Thursday, August 30, 2007

"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

Incorrect! It's the second anniversary of the Katrina disaster. New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf is slowing rebuilding but there is so much more to be done.

I hope the local, state and federal goverments have learned from the completely inexcusable breakdown that occurred. Yes natural disasters do happen but how you react to them shows your true character. That the authorities spent more time pointing fingers while the Superdome erupted into chaos and dead people floated in the streets, is not acceptable in the world's richest country.

There have been many incredible stories however, of ordinary citizens helping along with various corporations that donated material and their employees who came to down to the Gulf to help. I was volunteering with the Hollywood Boys and Girls club and the girls made care packages to send to one of the Boys and Girls clubs that had lost everything. I do remember one of the 11- year-old girls saying my decorated tote was boring. I told Miss Thing I was going for a modern look not Rococo.

One of my closest friends is living in New Orleans full time. She recently opended the Louisiana office of Share of Strength, an anti-hunger non-profit based in Washington D.C. Her emails are hopefully and at times heart breaking as she talks about what is going on.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

tracey k in ohio: good morning! I was watching evening news last nite on Katrina & agree that there's a long way to go & also agree that they way things were (or weren't) handled was a HUGE fiasco! It's hard for me to watch the folks that live in the grandiose homes & eat @ the fine diners & party, while the lower wards are completely wiped out w/no action being taken to rebuild. But it was heartwarming to see the schools are reopened w/98% better attendance than pre-Katrina, employment has risen & folks that truly loved their wounded neighborhoods are moving back in & repairing as a community. May God bless them all!

Roam2Rome said...

It is completely mind boggling trying to understand how this inexcusable breakdown was allowed to take place!

I'm out of words on this subject, it's just off the scale... too sad.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

Tracey K. - Amen!

roam 2 rome - I know. I had to stop watching Spike's documentary at one point, I became so upset.

Jen said...

There's an amazing blog by New Orleans resident. He's had some heart wrenching and hopeful posts, recently. He's quite a writer:

http://ambassadorken.blogspot.com/

I was also listening to something on NPR tonight that talks about the fact that the Bush administration's handling of the aftermath of Katrina was the real start of its demise (although I'd credit that start with the invasion of Afghanistan/Iraq.

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

I find it truly impossible to wrap my head around how much devastation there still is and how much work still needs to be done--2 years on. Incredible, and not in the good way.

Thanks to Jen above for that link.