Just Where Do You Draw The Line?

I would venture to say I am a mostly ordinary average white guy. I wake in the morning and have my coffee and my breakfast, I take my daily dose of meds that cost waaaaay too much and try to have some semblace of a "NORMAL" life.I turn on the television and I hear people accusing my leaders of doing horrible things to people because of their color,I hear stories of available aid not delivered because it is a seriously democratic constituancy and we have in place a republican government.I hear the suits tell me that there is anarchy in the streets. Young able bodied people are raping,looting,killing, people of their own race and any others. I hear stories about help being availabe and it was turned away because it was not ordered by the appropriate people. Food and drink and being witheld from starving, dying people by a government that is supposed to bring aid in times of strife.I hear these stories at every turn of the channel at every twist of the dial at each page I turn. these horror stories are being shouted at me.
I can`t believe it ..........I WON'T believe it. I live in a ethnicly mixed neighborhood and in the space of time that I have lived hereI have been through two major disasters, I have been evacuated from my house by boat. I have had a fire that could of cost us all our lives . I point this out to show you that I am no stranger to calamity . No newcomer to the twists of fate that are delt us.I have not seen in my personell experiences what they are showing me on the tv. I have not heard what they are shouting at me on the radio.
I have HEARD genuine offers of help, I have SEEN my neighbors show up and help all day in horrible jobs like shovelling the muck of the river mud out of my basement.I have personally FELT the pats on my back reassuring me that although it seems impossible things will return to normal. I have had my FAITH in man boosted to the point where I no longer sweat anything. The help,the neighbors, the family, the government,the red cross, the salvation army will be there. They will do as good a job as they can with what they have.
So why the discrepancy? Why the blatent differences in responses to a citizens need? I don`t want to say it is racisim, because it isn`t, I don`t want to say it is politics, because it isn't.I don`t want to sa it is unpreparedness because it isn't. What I will say is we got hit with a horrible storm. It was way beyond anything we were/are/will be prepared to cope with.Man in his over abundance of ego cannot hope to stand up to Mother Nature. If a flood is what she wants a flood she will have, or a fire ,or a earthquake, or a volcano erupting.We are visitors here at her willingness to suffer us.
Now forget all the name calling/finger pointing crap and lets help our brothers and sisters get over this latest of calamitys.

ENORMOUS 

I Couldn't Believe My Eyes.

When you take in the enormity of the special venom of Katrina,it is mind boggeling when you realize that the area affected is larger in square miles than Great Britton,it kinda sinks in how intimidating getting much needed aid to the area truly is.There are almost 1,ooo,ooo homeless people.These people are spread over a large area so it is extreemly difficult to set up a concerted response to a specific need.Not only do the victims need a variety of services the responders have need of shelter and food and transportation to and from the affected areas.There is also a huge requirement for service vehicles and the fuel to run them, the operators with the skill set to use them properly, and the ancillary support system to make sure they don't break down and if they do, the people to tow, repair,supply the parts must be in place.All this and more moved from God knows where to the area to help these people.
I am chagrined to hear people play the race card and suggest that the respose was less than it could of been because the victims were black.I wish you folks would open your eyes and realize the enormity of what has happened here and realize that no one could of responded faster than what was evident in Katerinas' wake.
I've heard people say that George Bush didn't act fast enough. The truth of the matter is that it is up to the Governors of the affected areas to solicit the aid of the Federal Gov. Otherwise it would be interfering with the states rights.
This job is huge and there are going to be errors in many areas of this recovery but please people, don't cry race on this .We are all Americans . We are all helping Americans, and we will all come out of this a stronger Nation.