Saturday, September 03, 2005
It's always interesting in the Blogosphere
If ever there is a true and diverse barometer of how people are feeling and what they are thinking about, it's blogging. I have wandered through some of the regular blogs that I visit, in addition to others that I just happened upon, and everyone is talking about Gulf Coast disaster and how incredibly helpless they feel.
We're talking about bloggers that are as close as Baton Rouge, LA to as far away as Germany. It's interesting to me that the bloggers from other countries are saying things like, "Our country is offering help, but we've been turned down or there has been no response." Why have they been turned down and/or why have we not responded? WHY?
People keep bringing up that America responded to the situation in SE Asia when the Tsunami hit faster than we are responding TO OUR OWN CITIZENS!!! WHY???
I watched "Nightline" last night and Ted Koppel was talking to Louisiana Senator Melacon and Koppel was saying that perhaps the Govenor of Louisiana didn't ask for help from the Federal Government fast enough or correctly enough? Senator Melacon reacted much more diplomatically than I would have to that question, but basically he was saying, "The area is deemed a disaster area by the State and Federal government BEFORE Katrina hit and the federal government wants a written invitation to come down here and help?" Amen, Senator Melacon!
Wednesday the news kept showing two bodies outside of the convention center in New Orleans. One is in a wheelchair and covered in a sheet, and the other is wrapped in a sheet. Thursday there was a picture of Harry Connick, Jr. touching the body in the wheel chair and obviously praying or crying or both. This gut wrenching scene was both horrible and beautiful at once. That person and that person's family may never know that Harry Connick, Jr. took a moment to acknowledge this life that was lost, however at least that person got a tiny bit of dignity in their undignified death. Not because it was Harry Connick, Jr., but because it was one human to another.
One thing that really upset me was CNN.com having headlines like, "Fats Domino missing in the aftermath of Katrina." I mean absolutely no disrespect to Mr. Domino and his family when I say this, but WHO CARES??? Don't get me wrong, someone should be concerned when he is missing and I'm glad that he was found, but damn it! There are THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people who have NO IDEA if their loved one in the area is dead or alive and we're shining a light on a celebrity? What I'm saying is, if your are going to run headlines like that, run them for EACH AND EVERY missing person or don't run them at all.
I looked in on the NBC Concert to raise money for Katrina last night. Aaron Neville's "Amazing Grace" was beautiful. The gospel song that Faith Hill sang brought tears to my eyes. Hearing Harry Connick, Jr. try not to cry while he sang, "Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?" made me cry. However they couldn't have picked a better song for the finale. A New Orleans jazz band playing and Harry and the other singers singing, "When the Saints Go Marching In." THAT, my friends, is the true "Sprirt of New Orleans." I hope that, coupled with the troops with supplies and water that finally got to the area yesterday is the glimmer of hope that eventually the Gulf Coast will see better days.
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We're talking about bloggers that are as close as Baton Rouge, LA to as far away as Germany. It's interesting to me that the bloggers from other countries are saying things like, "Our country is offering help, but we've been turned down or there has been no response." Why have they been turned down and/or why have we not responded? WHY?
People keep bringing up that America responded to the situation in SE Asia when the Tsunami hit faster than we are responding TO OUR OWN CITIZENS!!! WHY???
I watched "Nightline" last night and Ted Koppel was talking to Louisiana Senator Melacon and Koppel was saying that perhaps the Govenor of Louisiana didn't ask for help from the Federal Government fast enough or correctly enough? Senator Melacon reacted much more diplomatically than I would have to that question, but basically he was saying, "The area is deemed a disaster area by the State and Federal government BEFORE Katrina hit and the federal government wants a written invitation to come down here and help?" Amen, Senator Melacon!
Wednesday the news kept showing two bodies outside of the convention center in New Orleans. One is in a wheelchair and covered in a sheet, and the other is wrapped in a sheet. Thursday there was a picture of Harry Connick, Jr. touching the body in the wheel chair and obviously praying or crying or both. This gut wrenching scene was both horrible and beautiful at once. That person and that person's family may never know that Harry Connick, Jr. took a moment to acknowledge this life that was lost, however at least that person got a tiny bit of dignity in their undignified death. Not because it was Harry Connick, Jr., but because it was one human to another.
One thing that really upset me was CNN.com having headlines like, "Fats Domino missing in the aftermath of Katrina." I mean absolutely no disrespect to Mr. Domino and his family when I say this, but WHO CARES??? Don't get me wrong, someone should be concerned when he is missing and I'm glad that he was found, but damn it! There are THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people who have NO IDEA if their loved one in the area is dead or alive and we're shining a light on a celebrity? What I'm saying is, if your are going to run headlines like that, run them for EACH AND EVERY missing person or don't run them at all.
I looked in on the NBC Concert to raise money for Katrina last night. Aaron Neville's "Amazing Grace" was beautiful. The gospel song that Faith Hill sang brought tears to my eyes. Hearing Harry Connick, Jr. try not to cry while he sang, "Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?" made me cry. However they couldn't have picked a better song for the finale. A New Orleans jazz band playing and Harry and the other singers singing, "When the Saints Go Marching In." THAT, my friends, is the true "Sprirt of New Orleans." I hope that, coupled with the troops with supplies and water that finally got to the area yesterday is the glimmer of hope that eventually the Gulf Coast will see better days.
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