This whole situation is INSANE and out of control....I am beside myself with grief, sympathy, empathy, frustration and anger....!
There is NO reason any of this should be happening in the United States of America, none at all.
Perhaps we were not prepared for the extent of the devastation Katrina caused. That is so unfortunate and ridiculous of us as a nation. Since 9/11, we have been preparing for another terrorist attack and holding "drills" in every single town across America. Why in the world, did we not have a plan for a hurricane, a much more frequent occurrence? And why is the rest of the country going on like normal? WHY? It makes no sense to me....I heard on the news last night that GW Bush had approved 10.5 billion dollars in aid for the region and the House was going to approve it today. WHY THE WAIT? Get them out of their nice warm soft king-size mattresses with their central air and put them in their chauffeur driven Lexuses and Mercedes and let them approve it RIGHT NOW! There are people sleeping on boards floating in the flooding and huddling on their roofs starving and dehydrated at this very moment! YOU tell them they have to wait Mr. Bush. While they watch their parents and children die. GW "toured" the region today....ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Does anyone else realize the absurdity of this situation?? Why not declare a national emergencey and let the entire country go down there to help? WHY NOT? Every Christmas, 99% of businesses shut down to celebrate. Why is this not as important? Everything feels unreal to me. I went to the gas station today and yes I paid a fortune to fill up the tank in my car. But the irony is this...I HAVE a car!!! I have a home, a bed, electricity, plumbing....Who am I to bicker or complain? I love America. I am probably the most patriotic person you will ever meet in your lifetime. My family no longer celebrates my birthday. At my request, we celebrate 4th of July and I give presents to everyone on that day and throughout that week. This is breaking my heart. We are better than this. Richard, I disagree with your statement that everyone wants less government. Not I. I think the government of this country should be held responsible for EVERY SINGLE person that does not have a bed to sleep in. I know I am idealistic and radical. I know my ideas border on socialism or communism. I am a very kind, sensitive person and I do know my ideas may make no sense in practice, However, I still "feel" that way, regardless of what is practical or possible. My feelings often overrule my rational thoughts and though I may apologize for those feelings and have no argument in a debate, that is the way I FEEL.
I got out of bed this am while watching the Today show because the guilt of sitting on a mattress with my happy healthy dog next to me and a fridge full of food made me feel horrific. I am beside myself with frustration and guilt and empathy. At the gas station I went to today, I saw stack and stacks and stacks of bottled water for sale on the sidewalk. I feel like screaming..."Take this water to Louisiana and Mississippi!! Don't sell it! The rest of the country can drink tap water until this is over for God's sake!!!!!!!"
We ALL take it for granted that if something happens to us, SOMEONE will come save us....If we need an ambulance, we call one. If we need the police, we call them. And they come. If we need water, we go to the sink or fridge and get some. If we need lights, we flick a switch. These people are thinking "someone will come help us. This is America." And then days and days go by and noone shows up. Can you imagine the horror?
I know many of you will say I am a hypocrite. And, unfortunately, my heart agrees with you...I can barely justify anything I do these days. Collin and I are on a very tight budget as I have not started working. I have given any money we can spare to the Red Cross, the Humane Society and to a local church sending some people to the region. Our checking account is stripped bare for the next 2 weeks. I did it without Collin's knowledge and he is not happy with me right now. I spoke to him tonight about me going down there to help. He has agreed that since I feel so strongly and an unable to be happy until I DO something that he will support our family for another month if I can go. I am supposed to start a job on Tuesday. I intend to speak to them about this first thing when I walk in and see if they will agree to let me put off my start date. Like many people, we live paycheck to paycheck with very little spending money or luxuries (although at this point, everything feels like a luxury to me...) Me going down there would severely diminish our life and our plans but I can't justify to myself living like this while my fellow Americans are suffering....At the same time, who am I to take away from my own family like that? (We help support my parents and my sister's 4 children along with ourselves.) So yes, I may be a hypocrite...but aren't so many of us? Look at these celebrities..."yes, I feel horrible, let me sing so my public image remains intact but God forbid I actually GO there and help." I HIGHLY doubt those starving people will even recognize Demi Moore in a baseball cap and Red Cross vest and will be just thankful that they have a meal....
America is a Very Very Very rich country. We have thousands if not tens of thousands of millionaires here. DO SOMETHING!!! Buy 10,000 mobile homes and set up a refugee camp in the fields of Texas! But Pepsi's entire stock of Aquafina and send it all down there on trucks. The Walmart in my town has cases and cases of water on it's shelves. WHY? Are they NOT rich enough? SEND IT SOUTH. The rest of us could do with a little humbling once in a while and a bit of a reality check. Richard, being from the Northeast, I have never really had to deal with any major natural disasters. Which is one reason among many, that I love my hometown. I will never forget when we had a crippling snowstorm (and it takes ALOT to cripple Syracuse NY with snow as it often gets the most snowfall of anywhere else in the entire WORLD!) and people were stuck in their homes and freezing and hungry. Travel was impossible, supplies were running short and the stores that were open were gouging people with the prices. It was embarrassing and ridiculous. At the same time, I remember watching TV and wondering how the rest of the world was going on like nothing had happened...It's scary and demeaning and you feel unimportant...I do not want this to be like that....This country should just STOP, take a deep breath, and get down there!!!!!!!
OK, I'm sorry if I sound like I am yelling. I am just so frustrated. I know I have opened myself up to naysayers and people attacking me for my views and actions or lack of. I understand, say what you will. But please understand the depths of my feelings and my good honest decent heart....I mean no harm, only help and I am certainly in no position to throw stomes at others like me and I am not. I'm sure many of you feel the same way that I do. And those that don't, well please express you opinions...perhaps it will help me get through in my own head.....

I love you all. Stay safe.