Why I'm angry: hurricane edition

Bulleted list, nice and simple:

*4 FUCKING DAYS TO RESPOND!!!

*The whole "they were warned, they should have left the city" argument aimed at people living in poverty who can't afford cars, gasoline, or insurance.

*Widespread shootings and rapes. Th'fuck?!?!

*Congresses refusal/inability to maintain the levee system.

*Bush's convenient photo-ops.

*The fact that we have national guard members in Iraq fighting a war of priveledge when we need them here to PROTECT US. National guard -- guard the nation. Get it?

*Underlying racist undertones consistent with republican ideology.

*Underlying antipathy towards the poor consistent with republican ideology.

*Righteous/religious hypocricy consistent with republican ideology.

*excerpted from CNN.com:

In Biloxi, Mississippi, Bush comforted two weeping women on a street where a house had collapsed and towering trees were stripped of their branches. "My son needs clothes," said Bronwynne Bassier, 23, clutching several trash bags. "I don't have anything."

"I understand that," Bush said. He kissed both women on their heads and walked with his arms around them, telling them they could get help from the Salvation Army. "Hang in there," he said.

Asked later how the richest country on Earth could not meet the needs of its people, Bush said: "I am satisfied with the response. I am not satisfied with all the results."

What a snivveling, reprehensible pigfucker.

*I'll close this with some words from one of our neighbors across the atlantic who summed things up fairly well even though she lives 5000 miles away:

As a European watching in horror the evolving and increasing chaos in the American South, I find it well nigh impossible to believe the lack of civic responsibility evidenced by this disaster. How can any local authority recommend via the media evacuation of an area... but at the same time make no effort to transport the poor, the needy and even those most dependent on that authority -- the prisoners in the local jail -- simply beggars belief. While racism is ostensibly banned and frowned upon amongst your nation, this is surely economic cleansing where ethnic cleansing would be generally reckoned to be unacceptable? I'm not surprised that anarchy and armed looting has started in the face of such desperate conditions as these people have been abandoned in. Oh America, this is your shame -- please learn from it that everyone deserves care and dignity.

Fiona Wilson
London, UK


I've donated some but I still think I can and should do more. I guess I can start by rooting for the Saints this year. It's not a grand gesture by any means, but for a city that's been through so much even a good outing from their football team can help. As for all that are reading this (6? 7?) please do what you can to help as well.