Heartbreaking
September 2nd, 2005Katrina’s aftermath has struck our house silent with emotion. With every news report and today’s posting of a heartbreaking radio interview with New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, it just seems to get worse. I’ve been afaid to post anything for fear of backlash about not saying something earlier or to ask why we haven’t pledged monetary support. Let me say it here: we’ll be donating whatever we can to the aid of residents and the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast and other areas hit by Katrina. It will likely span several charities and organizations and span months.
It’s all we can do from here for now. There is a big part of me that wants to fire up the truck and head down there to volunteer, but that is not possible or realistic on so many levels. Perhaps if we lived closer. I so want to help, but have no clue what to do in the short term. There is such a sense of hopelessness. If ever there was time for a strong, courageous leader in the White House, it is now.
The Bush response to this horrible disaster has been pathetic up to this point. I hope that he can find it within himself to get out of his bubble of cronies and roll up his sleeves. He has the power to affect great change. I hate to say this, but if we weren’t in Iraq, would we have the military resources to have devoted more people more quickly here at home? I can’t help but think about this as I watch people struggle to survive.
I fear that the death toll from Katrina will eclipse that of any other tragedy in my lifetime. What a horror. Such a paralyzing sight to see so many without any place to go, except where they are told. That constant vision from the television is almost as tragic as the storm itself.
We have a long way to go in this country. Such a long way to go. o
September 6th, 2005 at 8:23 pm
OK, I’m sorry, I can’t seem to get myself off the topic, I’ve been so pissed about this whole situation (like everyone else here obviously) and this is the only place I found to vent, but I clearly gotta get a grip. I know we all care about what’s happening down on the Gulf.
Tim, I appreciate your points about the differences between differnt types of search & rescue teams and the need to deal with animals from a disease standpoint. I have been too fired up to think about that, apparently.
But, as long as I live, and as many nice golden retrievers as I meet, I will never understand people who are as concerned about pets as people in this kind of situation. Maybe it’s not racist, maybe it’s truly that some people care that much about animals as opposed to any and all people, and maybe that’s just something I cannot understand. I could never say I love my cat “as much as if not more than” my kid or my husband or even my mother-in-law who drives me crazy. I can’t even fathom how one could feel that way. Really can’t.
But, to each his own. Every little bit that goes toward getting things towards ‘normal’ is good, I guess. Sorry everyone– I’m going to drink a martini and try to calm down.
September 7th, 2005 at 5:51 am
17 syllables, I *totally* understand about being passionately angry and upset about this situation. God knows, I keep worrying obsessively at certain aspects of this whole nightmare. Can’t let them go.
Even if we have different takes, I respect the fact that you give a damn and are willing to discuss it. It seems like anymore every issue is so emotionally charged and polarizing in this country we automatically go into the call-the-other-side-an-idiot-and-shout-’em-down posture. Better we talk–even if we arrive at the conclusion we have to agree to disagree. I’m willing to bet that there are probably a lot more things we agree about.
A lot of people, myself included, are pretty worked up and angry about this whole nightmare–and the larger implications it has for our country. It’s going to take a lot of processing to work this into the big picture.
In the meantime, deep breaths and strategic administrations of alcohol may be prescribed.
September 7th, 2005 at 8:45 am
You’re the richest goddamned nation in the world. Your military might is unprecedented. You’re just sort of wondering whether, if you weren’t in Iraq, you’d have the werewithal to handle this crisis? There’s doubt in your mind?
What gets me is that other nations are giving money and volunteers. We do it, because we’re nice. But it’s a little like feeding breakfast to the kid whose father is just spending all the family’s perfectly adequate resources on a drinking binge, or gambling. It’s not that the kid doesn’t need the breakfast; it’s that it’s a crying shame that his own parents aren’t taking care of him.
September 7th, 2005 at 12:05 pm
17 Syllables,
I don’t think its so much that we love animals as opposed to humans, its that we love them as much as humans and value their rights in the same way.
Maybe its just a fundamental difference between people. But, like you said, one more step toward normal. I think in the end, for the most part, we all want the same thing, don’t we?
September 7th, 2005 at 12:46 pm
A year ago, I used to wonder who in their right mind would vote for Bush. That people are still supporting him says a lot about the cult of personality and people’s need to believe in something greater than themselves. But that people are putting this trust in a feckless, incompetent, useless person like George Bush is beyond baffling. As the after affects of this disaster have shown, it’s downright dangerous. God help the people around the world he is responsible for-if he is taking care of America the way he is, can you imagine what is to become of people in Guantanamo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, to name a few?!?
And a few words on the animal issue-as someone above said, animals were domesticated by us, and if we choose to have them, we are 100% responsible for them. If you believe in the Biblical version of this dependency-that we have dominion over the animals-then the same holds true-they deserve to be treated with compassion, dignity, and at the very least have their basic needs met, which in this case means RESCUE. As far as factory farmed animals are concerned-that’s an issue for another time, another place. I eat meat (only as humanely raised as I can find, which means I have a lot of vegetarian meals) and wear leather, but I am a card carrying member of PETA. SOMEONE needs to stand up for those who can’t speak out for themselves, and I commend these people who are on the frontlines on this issue.
September 7th, 2005 at 12:47 pm
A year ago, I used to wonder who in their right mind would vote for Bush. That people are still supporting him says a lot about the cult of personality and people’s need to believe in something greater than themselves. But that people are putting this trust in a feckless, incompetent, useless person like George Bush is beyond baffling. As the after affects of this disaster have shown, it’s downright dangerous. God help the people around the world he is responsible for-if he is taking care of America the way he is, can you imagine what is to become of people in Guantanamo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, to name a few?!?
And a few words on the animal issue-as someone above said, animals were domesticated by us, and if we choose to have them, we are 100% responsible for them. If you believe in the Biblical version of this dependency-that we have dominion over the animals-then the same holds true-they deserve to be treated with compassion, dignity, and at the very least have their basic needs met, which in this case means RESCUE. As far as factory farmed animals are concerned-that’s an issue for another time, another place. I eat meat (only as humanely raised as I can find, which means I have a lot of vegetarian meals) and wear leather, but I am a card carrying member of PETA. SOMEONE needs to stand up for those who can’t speak out for themselves, and I commend these people who are on the frontlines on this issue.
Finally-please don’t become apethetic and think there is nothing you can do to help the victims of this disaster. Donate money, open up your home, no matter how small, to a “refugee” or two or ten. Do whatever you can, it’s imperative. We can’t leave this up to the US government or our people will continue to die.
September 7th, 2005 at 1:13 pm
You know, I’m starting to wonder if my inability to say I love my cat “as much as if not more than” my mother-in-law is because people have fundamentally different beliefs about animals and what and who should be priorities in times of emergency, or if it is because I have a particularly nice mother-in-law, and/or a particularly shitty cat.
September 7th, 2005 at 1:26 pm
CRACKING UP at 17 syllables’ comment about the particularly shitty cat! Perhaps you could adopt a cat left homeless by Katrina and give it another go?
September 7th, 2005 at 4:28 pm
Our hearts and prayers go out to all the people of the world who are suffering. I am amazed at how our citizens feel that no one should ever suffer in this country, not even for a minute. We are the most incredibly selfish people on the planet.
People this is an act of mother nature even if the “government” officials plannned for every possible disaster that could befall every city in this country we would have taxed our selves to death and there would be no money left for anything. The local government of New Orleans the mayor, alderman and county officials HAVE FAILED the people they represent. The Federal government should not be held accountable for every city in this countrys emergency plans. Don’t people realize how stupid that even sounds. People like to say things that make them feel good without really ever thinking what it really means. The State of Lousiana officials, GOVERNOR Blanco, FAILED the state. It will be interesting to see what the emergencey plans were if any. Then to see who called whom to implement them. People of this country wake up. Stop blaming everyone and instead look at what and why people are poor, helpless and ignorant. It is ignorance and lack of self motivation to get up and struggle and fight no matter what. Who of us hasn’t been slapped in the face, FIRED(Heather), discriminated against. This is the way of life that has been fed the poor and ignorant forever that some government is responsible for them. That’s why most people sat back and didn’t act on their own. The elderly in the nursing homes and poor communities who don’t have SUV’s, how did all these people get to their jobs before the storm. If the great mayor cared like he says, he would have been using city buses and school buses going through the poor neighborhoods and helping get people out of harms way. He didn’t have to worry about all the green, white, gray, blue people who were smart enough and had the means to escape to safer areas. All this tells us about the state of our country and it is not who is black or white, rich or poor. It tells us that whomever chose to stay behind and hope someone else will take care of them suffered the most. This people is the difference between life and death. The sad part is that we are country of whiney feel good do nothings. Stop whining and get of your butts and go help. If you can’t help quit asking somebody else to pick up the pieces. The world will wake up one day. If the policies of the liberal democrats were working and since 97% of the black vote if for the liberals how come they are still in such bad straights the demcorats have controlled the house for 40 years prior to the the Republicans taking control and if you thik I am a conservative you are dead wrong. I am someone who believes all politicians are in power for the power and all the triumphs it brings. Show me an honest for the people politician and I will show you a one term politician. Because if someone was truly working for the people he would have to make decisions that hurt most of the constituents that they represent to get them of the welfare state. Corporate and all welfare.
September 7th, 2005 at 5:18 pm
LOL @ 17syllables - don’t feel so bad, I would always put my human family first too, although I would still be completely devestated if anything happened to my pets. But if that was my only choice there would be no question as to what I would choose. And if I remember correctly, I believe Dooce once previously wrote on the topic of the differences between the love you have for your dog and the love you have for your child, and her conclusions were similar.
September 7th, 2005 at 6:22 pm
I don’t have a mother-in-law, but I do have a particularly shitty cat. Maybe I’d sacrifice that one. I also have three republicans in my family that I’d for sure sacrifice before my other 2 particularly delightful cats (just a joke, righties, don’t jump on me!)
And I don’t have kids, skape7, and I think of my pets as my kids. I should also add here that my grandparents have said many times that they’re pets are just as important to them as their kids…and are treated sooooo much better! Their dog used to get his own bowl of frozen yogurt every night after dinner.
I will also say that if my choice were my pets or my family that I would obviously choose my family. I think our point was that both things can be accomplished in this disaster, its not necessarily one or the other.
September 7th, 2005 at 8:19 pm
Oh I agree wholeheartedly.
I was just trying to make 17 feel a little better.
September 7th, 2005 at 9:16 pm
I’m not big on the blame game, because I think it’s safe to say that the entire emergency system as a whole didn’t fire on all cylanders at this point.
A pretty good link from ms. alli has a pretty insightful viewpoint on the subject.
http://www.thisisnotover.com/archives/2005/09/heres_what_gets.html
A small snippet:
” Let’s assume we’re not deciding who should have done what at what time.
My problem with Bush — and here, I do indeed address Bush individually, as a guy — is that during the time that the crisis was developing, from Monday to Friday, he never seemed to experience any actual sense of urgency as a result of the simple fact that people were, minute by minute and hour by hour, dying.
Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt that he was being prevented from acting by bureaucracy and the sheer magnitude of the situation. Where are the stories of how he was in his office freaking the fuck out because there were tens of thousands of Americans trapped without food and water? Where’s the story of how he ripped a strip off of somebody, demanding to know what the holy hell the holdup is getting water and food to those people? I want to hear about how he was demanding that extraordinary steps be taken. I want to hear about how he sent his lawyers into a room — he had four days, you know — and demanded that they come back in an hour with a plan for him to send the Marines into New Orleans with 100 trucks of food and water, posse comitatus or not.”
September 7th, 2005 at 9:23 pm
While I love my wife (hi Laurie) more than our dog, I still have my dog’s name in my email address.
And don’t worry honey, I might be a Republican but I promise to let your hippie liberal butt onto the lifeboat if the time ever came.
September 8th, 2005 at 3:22 pm
It’s too bad that a more honest discussion couldn’t take place here, considering the popularity of this site. I think everyone has an opinion on the things that didn’t get done before, during, after and continue to go on or not go on relating to this massive, massive tragedy, massive in scope, size and sadness. I think, though, it would behoove everyone to promise, no matter what their feelings on the government are, that as humans, we will not forget about this as we OD on news coverage and as the weeks and months stretch on into the future. The most important thing to do is to help, however small. A tragedy is a tragedy no matter where it happens, who it happens to or what their political climate happens to be. A tragedy of this size can and will happen anywhere in the world, “even in America” and it’s foolish to think that it wouldn’t affect everyone the same.
September 9th, 2005 at 1:26 pm
I doubt anyone will read this far, but I did, so I’m going to get in my comment.
Here’s my question (and I’ve read ALL the comments - so there![smile]): if the levees hadn’t broken, what would you all be talking about? Would anyone be shouting: “We better shore up them levees”? Or would there just be a couple pictures in the paper of broken bridges, downed trees and boats on dry land with stories about people still with no power?
The main stories would have focused on Mississippi because those houses were blown to bits, which they weren’t in New Orleans. The main stories would be about gas prices, which would still be jumping even if the levee hadn’t broken because the refinery and pipeline damage was done by winds, I believe. And the main stories would be about Rhenquist and John Roberts, because that would be crucial to the future of the nation.
Hindsight is 20/20.
Also, was I the only one that saw the headline in the Washington Post about how funds DID get allocated to NO but then were diverted to other projects? I’ll have to read the whole article to be sure, but I think it’s important to have as much information as possible.
September 9th, 2005 at 2:03 pm
This is the title of the article I was talking about:
Money Flowed to Questionable Projects
Washington Post, Sept 8
September 18th, 2005 at 12:07 am
I don’t want to get into a stupid fight over blaming anyone for this disaster, although I know where I feel blame should fall…
Anyway, I just want to remind some of the commenting folks that unless you have lost EVERY SINGLE THING YOU KNOW, LOVE, AND HOLD DEAR TO YOUR HEART YOU HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE FROM NEW ORLEANS RIGHT NOW. (sorry dooce, it needed the strength of your caps lock)
I got out in time, as I mentioned many many comments ago, but still everyday a piece of my heart dies being in a city that is not New Orleans.
Please continue to help those that need it becasue the hurt of losing their homes is not going to vanish anytime soon.