In the aftermath of the immediate death and destruction of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of Americans are struggling to hang onto their lives in a place where there is no water, no food and no help. The actions taken by the Federal government and FEMA have been inadequate at best and criminally negligent and inexcusable at worst. While people are dying waiting for food and water, the decision-makers gawk and stare at what is becoming the defining moment of President Bush's already tenuous turn at the helm of this great country.
I still believe President Bush handled the tragedies of September 11th incredibly well and I was proud to have him as our President during that tough time. I stand with him in the war in Iraq, even though his reasoning is questionable to say the least. It is now however that I must step away from the side of the President and point my finger at him and say "Shame on you!".
To sit in your comfortable leather chair, in your air conditioned office, surrounded by people who are at your beckon call, able to grab a bite to eat or swallow a mouthful of ice cold water at any moment and say that "I think there ought to be zero tolerance of people breaking the law during an emergency such as this, whether it be looting..." when asked about people stealing shoes to cover their torn up bare feet is a disgrace.
These people have gone through hell on earth. Some of them have barely escaped the hurricane with their lives! And you're going to sit there and condemn some of them for breaking into a store that it utterly destroyed, with all of it's contents damaged and unsuitable for sale when they are trying to merely clothe themselves?!?
You have stepped way beyond the limits of decency and respect for these people who are living in a terrible situation.
Is looting wrong in a time of crisis?
There are two sides to that answer.
I believe that if people are stealing necessities for life then it is understandable - particularly when their government is not providing them with those necessities, regardless of what that government is saying. If the government cannot provide the immediate assistance that these people need to live, then they have every right to fend for themselves and find those needs wherever they may be.
However, it is indeed wrong of people to take advantage of the situation and take things which are non-essential to life. The big screen tvs, computers and jewelry have no direct tie to survival. So if a person is taking these items, then I believe it becomes a punishable offense.
The way I see it is that the people who were dumb enough to steal these other useless things during this time will be reaping what they've sown very soon. The people who went and took food and water will be around to watch as these other hooligans die while hugging their new 27 inch plasma tv. Realistically, these same hooligans are most likely the same people roaming the streets causinbg all sorts of mayhem and trouble in an already desperate situation.
Back to my point...
The government has failed the people of the coastal cities effected.
No words or committees will ever change that fact.
While the politicians pounded their chests and wondered what should be done, the people in these places struggled to keep their heads above water and did what they had to in order to extend their lives. These people have heroically lived through an amazing ordeal already and have done everything they can to by their government more time to save them. The government has not responded in turn.
All day yesterday I watched and read reports of the calamity that is the New Orleans Convention Center, with somewhere around 20,000 people stranded there without food and water. All day long reporters talked to these people and presented their plite to the world in print, on television and on the internet. And yet, the government acts as if it had never heard of the situation until late last night. These people ended up at this place because the government officials told them to go there!
Mr. President, if you can explain to me why the military could not fly one of its many helicopters over to the Convention Center and simply dropped a pallet of water to these people I would love to hear it.
Mr. President, if you can tell me why the people at the Superdome are getting carted 350 miles to a new shelter that has had to start turning them away, I would be most interested.
Mr. President, if you can enlighten me as to how these people are suppose to survive without taking the necessities from these places where they exist, I would gladly listen.
Mr. President, if you are so concerned for the plight of these people, then why haven't you been down there on th eground yet? I seem to remember you being at Ground Zero in New York City sooner than this...
Mr. President, if I were a resident of one of these cities that have been ravaged and you came walking down the street now to give me a pat on the back, a bottle of water and offered to hold my child in your arms, I would deny you that priviledge. In fact, although I would want to hit you and dunk you under the murky water for a moment to give you a sense of what I had lived through, I wouldn't. It wouldn't be worth the price that I would have to pay for that moment. I would simply turn and walk away.
Mr. President, the government has failed these people.
The Mayor of New Orleans has stated it.
The Governor of Louisiana has stated it.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown stated it.
Quit trying to deny it.
Start trying to fix it.
People are dying.
It's a shame that such a mismanaged "Relief Effort" could take place in our nation in this day and age.
It's an insult to the men and women who are despeartely trying to offer assistance to these people but do not have the resources, manpower and permission to do so.
It is appalling to think that people who are so obviously in need of simple supplies could be allowed to die in front of the cameras while pleading for help.
Mr. President, if you were in your first term of office and were running for re-election, I would oppose you at every turn.
Mr. President, like you I have "zero tolerance" for some things too...
Empty words...
Broken promises...
Destroyed families...
Lack of sympathy...
Lack of love...
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