Katrina

Natural disasters bring out the best and the worst in people.

The best is the outpouring of money, goods, prayers, offers of shelter, education, food, and all other assistance.

The worst are the criminals that rape, beat, murder fellow refugees, shoot at those rescuers there to help, steal TV's in an area with no hope of electricity for quite awhile, etc.....

So what's a society to do? We can only do our best, pray that the worst will be resolved and that the rescuers don't throw up their hands in dismay and just leave.

Listening to the news people, you would think that the government should have been there with magic to produce food, water, flushing toilets, instant electricity and thousands of buses, gased and waiting to move thousands of people who had refused to move when told to leave before the stomes struck. I heard one go so far as to accuse President Bush of no caring. Of course he neglected to mention that the President had already declared a state of emergency for 3 states and asked Congress for money BEFORE KATRINA STRUCK. Congress didn't approve the money until 4 days AFTER the hurricane.

Police and Fire fighters, FEMA workers and National Guard are all there to help. More are arriving everyday. The Red Cross has members from all over the country manning the shelters set up for refugees. They have food, water, meds, blankets and a shoulder to cry on. In time of disaster that is what we, as Americans, do to help. We do it for other countries, we do it for our own. So why are there people on TV screaming that we don't care, that they have been forgotten? NFL stars, singers, actors and others with ties to the areas hit are publicly and generously lending what help they can, yet so many people are "angry" according to the media.

I think, and this is just my opinion, that if the media would just shut up and let the pictures talk, maybe people would be more willing than they already are to help with money and supplies. The media only makes people angry - either at the government or at the victims. This was a NATURAL DISASTER. They happen. You can't stop them. All we can do is respond. Not instantly, just respond.

Oh, and by the way, New Orleans was not the only place wiped out. Lots of small towns, moderately sized cities, were totally wiped out. The magnitude is beyond imagining. The response is massive and will never be enough for some. Thanks and gratitude seem to be in short supply - according to the media. I prefer not to believe that. I believe that people are grateful and know that everything that can be done, is being done and is on the way.