Please allow me to be incredibly ignorant and ill-informed. I have not read every story and every account of the hurricane aftermath, but I have watched plenty. And frankly, I feel sick watching it, but, much like 9/11, I cannot stop watching the coverage. The feelings that are generated in my gut after watching this coverage is difficult to describe. I feel a large amount of sympathy for the victims, but that is always true when watching a tragedy in this world of ours. There is something more this time. Perhaps, because it is easily within driving distance of where I live today, not on the other side of the world. I am not positive why this feels different than things like the tsunami, but there is no doubt that it does.
Perhaps, while there is a huge amount of despair for the thousands who lost everything, it is mixed with a fair amount of anger. Anger at the knuckleheads who are strong-arming themselves around that city while so many suffer. They are thinking about looting clothing stores and television shops. Either these idiots are criminals who finally see the cat is away, so they, the mice can play, or normal people so driven by frustration that they are taking matters into their own hands. Either way, it is far from heroic. It is downright despicable. Of course, I type this from my comfortable house on dry land, so it is really easy for me to judge these looters, but I will risk angering the sympathizers of idiots.
Lest we forget, I am angry at gas stations and oil companies who are gouging their customers because they can. I suppose I should also remember the hotel people and the transportation people who are also doing it, but at least hotel gouging is common when there is an over-demand of rooms. But, the gas/oil business should really be proud of themselves. They mark up product that they already purchased at a far lesser rate, because they know they can. I understand that now oil will be far more expensive to get to the pump, so when the affects are fully realized, I have no problem with the prices going up. But that gas being sold in Lewisville, Texas, or Boise, Idaho, or Detroit, Michigan on Tuesday was in those tanks below their gas stations long before the hurricane hit land. This is just good old taking advantage of those around you. Despicable. But, I suppose it is tough not to fatten your wallets at the expense of people who have no choice but to still purchase your product. Surely, they are proud.
I am also angry at my government. Generally, I support the elected officials just based solely on principle. I am not cynical, nor am I someone who is looking for things to complain about when it comes to those who lead us. I have been accused of being a dope for always believing in those who run this great country. But, in this case, I must call them out. How in the name of all that is holy can you get aid and troops and support to the people of Sri Lanka and Thailand quicker than you seem to be able to get to Louisiana??? Again, I am allowing anger to type this more than factual research, and I admit I may be off base here, but I sure remember it was not long before our guys were on the scene making things better in freaking Asia. Now, people are dead in the streets of New Orleans, babies are starving, morons are shooting guns and raping and pillaging, and we are taking longer to get into the city and take back control than we did in Somalia! Look, guys, if unskilled dopes are holding that city with guns they just pulled out of a looted Wal-Mart, then I fear for the power of our armed forces against trained armies world-wide. Go in there and flex some US Army muscle and take that freaking city back! Send in the marines if need be.
My little brother is in the army. He served one tour in Iraq, and will be sent off to Egypt tomorrow morning on a training mission. I asked Dad today if he is being rerouted to New Orleans. He said no. Again, I am naive when it comes to how an army works, and how rescue relief works. But New Orleans and the other areas hit by this storm need help NOW.
They needed it yesterday.
I wish I could talk some sports with you this morning, but I wasn't very concerned about that.
Feel free to comment below, and correct me where I am wrong. I obviously am allowing emotion to fuel this more than logic.
Let me be the first to say:
ReplyDeleteWhere are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Why aren't they on TV begging for calm and cooperation?
I'm as west texas redneck as they come sometimes, but it is obvious that the majority of the refugees are african american...where are there leaders to decry the actions of these people?
Seriously, where is the NAACP? where is the rainbow coalition?
I'm as frustrated as you are Bob, but it makes me angry when the so called leaders of this particular ethnic majority are silent!!!
Ok, the rest of the bloggers can dogpile me today.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteYou are right on! It is very frustating seeing those thughs running wild while our gov seems to be taking their sweet time.
It is very sad when so many Americans feel like the federal government is more interested in helping foreign people than our own fellow citizens.
But as you said, maybe we are wrong and over reacting. I hope for our sake that we are. Otherwise, I fear what that could mean for our country's future.
Sam
Plano
Many many people will endure a major tragedy, if not many, in their lifetime. How you conduct yourself in a crisis is what differentiates humans from animals.(and I feel like I'm insulting animals here.)
ReplyDelete1. I get furious about the price of Gas, when I know for a fact that it IS a market resource, dictated by supply and demand--i.e. controlable by the oil industry. Most of us live on the margin (paycheck to paycheck) so it's a serious economic factor in my families spending habbits.
ReplyDelete2. I then feel totally guilty about being angry b/c I see these people who need our help and need it now.
3. Then I get angry when I see these thugs acting like animals or people yelling at the cameras that "I" AttnyDan sitting in my living room isn't doing enough to help them.
Good God, I'm turning into Gordon Kieth!!! Grubes, shoot me..sorry about the bad pun.
Go Bearcats, Celina sux.
I totally agree AttnyDan, TOTALLY!!
ReplyDeleteEmotional roller coasters suck.
I hate the P1, soccer, hockey, Finley, UT, A&M, Tech, and Gribble.
But I love Pizza. Can one be delivered to my house at 8:00 in the morning....can it?
Sharpton was on TV last night. While he did reluctantly condemn the looters, he also faulted the government (GWB particularly) for putting the looters in this position. His condemnation of the looters was a very half-hearted one that was basically condemning them and forgiving them in the same sentence. Was sickening to watch but not to unexpected.
ReplyDeletebob,
ReplyDeleteMost gas stations but their gas on credit, then once it is sold by the gallon to the public (For VERY narrow profits if any. Most corner gas stations make thier money with the sodas, smokes, and hotdogs that I buy. NOT by the unleaded that I buy) and as I buy my gas the gas station pays the gas broker for those specfic gallons of 87 unled. Just because the gas is in the tank at the station does not mean that it is paid for by the gas station owner (who is most likely as small business owner who knows he will need to buy more expensive gas in the future so he needs to raise the price)
I do NOT speak for the shameful people who are charging head over heels their bottom lines, they will be dealt with buy God and the EPA, price gouging is a Federal offense.
If this storm hit South America and destroyed the same precentage of the coffee plants the same things would happen. Just because we foolish Americans buy inefficent automobiles does NOT mean that we can have special treatment.
As far as Asia last year is concerned, the same thing happened there as what is happening now in New Orleans. It is unfortunate but people die after hurricanes. Nothing the Goverment can do can stop that it happened in Asia, it is happening now. Be proud of America we as a pepole are doing the best we can, I still beleive that and I watch the news every hour. 75,000 people have been evacuated to Texas. That is progress, I wish it came sooner, but let us not forget that the greatest natural disaster just happened and this is the effect of it. For the good of the pepole in New Orleans
AMERICA STAY HARD!
James
James is right on the corner gas station money situation. MOST of them aren't doing a Scrooge McDuck dive into their gold coins (obviously there are some that are charging a little extra just because they can).
ReplyDeleteAttnyDan, I'm disappointed. SO you KNOW for a FACT, and you're right, that gas is controlled by supply and demand. Obviously, the fact that half of that equation has been damaged has missed you. The capacity of the country to refine oil into gas has been reduced by over 10% for the next few MONTHS. A 10% decrease in a necessary resource like 87 will usually result in a much greater than 10% increase in price.
The wholesale price for gas is up to around $2.50 per gallon. Add transportation costs and about 35 cents per gallon in state and fed taxes, and you get close to what the station has to pay for gas.
And we didn't get relief to Tsunami overnight either. It took a few days to compile to aid and send it over, and then who knows how long it took to distribute it once it got there.
Gasy Dip
Politics and weak leadership and improper readiness is costing people their lives in the Katrina disaster zones. How can New Orleans that sits 7 feet below sea level not have a better contingency plan in place. One of the saddest pictures is the one where a man holding his young baby daughter is placing a blanket over an older man who died slumped over on a chair at the Superdome. I can understand intitially saving the survivors but after day 3 for God's sake start getting people out of town and take care of the dead. The dead is causing disease risks but most of all psychological damage to the desperate survivors witnessing them. The tv and gun type looters are scum and more people are falling into the mob mentality element. There needs to be a strong arm of force to get some control of the anarchy but when the first one gets shot and killed by a cop or soldier all hell will break out and the politicians start taking their usual positions and become useless.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless those poor souls.
Disco
Oil Dip, you are right. However, I don't blame the gas stations at all, I know they don't make much (if any at all) on gas. It's the industrial oil complex..blah, blah, blah.
ReplyDeleteJust arguing about the price of gas and not worrying about the people shows how sorry and selfish I, (we?) can be.
For the squeamish, don't watch CNN today...good gawd ahmighty, bodies everywhere.
What sucks is that we all want to assign blame to why this is happening, but there probably is too much blame to go around to assign it to a few people or places.
ReplyDelete1. City leaders for almost 100 years have known about the need to fortify against flooding, but other priorities have always won.
2. The Mayor, Governor, and other local leaders had zero plan for something of this magnitude.
3. The federal response is so freaking slow (unless I am missing something).
4. Once again, through violence and crime in a poor area, a disgusting minority ruin things for the innocent majority.
5. Media and celebrities get in and out of the city, but somehow we cant get supplies in or the stranded out?
6. And all we can do is freaking donate money?
It really sucks to feel so helpless. But it also sucks to have blaming wars when just about everyone is to blame.
Don't want to monopolize the blog, but Oklahoma is trying to suspend it's gas tax till the end of the year saving them $.17 a gallon...wonder if Perry would do the same?
ReplyDeleteWonder how much it would save us a gallon?
Never mind, we can't even get our school funding fixed.
The media portrays sensationalism because that is what people want to see. We are drawn to car crashes, accidents, and other calamities like flies in a fly trap. For every looter there are a hundred people who are just trying to survive and move on with their life. They want out and want out now, and they deserve to be out, but the media is fixated with all of the negative events that are taking place, because that is what keeps people watching CNN, Fox News, and every other media outlet. Viewers do not want to see the guy who has been patiently waiting at the Superdome or Convention Center for the past 3 days waiting for a bus. They want to see chaos and destruction. I have faith in mankind, and while there is no excuse for those who do wrong I believe in my heart that the majority are doing right.
ReplyDeleteP1 Shiffman
Jason has hit the nail on the head, where are you going to send the troops? If everything is under water where are they going to go...
ReplyDeleteThis is another case of a city and state not being prepared for a disaster and blaming the federal government when things go wrong.
Major City built 10 feet below sea level right next to the sea in a Hurricane zone, I'm sure Darwin would have something to say about this...
I hope all of the armed gunmen and looters die from the diesease ridden water they are wading through, or by the cops and soldiers who will eventually restore order. While the majority are doing right, these morons are distracting the rescue personell from doing their jobs. This is costing lives! When they die the universal gene pool will go up several basis points.
ReplyDeleteI feel for those who are doing right. I hope that they get out soon.
Mark, I have had the same Darwin inspired questions.
I think we can blame the government for part of the disaster. For less than the cost of the ridiculous ethanol subsidy, we could have had levees that wouldn't have broken. Our fine federal Government cut funding to the SE Louisiana Army Corps of Engineers by 44% under this administration.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't the Hurricane that devastated New Orleans, it was the failure of the levees and Pumps that did the bulk of the damage, and that wa all preventable.
How about the folks that turned The Summit in Houston into a church? Are they going to clear out of there and make room for some refugees?
ReplyDeleteSPORRTTTTZZZZZZZZZZZ
ReplyDeleteThe guy in the next cube is showing his ordinary cubeness.
ReplyDeleteThe Corp/Engineers budget was scheduled to be cut for next year, and they hadn't even figured out how to protect the city from a hurricane of that size anyway since they were still studying the problem.
So basically, the budget cut had nothing to do with this, and you should stop trying to find some sort of propaganda in this to promote your stinking political agenda.
To summarize:
A) The budget cuts we planned for Fiscal year 2006
B) They didn't have a project in the works that would have saved the city
C) Said nonexistant project was not denied the funds needed to be built
D) The president could not have changed anything about this current situation.
E) If you want to try to bend a tragedy to your political advantage, make sure you actually have a good point to make.
Dear Anonymous Jackass.
ReplyDeleteThe cuts have been ongoing since the adminstration took office. To pay for a quite senseless and meaningless war in Iraq, over $50 million a year was lopped from the Corps of engineers projects around New Orleans.
FEMA made a list of the top 3 natural disasters on September 10, 2001. They were a terrorist attack on NY, a hurricane in NO and an earthquake in San Francisco. The administration can't say it wasn't warned that this was a possibility.
Dear Rude in a Cube,
ReplyDeleteThat would still leave the LA Corp with the most funding of any state, correct?
Well, at any rate, you've said nothing to refute points B through E that I made previously.
The Corp had NO PLAN on how to protect the city against a hurricane like Katrina despite years of research. It's not their fault, it's not Bush's fault.
Stop trying to turn a natural disaster into a political soap box.
and by the way, you didn't need fema to make a list to know NO was at risk. The media has made a point for years to tell you everytime a hurricane comes within a hundred miles of the place.
ReplyDeleteso....how bout that Cowboy game?
ReplyDeleteSaying its all the the admininstration's fault for the flooding in New Orlean's is ludricous. The city has existed for almost 300 years. It had gone through several hurricanes in its history but it continued to grow to the giant metropolitan area it is today. You might as well settle next to an active volcano or an active faultline. No amount of funding was going to save this city from the "Big One". We humans have to live in the most idiotic places sometimes and living in a hurricane zone below sea level on the coast is moronic. The corp of engineers have been working on fortifying the city for over 40 years. You want to blame every administration since then for not finishing the job?
ReplyDeleteDisco
Sports?
ReplyDeleteWill the Saints EVER really go home to New Orleans?
NO was already smaller than many of the other NFL cities (pop 480,000). Now how many people will go back?
You're living in Dallas/Houston/SanAn for probably 6 months minimum [1 month to drain the city, 3 months to clean /demolish /truck out debris, then at LEAST 2 months to get your house rebuilt]. Do you take your insurance check and get a place here? Wouldn't you try to find a job here? Do you want to go back to a place where you might be able to remember some special horror at every intersection?
I wouldn't be stunned if NO went from 480,000 to less than 240,000. Could the Saints be supported by a city that size? Might the move to Baton Rouge? Stay in SanAn?
Thoughts?
SadDip
I have a glimmer of hope for the Cowboys this year. Maybe I shouldn't, but it's the 1st time I've had this glimmer in a long time.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe I'm just hungover.
1) The budget cuts have actually extended well beyond Bush's term as President. If you're going to blame him, also blame Clinton, Bush Sr. Reagan, and Carter.
ReplyDelete2) Even if said levee upgrades were done, we don't know with 100% exact certainty they would have prevented the kind of levee breach that flooded the city. Living in New Orleans is a lot like living in San Francisco from the standpoint that you ought to know you're just one natural disaster away from wiping out the city.
3) It's ridiculous to say the Administration specifically targeted budget cuts in the levee upgrade study to pay for the war. I've already mentioned that budget cuts in this study have been ongoing for years, even after the city flooded in 1995 (To these Bush bashers today, where were you then?)
Now Bush and the Republicans aren't completely bullet-proof here. Lest we forget, our Republican led Congress passed a law a pork-laden Highway Transportation bill that included $1.5 million to be allocated to a bus stop in Alaska. One that just like all the other bills before him, Bush refused to veto (so much for being a small government conservative).
It's truly sad that N.O.'s mayor is off in Philly, rather then in-state where he needs to be. A Giuliani-like figure needs to rise to the occasion here, but sadly Mayor Nagin is no Giuliani
ReplyDeleteThose are some fairly harsh words regarding the looters in New Orleans...both in Bob's Blog entry and in some of these comments....from people who are obviously sitting in the comfort of their own air conditioned home or office..typing with one hand and nursing a nice frothy frappacino with the other.
ReplyDeleteLooting for food, water, and medicine is one thing. Police actually look the other way on this sort of thing. The police are siphoning gas out of cars off the street to get around town and do their job. It's the scum looters grabbing the football jerseys, the tv's, jewelry, and guns that are giving looters a bad name.
ReplyDeleteDisco
evie....i think bob and others aren't really talking about the looters who are taking food or other necessary items from stores. i can completely understand that. we are talking about the idiots who are stealing tv's, guns, basically stuff they don't need. and i don't care how comfortable or uncomfortable i might be here in my dry chair...i can recognize animalistic behavior when i see it.
ReplyDeleteeric in keller
People taking food, water, and siphoning gas are not looters IMO. They are just trying to stay alive. Looters are the ones taking tv's, jewelery and guns. I have talked to people from NO. Reports of armed gangs roaming the streets and invading homes in the few dry areas around town are common. These worthless excuses for humans are taking advantage of the situation and are distractig and delaying the rescue operation. I'm just saying that the world would be a better place with out them in it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't drink gay frappacino, but I am typing with one hand...
the offense actually looked pretty good on the first 2 drives. they punched it in for 6 on the first drive of the game....well that hasn't happened since the early 90s I think...no factual info to back me up here, just a hunch. And contrary to Bobs beliefs, Ware IS going to be a good player.
ReplyDeleteMike
Here's a Neo Geo article. I think it was published last october.
ReplyDeletehow creepy...
http://205.188.130.53/ngm/0410/feature5/
One thing I feel everyone has forgotten is the actual timeline of events this week. FEMA was prepared for a major hurricane. In fact, they were in place Sunday night. The hurricane came and went on Monday, and everyone in New Orleans breathed a sigh of relief, because they missed the direct hit that had been feared. It wasn't until Tuesday morning, a full twelve hours after the hurricane passed on, that the levee broke and New Orleans was flooded. In fact, there were people that returned to the French Quarter on Monday evening.
ReplyDeleteThe news reports began coming in on Tuesday that New Orleans was in trouble of flooding. In fact, it wasn't until Tuesday night/Wednesday that the rest of the country even became aware this was happening. The focus up until then had been the destruction along the Gulf Coast, not New Orleans specifically.
In addition, it was another 24 hours before we began hearing the full extent of the horror stories of the things that were happening within New Orleans.
I believe it is unfair to fail to consider this when assigning blame for how long it is taking the government to respond. It's actually been 72 hours, midday Tuesday, since this phase of the destruction began. Considering the actual rescue efforts began on that same day, the response has better than people are giving it credit for.
No doubt, it would have been better if FEMA had taken the resources to deal with 300,000 refugees, but can any of you honestly say that you expected this to happen? Obviously, it was their job to be prepared, but since New Orleans had dodged this bullet so many times, before, it probably became easy to believe they would and had done it again.
I blame President Bush for this natural disaster! All of this could have been prevented had he just bombed Katrina before it hit New Orleans! Damn him! Damn the US Government!
ReplyDeleteFor real, don't use the death and destruction of a major metropolitan city into a platform for your political beliefs.
It feels like we should be able to do more, but I highly doubt the president and the people in charge are sitting back playing Madden '06, just kind of hoping this will go away. It will get done. We all wish it could've been done faster, but it's getting done.
New Orleans has always known that it's a sitting duck for this type of catastrophe and there was no plan. If there was, it has yet to be executed. If you want to look for where we went wrong here, go back from the beginning when the poor people weren't evacuated when the roads were manageable. You can't evacuate 500,000 people in two days every time a hurricane comes. Reality is harsh. It's too expensive. And that's really, really, really tragic.
My thoughts and prayers are with those still stuck in the city.
There's a lot of interesting thought and a lot of bullshit naivety here, but I won't touch that. I haven't got the energy.
ReplyDeleteAfter all of the things that we (the Ticket staff who spent many, many hours at the Salvation Army) saw and did yesterday, I just want to say that I hope every single person who posted a comment in this thread donated blood, $5, their time, or a case of water to the Salvation Army or Red Cross this week. Because if you haven't, and you're busy posting criticisms on a blog of all of those involved with this tragedy, you have a lot to learn.
Most likely, there are several people/groups to blame for this unfolding as it did. And there will be loads of time to worry about that. For now, these people need our help. Next time you go to leave a message on this blog, go to the Salvation Army's website instead and give $5. It would be a much better way to spend your time.
SHUT UP, MEREDITH. Many people contributed to this wonderful blog today. I am sure the majority of the people at this blog have or plan to contribute time, resources, and/or money to the cause. This is the most horrific event most of us have ever and may ever witness. Thousands of Americans are dead across the hurricanes path. A city was destroyed this week. Half a million to a million people in the greater New Orleans area may be displaced for a long while. And several hundreds of thousands of people in the region are directly affected. People are going to want to - need to - talk about this for months and years. Open discussions on this blog is extremely important. This blog is usually reserved for sportsy stuff and beer and boobs but today the adults are talking. If this is too much for you to either sit back and read and enjoy or type in your two cents to further contribute to the discussion then kindly click away instead of lecturing US about what is a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteBob,
ReplyDeleteI work in Command and Control for the Texas Guard. I've been working 14 -16 hour days since Tuesday doing our part to get help down there. In a nutshell I'll tell you some of the problems we've had. MRE's, they are all overseas, we don't have any kind of a stockpile near New Orleans at all. We are scrounging to get enough for our troopers much less any extra to feed the civilian population. Security, you know how you watch the news and you think they are over blowing a situation just to make them look good. Well, I won't give you details, but just say that they are not close to the real picture of how bad things really are. We have to get the security problem in line before we can get the help in. Today went a long ways toward doing that as we were finally able to get a strong forward presence. Seeing the large convoy of trucks made a big difference. Previously, we were just sending in MP's piecemeal and they were immediately overwhelmed. Sure some runways are open, but you have to have the support people in place to download and distribute the cargo. That just doesn't happen overnight. To sum this up the last few days we have barely been able to sustain our military presence there much less start helping people. Today was the first time we could make a difference without making the situation worst. We have THOUSANDS of troops going over the next few days. I admit the government hasn't been perfect. But the sheer scope of the disaster is more incomprehensible than what you are seeing on TV. I wish I could tell you more about what is really going down.
I love your show. I'm glad you are on vacation this week because I've had zero time to listen.
To all of you who are quick to bitch about other nations lack of help... you need to read this.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N01481437.htm
"The State Department said offers so far had come from Belgium, Canada, Russia, Japan, France, Germany, Britain, China, Australia, Jamaica, Honduras, Greece, Venezuela, the Organization of American States, NATO, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, South Korea, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Assistance ranged from medical teams, boats, aircraft, tents, blankets, generators and cash donations."
we've turned them all down.
And most of the european nations are tapping into their oil reserves in addition to help our the gas market, which ultimately will benefit us.
Posted by Frustrated P1
ReplyDeleteOf of DMN.com
At one point Friday, the evacuation was interrupted briefly when school buses pulled up so some 700 guests and employees from the Hyatt Hotel could move to the head of the evacuation line — much to the amazement of those who had been crammed in the Superdome since last Sunday.
“How does this work? They (are) clean, they are dry, they get out ahead of us?” exclaimed Howard Blue, 22, who tried to get in their line. The National Guard blocked him as other guardsmen helped the well-dressed guests with their luggage.
The 700 had been trapped in the hotel, near the Superdome, but conditions were considerably cleaner, even without running water, than the unsanitary crush inside the dome.
Meredith,
ReplyDeleteI believe just about anyone that has spent the time to post on the blog today would drop everything and drive their pick-up trucks to go pick up those in need. These are true feelings of compassion and helplessness. I certainly feel better when hearing the feelings of P1's, as I did on 9/11.
Giving $5 and a can of beans isn't going to make me feel better.
I certainly appreciate those who have educated me in the past few minutes.
T
Anonymous wrote:
ReplyDelete"To all of you who are quick to bitch about other nations lack of help... you need to read this."
Followed by a list of nations offering to help...
It's easy to offer help when you know whoever you're offering it to will turn your offer down.
“How does this work? They (are) clean, they are dry, they get out ahead of us?”
ReplyDeleteBecause the mayor of New Orleans personally had chartered those buses for those that were in the hotel himself. That's exactly how it happened. Meanwhile, his own city's school buses were sitting under water in a parking lot because they didn't move them out ahead of the storm. So there is your answer. Thankfully the National Guard got the others out on Saturday though.
Except we aren't turning down all help. We are accepting 2 Million Barrels a day from the Euro Nations individual Strategic Petroleum Reserves.
ReplyDeleteForeign countries have aided us in the past, and they will aid us in the future. Its only the dumbass Jingoistic American who continually repeats that stupid refrain of "Where is the rest of the world".
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteAre you f-ing kidding me?
"It's easy to offer help when you know whoever you're offering it to will turn your offer down."
I know it's a pride issue as an American, but we are accepting help that is much needed. As poor a nation as Sri Lanka is and having to deal with the tsunami just months ago that killed THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS, for them to offer even $25,000 is remarkable. That shows me that they remembered the people that came to their rescue. As much hatred as there is for us Americans around the world, the fact that they are willing to help speaks volumes. There are people around the world who do genuinely care to help those that are in need for whatever reason, just as we care for them. I know we're the ones that come to the aid when our friends around the world need it, but that doesn't mean we can never be vulnerable and also be needing of help. The people you need to be directing your comments at are the ones in this country who could care less about what is going on in the gulf coast and remain complacent. Direct your anger at our government for not having a better plan to have better handled such a catastrophic event. But please, don't discount the fact that our country has been wounded badly and needs whatever help it can get to get healed.
So swallow your pride just a little bit and think for a moment before before you make a stupid comment like that.
Please urge everyone you know to do something. I'm sure you all have relatives and friends living in the areas that have been affected by the storm or have spent some time there for business or fun. We can sit here and talk and argue forever and point fingers, but lets all do our part to help in any way we can first and foremost.