THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS

Since Monday we have a crystal clear idea of who the have nots are. With the heart breaking and appalling events in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we should be deeply ashamed, morally and psychically devastated and mortified. I can give you a list of people who will sleep well tonight, sadly, those who don’t give a flip about folks who are barely alive, who are still left upon roof tops, piers or, worse and tragically, the dead lying unattended and uncared for, as if they were less than animals…… May God have mercy on our souls.

Think about who will sleep well tonight as our nation frets about the catastrophe that our federal government so obviously ignored until today. People desperately holding on to life cannot willingly sleep, for if they should, they may not wake up.

A handful of our leaders will go into a deep and calloused slumber.

WHO? But surely you know. NO? Roll the drums…………….

Rolling drum noises……

Numero Uno: G.W. BUSH probably has another golf date tomorrow so he'll go to bed at 9:00 p.m. CHENEY is still (!?) on vacation, fishing for sport in a pond, river, stream or lake on his dirt poor ranch in Wyoming while, meanwhile, back at the urban playground, CONDI is busy in NYC playing tennis, seeing plays in the wonderful Broadway district. and buying shoes, at over 2K a pair, on posh 5th Avenue

UM. People are dying by the hundreds on a daily basis and our fearless leaders are 1. Playing golf. 2. Fishing. 3. Buying $2K shoes. 4. No mentnion of where the SOD is (er, maybe this is a good thing).

If you would like to let our fearless leader know your thoughts you can email: comments@whitehouse.gov
and vice_president@whitehouse.gov

BLATANT RACISM IN THE PRESS

African Americans in New Orleans who break into grocery stores are called LOOTERS. Whites who break into grocery stores for food are called SURVIVORS. The AP apparently tried to kill the photos on the link below. Yahoo found the photo on Agence France. Found via Raw Story.com

LOOTERS AND SURVIVORS

A CAN'T DUE GOVERNMENT
By Paul Krugman
This is a particularl damning article on Bush inaction.

Excerpt:

Even military resources in the right place weren't ordered into action. "On Wednesday," said an editorial in The Sun Herald in Biloxi, Miss., "reporters listening to horrific stories of death and survival at the Biloxi Junior High School shelter looked north across Irish Hill Road and saw Air Force personnel playing basketball and performing calisthenics. Playing basketball and performing calisthenics!"

From the NYT via Truthout. Ken sent me this earlier today. LS
A CAN'T DUE GOVERNMENT

CONGRESSWOMAN BLAMES SLOW RESPONSE TO HURRICANE ON WAR

Congresswoman Lee (D-Oakland) says it like it is.

Barbara Lee Blames War for Slow Response to Katrina
t r u t h o u t | Press Release

Read below or link to piece:
CONGRESSWOMAN LEE ARTICLE

Friday 02 September 2005

Oakland, CA - In a statement issued Friday September 2nd, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) lambasted the Administration's slow response and lack of action to help the Gulf Coast communities destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

"The slow response to the needs of the people in the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina is inexcusable. We had several days advance notice that the Hurricane was coming, but where was the preparedness? Why weren't the hospitals, schools, and seniors evacuated immediately? Is this is an example of the Administration's idea of homeland security? If so, we are in trouble.
"If ever anyone doubted that there were two Americas, this disaster has made this division clear. The victims have largely been poor and black. The devastation from Hurricane Katrina only underscores the disastrous consequences of the Administration's failure to take even the most basic steps to alleviate poverty in the United States. The Administration can not ignore this reality.

"Furthermore, has the Administration shortchanged homeland preparedness, in favor of funding a misguided war in Iraq and tax cuts for the wealthy? What other critical services, such as funding for levees, have been cut from the budget to fund this war? Now is the time for Congress to aggressively pursue oversight hearings. We need answers.

"I have been in close contact with the congressional members from the states affected by Hurricane Katrina and have heard from the American Red Cross. We all agree that it is time for our country to work together and help those who have so little and have lost so much.

"I call on President Bush and FEMA Director Michael Brown to follow through on their promises and deploy immediate emergency aid. Furthermore, I challenge the President to address this national catastrophe with the same resolve as he did in leading America into the war in Iraq.

"I am working with private citizens, business leaders and places of worship within my district as well as fellow congressional members to deliver immediate assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. For example, I am working with the California State University, the University of California, the Peralta Colleges, and local universities to find space for displaced students.

"On Wednesday, September 7, 2005 at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building at 1301 Clay Street in Downtown Oakland, from 8am-8pm, we will be collecting supplies and accepting donations for the relief."