It has been a year since Katrina slammed ashore in the Gulf Coast. Not only did she tear apart neighborhoods, businesses, and lives; Katrina ripped opened a scab. A concretion that has been trying to cover the fact that race and class issues still exist, and our government, from the local level to D.C., is incompetent and cares more about building a “democracy” in Iraq than building harmony at home.
On August 29, 2005 and the days following, Mayor Nagin cursed FEMA, as a fleet of school buses sat waterlogged in his own backyard. Gov. Blanco was safely in Baton Rouge blanketed in an aura of ineptitude and ignorance. Michael Brown was emailing members of his staff in regards to the horrible food and his inelegant looking FEMA attire. And the President, the President played air guitar at a party in San Diego prior to gracing the region with a fly over in Air Force One…Such concern, Mr. President.
All the while, people were losing their lives, their property, and their hope, a sad footnote in history of one of the greatest and richest countries ever. Prior to the party that Bush attended that day, he gave a speech on Iraq. He talked about how Iraqi kids were attending new schools, electricity was going back on line, and clinics and hospitals were opening daily. Ironic, indeed.
I am not one to be smug and sanctimonious. I just know that as the world’s only “superpower” we need to start acting like it and do a better job, not only abroad, but first and foremost, here at home.
“Beachcombing”
They say there's wreckage washing up
All along the coast
No one seems to know too much
Of who got hit the most
Nothing has been spoken
There's not a lot to see
But something has been broken
That's how it feels to me
We had a harmony
I never meant to spoil
Now it's lying in the water
Like a slick of oil
The tide is running out to sea
Under a darkening sky
The night is falling down on me
And I'm thinking that I
Should head on home
Been gone too long
Leave my roaming
Beachcombing
Little wild kitten out hunting
To see what he can get
You're in a big city now
Won't stop growing yet
The sun is going down smoking
A flaming testament
Something has been broken
And it feels permanent
Little seabird flying
He knows where he wants to go
Guess I ought to pack my stuff
And do the thing I know
I turn around and head on back
Along the old sea wall
I felt something give and crack
And now I'm sorry that's all
Head on home
Been gone too long
Leave my roaming
Beachcombing
--Mark Knopfler (From the CD “All the Roadrunning” w/ Emmylou Harris)
And Now…Our Moment of Hinn
"If you'll look at my lovely FEMA attire you'll really vomit. I am a fashion god ... Anything specific I need to do or tweak? Do you know of anyone who dog-sits? ... Can I quit now? Can I come home? ... I'm trapped now, please rescue me."
--FEMA Director Michael Brown, in various emails to colleagues and friends in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
4 comments:
Yes it was and is still...Ah yes Mark Knopfler is one bad dude...Love Dire Straits.
It was sad indeed. And BB was quite the playground for goosestepping assclowns who wanted to suddenly pretend that FEMA wasn't meant to deal with federal emergencies. Jesus... what an embarrassment. And the sad thing is, it's just as bad, if not worse than, ever down there in certain parts.
Ah yes BB...The last bastion for Bush Bots and Brownshirts. It is an embarassment indeed that we can't help take care of our own.
love Mark Knopfler.
I still say, the way that Hezbollah came in mere minutes after the cease-fire was started in Lebanon & began re-building after the destruction should have been a lesson to our government in New Orleans! Now that's how to re-build and win the hearts of the people!
Maybe Hezbollah should come to New Orleans...
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