Call Me STUPID.....
I keep hearing on the radio and on TV about hurricane Katrina. It is sad and scary how quickly lives can be turned upside down. Suddenly 120 degrees sounds wonderful.
The thing that is really bugging me is that I keep hearing reporters saying that the poor residents were the ones with most death, most chaos, most loss. These people couldn't afford a bus ticket out of town, or afford to fill their tanks. Then these same people are being judged for "stealing" food from stores to feed their families in this time of crisis. I get SO angry.
Call me stupid, but if someone's life is in danger shouldn't the buses being offering free fares out of town to safety? Call me stupid, but if there is complete devastation on the horizon shouldn't people be given gas, or a ride, or something? Call me stupid, but if a store isn't open but there is perfectly good food rotting inside and some children on the outside are starving to death because there is no other food around, is it really stealing and should they be judged? Call me stupid, but if lives are completely destroyed by no fault of their own and they can't work to earn money because their place of business is completely destroyed, can't the grocery store corporations of America afford to let their food inventory (of destroyed stores that will be paid for by insurance companies) be eaten by starving people-is that REALLY stealing?
Call me stupid, but are we as a country SO controlled by money and our bottom line that we cannot see how inhumane and idiotic it is to be CHARGING people for bus tickets when it will save their lives?
Call me stupid, but it might not be me. It might just be "the love of money". How pitiful. God have mercy on our collective American souls who love ourselves more than our neighbors. Have mercy.
I keep hearing on the radio and on TV about hurricane Katrina. It is sad and scary how quickly lives can be turned upside down. Suddenly 120 degrees sounds wonderful.
The thing that is really bugging me is that I keep hearing reporters saying that the poor residents were the ones with most death, most chaos, most loss. These people couldn't afford a bus ticket out of town, or afford to fill their tanks. Then these same people are being judged for "stealing" food from stores to feed their families in this time of crisis. I get SO angry.
Call me stupid, but if someone's life is in danger shouldn't the buses being offering free fares out of town to safety? Call me stupid, but if there is complete devastation on the horizon shouldn't people be given gas, or a ride, or something? Call me stupid, but if a store isn't open but there is perfectly good food rotting inside and some children on the outside are starving to death because there is no other food around, is it really stealing and should they be judged? Call me stupid, but if lives are completely destroyed by no fault of their own and they can't work to earn money because their place of business is completely destroyed, can't the grocery store corporations of America afford to let their food inventory (of destroyed stores that will be paid for by insurance companies) be eaten by starving people-is that REALLY stealing?
Call me stupid, but are we as a country SO controlled by money and our bottom line that we cannot see how inhumane and idiotic it is to be CHARGING people for bus tickets when it will save their lives?
Call me stupid, but it might not be me. It might just be "the love of money". How pitiful. God have mercy on our collective American souls who love ourselves more than our neighbors. Have mercy.
4 Comments:
At 9:27 PM,
The Bass Player's Wife said…
Not stupid. However, some of those things did happen. Some of the reports are typical media sensationalism. There were neighborhood stores where the police and other authorities were actually allowing, even encouraging, stranded residents to take food. The problems came in when a few jerks decided to take more than food. Just my .02
At 6:27 AM,
Laurie O. said…
Right Cheryl. This status quo no longer works. I hope we learn it well.
At 8:19 AM,
Tera said…
What the tarb said. In fact Time magazine has a picture that shows a good 10 people picking up a ton of merchandise and putting it back on the shelves for a store owner that had the roof of his store blown off. I have no issue with food but those that are taking furs, jewelry and the prick that has 5 big screen tv’s in his living room should be prosecuted - because that is disgusting.
Keep in mind the mindset of those that live in that region. They, as my step mother’s sister says, “hunker down” and ride out the storm because these storms come in all the time. They had five days notice and the word was out in the streets. The mayor failed to act as well as the governor. The fact that most of the school busses were parked and flooded pisses me off the most. The mayor and the governor should be charge with criminal neglect because it was they who had the power to act and failed to do so even at the urging of their comrades and high officials.
At 9:09 AM,
Amy said…
Echoing Tarb and Andy…. Just adding to the conversation not necessarily commenting to Cheryl.
Take it from a leathered military wife...Only believe about 1 tenth of what the media shows you. They are all competing for ratings! Imagine what the world would be thinking about the U.S. if they only showed the heroes.... and they do have that choice. Believe me, there are far more heroes out there than bad people.
I don’t think we are a country controlled by greed and money. I think that the people who want us to think this have very loud voices. American all over the country have offered food, money, housing, jobs, etc… I have friends in Las Vegas who are pulling together and housing many families. Flying to Houston and bringing people back with their own money. Their stories just don’t bring in the ratings nor do they care to get the glory.
I think as a society we need to remember a few things: 1. Don’t let the media control your thought or emotions. 2. We are the people; YOU and I. 3. It’s up to US to make the difference. 4. Turn off the TV and do one thing today that makes a difference for someone else
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