Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Gulf Coast R.I.P.

Here's hoping you rise again.

"Your president," I said, "cut funds for the levees, ignored the need to restore the wetlands which protected new Orleans for years, and then when the levees failed had to have a special picture show made for him to demonstrate how bad things were. But he didn't care because Orleanians aren't in the right party or class. He let people broil and drown in their own living rooms. Then he flew over it and said `Wow, things look pretty devastating from up here...I'll bet it's even worse down there." Then his buddies cranked up the propaganda machine. They tried to convince people that Orleanians weren't our kind of people and weren't worth saving. Look, there's a shirtless youth trying to break into a store (shown a million times). They blamed it on Blanco and Nagin. Blanco and Nagin couldn't do jackshit. This was the worst natural disaster in American history. Only the Federal Government had the power and resources to rescue these people, to plug the leaks, to attempt to drain the city and to save New Orleans. But it was more important to him to stick to his message: government is bad and will not help you. Turn to the churches. They posed him in front of church after putting stage lights on it, and he promised that he would bring back New Orleans better than ever. It's a year later. They still haven't even fixed the levees back the way they were BEFORE Katrina, and they are lying and telling people that they are. Are the Dutch going to let Amsterdam fall to rubble because it is below sea-level? Are the Italians going to kiss-off Venice? Look. This is
not just a half a city of half a million people. It is a CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT city of half a million people. The fact that you are willing to let it go says a lot about you and how far our country has declined in the care of people like you. I believe we are our brother's keeper. That's the difference between Republicans and Democrats. You think it's every man for himself. We think we are in this together. That's the difference. What New Orleans needs right now more than anything is a levee. The money to do that is in Iraq. Please don't vote Republican again."

3 comments:

weigook saram said...

Amen.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you completely. It's sickening what we let happen (both with Katrina and in the last election).

Anonymous said...

Hey, you made some really astute observations. Too bad your perspective is so warped by looking through your rear end. I was a consultant to the State of Louisiana for a number of years. I got to see first hand what the "state of affairs" was and is in Louisiana.
I am glad you were able to read the "talking points" of the liberal agenda and regurgitate them on demand like a trained monkey. If you had the wisdom that you profess to have you would look into things a little closer and have to guts to form your own opinion.
There are many things that went wrong in the aftermath of the Katrina hurricane. If you will remember a little civics, the Federal government cannot usurp the powers of the State. Before the "Feds" can come in with their power and assets they have to be invited. The good Governor of Louisiana was way beyond her capabilities and knowledge. I guess that is why when the "Feds" were trying to get in touch with her she couldn't be reached because she "was taking a nap". It is nice that this Liberal was so calm and colleted that she could sleep through the crisis.
The baffoon that is parading around pretending to be a leader just because he could out-lie the next guy to get elected to the mayorship of New Orleans is demonstrably worse. If he weren't adamat that "his people" deserve to ride in more comfortable transportation and demanded that Greyhound buses come in to evacuate the people, the schools buses wouldn't have been destroyed and the people would have been out of the city and they would have escaped a lot of their travail.
The money for the levee was spent by the levee commission that was appointed by the state of Louisiana. You are right, all the money wasn't spent on building and reinforcing the levees. But it wasn't the Federal government that is at fault. It was the governor of Louisian and mayor of New Orleans that let down their people. Not just during and after Katrina but for many years before by squandering federal and state funds. By not having adequate plans for evacuation. (But I guess they might have just learned that the city of New Orleans is more than three feet below sea level. How were they to know that if it rained really hard and the waves were really big that they might get wet?) Everyone is entitled to their opinion and that means you. It would be nice if you could make some thoughtful, fact inspired, original thoughts and not just puke up the garbage that you feast upon.