Hurricane Katrina...

[kentuckygalrk]

For those of you living in the United States... I'm sure you've heard.
Those of you living in other countries who may not know, parts ofLouisiana and Mississippi have been completely and utterly devastated by the Hurricane that struck Monday. Entire cities are literally underwater,1000sare now homeless, thosewho's homes withstood the winds arewithout power and 1000's are feared dead. I've been watching my tv and it is terrifying to know that people are going through this.


I hope that none of you have family and friends from that area, but if you do, please know that they are in my constant thoughts and prayers. My uncle's entire family is from Louisiana and the last they heard from his sister on Sunday night his 18 year old nephew was very ill and in a hospital in downtown New Orleans (which is now completely under water). So they were unable to evacuate. No one can get through to anyone because phone lines are down... and knowing that so many are dead... we can really only pray. They expect families to be without power for months... and those hundreds of thousands who lost their homes will have to completely start over. This is the worst natural disaster in the U.S. in MANY, MANYyears... no one could have been prepared...
There's little or no food, no water, no where to seek shelter,they're now saying they are afraid of epedemics like cholera and thyphoid fever... this is scary...


so please... if you don't mind... please say some prayers...
It's so hard to even watch the television without crying. While not nearly the widespread destruction... to the communities it struck it reminds me so much of the tsunami...


~RachelEdited by: kentuckygalrk

[bexcelica]

im so sorry your uncles family is down there. ill keep his nephew
in my thoughts, along with the rest of his family. i heard they
airlifted everyone from the hospital. hopefully they got him. best to
you

[crystalmom]

We have heard alot here in Canada, and it makes front page news in our newspapers too. Everyone affected by this is so horrible and they are in my prayers (although I don't pray very often, I am now). This is horrid, and reminds me so much of 9/11 only b/c it couldn't really be foreseen with great accuracy.


I hope you find all your relatives well, as soon as possible.


Crystal[img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]

[shaunnaaa]

I'm sorry about that.It's a very sad thing to happen. [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]My friend Gordon is also there right now on holiday.

[tcsarah]

I think it's on the news all the time everywhere - it certainly is here in UK - it's such a horrible disaster. My heart goes out to all those effected, the ones who have lost family and friends and everything they own has been wiped out. I can only imagine how utterly devasting that is.

[babygap5]

My heart and prayers are with all the people of the South. It upsets me even more that the US is always there for every other country, big and small, with money. Yet, these are US CITIZENS and people are not getting the help they need from THEIR OWN COUNTRY!!! These people have been suffering for a week, and help is just getting to them now? Oh well, my little opinion isn't going to change anything, I just thought I would vent a little.

[samara's on tv]

I heard today that the mayor or govenor or someone said they were going to SHOOT TO KILL any looters. I can't believe this happened it's terrible!When I go to my parent's house they have the news on, that's all they do is watch the news. I'm sorry about your family being there, they are in my prayers.


~Monica

[kentuckygalrk]

Well I heard from my aunt tonight and they finally heard from her husbands family... all of them are safe and well in his mother's home in Lafayette. His sister and nephew from New Orleans by the grace of God were able to get out of the hospital and out of the city... I'm still not sure exactly how they did. They're sure his sister's house is gone... but they have their lives and that's what matters now.


As far as this disaster... that is truly what it is and nothing less. Our country's government(I'm not naming names, I'm saying as a whole) was about as unprepared for the devastation as any country could be and Americans are up in arms. I can't believe that elderly people and children literally died in the streets from dehydration because no one was sending help. New Orleans police officers were standing there in tears because they couldn't do anything to help... and where were the troops, the guards, the rienforcement. Just today... four days later they FINALLY sent in the National Guard with food and water. Sadly too late for many.
I have watched video and tv in the last two days that just turns your stomach... I've cried more than I've cried in I don't know how long.


This is by far the saddest most horrible tragedy I've EVER seen in my life... and the saddest part is the outcome keeps getting worse instead of better. While 9/11 brought us together as a country... this is tearing this country apart bymaking the people realize what we really don't have... a government by the people, FOR the people... the AMERICAN PEOPLE!
Bush and the Homeland Securityare still focused on Iraq and the war overseas... when there are people dying right here in our own nation by the 1000's... It's time to bring the focus back home... these people need help RIGHT NOW...


I'm sorry to rant... but it's disheartening and disturbing... it really is...
~Rachel

[ontariogirl]

I have been watching the coverage on CNN and it is so sad watching all these people having no homes left. I watched Arron Brown last night and he was getting angry how Pres. Bush isn't acting fast enough. I watched people looting the stores, seeing dead bodies on the sidewalk it just breaks my heart.
I have heard that Canada is helping out.
One person that they interviewed said that the government was there when 9/11 happened no thoughts about it, but with us he said they are taking there time.
Another person said, yes we are black people, we are humans they don't give a s*** about us. How sad is that!!!!!!

[sage]

Rachel,


I'm with you in these thoughts. I've been glued to the tv. CNN doesn't even report the worst of it [I swear they're "bought out" by your govenment]. And is Fox News even covering it? Here in Canada and the BBC have much better coverage.


Anyway, what a complete social injustice! And America is supposed to be "the greatest country in the world"??? They're also the richest country in the world, so there isn't a lot any other country can do. We can send PEOPLE there (and we are) but as for money - that's crazy...the USA has most of the world's money as it is.


It's like the social injustice of America is finally being seen by the world. All those poor, starving, desperate, jobless, angry people...99% of them black I might add....isn't that what America is really like ALL THE TIME? It's as though a veil has been pulled back, and now the nation can really see itself for what it is.


And don't get me wrong ...I'm no "America-hater". I have lots of relatives in the US and have travelled there extensively, and there's lots that's good about it. Lots of good, charitable, caring people too. But this is a "snapshot" of your country's real troubles.


I wonder if Washington, DC had a similar disaster if we'd see 1,000,000 white, middle-class people homeless and dying of dehydration with their dying babies in their arms? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IT!!!


Okay, I'm finished ranting. On Wednesday night I'm holding a prayer vigil at my church - and we will show video to keep everyone informed as well as pray and light candles. The heart of Canadian people is torn apart by this - we really do care. I think we will be among the millions of volunteers who reach out to help. This will be months of intense focus, and years of problem-solving afterward.


I think it's cool that Fidel Castro has offered to help on such a large scale. Perhaps a disaster like this can bring even Americans and Communists together.

[kentuckygalrk]

Okay, I'm finished ranting. On Wednesday night I'm holding a prayer vigil at my church - and we will show video to keep everyone informed as well as pray and light candles. The heart of Canadian people is torn apart by this - we really do care. I think we will be among the millions of volunteers who reach out to help. This will be months of intense focus, and years of problem-solving afterward.


I think it's cool that Fidel Castro has offered to help on such a large scale. Perhaps a disaster like this can bring even Americans and Communists together.

No really... by all means, rant away...


As Americans some feel like we are the only ones who can speak out freely aboutour country but I say feel free to speak out too... it needs to be heard!!!!


And THANK YOU SO MUCH for all that you are doing, to all of you in other countries... I can't tell you how wonderful it is to see and hear that you are out there helping us... even though in all honesty we shouldn't need it. We never should have spent 400 billion dollars on the war in Iraq... we should have that money here, RIGHT NOW, for OUR PEOPLE!!


And as for Castro and Cuba... I'm going to bet that it won't do anything for America and Communism because Bush is completely ignoring the offers and will continue... something about he doesn't want to give the terrorists the idea that we will tolerate their existance I'm sure...


The people in New Orleans are poor yes, and they are, the huge majority black and this could very well be why they didn't respond... I do not know, I just know it is disgusting and cruel. This, the very same country, with the very same government and the very same people who made such a huge spectacle of the brain dead woman being taken off live support and "dehydrated" to death just allowed dozens of elderly individuals and babies to do the same... it's sick... it's shameful... it's sad...


You are right... CNN is not showing the devastating news... they really aren't at all... I don't know what's up, but NBC and MSNBC are ripping the governments (both state and federal) up one side and down the other. The recorded the videos of the convention center where FEMA claimed they didn't even know people were until Thursday (an NBC reporter asked him why the h*ll he hadn't been watching the news???) People are STILL being rescued from rooftops of homes... I just can't believe the devastation... it really looks like a third world country and it's hard to believe its only a fewhundred miles away... I can only imagine the diseases and the sickness and everything that will come of this.


We have survivors here in Kentucky now and some 40 students from universities in the disaster areaswill be transfering to UK and EKU and other colleges... if there's one thing that's amazed me in all of this it's the response of the American people and the other state governments. I'm amazed at the kindness ofcorporations and the kindness of human beings. People nationwide areopening their homes to survivors and their hearts to the victims... it's amazing... it really is. It's the only ray of hope in all of this.


The most we can do is keep praying for all involved... and hope this gets better REALLY soon
~Rachel


Edited by: kentuckygalrk

[crystalmom]

As a Canadian, and the daughter of an "anti-american (although I have NEVER harboured bad thoughts towards the US), I am shocked and saddened by how the US governement have been lacking in support. Yet, when 9/11 happened they were right there (war opportunity perhaps???). I do have a thing against Mr. Bush, and think that the other guy should have won, but seriously, what is the president thinking? War!!!!!!!!! This man is only concerned with his place in the history books. And the war he caused, and for no real reason (have any nuclear weapons ever found?).


Anyway, enough of my ranting too! My thoughts are with the American people and my heart goes out to all those who have been devestated by this horrible tragedy.


Crystal

[2jo2]

I had to reply too. My blood boils that those poor people were made to live amongst sewage, dead bodies, contaminated flood water, with no food or water for days, left to die and to revert to a primitive survival mode right here in the United States. I felt like I was watching and reading about something out of the book of Revelations, or from the Lord of the Flies. I don't doubt for a second that had this been anywhere that the current leaders actually care about, that things would have been done so much quicker. We sent all kinds of aid to the tsunami victims last December much quicker, and I'm not saying those people didn't deserve to be saved. It cannot be clearer to me, and I hope it is clear to all those who are blinded by the "conservative christian" front, that it's wrong wrong wrong to send all our resources overseas and have our own soil be vulnerable. It's disgusting. God bless all those affected by the hurricane.

[chicajojobe]

Oh I don't mind you ranting either Sage.



To me this is just the final indisputable evidence of how incompetent
and out of touch with reality a lot of the people in government
positions are.

On Friday when I started watching the news coverage of the victims it
made me feel physically ill. I actually had to force myself to find
something else to do so that I could forget long enough to feel better.

The most powerful videos to me were the ones of people from Louisiana
like mayors, parish presidents, and police chiefs who when interviewed
would rant and swear and cry. These are people who are in political
professions so they have had years of "camera talk" and public
realtions and keeping face, so for them to break down like that and be
just so frank you have to know it's bad.



What is probably the worse are stories I've heard about people who aren't affected and how uncaringly some react.......

My dad said that someone he works made a comment that "we should send more prisoners there."

Friends of mine have told me that they heard people compare this to Soddom and Gemorrha.

A lot of the political cartoons target the looters instead of FEMA who
basically caused the looting because they refused to let the Red Cross
or The Coast Guard send in food and supplies because they thought that
would encourage people to stay!



I'm so saddened because so many people have had to die due to bad
judgement, and because this is going to be remembered as an
embarrassment for my country. Right now even I feel the need to tell
everyone who comes here and isn't from the United States that what I
talked about above is by no means the attitude of all Americans.
They're isolated incidents, I promise!

[sage]

It seems now that some time has passed, there are millions of people outraged and an investigation will be launched. Meanwhile, the energy and focus is on fixing this problem and helping the people as best they can.


I would urge everyone reading these posts to donate what you can to the Red Cross or to help in some other way to the relief effort. No donation is too small. If you can send 10 dollars, then do that. When you have another 10, send it again.


Oh ya - and put pressure on your government to revamp the entire system!

[aguerra29]

I don't know how much you all see of what is going on in Houston. I am in Houston and I must say many of us are worried. Houston was not the "highest class" of people to begin with. We had out share of welfare folks, but now...... It is very, very sad that these people are left homeless, it really is. But why should Houston bear the brunt of this? 4000 sickly kids are going to attend our schools with our healthy kids. They are not making these kids get shots/vaccinations. Right now if you want to volunteer to help, you have to work a 10 hour shift. And that is with it fresh on our minds. WHat about in a month? Houston does not have an overabundance on unskilled jobs available. I guess maybe when the illegal immigrants go to Louisiana to be a part of the rebuild (many of the illegal immigrants work for the various homebuilders and construction companies), we will need the increased level of unskilled laborers. My husband and I want to take a needy family in, but we have heard of so many stories where a family opened their home to a small family and that family invited everyone they new to join them. We have donated money, clothes, and want to donate our time. THis is truly a horrible situation. I am just concerned how Houston is going to turn out because of this. Governor Perry is trying to stop any more refugees from coming in and is trying to send them to other states that are willing to help, but they don't want to go.
There are so many people at fault for this situation and I hope the FEMA Director goes down. I also hope this ultimately makes Bush look bad. I cannot stand Bush or anything he stands for.
Well, sorry that turned into a angry post, I guess I had a little bit to get off my chest.

[aguerra29]

Me again. This is going to sound weird, but I am more upset and concerned about the displaced and abandoned animals then I am the people in the Astrodome. I see those wet dogs in trees and I just start to cry. Is there something wrong with me?

[2jo2]

aguerra29, there's nothing at all wrong with you. Animals are so close to my heart and that is how I chose to contribute. I too, saw the video of dogs stuck in trees waiting to be rescued, of dogs on roofs, rummaging through garbage on the streets, looking out windows in houses.... it breaks my heart. There are many organizations that help animals in these types of situations, and if it moves you, go to www.noahswish.org or www.hsus.organd see what they're doing in the affected areas.

[zane2673]

It's become apparently clear that as a nation we were unprepared for this kind of natural disaster. I've heard the comparsions to 9/11 and the only similarity I see is we weren't prepared. I remember the days before 9/11 and never in my day to day life did I think someday there will be a group of individuals who will take over airplanes and smash them into buildings. Who else would seriously think like that unless you were one of the perpetrators? Post 9/11, I now think of worst case scenarios to be prepared for, so I'm not surprised again. Being that I'm a normal person who respects and cherishes life I probably haven't thought of the worst possiblities. Hurricane Katrina was a terrible act of nature. Hopefully, in our lifetime we will never see a repeat of this magnitude, but who's to say, hurricane season is not over, and we don't know whatour future hurricane season's may bring.


The United State failed on many fronts in this disaster it started at the local level, to the state level, and then to the federal government. There are to many departments and to many chiefs. All standing around waiting for the other to say something before anything is done.The federal goverment in the future should have the authority to override the state goverment in anemergency situation and take over and not wait for state authorities to say what they need. In the future when they say evacuate, get the people out that don't have the means to get out on there own. The buses should have been there when they knew that Katrina was such a deadly storm, not after.


I got pissed at Bush for taking this smug attitude last week that the US will take care of it's own, and then not taking full advantage of the offers from around the world that came pouring in to assist. He only let up when he saw the magnitude of the situation before saying yeah, we do need help. It was humbling to hear that some countries that have so little were trying to help us out in our time of need because in the past we had helped them and now they wanted to return the favor.


We're a country that has lot of money and a lot of resources atour disposable, but if this disaster has shown us anything is that we aren't any different from any other civilized country in the world. We don't walk around as doom days sayers looking for the darkest cloud with the most horrific results. We live our lives to be happy and free, and when something like this happens it gets you in the gut to know that just because you live in US it doesn't make you impervious to things that plague other people all around the world.


The silver lining in this may be to realize that regardless of all the nastiness in the world, there are more loving and caring people everywhere who see someone in need and help. To those of you who are in the vincinty to help I respect you greatly. For those of us who can't get into the middle of it but have donated money or goods, we are to be commended as well for caring about ourfellow man.