stating the obvious
i am overwhelmed by devestation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. i don't watch television, and pete and i went to a bar for dinner last night to watch the news and i just couldn't take my eyes off of the screen. it's an understatement to say that Americans as a body are not prepared for this kind of devestation in our own country.amd i have to be honest, i'm disappointed in President Bush's response. He seems a little bit flippant and a little bit glib. I think it's kind of irresponsible to say that. "Right now the days seem awfully dark for those affected -- I understand that". I don't think anyone understands just how hard it would be to be cold, and hungry, and homeless, and jobless, and missing members of your family and your friends and not be able to contact anybody, and wait next to dead bodies, or wade through bactera laden, free-standing water, unless they've been there. And fortunately, this is not the shared experience for most people. I think it demonstrates the vast disconnect between many in the goverment and those on the ground, not only in the devestated area, but in general.
I'm not the only one who feels this way. The situation is getting worse. I fear the public heath crisis that will ensue.
Bush said that, "It's very important for the citizens in all affected areas to take personal responsibility and assume a kind of a civic sense of responsibility so that the situation doesn't get out of hand, so people don't exploit the vulnerable. Which, in terms of government practice seems display a "do as i say, not as i do" kind of mentality. Gov. Phil Bredesen, of Tennessee has decided to cut healthcare costs by dropping nearly 200,000 residents from the state's Medicare program. This will almost assuredly, cause a major change in the quality of life, and may possibly may even cause the death of many of these individuals. There's been a marked increase in the poverty rate in the past year. Those in the military are often finding it hard to get medical benefits. So, I find it hard to expect the very best, most civilized behavior from those in extreme devestation and in shock, when the government itself seems to often exploit the most vulerable.
Like everyone else has said, you can make a donation to the Red Cross. The ASPCA is also taking donations in their Disaster Relief Fund, and Oxfam is providing assistance as well.
4 Comments:
What frustrates me the most is the fact that a lot of the resources that can be used to help in relief efforts are sitting in Iraq... for example, amphibious vehicles... what are amphibious vehicles doing in the desert?
Sorry to jump off topic, but do you have an rss feed?
-m
Winnie,
The answer is that though the vehicles are called amphibious vehicles, they're really land-sea vehicles. They're a boat that can drive up on to the land and become a wheeled or tracked transport.
But you shouldn't be frustrated, we are in no shortage of water craft that could be used in relief efforts both locally to the Gulf Coast, and nationally.
-Mike
Winnie,
The answer is that though the vehicles are called amphibious vehicles, they're really land-sea vehicles. They're a boat that can drive up on to the land and become a wheeled or tracked transport. As a result their perfectly appropriate for transportation in the ocean and the desert.
But you shouldn't be frustrated, we are in no shortage of water craft that could be used in relief efforts both locally to the Gulf Coast, and nationally.
-Mike
Post a Comment
<< Home