Hurricane

I just read a moving post about the hurricane at http://www.suburbanbliss.net/ titled "I wasn't sure how to do this." It says it all better than I could. Thank you Melissa.

Actually, I'll just put it here:

I wasn't sure how to do this.
When the hurricane hit I thought, "Things will be fine, they have been before."
When I began reading about the rising water in New Orleans I thought, the water is rising slowly. It's not the same as the tsunami. We're in the U.S, things will be fine. On day three I began to feel angry. Last night I went to bed after reading news websites and emitting horrible squeals and gasps. I read the news because with sensitive kids you can not watch television news because you will live with those horrifying images for the next 5 years. Those horrifying images (image from The Washington Post, from James Nielson of Getty Images, AFP) on the television will appear at the most unlikely times from my children's mouths. They will remember the images they see for at least five years.
Currently my head is exploding and I tend to avoid writing about things which make my head explode because I am not intelligent enought to speak about politics or the suffering of others in any profound way.
When the Tsunami struck in December, I felt guiltily removed from that suffering. Logan and I donated money to the relief effort but I was haunted by the fact that if it had happened in my own country, I would have been moved in an overwhelming way. I calmed myself thinking that in my own country there would be the help, money and resources to save people. I thought things would never be as dire as they were overseas because we are America! We don't let our people suffer as if it's the third world. But then I saw the images and read the tales of suffering of the people left behind, they have been treated as if they are a third world country. They have not been treated as Americans. Shouldn't it have been different?
I want to point all of my anger at Bush and his stupid fucking comments, I mean, Thank God Trent Lott's house will be rebuilt! I want George to have a place to drink his lemonade. It's not that he made that comment, it's that he's saying that as at least 5,000 people are still at the Superdome living with shit and piss and shootings and rapes and no water or food. You stupid Fuck. How dare you. You are the president. You're not some fucking blogger who can say whatever they feel appropriate. You are our leader, you are required to be....to at least pretend to be sensitive to the suffering of people who don't look like you but are Americans all the same.
But no, it's not just Bush who has failed. It's also the city of New Orleans who's failed to perform in a crisis. Just like Chicago failed in 1995. I've been reading about the politics of the city, and if Detroit were under sea level and in the path of a hurricane, it would also be lost. The politics are the same. The lack of effective leadership is the same.
My heart is bleeding and it's true, is now the time to point fingers and cast blame? Shouldn't we be helping?
I'm in Michigan, there is not much I can do. I've donated and the company I work for has promised to match all donations made to the Red Cross by it's bloggers. I started donating a relatively small amount. Today I emailed again asking that one third of my monthly paycheck be donated. Logan was aggravated because we are currently waiting to purchase a misfiring gas range and a dishwasher which hasn't been working for a month. When I thought further, realizing Weblogs Inc. would be matching my contribution, I wanted to donate more because I can wash dishes for a few more months, I can use the microwave for a few more months, but I can not pull that type of cash donation out of my checking account.
My guilt at being white and middle class has gotten the better of me. I'm so sorry for New Orleans. I'm so sorry for the gap between the middle class and the lower class. I'm sorry we didn't take care of you and help you out of a drowning city. I'm questioning my government because people have died needlessly and I hope the questioning will help prevent this type of crisis in America in the future.
I am sorry.