August 2007

The Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

August 31, 2007 06:28

I know this has nothing to do with the violin or music, but there's been so much attention to the fates of people from New Orleans and whether or not they're recovering that I feel the need to share this blog entry by a friend from Biloxi, MS:
http://nyreak.livejournal.com/385850.html

Yesterday was the two year anniversary of Katrina. I kind of felt that I should say something here, as it affected our lives so very much, but found myself unable to after seeing so much on tv and hearing so much on the radio. Two years later, it still annoys me to see and hear every single thing (other than done by our local tv station/radio) relating to New Orleans. I guess it just really annoys me now because all you hear is how the people in New Orleans just aren't getting back on their feet. You don't even hear about the areas around there that were more devastated than New Orleans, like St. Bernard Parish, where the people are taking care of themselves. Sure, they need the grant money, just like we did, but that didn't stop them from gutting their houses and getting things ready so that they can rebuild if they get money. That hasn't stopped them from working together to make their community a good one again. They definitely don't mention here, the three counties that were all but flattened because we were on the worse side of the storm. You know, the areas that were working together right after the storm to clean, rebuild, and try to get their cities going again. No, it's the poor little people of New Orleans, the ones that couldn't be bothered to even bring their own food with them when they went to the shelters (which all shelters tell you to bring as they do not ever have food for people, just shelter), so how can we expect them to help the government help them? I just... I have anger issues. I do. Generally, I'm over it, I don't even think about it....but if I see one more video on the poor people of New Orleans with no mention of the people of their neighboring cities/towns/state, I really do think I'll scream. (Wait, I have already, haven't I?)
Keep in mind that it isn't that I don't think the people of New Orleans deserve the same help the rest of us were given, which was some assistance from FEMA and grant money (to those that owned homes to help them pay off mortgages/rebuild, not to those in apartments, as the money was specifically for building of houses, not for replacing items). It's just hard to sit and watch so many people with their hands out, their disgusting, moldy, crap filled houses still sitting behind them because they can't even be bothered to clean up on their own. It's hard work. I know. I did it. I don't feel bad about getting a grant, as we definitely needed it, but we did all that we could possibly do for ourselves as well. Shouldn't everyone?

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August 2007

The Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

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