving a life eclipses anything that could appear on the news.

You should have stopped. The bottom line is you chose not to help someone in need. You left it up to someone else so you could take pictures and interview people who were actually helping.

As bad as this sounds… the needs of a few outweigh the needs of a many. While it is right for us to show compassion sometimes we don’t see the big picture of it all. While you are reporting about this horrendous instance, you are bringing awareness to it. Yes it is right of you to feel the guilt you do because you didn’t help you fellow man at the time, but in the long run you are helping the people in the area to get aid by telling the world exactly what is going on in the area. So feel guilty for the time being but revel in the feeling when the aid trucks roll into the area because you helped report what is going on.

I AM SON OF A FAMOUS TIBETAN FREEDOM FIGHTER WHO KILLED HUNDREDS OF PLA SOLDIERS WHO CAME TO CONQUER MY TIBET AND DESTROY OUR CULTURAL AND RELIGION
AND RECENTLY WHAT IS HAPPNING TO TIBETAN FEW MONTHS AGO AND NOW WHAT;S HAPPNING IN BORDER TOWN OF TIBET AND IT’S NOT EVEN CHINA
THE GIAND PANDAS ARE TIBETAN AND NOT CHINESE AT ALL THE WORLD SHOULD KNOW AND NOW ALL THE HAN CHINESE SETTLERS COMMING TO TIBETAN AREAS ARE DYEING MAYBE MOTHER NATURE IS SAYING SOMETHING —- YOU CAN’T FIGHT THE TRUTH OR MOTHER NATURE–
ANYWAYS I SO RED COMMIUNIST CHINESE GOVT WILL FALL APART AND DESTROY ITSELF AND CHINA WILL BE A GREAT DEMOCRATIC NATION IN THE WORLD VERY SOON
TRUTH PREVAIL
TRUE POWER IS NOT FROM THE BARREL OF A GUN BUT FROM ONE’S MIND OR BELIEF
IF YOU LIE THOUSAND TIMES THE TRUTH WILL NOT CHANGE LOOK IN THE HISTORY
COMMOM CHINESE ARE UNDER TOTALITARIAN, DICTORSHIP PRISON
SO FREE CHINA AND TIBET

Filling your one seat might save a life, or not make a difference. As a journalist, your job is to bring to the world the tragedy that is unfolding. What you report and show may result in the saving of many more lives than you would by driving the one to a hospital. If you and all the other journalists in the area neglected you responsibility to report on what is happening you could save dozens, but potentially fail the hundreds or thousands who would not be saved because the rest of the world would not hear you call for help. It sounds harsh to say sacrifice the few for the many, but consider that all the rescuers and medical personnel on the ground are doing the very same thing. They must make the choice of life and death when they decide “who can I help”, “how do I use my limited time and resources when so many need aid?” . It’s part of the human condition. We each do what we can, when we can, and pray for the rest. Good luck to you.

That is a tough call if your job is to report but I would have picked them up and taken them with me hoping there will be help in my direction for them. I pray and cry for those who have survived and more for those that have died. My prayers are always with the children first and I was devastated to learn of their outcome at the school. I pray for their souls and for their families. I pray for so many miracles for those in China as well as Burma and concerned of a new cyclone that is forming and heading for them again. Peace Be With You All!

it is amazing that the bears are okay I woul dhave thought something woul dhit them?

Mr. Vause, I am a Chinese myself. We generally believe if everyone is doing his duty, then the world will be a much better place. That is basically the essence of what Confucius was trying to say 2500 years ago – and I think it is still true even today.

The PLA soldiers are doing their duty and so are the doctors, nurses and rescuers. You just did your duty and did it well. So go to sleep now, and sleep well. We need your report – early tomorrow morning.

John,
You are there to cover a story, to tell the world of the scale of the disaster. What seems ethical for conventional wisdom is not necessarily so by media standards. It’s hard the line between being a witness or being a participant of the events, when you are not observing and reporting, but getting involved in the story. When do you abandon your professional duty to seek out the truth and tell the world what’s going on, and thus maybe help thousands and take one persons to the hospital. I’m sure you would help somebody if it was along the way and it wouldn’t take you too far from your mission. But then you would have thought that maybe you should have picked up somebody else, in worse condition who you would see later asking for help on the road. You are doing a very important job and doing it great.

John, it’s a tough decision. I have to be honest – I would have given the empty seat away. However, I don’t think this negates all that you ARE doing already. You’re reporting the story in a factual and responsible manner. You’re moving people on an international level – people that will likely be moved enough to donate time and money into relief efforts. You may not have been able to help those who asked for rides, but think of all the others you ARE helping by proxy.

Considering china’s restriction on media and photography, we in the U.S. are looking everywhere for updated information on whats going on over there, so if you ask me, I can understand your unability to help others and can appreciate your guilt and your updates, while I search and wait in Arizona.

John
unfortunately i do not watch CNN because the works done by other crews of CNN at many parts of world. I have been to different parts of the world and just about everywhere I visited, people may laugh at my perception about the country and concluded I must have watched too much CNN…!
However, I personally believe your individual efforts made a difference. By reading the text here, I can see you have an open heart for the people, the event you are covering right from where you are, WITHOUT any typical CNN’s judgmental and pre-perceived and pre-notioned attitude that turn off the audience off as the “angle of observing” was problematic and pretty obvious to those do not need to learn about a different culture through CNN.

What is the value of the journalism at CNN? this is very foundamental question. Yours story shows that you are personally touched and moved, thus the story is touching and moving. I wish CNN can find more journalists to join you.

As specifically about that lift you turned down, I think it may have some to do with the way you were trained and the way your boss expected out of you, which may be on the opposite side to drive you away from what you may have done following your own heart.

There is a post on a chinese new site saying a chinese professional photo journalist arrived on the site, only took one picture before he put away his camera and joint others in the rescue efforts. the story later he sent back was very powerful, because of his own true feeling from beyond a mere observer and passed by.

I can see that you are touched, overwhelmed by the stories surrounding you there, which begins to question the basic professionalism versus humane values. In fact I personally believe more close contact from your own personal experiences might help you to understand the people you are covering, from a closer distance, with more insights gained. After all you are among the people, which is different from your audience: what you could have experienced they cannot. A more powerful story may have been captured…

All in all, you are changing the image of CNN, as one “turned” audience, I might just be reading more frequently into CNN reports simply because of the journalism the way you practiced.

Keep up the good work and try to get some rests…

All the best

Dear John,

Dude, that’s rough. But you are a reporter and not a disaster relief worker. Your job is to disseminates information.

Today I saw a photograph of a woman struggling to pull herself out of the concrete. My first thought was – why was the photographer taking the picture; he should have been helping the woman out of the rubble. I reflected on what I would do in this situation. I hope he snapped the photo and then helped her out. I hadn’t even thought about getting her to a medical station.

Sleep well, we depend on you for our information. Unless you photographed and reported on someone like this woman without helping and then moved on to find the next few seconds of video and sound bites, sleep well. And thank you for your coverage.

Sincerely,

Fritz

Thank you so much Mr. Vauss for being there in my home province to report the devastation of the quake and for your symphacy towards those who are suffering. Duty or taking a person to hospital, it is a tough choice. I am sure if you see a dying person who needed help, you probably would not struggle too much. Because of your objective report, more people get to know what is going on, and more help could be generated that way, and more people could be saved.

Stay on being a honest and conscious reporter.

it would have made you feel better to stop to help, but you would have likely been reprimanded for it for being late to the scoop. if it helps you to sleep at night, just remember that the earth is just like any living thing with an infection… and what happens when you have an infected blister? it pops and then it heals. my philosophy is quite crude and somewhat sickening… the earth is cleansing its infection of overpopulated areas… like the tsunami, the earthquakes and all the other natural disasters that only seem to strike really heavily populated areas… it makes you wonder eh??? i know they are human too, but what can one person do with only one empty seat? jeez.

To me, we’re humans first, and our profession second. When people are dying, we do what we can to help – these are our brothers and sisters. Sure, you can’t save 10,000s but saving just one life is important.

We all choose our paths in life and it’s so sad that you were presented with an opportunity to help but chose to turn away. At that moment, I don’t think it was more ‘worthy’ to choose getting a news report over helping save human lives. Seriously, I think the world could have waited a couple hours or longer to get your report. Perhaps those injured people didn’t have a couple hours to wait for medical treatment.

All life is precious.

Why is it a tough decision? Between saving life and anything else, especially between saving life when you had the opportunities, the means, and the only sacrafice you would have to make is to hold off your reporting? We all hope a good reporting can bring information forth and influence the world in a positive way. What could be more positive than an individual, you in this case, saving a life and doing actual good deeds on the groud? You would hear their stories as you drove them to the hospital, see how the rescue effort was going, and report back later. You certainly missed a great experience and a great chance of feeling good about saving lifes which we don’t get everyday.

I hope the next time this happens, you will make, in my opinion, a better choice.

now, you are just an ordinary American who stick to his job. But if you help them, you become a human with a warm heart ,may be a feature in Reader’s Digest too.

There is no right or wrong answer. I’ll pray that our Lord give you the wisdom to make the best judgement in consistent with His will.

I do agree with one of the viewpoints expressed before that we are not God and we are very limited in terms of resources and time to provide all the help for the needy.

God bless you and all other journalists covering the earthquake disaster in Sichuan. I deeply thank you for your love of our Chinese people in great disaster!

Praying for you and all others who are reporting now in Sichuan, take good care of yourself!

John Vause,

You are a real pro. No one can understand what you are going through. Whatever decisions you make are the right ones – because there are so few people who can understand what you are going through.

It’s easy for people to say that you made the wrong decision from their houses on the other side of the world.

Sleep. And know you are bringing the world closer together with your reporting.

Dear John

You must have faced such a hard battle and unpeacefulness within ur heart >< . Today as i was reading the news i was just amazed as how powerful the media can be in rallying help to others. I would have made the same choice as you.

Keep going, take care and may god be with you!!!!

John, since two days ago many views have been posted.
I have thought alot about your delimia. My greater understanding leads me to believe you are the connection that serves for God to move the world to compassion and mercy towards others. I don’t see this tragedy as a cleansing of a blister on the earth as others have spoken. I see this as an enlightment that all people have more in common than not. We share in love; in lost; grief; rejoice in the sight of hope; and we desire peace in this world. In tragedy we see that political ideologies, religious beliefs, and other thoughts all seem to become one..striving to help their fellow man overcome this unfantomable heartache and hardship. I thank you for your true thoughts, for your honest reporting, and wish you many blessings and glimspes of hope on this journey your travel on. in China. I give my prayers for all those now departed and for those who survived and need to go on, particulary the grieving mother’s and father’s.

For those of you that have commented and said that he was selfish or should have assisted with humanitarian efforts and plainly insulted the man damn you all…

Even some of the people from China have posted that as long as he reports the truth and the whole of it, he is doing the best thing he can which is let the world know plainly and clearly where the problems are, and from there society as a whole must choose to act.

Those of you that chose to judge and insult, point fingers, and act righteous need to take a step back and ask yourselves “What have I done so far”.

Stay objective… you are doing the best thing you can for the people that are suffering right now. However, do not forget that once your reports are done, any assistance you can offer should be offered.

Best of luck to you all in these troubled times.

Thanks! John. The reports touchs my mind.

Century scale & magnitude quakes in Sichuan have occurred 14 times (not including aftershocks) over the past century (it could have something to do with Chinese testing their nuclear bombs there!); as compared to per its definition of century scale & magnitude earthquake in the prior century.

Human beings have collectively brought similar such consequences on themselves – and much of the time determined by only the mercy of those in near unchallengeable absolutist power, including scientists acting as advisers to government.

Help those in need. Do not hinder or bind.
You are a partner to create a global community of
better communication.

One act of kindness, speaks volumes, more so then words
can ever provide.

A hand of compassion.

Think, if this were your loved one…wouldn’t you want someone
to help them ?

Dear John,

Your reporting was insightful and moving. Thank you.

I can’t say how I would react under the same circumstance and you. I would perhaps leave it to my instincts. My instincts may tell me to move on because making a good report is indeed a justifiably and right thing to do… however, there is the instinct to just something else, help someone, doesn’t have to be someone you know, just anybody, just one or two.

In your report, the local part secretary in Che Jia Va has all the right to be bitter and angry .. but yet he briought you through the sites of the devistation and helped you in your reporting… he then went back to help the others. Was it his job to help you report? maybe yes may be no, but he did it anyway because he did whatever he can in these conditions… talk to reporters, direct rescue work, comfort the victims and injured… moan his lost… anything but do nothing.

Perhaps its always easier, in retrospect, to judge things. but you are still there reporting and you are still seeing the begs for help… hope your instincts will guide you… not only just job mission or corporate policies or professional norms.

Here’s a thought : assuming you did pick up a injuried stranger… he/she may later turn out to be one of the most important future leader of the country who does pheonominal changes… going for the big picture or missing the bigger picture .. who’s to say yes or no… only in your situation and your instinct can make a difference.

God Bless You.

You did the right thing.

Hi John
I am thinking about you at this incredibly difficult time, to cover a story that is so painful for many of us to watch. I know you will be forever changed by this experience.
Ann, Erica and Jasmine Fasching
(John, Erica was born in the Sichuan province, so this story is especially close to my heart)

I understand it is a very difficult choice you have to make. You have a job to do, but there are people begging you for help. It is easy for people to say what they would have done in your situation. But unless we are actually in that situation, how can we be sure we would have done the same? There are opportunities to help people everyday, your case just stands out more than any other. No condemnation, John… you’re doing a great job. Your video interviewing the local communist party leader was a very moving one… breaks our hearts.

Thank you for reporting the truth as it is. Even your dilemma – you have a choice not to write about it but you did. I salute you. Rest well… and keep going.

CNN reported that the Chinese government responded with speed and openness during this current Sichuan quake because of the hosting of the Olympics in a few months time. It set me thinking, what a pity for New Orleans that there were no major event during the Katrina…..

I personally feel that you are a normal human being with a good heart and conscience. You ponder and you ache for the sufferings. You do good by fulfilling your assignment first. Then, by your report, many people around the world and much resources and money donations flood in that will surpass your single hand helping one person.

To the people who are in a hurry to criticize you, let them be in your shoes to make that decision. Let the person answer the question first: “When to stop? 1, 2, or 3?

After fulfilling the assignment, we may rush to help if we can. To the people who criticize: “Have you offered your help yet?”

Dear anchors in CNN,
I truly respect your profession and I follow your reports to get your view on this earthquake. However, my heart was wounded when I saw some of you reporting the horrible earthquake in China with casual attitude and smile. It might be too demanding to say so, but any careless body language can hurt so much to those whose lives are deeply effected by this earthquake, whether they are victims or just viewer. I hope someday there will be a true understanding between the east and the west on all prospectives, especially culture-wide, so that we will know how to take care of any issue with right attitude/care .
God bless everyone !
julia

Publicity seekers Mia Farrow, Richard Gere, George Clooney, Stephen Spielberg, Angelina Jolie, Uma Thurman, Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Angela Merkel of Germany, Nancy Pelosi of USA, Mike Lafferty of CNN and Dalai Lama has suddenly became very quiet. These self proclaimed righteous so and so lauded human rights as central to their cause but when it really comes down to helping victims in Chinese earthquake their inaction shows their utter contempt towards ordinary Chinese people. Bunch of cowards

Publicity seekers Mia Farrow, Richard Gere, George Clooney, Stephen Spielberg, Angelina Jolie, Uma Thurman, Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Angela Merkel of Germany, Nancy Pelosi of USA, Mike Lafferty of CNN and Dalai Lama has suddenly became very quiet. These self proclaimed righteous so and so lauded human rights as central to their cause but when it really comes down to helping victims in Chinese earthquake their inaction shows their utter contempt towards ordinary Chinese people. Bunch of cowards!!

When there’s profit to make, you run quicker than anyone, when it’s time for you to give back to society, to demonstrate your corporate citizenship, you don’t act. US and western companies, what are you doing in China? How can you stand by and stare? One piece of advice:

PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE RED CROSS CHINA, AND

DONATE! AND DONATE YOUR MONEY NOW!

I could not help myself crying when I read this story.
I translated it into English and hope the mothers love is known by the world. courtesy to the originator on the Xinhua Forum.

When she was found, her life has already faded away, crashed by fallen concrete. thru the gaps between ruins, the rescuer could see her strange posture. with her knees down, her whole body leaned forth ahead, and two thin arms standing up ground, supporting her body which is severely deformed. The scene looks quit weird and a little bit haunted.

The rescuers reached out to her and found her hopelessly dead. they called out and make some noise to see if there is other survivors. with no response, they turned to the next site contining rescue operation. There are people there calling for help. All of a sudden, The captain realised something and rushed back to the ruin. again, he stretched out his arm and searched beneath the woman with finger tips “a kid, a kid, still alive!”, he cried.

Chaos and Mess. After all the effort, the rescuers finally cleared all the concrete covering the mother’s body, a baby less then 6months was pulled out underneatch her, intact. She was sleeping in her cozy red colored yellow dotted swaddle so peaceful. totally unaware of what had happened. Doctors came forth to check out her situation and found a cell phone in her swaddling cloth. a msg was composed and left on the screen, “My deal baby, if you survive, please please remember, I love you so much”. All men and women burst into tears as they saw this msg…

Original Chinese Version
抢救人员发现她的时候，她已经死了，是被垮塌下来的房子压死的，透过那一堆废墟的的间隙可以看到她死亡的姿势，双膝跪着，整个上身向前匍匐着，双手扶着地支撑着身体，有些象古人行跪拜礼，只是身体被压的变形了，看上去有些诡异。

　　救援人员从废墟的空隙伸手进去确认了她已经死亡，又在冲着废墟喊了几声，用撬棍在在砖头上敲了几下，里面没有任何回应。当人群走到下一个建筑物的时候，救援队长忽然往回跑，边跑变喊“快过来”。他又来到她的尸体前，费力的把手伸进女人的身子底下摸索，他摸了几下高声的喊“有人，有个孩子 ，还活着”。

　　经过一番努力，人们小心的把挡着她的废墟清理开，在她的身体下面躺着她的孩子，包在一个红色带黄花的小被子里，大概有3、4个月大，因为母亲身体庇护着，他毫发未伤，抱出来的时候，他还安静的睡着，他熟睡的脸让所有在场的人感到很温暖。 随行的医生过来解开被子准备做些检查，发现有一部手机塞在被子里，医生下意识的看了下手机屏幕，发现屏幕上是一条已经写好的短信“亲爱的宝贝，如果你能活着，一定要记住我爱你”，看惯了生离死别的医生却在这一刻落泪了，手机传递着，每个看到短信的人都落泪了。

Hi John,

I can’t trust CNN anymore because of its biased report on the Tibet riot event. But I changed my mind as CNN still have reporters like you, the reporters who still keep their conscience.

Thanks John, God bless you.

I FEEL VERY BAD FOR THE FAMILIES AND THEIR CHILDREN I WISH NO HARM TO ANYONE.
I DO HOWEVER THINK THAT CHINA CAN PAY FOR EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO HELP THEIR PEOPLE . THEY HAVE MADE SO MUCH MONEY OFF THE UNITED STATES THAT THEY HAVE NOT SHOWN THAT THEY HAVE HELPED NEW ORLEANS OR ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE USA . I DO HAVE CHILDREN MY HEART IS WITH THE FAMILIES.
THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE THERE

TAKE THEM TO THE HOSPITAL YOUR THERE TO HELP YOU HOULD HELP NOT TAKE PICS OF THEM AS THEY DIE EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO PUT THEM ON TOP OF YOUR CAR OPEN YOUR TRUNK AND KEEP IT OPEN THERE IS ROOM FOR TWO

The Chinese government showed more compassion and decisiveness than the US and LA state government showed their citizens during Katrina.

Anyone who actually is intellectually vacuous enough to be swayed by the clearly opportunistic public relations bonanza that this clearly tragic natural disaster has had on the unrepresented, voiceless, and unprotected citizens within the quake zone, needs to take an objective look at the actions of the government of the People’s Republic of China in the very same region, prior to the disaster, the global PR downturn of the Olympics being contrasted against the PRC eggregious human rights record and “cultural genocide” in Tibet, and then their contrived and opportune response to the quake and its victims in a completely controlled media environment.

Note, that the citizens who have complained that residential units were built without any reasonable housing or building code standards due to government and administrative corruption allowing contractors to simply utilize inadequate materials, sturctural designs, and methodologies – were summarily and by the use of force – pulled away from cameras, reporters, and interviewers by agents and supporters of the government of the People’s Republic of China – in stark contrast to their alleged all encompassing and immediate response to the earthquake and damage in the region.

Their is no moral high ground here, the administration of President GW Bush, appointed a former horse industry middle level manager to oversee the response to Hurricane Katrina, and to date, as President Carter, Habitat for Humanity, Human Rights Watch, and every other NGO and religious organization aiding vicitims in that region will advise you, the majority of the millions let alone the billions of dollars promised to the vicitms of the Hurricane have not been provided to the citizens and only to the mulit-national and government contractors. The government of the People’s Republic of China is not in anyway utilizing a new technique to divert public attention from an unseemly activity by creating a mythology of nationalistic pride and unity in the wake of a national disaster, that is an old tactic from the America to the USSR.

But, remember, every dollar and every penny that you donate, should be sent to NGO’s and religious or secular organizations that have absolutely no ties to the government of the People’s Rebublic of China, otherwise, the likelyhood of your altruistic aid reaching the real vicitims of this monumental tragedy are non-existent.

The reality is that just like in the case of North Korea, while the elites and the President dine on Kobe Beef and truffles, much of the citizenry have resorted to eating grasss, yes grass, simply to keep their stomachs full, and keep at bay the hunger pangs that would drive any normal human being to the edge of insanity.

Morality, intelligence, and objectivety, should not be mutually exclusive.

It is essential to aid any and all victims of all disastors, natural or man made, globally, but do so in a manner that is actually going to aid the altruistic process rather than merely strengthen the material and public relations bank accounts of the oppressive parties in the arena.

Free Tibet. Free China. Boycott the Olympics and their sponsors.

God Bless.

I feel so sad when I read thru all the replies here and find not too much about humanity but all of cheers for the desaster happened to the Chinese. You may take it as a victory that “Mother Nature” gives you to punish the Chinese. It won’t do any good to you either. It only shows the decaying of your heart. Because, like a demon, you are enjoying death……

Dear Cao Rui,

I have read every single comment posted on this blog, and not a single comment, makes any overt or covert assertion about the unrepresented, voiceless, and true victims of the earthquake in China, the citizens of the region, but on the contrary, the ridiculous masquerade of altruistic and humanistic principles being espoused by the government of the People’s Republic of China is a wholly contrived and conveniently timed public relations offensive to co-opt a natural disaster for their own benefit due to their non-existent globlal image especially in light of the forthcoming Olympic games balanced against their historically unacceptable human rights record and continuing policy of “cultural genocide” in Tibet.

And so, by endeavoring to utilize a Monty Python version of a Benny Hinn or Pat Robertson sermon to “demonize” the commentary on a CNN blog and attempt by sickly guilt to hide the reality of the brutality and lawlessness of the government of the People’s Republic of China by either forcing out all the objective media coverage or by using inane speech such as “It only shows the decaying of your heart. Because, like a demon, you are enjoying death……”, you not only provide all of us a great laugh at your expense while having our morning coffee, you prove the very deseperation and emptiness of the government of the People’s Republic of China.

The entire global community is engaged in helping the true victims of the earthquake in China, and every single, church, mosque, synagogue, temple, and secular gathering place has been filling with donations – but there is no way that the government of the People’s Republic of China can or should expect that this natural disaster will erase nor remove the focus of the world from the reality of what they are not only to their own citizens (vis-a-vis Tianamen Square) but also the “cultural genocide” in Tibet, the sale of counterfeit and inactive AIDS, Cancer, and Malaria medications in the Third World, and the list is endless.

No one is “enjoying death”, Cao Rui, but the world simply wants the government of the People’s Repbulic of China, to stop benefiting so greatly from death, not only materially, but in the case of the earthquake, from a public relations perspective as well.

Free Tibet. Free China. Boycott the Olympics and their sponsors.

God Bless.

to MFM – Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
I could not understand what kind person will keep accusing a country who is suffuring and mouning for its lost. It only shows us how ugly and dark heart you are.

John

I will definitely choose to pick them up and go to the hospital directly.

Thank you and your excellent works in this difficult time, especially for all Chinese people. I am really moved by the short story of the local communist party secretary in Che Jia Va.

Look to the future and remember yesterday. We need your new repoter tomorrow.

Good bless.

Dear Jing,

Facts, not accusations, please read the full comment before simply posting pro-government People’s Republic of China rhetoric under different names, one’s writing style is as distinctive as a fingerprint.

Many religious and secular altruistic organizations have raised a lot of money, aid, and supplies this weekend, and they will be sending it all through independent human rights groups to make certain it actually gets to the victims of the earthquake and not into the coffers of the government and elite of the People’s Republic of China.

Free Tibet. Free China. Boycott the Olypmics and their sponsors.

God Bless.

To MFM,
what an extremist you are! For you, there are only white and black in this world, nothing between.
Chinese sociaty is evolving, from fundamental communist back to Confucianism. Compared to a couple of thousands history, 50 years communist control is actually nothing.
This Olympics will definately help China back to the big world family. Seems to me all your accuration about China are based on the negative reports. A narrow-minded person is so easy to become an extremist, like those Muslem bombers.
So open your eye and your mind, my friend. Visit China and see what happened with your own eyes, not all the negative reports.
IF you are on the payroll of anti-China organization. I have nothing to say for you.

MFM,
I am very glad to read your PROMPT reply (I hv a job, and unlike you, I hv to spend my spare time to comment on yr response), although I cannnot agree with every word you said.

Perhaps it really amused you when I said that sentence to YOU with my heart anguished for thousands of lives taken by the disaster . The words may be inane speech to YOU and just some seasoning for YOUR breakfast. Well Bon Appetite! There is no need to say any more on this.

Very interestingly, 6.4 Tianamen Square is very frequently cited by you to compare with the latest riot to legitimate rioters as peaceful demonstrators. To me they are vastly different from each other. 6.4 is initiated by patriotic students and fully supported by The Chinese People. Regarding to the riot, ask Chinese People arround you, check out how many agree with you.

And By the way, I do not represent Chinese Government, I represent myself. If you are insterested in exchange opinion, come to Singapore and I will provide free accommondation for a week.This shall be long enough for you to understand the perception of an ordinary Chinese, provided you care about how an ordinary Chinese thinks.

When are all humans going to realize the war is against the natural elements? We need to stop fighting political wars, and creating boundaries based on physical and political differences. Earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, ice age, volcanoes, etc….these natural disasters are our true enemies. Our day-to-day approach should be to protect and preserve the living while creating a peaceful environment. Think about this scenario; we fight wars for political gain, land control, and control of resources. What if the entire human race is wiped out due to a catastrophic natural event? What was the point of fighting one another if the true enemy is a much more destructive force? My plan…lets unite, protect and preserve human kind, and live together in peace. I would much rather live in peace and die in a natural disaster than live in war and still die in a natural disaster. Let’s make this change for our children and their children and so fourth. Please reach out to me if you wish to expand on this idea.

“Chaos and Mess. After all the effort, the rescuers finally cleared all the concrete covering the mother’s body, a baby less then 6months was pulled out underneatch her, intact. She was sleeping in her cozy red colored yellow dotted swaddle so peaceful. totally unaware of what had happened. Doctors came forth to check out her situation and found a cell phone in her swaddling cloth. a msg was composed and left on the screen, “My deal baby, if you survive, please please remember, I love you so much”. All men and women burst into tears as they saw this msg…”

The most touching story I have ever read in my life.

There is a difference between being a humanist and an activist. I have much respect for the former, but very little for those who take advantage of the earthquake situation to voice their political viewpoints.

This blog is about the earthquake disaster, not Tibetan politics. I happen to completely disagree with theology and having a country ruled by religious leaders, but this is not the right place for the discussion.

We are belittling the victims, rescue workers, reporters, and those who care, by hijacking the thread.

Please donate any money you can to help the victims.

Hi, Eric,
Sorry for my political inclined words. This is a tragic event. I should not have turned my grief into anger. This is a disrespect to the victims. we shall not quarrel over loss of lives.
It was the 7th day since their pass yesterday. An important day in our Chinese funeral custom, the spirits may come back to their home to see their loved ones one last time. After that they shall drink the “Meng Po Tang” (a herbal soup) to forget whatever happened in this life, and go across the “Na He Qiao” (the bridge to the afterlife), to start another journey.
May my fellow country-men stay in peace in the other world. At least there is no earthquake there. :…………………..(

Thanks people who care about those suffer in the disaster.
It seems to me that most Americans are nice and considerate in daily lives and in the web. However, I have sent a email to my classmates to tell them about the earthquake and hope they can pray and support for the relief work in China. Only an Indian girl replied my email and said she felt sorry for those people.
I am now so disappointed, as a newcomer to USA, I thought my classmates are helpful and really nice, I don’t wanna conclude that they are emotionless, and cold; I’d rather believe it is because the culture difference, however, I still cannot figure out what kind of difference can make Americans express nothing toward such a disaster.
Hope some one can tell me what is the reason…

Dear John:

we need you to report the stories for people here, to let people here know what is happening at the other end of the earth. You have been doing a great job, and I know it must be a suffering experience. My tears keep running down these days whenever i thought of those pictures and stories. Thank you for letting us know everything. You are a great reporter.

P.S. It is the time to mourn the victims! For those still talking about tibet issues, please, leave us alone!

You could have taken the injured to the hospital and done your job at the same time. The coverage would have been excellent and it would have shown the world humanity still exists. Yeah I know its easy for me to sit here and say what you could have done. Please don’t feel guilty; there is always an opportunity to help someone else. If the choice ever comes up again you will know what to do, and the story you report will be something we all need to see, “compassion”. Has anyone really witnessed a reporter helping in a situation while reporting the news? I think that would be picked up by other newsstations because it is so rare.

In this China Earthquake, many schools and hospital collapse due to bad construction. Your reporter should make a serious report to analysis it. The fact is the quality of public building in China is much lower than local government building. And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TO ASK CHINESE GOVERMENT OFFICIAL “HOW MANY UNQUILIFY SCHOOL AND HOSPITAL IN CHINA. AND HOW CHINA GOVERMENT TO IMPORVE OR REBUILD THEM.” This may save thousands youth Chinese students life in next earthquake. Please keep trace it till government actually give us the number and when they will do it.

[...] thing Tags: cnn, john vause Researching today’s topic, i came across this blog  on CNN. A correspondent, John Vause, writes frankly about being in China in a car with an empty [...]

John, I guess you have your answer, if you are still agonizing about it.

Just think of yourself as a cut above the average. Many people would not have given it another thought.

Move on in the knowledge that you have learned the capacity of your compassion, for another time.

Bless you!

Dear John,
you are sincere in doing your best as duty of journalist – your mission. You feeling bad because you are human and you have feeling for those people. Keep the good work sometime one has to choose one decision when all things seem important. There is no right or wrong follow your true and sincere heart.

John:

You only had one seat….You were trying to be thoughtful, in a
time of crisis in a country….

Guilt: Why should you feel so much….At least you had thoughts of helping out….

John,
To call attention to crises and the plight of innocent victims is one of the highest–and most productive–callings we can have. In a disaster of this scale, each minute of airtime that brings focus to the needs of the very people you had to turn away actually ends up saving lives. To have set aside your duty to report in order to contribute more directly to the aid of one or two individuals would potentially have cost the lives of multiple others, on whom you helped enable the spotlight of the world and the resources of the Chinese government to focus. Your actions are those of a hero, not of a selfish coward. Thank you for your effort. The spotlight that you shine saves lives.

My heart goes out to the people who have suffered and lost.
My scorn goes to the Chinese Government who is like all
Nationalistic Dictatorships who care only about power and
quelching freedom of expression and freedom of will!!
They care little and hope we will feel compassion towards
the evil that is embedded in that theocracy!!
God bless the familys that have perished!

China; I don’t mean to sound bad, But isn’t China the one that has no deficit? With all the money we owe them does this sound like a good ideal to send them aide? Don’t we have to barrow money from them to give back to them for aide? Does that make sense? Please try to explain this
Thanks Deb

There are so many people suffering in this earthquake. You guys are not Chinese. You are short-sighted. For a country with billions of people, it’s hard to help every single person at the same time. So shut up, those people who hate China. Chinese people will unite and confront everything bad!

To Cao Rui,

I have read the most touching story in my life, as a matter of fact, I will forever remember it until the day I’m gone. And I did my duty to donate money to my fellow country man and fellow human beings.

To MFM – Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I neither call names in public nor in written format, but you’re one ridiculous, near vision and narrow minded SOB. You think you know politics? Let’s talk in private. dtao22@hotmail.com

To dsmith9162 and the like,

In a disaster like this, no individual org and/or gov can do it alone. China doesn’t have deficit has nothing to do with you and I support to the vicitims. If you can’t pull a buck out of your pocketbook, just don’t pretend you know anything about surplus and deficit.

FYI- China goverment contributed $5 millions to Katrina vicitims. The white house gave China victims $500,000.

But Americans are not made from people like you. American Red Cross alone gave $12 milliions.

Love and humanity has no boarders. What’s noble is that you respect and care about all humanbeings equally, not just yourself or your own. I donated to the earthquake victims and I donated to the Katrina victimes too.

May those who left this world in the quake rest in peace. May those who lost loved ones with broken hearts to find strength to carry on. May those who were affected by this disaster to re-build their life and a better future.

Peace and love…

Getting to report the story may get thousands of people saved. Ignoring the wounded and going ahead to report could mean a lot for the people in disaster zone because a country like China may the hide real situation of the disaster from aid countries.

Lagos.

Getting to report the story may could get thousands of people saved. Ignoring the wounded and going ahead to report the story would give a real glance at the situation. This might be something a country like China may want to hide from aid countries.

Lagos.

As an experienced blog sponsor, I am puzzled as to why a blog topic is not set up at CNN to allow sharing of opinions about Sharon Stone’s karma remarks. So let me share some of my thoughts here.

First, Sharon Stone’s apology through her agent (and later denied) is so faked, especially in contrast to her karma remarks straight from her heart and instinct.

Second, no wonder she worships Dalai Lama who once personally signed the order to cut off the skins of two live young Tibetan (slave) girls just to serve his religious ceremony — the signed document is still kept in the Tibetan Museum today.

too bad to hear such a tale from the horses mouth, tell me mr . vauss how did you feel that day when you neglected humanity, for the sake of duty, which if you had adheared to would have added you to my list of unknown heroes who treasured, and respect the value of humanity, take this into consideration mr. vauss, the little completed contribution you give to mankind, is worth a billion more uncompleted, unachievable, and unfulfilling mega mission you undertake, in this case the story you were running to reports, had already contain victims that had already perished, whiles there was hope for those survivors at that time had you listen to their pleas. not impressed with you. let learn to put things straight.

Nice Site!
http://google.com

Greg,

sorry missed your comment. I have no trust on the UN and I have nothing to do with it either. The UN stands by the special interest group and to me they are good for nothing. If you can show me that there is an organization with the right attitude to help the victims of any natural disaster (or any humanitarian help), I’ll do my part to support that organization with all my might. I did my part with the Red Cross, but I am not sure if the lion share of my donation went to the victims of the disaster or to the ones working for the organization.

How can we trust the system and how can we proceed without any doubt?

Cheers,

S

Nice Site!
http://google.com