Today the biggest news emerging regarding the Shichuan earthquake were the declarations of actress Sharon Stone. It would be easy to blame her for her unfortunate remarks regarding the tragedy as a possible "loss of karma" caused by the Chinese. However, the fact that the tangential declarations of a celebrity become the top feature around such a critical and complex topic resonates as deeply troubling. In this context, the interest would seem to reside not on the tragedy but on the celebrity. This symptom points to a common skewed cultural pattern, which utilizes the events surrounding a disaster eliminating critical thinking and attempting to isolate essential issues from their public exposure. I have commented elsewhere in depth how the critical abuses in Tibet are used to gloss over other equally if not more serious issues within China. This media attention hints at a similar distraction.

The Uses of Disaster
Not only what she said was not helpful for the relief of the Sichuan region, but more important it is being used to defend the status quo by the two forces that have been shaping China over the last few years: a biased radical free market philosophy and the combined strong hand of a repressive government capable of a narrow economic expansion in a comfortable coexistence with abuses of human rights.

The quickest of reactions to Stone's ill declarations, even before she had a chance to deliver a forced apology, begun with the firm Dior announcing the removal of her likeness from all advertising campaigns in China. And most important the second wave of censorship came from within the Chinese system boycotting works where she participated and utilizing the opportunity to strengthen their nationalistic control and drive the political use of the disaster.

It is common in disasters, and plenty other tragedies for that matter, to see the attempt by different groups to impose an "appropriation of pain". This claim of ownership, taking a moral high ground, seeks to legitimize what is and what is not appropriate at the time. The resulting message in this case is that it is not time to bring up abuses in Tibet, or those related to the Olympics, or any in other Chinese dark areas. The respect demanded as a result of the Sichuan tragedy is used to provide a new carte blanche to continue enjoying the very soft hand used with China, an standard that for example is not employed when it is the easy target of the Myanmar junta that is being talked about.

In this context, what is allowed is unconditional support, mixed with high profile displays of Chinese patriotism. It is no coincidence that a highly applauded contribution is that of Chinese celebrities in the West, such as the one from basketball player Yao Ming who has donated $290,000 and filmed public service announcements through the Red Cross for the relief efforts, and has led a moment of silence for China’s victims before the US Coca-Cola 600 race.

All of this not only presents deep sociocultural challenges, but most critically isolates the need to change and prevents from occurring again the most serious consequences of earthquakes. Like it is often expressed in architecture circles: earthquakes do not kill people, badly constructed buildings do. Today instead of worrying about the Chinese standards to better protects communities we have decided to be concerned about what Sharon Stone had to say about karma.

Image of the arrival of Sharon Stone to Cannes Festival 2008 by Sandy