(no subject)

[emmagrant01]

After half an hour of alternately crying and shouting at the TV:

Me: I can't believe this is happening in my country. What's wrong with the government??? God, I hate Bush!

MDH: I don't hate Bush. He can't help that he's an idiot. I hate the fuckers who voted for him.

They just reported that Fidel Castro offered to send medical supplies and doctors to help. Refugees are on their way to my city. I just hope I can help, somehow.

ETA: Anybody else watching this thing on NBC? Amazing how quickly they cut away when that man said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." I thought Mike Myers was going to choke...

Comments

[charlotteschaos.livejournal.com]

I missed that part, was reading. I'd have loved to have seen that, though.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

A lovely moment of honesty, it was.

[sciencegeek.livejournal.com]

Oh, Emma, *hugs* I can't watch hurricane coverage for long. I end up getting angry. I feel so badly for those people. I wish there was more I could do.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

We've already given money. Tomorrow we'll probably give more. When people show up here, I'll go volunteer, I think.

It's just indescribably horrible.

[1-bad-idea.livejournal.com]

I hope that the people who voted for Bush see the error of their ways. The way he has handled the situation is appalling.

The man expressing his opinion (the obvious truth) about the President should not be censored!

The whole thing just breaks my heart.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

I just want to scream at him: "Lead! Come on, you're the president! You should have fucking DONE something about this two days ago!!" In a crisis, I want my president to come on the TV and look like he is doing everything in his power to help. I don't want to see him looking dazed as other government officials explain the situation to him.

Ack.

[spirit-rider16.livejournal.com]

As much as I hope those who voted for and support Bush will see the error of their ways, I doubt they all will. I was talking to someone about it the other day, and another person interrupted, saying "How is any of this Bush's fault? What has he ever done wrong?" I must say, I rather felt like hitting something. Hopefully others will see what's going on, though...

[jade-woulf.livejournal.com]

I was watching CBS and Dan Rather was talking to some news guy on the scene in NO (can't remember his name but he subs for Bob Schieffer on occasion). Well, he bluntly said "The people feel forgotten..and with good reason." I was shocked the media was being so honest. I'm paraphrasing of course, but there was no mistaking him saying, "You don't have the same feeling of hope survivors of the tsunami felt." He did add that there are people trying to do some good, but the just of it was "This is NOT enough. We could/should do better." I think I'm going to write CBS a nice email thanking them for telling the truth and showing how ill prepared we were thanks to Bush's cuts to funding to improve the levee system.

Then they showed footage of a police officer pulling a SHOTGUN on a supposed looter (who was probably looting to FEED HIS FAMILY). The guy was UNARMED. I know there have been shots fired, but please most of these people are "stealing" because they have no food, water, diapers, etc etc and NO CLUE when it'll get to them. (And if you think they could have evacuated with little or no money and no place to go to you are sadly mistaken.)

Also they showed where these people had taken shelter on a highway overpass. One woman immediately dragged the reporter and cameraman over to the side of the bridge showing where a guy had jumped to his death TWO days before. The first thing everyone asked the news crews was "Where's the food and water?" That guy had jumped because he felt that no one was going to come to him and he'd rather die than starve/thirst to death.

I feel like I'm in a third world country. You know, mid-term elections are in a little over one year. I think it's high time we sent a message to the President. "You and your pals are FINISHED!"

Eh, forgive me, I'm a little pissed after watching all that...

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Yes to all of that. Absolutely.

[cat-mom.livejournal.com]

I try to concentrate on the people who are actually trying to help and DO something, because thinking about Bush just pisses me off. Houston has pulled together very nicely in this crisis, without any help from that asshat.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's a good point.

It would be easier if goeverment officials would stop claiming that everything is going WELL.

[libel.livejournal.com]

When Kayne West said that I spewed coke. The look on Mike's face was beyond priceless.

Canada had a crew of trained people prepared to come in tohelpwith the search effort and homeland security turned them away. I am clueless has to what the fuck our government is thinking, or not thinking as the case may be.

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

I do not understand Dumbass's refusal to let other countries come in and help. We should be welcoming them with open arms and thankful for their help. Things are NOT fine, and we DO need help. Had Dumbass realized that on Tuesday instead of posing with a fucking guitar, lots of lives could have been saved.

[apostropher.livejournal.com]

I just saw what you were talking about (with "George Bush doesn't care about black people"! Oh my god, that was such an obvious cut, too.

This is all so, so upsetting. The only upside I can see to it (and it takes a remarkable effort to see ANY bright side in this) is that maybe this will be the event to open people's eyes, so many people's eyes, to the fact that OUR PRESIDENT IS INCOMPETENT.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

I just can't believe he didn't LEAD. I mena, come on! He's the president! Ack.

[wyomingnot.livejournal.com]

I got to talk to a friend who evacuated from Slidell. She's safe with family in Picayune, but even there there is devastation. No electricity. People homeless... she said the feds just started arriving. The first folks on site with ice and water were private charity groups from somewhere else.

She said the *local* government folks are out there, sleeves rolled up, *helping*.

I dont' know. I'll stop talking now.

The whole thing makes me sick

[dragonfly-lily.livejournal.com]

I watched the Kayne West thing, too. I am SO GLAD he said that, although I wish he would have spoke better. I was worried that no one would take him seriously because he looked so scared and unrehearsed. But THANK GOD he said that on National TV. Bush is an idiot and so are the people who thought he could save our country.

I live in Chicago and on WLS radio yesterday the afternoon DJ was quite upset that people were blaming the lack of government involvement on race, wealth or way of life because it was going to lead to more deaths. In his opinion (and Kanye's apparently), Bush doesn’t like black people and the more attention that went to the fact that the area was primarily poor and black, the more Bush would pull away aid because he wouldn’t get any support from the other wealthy republicans. He also mentioned that many of the "wealthy" people would be less likely to assist with money if they thought that this had become more about race and less about human decency.

I read today that the reason the Red Cross and Salvation Army couldn’t get in to help anyone was because of HOMELAND SECURITY. Oh, that's working out well, isn’t it? I am SO GLAD that I am saved from the old lady bringing sewing needles on the plane and that starving, dying people are saved from the BAD, DANGEROUS, CRIMINAL people of the Red Cross. WTF!!!

Well, to all the people who voted for Bush because he promised less government involvement with people's basic rights, I hope you are happy. He couldn’t get farther away from people's basic rights than he is now.

World Tragedy

[lucy-scarpetta.livejournal.com]

News in Australia is steering clear of the 'Bush Bash'. The first I heard of the governments incompitence was on this LJ.

I just wanted to share some of the stories that Australia is getting;

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16477388%255E1702,00.html

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/32321/story.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200509/s1451906.htm

These are 3 that have really opened my eyes to the horrific scenes playing out in N.O. There are pleny more which I haven't read; I feel too helpless when I read about the destruction and desperation of New Orleans and it's residents.

I'm not a religeous person (never been to church) but my prayers are with the survivors and I'll be donating money to the relief groups here.

Peace,

VirginSuicide

Re: World Tragedy

[blackboggart.livejournal.com]

I'm from Australia too--and I'm amazed that none of the bush-bash has made it to our news.

Thank you for those links, they were appreciated.

[lady-suzuran.livejournal.com]

I hadn't seen the NBC thing, I'll have to now, I think. Thank God the Black Caucus spoke up about the fact that it's the poor and black that are being ignored.

It's interesting also to compare what happened during last year's hurricane season and to Katrina. Florida was hit with several hurricanes last year, and as I recall, Shrub declared Florida a disaster area BEFORE the hurricane hit, so that FEMA would be on the ground as soon as the storm abated. Why didn't he do this for New Orleans? Katrina was a Category 5 before it landed and Ivan (?) was what, a 3? I'm cynical, and figure that it's just family ass kissing, which is actually more infuriating than the incompetence that's going on now.

The Cabinet isn't exactly shining here either, isn't Cheney on vacation in Wyoming? He's still not back in Washington, is he? And Condaleeza Rice, isn't she in New York or something? You'd think that with such a devastating national disaster that the entire cabinet would rush to Washington to present a united front. You'd think.

As for Fidel? Rock on, cool dictator, rock on.

[cenas-plots.livejournal.com]

It's disgusting to me to see my own government. MY OWN STATE GOVERNMENT not be able to do anything when so many of us Louisiana residents are helping in every way that we can. In my own city we're already housing over 1000 refugees from New Orleans and the surrounding parishes that were devastated. If we can do something like this so quickly after this disaster, why can't the goverment? They truly are a disgrace.

I do have to say that I'm grateful it didn't hit us as bad as it could have, because I don't know what I'd do in a situation as so many of the Orleanians. They've had so much patience so far, but it is waning so very much at this moment. If they don't get there now, I don't know what might happen.

I'm going to do my part and help volunteer at the main shelter here, where at least I can feel like I'm helping. It's all I can do. <3

[shanna-souzou.livejournal.com]

Volunteering at a shelter is amazing. They need all the help they can get. Good to see my fellow Louisianans taking care of their neighbors.

I'm glad you and your home are okay.

Katrina

[jugue76.livejournal.com]

I grew up in Puerto Rico, saw many hurricanes come and go. We even lost our house in one, but even in the worst of them, we didn't look anywhere as bad as New Orleans. What kills me is not only how long it has taken to get help, but also reading about everything that the administration has done to lead to or make a bad situation even worst. My dad and I constantly argued last year, I'm a raving liberal, he voted for Bush, but in the last months I have managed to get him to see the error of his ways. Today he asked if we really had to wait 3 more years to get rid of the idiot, or if there was anyway of impeaching him. We know first hand how it feels to loose everything you have in just a matter of hours, but to watch the administration drag their feet, will people keep dying because they don't have food, water or their medicines,it truly sickens me.

Re: Katrina

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

to watch the administration drag their feet, will people keep dying because they don't have food, water or their medicines,it truly sickens me.

Yes, exactly.

[gmth.livejournal.com]

I can't even get my mind around what's going on. The worst part is, I'm so disappointed in my own mother. I was watching the local news and the news crawl along the bottom said the mayor of the nearest big city was going to be accepting refugees, and I turned to my mom and said, "You know, we have an extra room..."

Her response: "NO."

You have to understand, my mom was a public official for a long time, and has always, ALWAYS been a big liberal. She knows what the government's limits are, and was just bitching to me about how badly things were being handled. Her response shocked the hell out of me. I just wanted to help, you know?

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to help. :-)

[calypso98.livejournal.com]

I saw all that, and watched the special afterward. I've always disliked Bush, now I just flat out despise, am disgusted by, and hate the man. He makes me ashamed to be Texas. Living in College Station doesn't help--swear to God, it's the last bastion of Bush approval. Guh.

I know Reed Arena (our basketball stadium) is taking in about 350 evacuees, and there are already 2000 here and about 90,000 in Houston (my hometown). The Corps of Cadets spent today setting up cots and internet connectivity in Reed for the people that will be staying there. Tomorrow I'm heading to the Red Cross office in Bryan to see what I can do. I bet there's a similar place where you live that will welcome your help with open arms. If not, College Station'd welcome you. ;)

[calypso98.livejournal.com]

Er...that would be, ashamed to be Texan*

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

In a way, it did my heart good to see Ted Koppel chew that FEMA guy's ass last night. When that FEMA guy was going, "We had no idea that blah blah blah," Ted was all, "d00d, don't you watch the frikkin' news? People are dying!"

Okay, he didn't quite say it that way, but he for sure didn't let that guy off the hook.

It's a national disgrace, plan and simple. But they're only poor black people, who cares if they die while George is riding his bike through the hill country? It's their fault for being poor and black!

[cenas-plots.livejournal.com]

But they're only poor black people,

Which is the sad thing because not everyone stranded still in New Orleans is poor and black. So many are people who were old and incapable of leaving or had no real means of getting out of the city. Then there are the crazy Louisianians who think hurricanes are just a little wind and water, nothing to worry about really.

There still is no reason for it taking so long for aid to come to the city to help out those people stranded there. We're doing all we can do, so where's the government?

[shanna-souzou.livejournal.com]

I'm from the New Orleans area. Lived the first four years of my life in Gretna on the West Bank, moved to Texas where I lived under the Bush Empire, and for the last two years I've been back in Louisiana living on the Northshore. Katrina put a skylight in our roof (grr) but we're blessed and my family and friends are safe, so my life is good.

For the last week, I've talked of almost nothing but the hurricane. Phones were out for a few days and when they were working again I had friends calling me and explaining that they had no water or electricity and no where else to go. Its been scary and painful.

I hated moving to this state, but as I watch the news, I hits me how in two years I've come to call this place home. The mall my mom and I would shop at on holidays is gone, the street where I stood for my very first Mardi Gras is under several feet of water. I'm sure my parents' first home, where my brother and I grew up, is flattened.

I've had Republicans blasting our mayor who has done quite alot considering the only power in his jurisdiction is now a lake. I ask them, where is our Commander and Chief because this city is a warzone, and no one can answer me. I see bodies pushed aside and more dying, not from the hurricane, but from the apathy of the federal government. Its not a lie that the rich hospitals were evacuated while the poorer hospitals have been working for days without supplies and electricity.

A city and a state has been abandoned. That's what hurts the most. Not what Katrina did, but what our own government, our protectors, have done to us.

I've seen generosity from my fellow national citizens that makes me cry with joy. I've seen people give up homes, hotels, apartments, clothing, money to evacuees who have nothing. I amazed and reminded how much I love my country.

To those who have volunteered their time or money, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

A city and a state has been abandoned. That's what hurts the most. Not what Katrina did, but what our own government, our protectors, have done to us.

Yes, exactly. I think that's what most people are raging abot, and they're looking to the president and saying, "Why?" The buck stops somewhere, as they say.

I'm glad to hear you and your family are safe. *hugs*

[amy-leone.livejournal.com]

It tears my heart to see so many of MY PEOPLE suffering and dying. This is why I believe with all my heart that hell is HERE. I understand why everyone is crying out for more speed, more effectiveness, and more results. But just to point it out... How? It's no fair complaining if you can't offer a productive suggestion. Don't get me wrong, it's dismaying and horrifying to me that my government isn't doing more, but let's be fair. The top folks may very well NOT have been fully aware of how bad things were. Bureaucracy, delegation, and complacency are things we've allowed to be bred into our government for generations. We figure we're proof against anything the rest of the world can throw at us, we forget the world itself can take us off at the knees. It doesn't make the situation and lack of timely response acceptable, but it does make it comprehensible- and also not the work of bad, evil people(like Republicans?). Having never had a disaster quite like this in our country, we can't expect relief efforts to go off flawlessly. Mistakes will be made, poor choices will be made. Maybe we'd be better off accepting the reality right now and then making sure it can't happen like this again. And it's not like we can all just drive down there and help out, the place is flooded! The roads, the airstrips, the trains, THEY ARE ALL GONE. We can take boats, we can swim, we can take choppers. But swimming isn't really a useful option, boats and choppers can't carry much, and planes can't go because they can't land. For that matter, choppers can only go half a tank of gas into the fray before they have to turn around and come back! The devastation is unbelievably widespread and severe(check out that satellite imaging thing on Google), and the need is inestimably great. It will take time to reach everyone, it will take time to have a visible effect, and Heaven help us- and the victims- that this is so. But I don't think it's anyone's FAULT- unless you want to blame God.

By the way...

[amy-leone.livejournal.com]

Is it just me or is the below just about the dumbest, most flabbergasting thing you've EVER heard?!

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/9/22005b.asp

Re: By the way...

[deadraconis.livejournal.com]

Shanks says the hurricane has wiped out much of the rampant sin common to the city.

What? Ehr, I think I didn't hear right. WHAT?!
Of course all sin has been wiped out as raping and looting, shooting each other and leaving people to die on the street is certinaly not a sin. It is all god's will. What rubbish.

“New Orleans now is abortion free. New Orleans now is Mardi Gras free. New Orleans now is free of Southern Decadence and the sodomites, the witchcraft workers, false religion -- it's free of all of those things now," Shanks says. "God simply, I believe, in His mercy purged all of that stuff out of there -- and now we're going to start over again."

New Orleans is not fucking anything right now. Honestly, these people make me sick. And they go on about how it was His mercy that the hurrican only "brushed" the city. That would've been a total disaster. Oh my god, just think about the people that would have DIED if the hurricane had landed a direct hit! Think about the people who would've drowned, not being able to evacuate, waiting for help that wouldn't have come! It's a LUCK that Katrina only brushed New Orleans!



Sorry about that, but things like that tick me off. Even if it's not worth it.

I've been to New Orleans 3 years ago, so even if I'm about 2000miles away from LA right now, I know people over there in Baton Rouge, I've been to the French Quarter, seen Mardi Gras, been at Cafés and it's unimaginable to think this is all gone. Germany is feeling with you, I hope you will be able to help all of your people.

Re: By the way...

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

It's insane, isn't it? Grrr...

Amen!

[daughter-of-nut.livejournal.com]

I spent a lot of yesterday alternating between being very sad and very angry- mostly angry. My mom said: "George Bush is afraid of black people!". He probably doesn't like them, either. The American Red Cross's press page tactfully suggested that they were not allowed in immediately "by the government", and a relief worker I saw interviewed suggested that he wouldn't go in without an armed escort, which wasn't being provided. If a bunch of guys at a contracting office in Mass. could get to Mississippi by Wednesday morning in their trucks (which they did, to help clear away debris), why could they National Guard get mobilized by then, too? It looks like they guys in charge sat around for a couple of days, when they could have had something in place Sunday, when they knew it would be a Category 5.

I've sent a very large donation to the Red Cross and irate letters to my Senators to let them know I was _not impressed_ in the least by the government's inaction. Also, on recommendation by Moveon.org (I belong to Moveon and the other evil liberal political group, People for the American Way), I donated to a local LA non-profit, ACORN.
http://www.acorn.org/
The link takes you to Groundspring, an organization that coordinates non-profit activity, and they are managing donations for ACORN. ACORN had their main offices in NO, and are attempting to set up temporary quarters in Baton Rouge. They coordinate services for low- and middle-income families, including housing and tax preparation. Just an idea if you're looking for a grassroots organization that's local and has a proven track record.

Hugs, all! I'm feeling really discouraged about the fate of the U.S. these last few days. We look like even more crappy to other countries than we did before this happened.

Re: Amen!

[daughter-of-nut.livejournal.com]

Am amendment on ACORN: they are actually international, but they're on the ground in NO right now, and it sounded like they were scrambling to keep services going, that were interrupted by the hurricane and its aftermath. They obviously lost everything in the local office, but are still up and running on their website, urging their clients in new Orleans to call the other offices for help.

An aside: high fives to the people of Texas, who are providing housing and help immediately and generously to refugees. You guys and gals are the greatest!

[screamerdreamer.livejournal.com]

I don't exactly like Kanye West, but after hearing him say that, he just got major bonus points in my book. I didn't see it on the actual program, but rather on the news...and the way they tried to cover it up later amused me like so.