And the Blog Stealing Begins...

I stole this from my friend Ohio Dave's blog who stole it from his friend Carmela's blog who got it from her friend Troll Princess.

Troll Princess's Map of Destruction

I guess the main point here is that, sure, the people of New Orleans did indeed have a warning of what was coming. But the fact remains that when people refuse to help those in dire need because they feel those people didn't "get out fast enough", as it were, it shows the state of our human condition.

I've done my bitching and bashing of the president, the federal government, and the utter failure of not only the local government but also the agencies that failed miserably to respond in any timely manner to this horrible disaster. And I'm mostly done with that. (I say "mostly" because I know me well enough to know that when something else about this situation angers me I will be hard-pressed to keep my big mouth shut. Damn that passion! Damn it, I say!)

So now all that I can do is try to help. In whatever way I can. I had the opportunity to head down to a local hotel today and help them sort through mounds of clothes, non-perishable food items, toiletries, and other "stuff". It was a wonderful experience mostly because the people I was working with were there for the same reason I was: we feel helpless. There's not much that we can do and what little we are able to do seems so inadequate in the face of what these people have gone through, yet we do it anyway. We face our discomfort at the suffering and we turn away from the normally selfish way that we exist, if only for a moment.

There is no amount of money, blood, or time that I can personally give that will make up for the things these people have seen and experienced. So why do I do it? Why do any of us do it? I don't know for sure. Maybe it's to ease our own guilt at having so much just a little bit. Maybe it really does come from a pure place in that sometimes you just want to be a part of making the world a better place. But mostly I think it's because if, God forbid, I should ever find myself in a situation similar to what these people have gone through, I can only hope that people would be willing and able to help in whatever capacity they are able.

I have been somewhat disgusted and let down at the response, or lack thereof, of many people in my life. I have been enraged at the callous attitude that I have heard and seen some people adopt. I actually brought to the attention of one of my customer's the other day that there is so much going on in the world right now it was hard for me to believe that she truly had time to be angry over losing her membership to a club my company ran over five years ago. (But then when she said she'd never shop there again I got to say, "I really don't think that'll be a problem," and life seemed somewhat pretty again.)

I don't know. It's late and I'm tired. I'm tired of hearing the reports from New Orleans. I'm tired of seeing the hurting people in pictures and on tv. I'm tired of being this disgusted at our government. I'm tired of people not directly affected by this disaster simply not caring.

But you know what I'm not tired of? I'm not tired of the fact that today at work two sisters came into my store to buy a photo album for their mother because back home in Louisiana they lost everything and their mom was so upset at not having her photo albums. I'm not tired of the fact that as they stood there telling me their horror story we were all able to cry a little bit together. I'm not tired of the fact that I am able to be affected by other people's pain. I'm not tired of the fact that the Browncoats have admirably rallied to donate time, money, and tangible goods to help ease the suffering of some of the families that have been displaced to Dallas.

There are days (most, actually) when I truly love America. Seeing people come together for a common good has once again inspired that love. I really am glad to be an American, even when I feel that my government has failed its citizens. Because it's America's citizens that make this country what it is and THANK GOD for them because without them, the world would really not be a better place.