Once again, I'm reminded that no matter how bad you think your life is, someone somewhere else almost always has it worse. In the normal course of things, I've lost both elderly parents in less than a year. One was ill and in a lot of pain and ready to go, the other went before he knew what hit him. So, while I'm the last of this part of the family, I still have lots of friends, two homes, a job, my health, and a bit of a windfall. There's nothing extraordinary about my situation. People go through this all the time and I'll get through it eventually too.
Then there's the citizens of New Orleans, or what was New Orleans. Hundreds dead, others stripped of homes, possessions, food, water, basic amenities and services, some of them injured and sick, some of them still waiting to be rescued, others left to wander in the wilderness by an incompetent, uncaring government which has severely fallen down on its job of helping and protecting the people who pay their salaries.
You can help by clicking here. Give what you can. Your government has already squandered the tax dollars that should be paying for this, so make a tax deductible contribution now that will actually do its job.
How could you possibly think your government has not been doing enough - have you not seen the latest CNN photos? Bush in Biloxi or as the photo was named - the Bush hug?
Posted by: Red for A Day | September 02, 2005 at 08:21 PM
Oh, I dunno. Maybe the fact that it took six days for relief to reach the Gulf Coast when this hurrican wasn't exactly a surprise? Maybe the reports on CNN, the Weather Channel, and the Lehrer News Hour that nobody seemed to be in charge or know what to do? Maybe the fact that FEMA couldn't seem to find their butt with a map and both hands all of a sudden? Why was this response time nothing like it was last summer for Ivan? This was a monstrous disaster made worse by the fact that there was actually time to prepare somewhat for it and yet nothing was done, and that when it was over the response time was hindered by the fact that the personnel and equipment necessary are thousands of miles overseas being used in an unnecessary war.
For instance, here's how the government fell down beforehand:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_09/007023.php
And here's how it fell down afterwards:
http://slate.msn.com/id/2125494/
Oh, maybe you were being sarcastic too. Sorry.
Posted by: Lee Kottner | September 03, 2005 at 09:13 AM