More Lessons from Katrina

A natural disaster of Katrina’s magnitude brings into sharp focus the cultural divide in America. On the one side are the majority of Americans who rise to the occasion; more about them later. On the other side are the “victicrats” and the “blame America first” crowd who can’t even wait until the hurricane victims are rescued to begin pointing fingers, most pointedly at President Bush, then the federal government and the “rich” white folks.

It is now only a matter of hours after any catastrophe anywhere in the world -- a tsunami, a hurricane, a terrorist bombing, LOCUSTS – that Bush haters find ways to blame the President. Immediately after Hurricane Katrina the Bush haters pointed their fingers at global warming (Robert Kennedy, Jr.), the war on terror, the national guard being on duty in Iraq, the tax cuts, the US dependence on oil, and on and on. Forget nature. George W. Bush is more powerful. (Debra Saunders, San Francisco Chronicle).

The radical left even accuses the president of racism. It's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible -- and they've given them (national guard) permission to go down and shoot us! George Bush doesn't care about black people! (Kanye West on the NBC hurricane relief show).

In their hatred of Bush and, by extension, the majority of Americans, America haters join forces with the Islamic terrorists who rejoiced in America's misfortune, giving the storm a military rank and declaring that 'Private' Katrina had joined the global jihad. (Associated Press)

Victicrat Al Sharpton went on TV to say that looters are people who pay their taxes, whose infrastructure caved in on them. It’s fine with Sharpton to steal drugs and flat screen TVs because the country let them down. Sharpton’s answer: the looters were planning to use those things to barter for food and water. In a pig’s eye!

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin cries out for the federal government when he knows that it was his responsibility to evacuate those poor people before the flood, and he failed them. Unfortunately, many of those affected by Katrina have, in one way or another, been crying, "Where's the federal government?" all their lives. And their lives are more miserable for it. (Investors Business Daily).

There are now a few hundred thousand of the entitled class dispersed to cities such as Houston and Baton Rouge, overfilling the local welfare rolls and straining the social institutions. Many will never leave. Perhaps they will strive to lead productive lives now that they are removed from the crippling oppression of the New Orleans welfare plantation.

So what of the other America, the majority who pay their taxes, know that the federal government is elephantine in it’s response to local disasters, expect their local officials to be competent and still rely mostly on themselves and their neighbors? You know: those who live primarily in “red” cities. Well, read this letter from my good friend Betty.

My sister Mickey and her husband Wayne lost two homes, one off the beach in Biloxi and one in Ocean Springs, a car, and Wayne lost his beloved Harley. Talked to Mick today and they were standing in a Salvation Army line. This is the second time my sister and her husband have lost everything; they had a fire 10 years ago and had only the clothes on their backs. This time they saved the cat!

My brother Bud lost his business in Gautier. Bud is depressed because of the damage to Hucks - they may be able to reopen in the spring - plus he's worried about their employees. Fortunately for Bud and JoAnn, their home in Ocean Springs survived (go figure -- it's over 120 years old and barely standing) and they are all still there. No power, no water but the cell phones are starting to work. They are hot, tired and stinky.

Gasoline is scarce but Bud has a fire truck (boys and their toys) with two filled 50-gallon gasoline tanks so for now they are their own gas station. They plan to hold enough back so they can get out. Unfortunately, the generator uses diesel of which they are out. They stood in line yesterday for C-rations and also got some water and ice. Their attitudes are good and they are armed! Looters WILL be shot!

That's what is close to home. Everyone is alive and that is the most important thing. Everything else is just stuff!

I also know that the magnitude of this disaster was far greater than anything anywhere (other than the dropping of the A bomb). This is only the 6th day and already the response is making a difference. Let's hear it for the US government…… Betty

Pray for Betty's all-American family and for all the others who are in such great need. And send money to Feed the Children.