Hard to imagine...

As many Americans, I have been spending lots of time watching, reading and listening to stories of the stranded people in New Orleans. And reading and listening to stories about the people who have lost everything when Katrina came barreling thought the gulf coast states. And it amazes me that the greatest country on the planet cannot do more to help their own people when something like this happens.

While I know the congress is giving more money to FEMA and lots of groups like the American Red Cross and others are raising money to help those in need. But it’s been four days since the storm hit, three days since we all knew New Orleans was slowly losing the battle against Mother Nature and still there are people trapped.

Anarchy is something the punk generation of the late 70’s and the 80’s seemed to always be asking for and wanting for. Well if they still want to experience anarchy, New Orleans is probable the place where anarchy has the best chance of occuring.

If you were trapped in a major metropolitan area, with no way out, no law enforcement and there was a lack of food, clothing and water, what would you do? While it’s hard not to condemn looting; when you're looting food, water and medical supplies to survive, I can understand why. But to be taking big screen TVs and other large items, what in the hell are you going to do with those items in a flooded city? No food, no water, and no clean cloths; hey, I think I’ll go out and loot me a TV!

One thing that has disgusted me is the amount of people that have been posting on online forums saying the people in New Orleans and the other areas hit by Katrina had it coming…”they live on the gulf coast, where they know hurricanes hit…their city sat below sea level…what did they expect to happen?” That’s a piss poor way to look at things. People are affected by the weather no matter where they live.

If you’re in the Northeast or the Midwest you’re always at the mercy of winter storms and the blizzard to end all blizzards. Winter storms that could knock out power and gas for weeks…and people could freeze to death. In the Carolinas, Florida and in Georgia you’re always at risk of a hurricane. In California there is always a chance of a major earthquake. In the middle of the country is tornado alley. It doesn’t matter where you live; there is always a chance that something can happen that is beyond the control of man. Let’s not choose to not help those in need because of where they live. That’s just ridiculous. And when something happens to you and your community and you’re in need, whom do you think will be the ones helping you with their donations?

AJ