The Savage Republican

The rain of blame....

OK - I told y'all (I've been hanging out with my southern friends lately) on Wednesday that I was declaring a personal moriatorium of 24 hours on politics. I gave it almost 48 and now it is time....

Over the last 2 days, while many Americans were pulling together to help our friends and neighbors who had been hurt by the furor that was Hurricane Katrina, the "armchair first-responders" (as Michelle Malkin called them last night) were heaping blame on the federal government for the situation in New Orleans. From the cries that "global warming caused the hurricane" (total poppycock according to the people at NOAA who know better) to "the government should have had boots on the ground in NO the minute the storm moved out", to "we aren't getting hot meals" (uttered by an ingrate who is stuck in a city that has no way to cook food) the din has been impossible to miss. Michelle Malkin has had a very good round up and response to a lot of these people, but I would like to add my 2 cents.

So you are upset that the only food you are getting are cold MRE's....you feel that the troops that are keeping you safe from the predators patroling the streets should also be cooking for you? Well I want to know why you don't get off of your behind and get yourself to a place where you can heat your MRE's! You made the choice to ride out a Cat 5 hurricane in a town that is prone to flooding, what DID YOU EXPECT???? So you think that the federal government should have had National Guard troops in the city waiting for the storm to hit - with trucks to evacuate people...well if we had done that, the trucks would be under water and the troops would still not be able to get you out and you would still be stuck! What do you think would be different from today??? So you think the federal government should have spent more to "upgrade" the canal and levee system that surrounds New Orleans, what about the government of New Orleans? I mean the City of Minneapolis is responsible for their own infrastructure....shouldn't the city of New Orleans be responsible for THEIR OWN infrastructure???? Never mind the fact that the levee that failed was one of the few that had been upgraded in recent years....and never mind the fact that the current governor of Louisiana won (in part) on a platform of not spending more tax dollars on levee improvement...

Now before you go and accuse me of being an "apologist" for the President, I will tell you that there ARE a lot things that he could have done better, but the bottom line is this... there is plenty of blame to go around. Those that refused to follow an evacuation order share some blame in this, the City of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana have some blame to share here, AND the federal government shares some blame....Don't be suckered in by the illogical ideology that is driven by hatred of the President and all he stands for. The American people and the people of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi deserve better!

Another place to search for missing friends and family

NOLA.com has a page dedicated to finding lost friends and family.

http://www.nola.com/forums/searching/

and here is a blogger who is there and reporting what is going on in Louisiana

http://slidell.weblogswork.com/

A follow up to yesterday

WOW - after all of the bad news out of New Orleans, I had just about lost hope for mankind. But then yesterday the good people of this world came out in droves. Over 1400 bloggers in 23 countries got together and raised almost $450,000 in hurricane relief and this is only the reported donations! Many people donated, but chose not to "brag" about their donations! It is overwhelming how good people can be!

Due to the demand, the Blog for Relief Day has turned into a weekend. If you have not done so yet, please contribute to either The American Red Cross or the Salvation Army. If you are looking for an organization that is helping the animals that have been hurt and left behind, please consider the HSUS. Our 4 legged friends need a hand as well.

Heard the following

on the Hugh Hewitt show. By the time Hugh got done reading this, I had tears in my eyes. This is my last bleg of the day. PLEASE contribute to the charity of your choice. Our neighbors to the south need us badly....

From a thread on Free Republic

Neonatal Evacuation report from New Orleans 9/1/2005
Posted on 09/01/2005 3:19:11 PM PDT by truthandlife
Just to update everyone. We just returned from New Orleans to Birmingham with 4 neonatal patients at the same time on transport. We flew to New Orleans airport via jet and Lifesaver helicopter met us > there with the helicopter. Lifesaver took 3 crew members from the airport to Oschner since there was no ground access due to flooding. Oschner's heliport was under water and we landed on the parking deck. With equipment in hand, we walked down 6 flights of stairs, (all of the elevators are out of service), through the hospital where there is caution tape and leaks all throughout the hallways. We then walked up two flights of stairs to the unit where they are now caring for the babies. Luckily it was now the 2nd floor instead of originally the 10th floor. All of the windows were blown out of the 10th floor by the storm. On the flight into the airport all you could see is destruction and water everywhere, I thought "Truly a saddening sight", then with the flight on the helicopter it got worse. We were much closer at that point and could see more destruction, more water, looters, Police/ EMS, and uncontrolled fires all over.
Upon entering the make-shift nursery, the first two staff were onphones crying their eyes out talking to someone on the other end trying to cope. All of the staff in the unit were overjoyed to see that someone had come to help. They had requested help from all over but they told us we were the only ones to show up today. They thought we were coming for only one patient and when we told them we had the resources to transport 4, they were shocked to say the least. Then we said maybe we can help more tomorrow and to our surprise they all were even more excited that we would come back again to help. The nurse practioner in the unit pulled me aside and asked me "How bad is it out there looking from the air? I mean really, is it as bad as they say?" With tears running down her face and tears in my eyes I said "Yes Ma'am it is, maybe worse and my heart is broken for all of you down here". With that she had to walk away.
All of the staff are working in t-shirts, shorts and flip flops due to the lack of ventilation. It was at least 110-120 degrees in the unit. They had all of the babies in open cribs or warmers that were off and all were down to their diapers, some with elevated temps still. All of the staff have been there since Saturday and said they don't think they will be able to leave until the 5th of September. With that said, many have nothing to go home to.
Tonight all 4 babies came back to UAB RNICU but they have at least two more babies for us to transport tomorrow and Dr. Prince here in Birmingham said we could bring one back to TCH and one to UAB. Plans may change by tomorrow.
New Orleans is in a total state of destruction and chaos and my heart is broken so badly. I didn't have good words to make them feel better but made sure they all knew they were in my thoughts and prayers.
I'm sorry to have been so chatty but I had to release somewhat.
Respectfully and mentally/emotionally drained,
Jason Peterson RN Coordinator, Critical Care Transport
Children's Hospital of Alabama

First Things, Katrina and The Salvation Army

I've just completed two donations to The Salvation Army, one personal and one from the company I own, for victims of Katrina. I'm going to wait a day or two and then vent on the complete collapse of the government aid, relief,and preparedness and those idiots that depend on government. But, right now, people are in dire need. And the Salvation Army is THE organization that time and time again ALWAYS comes through. And the reason I recommend the Salvation Army is the stories my Uncle Harold (who was a WWII and Battle of the Bulge combat vet) told me about the Salvation Army versus that other charity/relief organization. And Uncle Harold's stories are confirmed by my other WWII veteran friends.
So, I urge you to contact the Salvation Army and donate.
They are the boots on the ground, long term people that get the job done.
www.salvationarmyusa.org/USNSAHome.htm

Move On jumps in to help hurricane victims

Trillin over at MN Lefty Liberal got an email regarding a Move on sponsored initiative that deserves wide spread recognition.

"Hurricane Katrina's toll on communities, homes and lives has devastated the nation. Now victims must face the daunting question of where to go next—and we can help.Tens of thousands of newly homeless families are being bused to a stadium in Houston, where they may wait for weeks or months. At least 80,000 are competing for area shelters, and countless more are in motels, cars, or wherever they can stay out of the elements. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross are scrambling to find shelter for the displaced.This morning, we've launched an emergency national housing drive to connect your empty beds with hurricane victims who desperately need a place to wait out the storm. You can post your offer of housing (a spare room, extra bed, even a decent couch) and search for available housing online at:http://www.hurricanehousing.org"

Go to MN Left Liberal and read the whole post and then if you can, sign up to host a displaced family.

HELP FOR PETS IN NEW ORLEANS

I got this information via email today. If you are a pet person (like I am) and you are still looking for some way to help, here is another one. If you know someone in the afflicted area that needs shelter for their pets, direct them here.

Subject: Help for Pets in New Orleans

Please crosspost widely... Help for pets in New Orleans....Cross-posted - please share! Please just let all members know that we have opened a pet shelter at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette, right next to the Cajundome. Evacuees may bring their pets their for housing. We havePLENTY of food, water, crates, cages, bedding and newspaper. BUT the owners are responsible for feeding, watering, walking and medicating their own pets. Interested parties may call Lafayette Parish Animal Control at: 337-291-5644 for more information. Also many area vets are accepting animals right now, until they fill up. Get the Yellow Pages out! Please help me to get this word out.

Annie Milliron
Visit our newfs: Cora, Kira and Sailor (plus our Foster Newfs) at our website: http://freewebs.com/coranewf>

Katrina's aftermath

The reports are trickling in from New Orleans. Massive flooding, people who refused to evacuate with the first evacuation order trapped on their roofs with no food and water, looting, the scale of the misery is impossible to describe. Rather than try to describe it myself, let me refer you to the stories here and here from the Washington Times, here and here from the New York Times and here from NOLA.com. NOLA.com is the best place to go for up to the minute news as they are in the thick of it.

Now is the time to act dear readers. Our southern neighbors desperately need our help. Please contact either the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army or any of the other worthy charities listed on the Blog for Katrina Relief effort. No amount is too small. Please donate today!

Do you have friends in the areas hit by Katrina?

People can post queries about friends and family who were in areas hit by Katrina.

Please pass along this URL www.GulfCoastNews.com

Hurricane relief

For the next 24 hours there is no right or left, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Socialist or whatever. For the next 24 hours, I want to concentrate on Louisana, Mississippi and Alabama. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Many more have taken severe damage to their homes and businesses. The over 300 (and counting) bloggers, including your friends here at Savage Republican, have gotten together and are asking their readers to step up to the plate and contribute to one of the many worthy charities that are coming to the aid of our fellow Americans (hat tip to NZ Bear at Truth Laid Bear for organizing this). Savage Republican has already posted his request to contribute to the American Red Cross and I would like to lend my request for donations to the Salvation Army. Others are plugging for Catholic Charities USA, United Jewish Communities and United Methodist Committee on Relief. Whichever charity you choose, please indicate that the donation is for Hurricane Katrina relief.

My plea to you, dear readers, is to find a charity that is helping out the citizens of the Gulf States and give generously. Our countrymen and women will definately appreciate the assistance from their neighbors across the country.

For the next 24 hours, I will be posting about the great need in Louisana, Mississippi and Alabama. Please take a few minutes and make a pledge - no matter how big or how small - to help in the recovery effort! For more information on the Bloggers drive for hurricane relief please go to http://www.truthlaidbear.com/communitypage.php.

Hurricane Katrina - How you can help

Seeing Hurricane Katrina come ashore brought back memories of the stories my Grandmother told of Hurricane Audrey hitting Lake Charles, LA.
As the storm was coming ashore, my Uncle (an Eagle Scout) was part of a group that was out rescuing people during the storm. Some day I may share more about those brave folks, but for now I will use them as inspiration.

While I may not have the opportunity to help during this storm, I can do my best to help now.

If you have a chance you can join me in donating online to the Red Cross and help out.

I'll list some of the other groups providing relief and updates as I get them from friend down in the Big Easy and Mississippi way.

It just seems right that those of us at the head waters of the Mississippi should help our neighbors at the other end.

May God bless and keep them in his care.

Where is the rest of the world?

When earthquakes level large portions of Mexico City, which country is the first to respond with money, people and equipment to aid in the recovery and rebuilding effort? When tsunami's struck Asia, who had an aircraft carrier there within 72 hours in order to get food, shelter and potable water to the hardest hit areas? Who later pledged over $950 million in long term aid to the countries hit by the tsunami? When droughts hit Africa, causing massive crop failures on the continent, which country is the first to pony up money and food for the afflicted? Is it France? Germany? Iran? Saudi Arabia????? NO!!!! It is the USA, that horrible country that is (according to the leftists) the cause of ALL that is wrong in this world! And yet, when the US is hit with their own "storm of the century" do any of these countries (who think that they are soooo much better than we are) pony up a single pfennig or franc? Heck no, they couldn't be bothered.....

Well guess what guys, we don't need your help. We will take care of our own, this time as we have always done. And when disasters hit your respective countries, we will cough up the money again, because that is who we are. We are a country of people who genuinely care for others and when the need is really and truly there (such as tsunami relief) we will open our hearts and pocketbooks as we always have in the past.

Having said that, I certainly hope that I never hear (out of Turtle Bay or Paris or Berlin) that the US is too "stingy" in their aid relief. Because, Mr. Annan, Herr Schroeder and Monsieur Chirac, until you follow Hugo Chavez' lead, you have no moral authority to stand on. Yeah, President Chavez might have stolen his election, but he is the only foreign leader to date to offer the citizens of Louisana, Alabama and Mississippi - people whose loss was no less tramatic than the losses of the people Sri Lanka and the rest of southeast Asia. Shame on the UN, shame on Europe and shame on anyone else who dares to think only about themselves when others are suffering as the people of Louisana, Mississippi and Alabama are.

The Savage Republican

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Friday, September 02, 2005