I can't believe this is America.
I didn't mention this when I updated my blog last week, mostly because it's
been fairly painful to accept and everything that has happened since then
has been utterly surreal.
In case you've been living under a rock for the past week, the city of
New Orleans has been all but destroyed due to a failed levee system
which was damaged by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Katrina hit
Florida a few days before, pounding the shit out of Miami, before
bouncing into the gulf and picking up steam. It then made a bee-line
for New Orleans, but veered due east at the last minute, destroying
Gulf Port Mississippi.
The destruction of New Orleans happened the next morning, when the levees
which protected the city from the waters of Lake Ponchetrain, failed and
the city flooded. Since then there has been incomprehensible chaos and
utter failure in our governments ability to respond to this incident.
The death toll is well into the thousands. Reporters from CNN, FOX, and
other news organizations who have covered war zones in Africa and Latin
America are stunned by what they are seeing first hand. They are comparing
the situation in NOLA with that of Somalia or Sierra Leone.
New Orleans Louisiana has become a war zone.
Armed thugs have looted stores and rioted in the streets.
Police officers have been shot & killed by these thugs.
Order has failed.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, our lovely commander in chief decided this
tragedy warrented cutting his five week vacation short by one day.
That's really thoughtful of him, but, he's been slow on getting FEMA
to move in with emergency relief and aid.
People are DYING because they have not received any food or water.
I can't help but think that if this had happened in the Hamptons the
response would have been quick and strong.
But letting a city full of darkies die, well that's no big deal
because they probably wouldn't have voted for you anyway.
I can't believe this is America.
It took them six days to evacuate the last of the refugees that sought
shelter in the superdome. A girl showed a reporter where the people
were pissing all over the astroturf in the dome because the plumbing
had failed. A guy showed another reporter where they were stacking up
the bodies on the second level of the superdome as people dropped dead.
I can't believe this is America.
And FEMA was nowhere to be found. The head of FEMA told everyone he
only heard about the people stuck in the NOLA convention center by
watching the news.
I can't believe this is America.
Talking heads are trying to put the blame for the disaster on the local
and state government, rather than trying to RESPOND TO THE DISASTER. They
are engaged in CYA big time.
I can't believe this is America (well, politicians only thinking about
their next election, maybe).
The
Red Cross isn't even allowed to get into New Orleans to aid the
victims!
I can't believe this is America.
This link is extremely
distressing because it clearly shows that FEMA went out of their way
to disrupt communications. A sherrif in Jefferson Parish had to
reconnect the lines of communication and guard them from FEMA.
I can't believe this is America.
But that's not the worst of it. It clearly shows how the federal gov't
has failed it's citizenry and let people die.
If the role of a government is not to provide law & order, structure,
and aid to its people, then what is the role of a government?
Outraged in Florida.
ps - If you can, please donate blood and cash. Blood
can be donated at most local blood banks, and you can donate cash to
the American Red Cross by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW
(1-800-435-7669). Sandy and I have agreed that we'll be making $200
cash donations from each paycheck over the next few months.
Posted at: 20:56 on 04/09/2005
[ /diary ]
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