GUSTAV is headed to the good ole USA and hopefully will fizzle out, but I don't think so. The only Gustav I know is Gustav Stickley and he's been gone for awhile, although some people still enjoy his style.
AMERICA has some dirty little secrets and Katrina is one. It is the one I wish to discuss today. How can we forgot? It seems as though we have. The federal government committed to help with finances and relocation and we all know how that went, don't we? I don't know a single person who didn't dig into their pockets and send a little cash the way of Katrina's victims. What good did it do? Katrina was a disaster before it even hit land. From the mayor on up to the President..........so is it about to happen again? I hope not.
"Good job Brownie" didn't quite cut it. It made our president look foolish, aloof and uninformed and THAT he was. His photo oportunites in the following days didn't help.
Bless Anderson Cooper's heart He is one of the few who gave a commitment to the people of New Orleans to continue to report progress or lack thereof. He still goes down there monthly. The truth of the matter is New Orleans is still not back to normal and is far from it. Do you think for a minute if this area had not been poor, minority and disadvantaged area the evacuation plan wouldn't have been different? I was shocked to learn that Mayor Ray Nagin was re-elected, but I understand why. It's all of game of who do you trust............one of your own and somebody you don't know. After all, the people who voted for him did hear him say to the federal government, "Get off your asses and do something!" We all know how the evacuation went. We all know how relocation went also. We all know how the rebuilding is going and how people are all flocking back there to rebuild their homes. We all know that basically these people were destroyed not only by Katrina but also a promise from the government.
My oldest son has a fraternity brother that I didn't quite know what to think of.........he finally got married and settled down, but still had a streak of "wild" in him. He has always been very respectful of me, but I always thought he indulged a little too much. The thing that I didn't like about him is that he is the most racist person I know. It was embarrassing to hear him talk and he would never quiet himself down. When my son was married, his best man was a black man who is a wonderful person. It didn't come to blows, but needless to say, I'm sure his fraternity brother was not happy that he wasn't in the wedding party. Since he brought his new bride with him, he stayed in check........although I know it probably killed him. I would never say anything to him, although at times, his racism was extremely blatant. You ask why I didn't speak up....because it's never stopped me before? Well, it seems as though he has a very high position in government. When we first got our home in Arizona 15 yrs ago, it took 2 weeks to get the telephone people to finally come out and install the lines to our house. Within 2 minutes the phone rang and it was the fraternity buddy. OK, we had a private line........but this guy had our number and more than likely was responsible for getting the line installed. He has a badge (a big one) he carries a gun (a big one) and he can carry one on an airplane or anywhere in the world and he isn't afraid to use it. He as escorted some of the most prominent people in the world to various places. He has a very interesting life and a very interesting job. Even my son, does not know the extent of his government job. We do know NOT to ask.
Now you may think I've gotten off track, but no I haven't. I'll try to explain everything and when I do, I'll only pray that the post is not magically lost forever and 2 officials show up at my door. Notice that I have not used his last OR first name.
Let's call him MIKE.....ok, so Mike shows up in town to be with my son and another frat brother. They notice there is a change in this republican, Rambo shit slinging, minority hating man. He has softened, but can this be true? Does he have a brain tumor or a fatal disease with only moments to live? Nope, but he did have a life changing, light bulb going off moment. That moment was KATRINA.
He was one of the (if not THE) first government officials in there. He was there before Bush ever said, "Good job Brownie." He went in with full body armor. He pulled the most poverty stricken minorities out of water, homes, roofs, makeshift boats....you name it, he did it. This staunch tough man with the strength of Goliath, saw what life is really about. It was survival of the fittest. His quote was, "If they are a United States citizen then they deserve the best that the government has to offer on day 1, not day 4........case closed!" He wept when he talked about the elderly and the children. He is the one who said the Bush F-d up. I don't care what party affiliation you are currently with, I think if you saw what he saw and had to do what he did............and know the truth from that vantage point, you would feel the same. Did he shoot people? Yes, he had to. He was also at the dome. Did he save people, yes he did...........and he experienced what gratitude is really about and survival is really about. He was grateful that he survived. His experience is more than I can ever tell you about. He is no longer a racist and he is no longer a G.Bush fan. Can't say as I blame him. It's funny how life's circumstance can change a person........for the better.
This post is not to post my political beliefs nor is it intended to persuade you to vote one way or another. It is a story of Katrina and it is a story of a man I didn't think could ever change but did. Miracles do happen.
So I pray that Gustav stays away. If not, then I hope the United States Corps of Engineers has rebuilt the levees, but it's not looking good.
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14 comments:
WOW!!! THANK YOU for this story! i'm so grateful something changed this man! my father used to be a racist too until he became a preacher or his wife changed him or something i really don't know what really happened to change him but he has changed sum this is a wonderful story Anne i'm sooooo happy you shared it let's hope Gustav doesn't do the same damage maybe it's time to move New Orleans? i send you much love & hugz for your courage to share this~kbear
Wow. People can change...even the most bigoted racist ones. What a fantastic entry Anne.
I hope as you do that the levee's are fixed, and that they can hold back the storm surge. I've heard from someone...I can't remember who, but they were from Louisiana, and an official of some kind, and she said that she didnt believe that they would hold. I hope she's wrong. I just saw the news a while ago, and it looks like Gustav isn't as strong as he was...but, he still has time to strengthen. I only hope he doesn't.
Loved this entry girlfriend...
Connie
sometimes my faith in the core goodness of humans is restored. thanks for sharing this, anne. people can change, usually due to horrific eye-openers. thanks, again; debra
Nothing about my past politics, nothing about my life, or what I want my personal life to be, ever stops me from looking at good & seeing at as good & looking at evil & seeing it as evil. I might not always like what I see, but I do like GROWTH, esp mine.
Wonderful post. ~Mary
I'm glad you shared this story with your readers. I hope more people have that light bulb moment, but I hope it doesn't take another Katrina tragedy to bring it on.
Lori
This is a great post, well-written, and I can certainly understand your point of view....
but (here's the inevitable "but")
To date, Hurricane Katrina has cost the American government well over $300 Billion. After three years, perhaps it's time for the "victims" to get up off their lazy asses and help rebuild their OWN city!
My cousin lived in Homestead, FL during Hurricane Andrew and NOBODY helped her after her home was destroyed. She & her family did EVERYTHING themselves.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.......Jon
A fine entry and it looks like the gulf states are going to fare better with Gustav than they did with Katrina. New Orleans seemed to be much better prepared this time but they need to stop relying on total government help and start pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps. I think a mix of federal help along with them helping themselves will be the right financial dosage.
Jimmy
For all the bureaucratic bungles we can blame on our alphabet agencies, there's one fact that seems to be eluding everyone except geologists: We shouldn't be building on unstable land, we should NEVER have drained the gulf wet-swamplands, and we certainly shouldn't be trying to do it all over again. Nature rules. CATHY
http://journals.aol.com/luddie343/DARETOTHINK/
Anne, my belief in the omnipotence of the USA was shattered by Katrina. They've done well in coping with Gustav - it appears they've learned their lessons. However, it being not as serious as previously foreseen, would the complacency return?
I loved this entry.
My husband and I love New Orleans, but the sad truth is that the poverty level there has always been and still is horrifying. I think they've done a lot of good work with rebuilding, and rethinking their school system, but when you get away from the tourist areas like the French Quarter and the Garden District, it's not always a pretty place.
What an amazing story to hear of your son's friend that was profoundly and deeply changed by what he saw right after Katrina. It's easy to condemn from far away, but when thrust into the thick of such misery, apparently it's not quite as easy to dismiss such poverty and horrible conditions.
I'm glad I visited and saw this entry.
All my best,
Beth
Thanks for sharing this story. I wish more people in high places were affected in the way Mike was. A small silver lining on a very dark cloud.
Thank God for men like your son whose dedication is so inspiring. Thanks to you as well for sharing this story. I look forward to more! Sue
It's sad that it took that much to turn Mike human, but at least he did learn from that situation and grew as a man.
xoxo
Although I didn't have the opportunity to travel to New Orleans, my prayers were certainly there. I still have the sight of all of tose school buses standing in the flood waters, totally useless and people unable to leave the city. New Orleans is slowly rebuilding, but the demographics are changing. The poor or nearly -poor can't afford to rebuild, or the rent on places newly built. It will be sociologically (is that a word?) interesting to see what New Orleans looks like in twenty years. Paulette
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