Here we are, the oh so great nation of wealth and commerse, high trade and military power. Here we are, a nation with some of the world's wealthiest people, largest corporations and some of the most high-tech meical technologists on this globe. Yet, a hurricane slams into our southern coatline, and through its path, manages to all but completely obliterate one of the nation's largest citys, killing a few thousand of our residents, and displacing over 300,000 citizens from their homes...and we sit back throwing a proverbial band aid at them. That, in essence, is what this nation has done for the victims of hurricane Katrina.
FEMA is about as unorganized as it gets. They say that they've provided, but there is little to show for it. The tell people to let them know that help is needed, but when people try to tell them that help is really and truly still needed, they get either a busy signal, or an automated menu that tells them nothing. Then there is the Red Cross. Where the heck have they been through all of this mess? Well, the Red Cross, believe it or not, has been there on the front lines helping, but not so anyone would really notice, including the people who need the help.
The excuses have come out in million-fold. Questionary types, such as, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to reorganize a whole city of people who have been through such a tragedy as this?!" Yes, in fact we do (naming off the entire state of Florida in any given year, NYC furing the 9/11 attacks, 3/4 of the western seaboard from earthquakes, and all 5 islands of Hawaii from volcanic destruction, including the infamous 'tornado alley'). In fact we should be so used to this type of disaster by now, that this nation should have been FAR more prepared than what they were, and continue to be.
"There was very little warning though"...is another excuse I've heard. So I'm to understand that every single person in the entire city of New Orleans NEVER watches television, listens to the radio, pays attention to the weather and walks around aimlessly blind?!? "You just don't understand because you're not here to see it for yourself". I have to GO there to see the problems? Why? It's just about as plain as the nose on my face! If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will write in to correct me, however, as I see this problem/situation, an enormous hurricane slapped itself head on into one of the nation's largest cities, and meanwhile back at the presidential ranch, everyone watched in awe as the city, as well as anything else in its path, was generally wiped off the face of the US Map, and then sat around awhile thinking about how to respond to this situation, while there are a few million people down south trying to run for their lives in any direction possible without getting their already battered, weather torn selves killed in the process... if they could run at all.
I seriously don't think I'm really that far off from the truth. People down there are still trying to run for their lives, as the dead of winter begins to settle in. "Oh but they're in the south, it's always warm down there". Of course it is, for southern Canada in the middle of winter. We're talking about an area that has a high average temperature range of between 50 - 60 in the wintertime, and the night time lows run between 30 - 40. Granted, to the bulk of the nation, this is no problem. However, the bulk of the nation is not pitching tents in the middle of what's left of their livingrooms, with no heat, lights, electricity or running water. The bulk of the nation is also not living with cattle on the inside of someone's barn hoping that the stench of naturally produced methane doesn't overcome them while they sleep. And, the bulk of the nation is preparing for one of the largest holiday celebrations of the year....while those who lost everything would only like to have warmth at this point. Want to give a really wonderful holiday gift to someone? Send a really nice sub-zero temperature rated sleeping bag and pillow to someone in the south who lost everything to the hurricane.
How nice would it be if everyone pitched in no more than $10 bucks to donate to their local Home Depot/lumber yards, and pitched in to build new homes for everyone? Now that would be wonderful. Is it going to happen? Oh heck no! The government wants everyone who lost everything to now sit around and wait for small little single wide pieces of crap trailor homes that will probably never arrive for them. The insurance companies are taking their sweet time so that their workers are not "over worked and under paid" by having too much to weed through over the holiday week. Oh goodness, not work!! How about all those people down south who are actually begging to work? All they want the money for is so that they an buy food and warm clothes. Not like they're going to go out and buy a mansion on minimum wage, leaving their neighbors high and dry.
Merry Christmas....bah humbug!
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