However, last I checked the freedom of speech is still effective in the United States!!! Believe me I've read and heard enough of the use of that coverage to make me puke. Just as I'm hearing on the news as I'm typing this (more food for thought for ya) ~ it is the STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S PROBLEM TO DEAL WITH MAJOR CATASTROPHE'S!!!! FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN NOT GET INVOLVED WITHOUT REQUEST FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT!!!!! (This was aired on World News tonight on TV their words NOT MINE) This is not the President's directive it is AMERICA'S BI LAWS DIRECTIVE!!!
In Newsweek, (issue dated September 12, 2005) New Orleans City Council President, Oliver Thomas even admitted to the fact that the city knew the levees wouldn't hold with such a surge as Katrina, they had even made a fictitious storm called "Hurricane Pam". Yet, during the crisis that struck our nation where did all those proposals, investigation, and help lie??? ON HIS DESK!!!! That is LOCAL LEVEL!!! And what about all the BILLIONS of dollars alloted to the state of Louisiana that the MAYOR HIMSELF spoke of on Oprah today WHERE IS THAT MONEY?? WHY wasn't that fund age released IMMEDIATELY to aid in the help ~ the MAYOR of NEW ORLEANS HIMSELF asked that question..........again not a PRESIDENTIAL decision!!! Yet, wait I see that finger just a waggling so quick to lay all this on the PRESIDENTS shoulders!!! So where do you as the average Jo blow come in???
Let us not forget while point fingers as everyone is so quick to do, what about the Governor of Louisiana who is IN CHARGE of calling in the National Guard for his state? Why since he was personally affected by losing his home did he not initiate that.......oh wait I know HA it is the President's fault. GROW UP PEOPLE!!!
This has turned so much into a point the finger at whom has wronged, and so many people are so quick to place Teflon on their bodies so the blame rolls off, that it is just easier I guess to blame the President. I guess, the President, in accordance to what I'm hearing and seeing is also responsible for mother nature Katrina!!! Which is just plain STUPID!!! Mother nature is an act of GOD not MAN!!!
Saying all of that to say what I really want to say........read now or stop I'm using this as a place to voice my thoughts and broken heart for other's whom have lost so much.
First off ~ this is so not racial ~ if you see color during this time of need of other's I pity you!!! These are individuals, regardless of race, they have lost their homes, their valuables, their treasured photo's and life long items, some family members, family pets, most of all all their hopes and dreams. Yet, I've read and watched other's more concerned on pointing blame. At least the one's I've heard trying to point blame on the TV have gone out and participated in helping those in need. What are the one's sitting inside the confides of their home, fixing dinner, watching this unfold on their TV ~ with running water, food, clothing, your own personal treasured items and the like. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HELP??? Other than a voice to speak out fault and point the finger!!! Are you making moves to move toward your closet for unworn garments regardless the size, are you getting in touch with agencies with your name on the list to take in a family or a person in need to live under your roof? Are you giving up be it a price for a pack of cig's or a bottle of alcohol and putting into the fund for any agency that if gathering money?
I'm so sick and tired of hearing how "the government is dictating too much in my life and they need to just let me live my life" and once something this major the next words out of those mouths are "the government isn't doing enough and doesn't care".....................let me just plainly say GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What have I done? I'm on two list of opening my home to be it one person or a family........can we afford it, no, do we have the room, not really, but you know what it isn't about me I have a home that I can offer to those at this time in their life does not!!! I'm also going to training with the Red Cross to be rather answering phones whatever is needed of me. I'm calling local business, from my own faith and heart, asking for their help of donating undergarments either for free or at a discounted price that I'd willing pay to allow as many people to have at least the dignity of being able to wear new undergarments and feel clean.
For those who place the blame solely on the Presidents shoulders rather via their own voice in private, internet or on the television air waves of "the buck stops at the President" ~ let me just say again GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For the buck to stop anywhere America is what is today LONG BEFORE PRESIDENT BUSH ~ there are committees in charge of all areas we have the ability to access. Brace yourselves NOT ALL REPUBLIC IAN RAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And for the President to act he has to receive the order to stop the buck!!!!!!!!!!
For those that have stated that the President doesn't care ~ can I ask you a question HAVE YOU WATCHED THE NEWS???? HAVE YOU WATCHED THE PRESIDENT HOLD AND CRY WITH THE VICTIMS????????????? If so, yeah I'll just plain say it, you saw what you WANTED TO SEE TO CRITIQUE!!!!
All those bashing the President explain to me how could he have controlled the raping of BABIES??? How could HE ALONE could have controlled gangs trying to over throw the government in states and cities to take over the towns and cities and firing on people trying to enter to help??? What you want those coming into help to be killed before you are happy..........(laughing sickly at those) knowing what you really want is for them to fire upon the President!!! For those again I PITY YOU ~ I hope and pray that you yourself or anyone in your family never falls upon such hard times, as in my anger I would say, you don't deserve the help you are so quickly to spit upon!!! But in my heart people just like me would over look that and open their homes to you and your family ~ rather financially able or not ~ it is called just plain HUMANE!!!!
Say what you will about the President, who am I fooling you will regardless, but I will state this. He is a God fearing man, he prays, he is human and he loves his follow man like all those who are ready to critise him. He is a proud Texan and state what you will about him, I'm PROUD to call him my President and that he stands for what he believes and show compasion, not blame, his feelings, to the point where other's call him an uneducated idioit, he is a MAN, A PROUD AMERICAN. Yet if we break it all down, he believes in God and that is what scares the majority of this nation!!! I'm proud to be a misplanted Texan right now and we will stand by our President and most importantly blame is irrevelant at this point ~ it is prayer and the true heart of man kind that will provide what America needs right now.
Two more things, if you are going to point a finger anywhere at least before you open your mouth to criticize at least be contributing SOMETHING in aid to the relief!!! And lastly...........
For those that are continually stating at one time in their life that they were proud to call themselves an American and now they feel they need to hang their head in shame. Those are the people I don't understand NOR DO I EVER WANT TO UNDERSTAND!!!!!!! Here is a piece of advice,if that is how you feel and you are so ashame to live this life MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! However I'm PROUD TO CALL MYSELF AN AMERICAN even more I'm PROUD to see so many regardless their living circumstances open their lives, homes, families, checkbooks and time to others ~ THAT IS WHAT IS AMERICA and if you are ashamed of that you don't deserve the life you are living in this country..........
DO NOT CAST THE FIRST STONE WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING THE FOUNDATION ON THAT NICE GLASS HOUSE YOU'RE SITTING IN
Jamie
Very well stated Jamie, very well stated. I have been glued to the TV for the last week. I cry a lot for what these people are going through but I'm damn tired of all the people blaming others, pointing fingers, bad mouthing the President.
Good Lord, this it one of the worse things that has ever happened in America and no matter how much training, how many mock drills, no one has any way of knowing how to react when it actually happens. I'm sure they are learning but it's like things like this just don't happen here.
I mean, it's America, we just don't have bad things like this happen. Excuse me, we aren't any better than any other country, things can, and we now know can happen here. No one could have been prepared and those who think they could have been, and say so, are liers.
I'm one that is very proud to be an American and very proud of the people that are giving their all to help. People are just over whelmed to say the least. Yea, even President Bush.
I think sometimes they need to declare open season on the New Media. Then I realize they are just doing their job.
I agree that it is not a racial thing, even though Jesse Jackson wants to make it one. You know I'm beginging to think the people that seem to want to blame everyone else really have a lot of guilt themselves for not doing their part sooner. I don't know..it's sad and it's not going to be better for a long time.
Thank you Jamie for sharing your thoughts.
Well I am not so fortunate (or maybe I am) to have been able to watch the TV with my school and work load. So alot of the Katrina issue is in the dark for me. Yes I know the damage, and yes I know the millions affected, but to have seen it on TV or be caught up in the pointing of fingers this nation is currently in, no I have not. While I agree or disagree with some of the things you said, nothing has rang more true in my ears than "this is not a racial issue!"
I am so glad someone finally spoke that point. (Before I state this let me point out that I am a single mother of one very beautiful BI-RACIAL daughter) We knew how big this was going to be days before Katrina struck, we knew the damage that was forseen ahead of time, wether you chose to get out or not is your own damn fault. Trust me I am not rich but come hell or high water my daughter and I would have walked if we had to get away from the hell that laid ahead of them with Katrina. However don't throw the racial card out there because now the damage has happened and it is taking time and MONEY to get you out of there. When you should have evacuated to begin with. Secondly it is "black" people *that I have seen in the news* looting the stores. And not once have I seen one of them with something helpful in their hands. A car loaded from front, back, and trunk with cases of beer .... people running from stores with 5 pairs of Nikes .... sloshing through thigh high water with arms full of name brand clothes .... dragging a 27' inch TV through a flooded parking lot .... I stop here to ask myself are these the things I would be doing in a crisis situation right now HELL NO! Now I will stat I have not seen pictures of others races or cultures doing this, wether that is media or facts I will leave you to your own opinion. However if it were me food, water, shelter, my daughter clean clothes is what I would be looking for. What is 5 pairs of Nikes going to get you, nothing but robbed by the person who didn't get his/her turn to loot the store and feel they are owed something.
I will agree Jaime that Hurricane Katrina was not a man made crisis, it was an act of nature. So in all reality not one person is owed anything. If anything they should be greatful they have life and spend the time they have looking for lost loved ones and trying to rebuild what mother nature selfishly took away. Not looting stores because you can and then have the nerve to turn around and ask for help after finishing your "looting" spree.
All I can say, as I am sure this will offend so many, grow up and quit using the recial card as an object of defense. I will never teach my daughter to use the racial card as an excuse. She is in control of her own destiny regardless of race!!!!!
My point here is not to offend but to voice my opinion about something that has affected me from the tragedy! Sorry Jaime to have vented this much here, but what better place than your blog!