Hurricane Katrina
I want get alittle of subject. I wasn't planning on blogging again until something very significant happened. That has happened and so I am going to write about it.
I am DEEPLY saddened and DEEPLY troubled with what I am watching what is happening to New Orleans. This is possibly the worst natural disaster that has ever occurred in the USA. It will takes weeks to fix the flooding, and then even more weeks to pump all the water out. The whole city is submerged, and it looks like giant nightmare. It is unbelievable what is currently happening. The type of things we are watching on TV, are what you'd expect to see in a African or Asian country, NOT IN THE USA. Not on our very own soil. There are even American refugees, can anyone recall a time when American's were considered refugees if ever? Some people are upset by the looting they see on tv. However, they should know that most of these people aren't getting any help right now, and are having to loot just to survive. I would damn sure be one of the looters if I was there and my family was starving.
I'm VERY VERY VERY VERY frustrated with the terrible lack of relief being given to these people. Even when Florida was RAVAGED by 4 major hurricanes last year, there were no issues like this going on. We are the world super power, how is it we can save millions of lives oversea from genocide or starvation, but we can't even help our own people? It is so upsetting to watch on TV, the desperation and hopelessness these people are living in. It hurts me so much to watch our people suffer like this. I understand the whole city is underwater, and it's hard to get to people, but it seems like the local and national government TOTALLY dropped the ball on this. As one news journalist said who was in Florida for the 4 major hurricanes, there it was well co-ordinated and taken care of, but in this situation it's Amateur hour. However, unlike many other people who are probably watching and thinking, wow this is horrible and they got back to their lives. I donated money to the hurricane relief.
Hopefully this is the worst natural disaster we will ever see in our lives or hopefully ever. I've been in Iraq for 2 tours, and I've never seen as much desperation and destruction in my 2 years there then in the past few days at New Orleans. It looks worse than a war zone.
*Update*
I just wanted to make sure the Iraqis, who also just suffered a terrible tragedy as well this week. over 900 died because of a stamped caused by rumors of a suicide bomber, and a mortar attack. They are suffering from 2 years of war where people are being kidnapped and murdered on a regular bases. They have been living like this for awhile now. They too should not be forgotten.
I firmly agree with New Orleans's Mayor Ray Nagin who expressed alot of frustration about the currently relief effort going on for the City of New Orleans, at one point shouting someone needs to get off their ass and come down there and help them. It is a day late and a dollar short for President Bush to have FINALLY went there a visited the devastation and talk with local officials. We really have to give alot of credit to the journalists reporting in New Orleans and in other places down there in the devastated areas to tell us what is really happening down there. The type of suffering and devastation we are seeing there is even in some cases worse than in 3rd world countries we have seen on tv. This is the United States of America, the most powerful and richest country in the world. How can this be happening to us? I'm not used to seeing our people enduring what these people are going through. Again, I've been in Iraq for almost 2 whole years and I can't even compare Iraq to the devastation on such as a scale as we are seeing in the Gulf. Some people even saying they'd rather be in Iraq than in New Orleans. I KNOW most Americans, if they were allowed to, would get in their own vehicles and personally drive over there and pick up those stranded in New Orleans and take them out of there.
I am DEEPLY saddened and DEEPLY troubled with what I am watching what is happening to New Orleans. This is possibly the worst natural disaster that has ever occurred in the USA. It will takes weeks to fix the flooding, and then even more weeks to pump all the water out. The whole city is submerged, and it looks like giant nightmare. It is unbelievable what is currently happening. The type of things we are watching on TV, are what you'd expect to see in a African or Asian country, NOT IN THE USA. Not on our very own soil. There are even American refugees, can anyone recall a time when American's were considered refugees if ever? Some people are upset by the looting they see on tv. However, they should know that most of these people aren't getting any help right now, and are having to loot just to survive. I would damn sure be one of the looters if I was there and my family was starving.
I'm VERY VERY VERY VERY frustrated with the terrible lack of relief being given to these people. Even when Florida was RAVAGED by 4 major hurricanes last year, there were no issues like this going on. We are the world super power, how is it we can save millions of lives oversea from genocide or starvation, but we can't even help our own people? It is so upsetting to watch on TV, the desperation and hopelessness these people are living in. It hurts me so much to watch our people suffer like this. I understand the whole city is underwater, and it's hard to get to people, but it seems like the local and national government TOTALLY dropped the ball on this. As one news journalist said who was in Florida for the 4 major hurricanes, there it was well co-ordinated and taken care of, but in this situation it's Amateur hour. However, unlike many other people who are probably watching and thinking, wow this is horrible and they got back to their lives. I donated money to the hurricane relief.
Hopefully this is the worst natural disaster we will ever see in our lives or hopefully ever. I've been in Iraq for 2 tours, and I've never seen as much desperation and destruction in my 2 years there then in the past few days at New Orleans. It looks worse than a war zone.
*Update*
I just wanted to make sure the Iraqis, who also just suffered a terrible tragedy as well this week. over 900 died because of a stamped caused by rumors of a suicide bomber, and a mortar attack. They are suffering from 2 years of war where people are being kidnapped and murdered on a regular bases. They have been living like this for awhile now. They too should not be forgotten.
I firmly agree with New Orleans's Mayor Ray Nagin who expressed alot of frustration about the currently relief effort going on for the City of New Orleans, at one point shouting someone needs to get off their ass and come down there and help them. It is a day late and a dollar short for President Bush to have FINALLY went there a visited the devastation and talk with local officials. We really have to give alot of credit to the journalists reporting in New Orleans and in other places down there in the devastated areas to tell us what is really happening down there. The type of suffering and devastation we are seeing there is even in some cases worse than in 3rd world countries we have seen on tv. This is the United States of America, the most powerful and richest country in the world. How can this be happening to us? I'm not used to seeing our people enduring what these people are going through. Again, I've been in Iraq for almost 2 whole years and I can't even compare Iraq to the devastation on such as a scale as we are seeing in the Gulf. Some people even saying they'd rather be in Iraq than in New Orleans. I KNOW most Americans, if they were allowed to, would get in their own vehicles and personally drive over there and pick up those stranded in New Orleans and take them out of there.
