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Monday, September 05, 2005 Fury, Rage, Sadness, Embarrassed, Ashamed These are feelings we have had in recent days. To one degree or another we had one or more of these emotional reactions but Katrina has forced us to really look seriously at what is happening in our America. I have felt for a long time it would take some major catastrophe to make us study the status quo. This hurricane, with the tragedy of New Orleans, could be that event. Perhaps not even the storm but the reactions to it and the ignorance beforehand. Ignorance beforehand: FEMA being downgraded and subordinated to Homeland Security. Natural disasters made second to terrorists. Wetlands trashed despite constant warnings of their importance to ecological systems. Resignation of the Chief of Army Engineers over drastic reductions in funding of levee support. Prior to 9/11 warnings of the three prime disaster probable in America, in which New Orleans was ranked first. Climate warming increasing the frequency and severity of hurricanes. Concentration on terror, a long time danger, created a false premise for invading Iraq. All these caused shifting priorities in men and money. The consequences are dreadful. At the critical time does the C in C fly to the side of the victims? Does he join his larger family, the citizens of this country? As in his flight from Crawford to Washington in support of the politics of the Terry Shiavo case. No, he flies to San Diego to con WWII veterans into equating their war with the one in Iraq. Fund raising makes the day. Our President also admitted that he never considered the levee's would be breached, a statement contrary to all advice and published warnings before. He should have flown straight to New Orleans to the Heart of the Disaster. The chorus aka, Chertoff, et al, said all was under control by his Department of Homeland Security. Minions were dispatched everywhere to show the flag for the actions of our government. Cheney was strangely silent, probably bunkered with Rove; Dennis Hastert, our Speaker of the House was quoted with suggesting the trashing of New Orleans. He quickly backtracked when it became obvious that his Illinois farmer constituents need the Port of New Orleans to ship their produce. Duh! Still Hastert wasn't present for the vote for relief in Washington. He had a fund raiser to attend. I suppose Rumsfeld could only reflect how "Stuff Happens". Even Bill Clinton, the so-called 'black president' had to chime in support of Bush's innocence. Or is it ignorance? His administration is embarrassing in its incompetence. One is ashamed of its 'spinning' those who have 'bought' its messages. I have raged over the obvious lack of concern for our dark-skinned fellows suffering days without food, shelter, clothing, even water. Furious the administration and the legislature would even think of repealing the estate tax at such a time. One might favor such a repeal on principle, but at a time like this the South needs every penny that can be sent. I feel sadness at the state of our nation with leaders such as what we have. Not only George W. Bush and his satraps; where is the opposition? Are the Democrats creating anything we can hope for? Carpe Diem |
ARTICLES
OF NOTE
"But I Can't Make A Difference" "God said it. I believe it. That settles it" Iran and US - At The Abyss Life's Too Short Eminent Domain Message From London Our Larger Middle Eastern Problem What Is Really Obscene Query From Overseas ARCHIVES December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005
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