In our thoughts and prayers
Submitted by Wes Clark on August 31, 2005 - 3:15pm.
Like you, I have been moved by the images coming out of the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This terrible disaster affects all of us as Americans, no matter where we live, regardless of whether or not we actually know someone who suffered directly. I've seen it everywhere Ive been this week in Washington, DC, in New York, in Arkansas, in Wisconsin, and in Iowa. People everywhere are talking about it, worrying about it, and wondering how best they can help.
It's times like these when our true spirit as Americans is most apparent. The first response that we all have is How can I help? And that reaction is just one of the things that makes our country so special. Despite our many political, personal, and religious differences, were all united as Americans, looking out for our fellow citizens in their time of greatest need.
Our friends and neighbors in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and throughout the South are in our thoughts and prayers. I urge you to help in whatever way you can, by contributing to the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and many other worthy charitable organizations who are on the frontlines of this disaster, bringing needed relief and supplies to this devastated area. And if you can help more locally, through your church or other organizations, now is the time to do it.
Let us all do whatever we can to help our neighbors across the Gulf Coast during this devastating time.
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"Today, the Red Cross is operating more than 250 shelters across seven states, providing a safe haven for nearly 42,000 evacuees – many who have been left homeless by Katrina. The first priority is meeting the urgent, critical needs of those people, which include providing emergency shelter, food and water."
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The Salvation Army is currently providing services to storm victims and first responders in the Gulf Coast states.
A $100 donation to The Salvation Army will feed a family of four for two days, provide two cases of drinking water and one household clean-up kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies.
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Has a Katrina Donation Link at the top of their page that takes you to various charities that help in disasters. Don't forget the four footed friends. Donate to the Humane Society or other animal disaster relief in addition to helping our brothers and sisters from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
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LJM, I got the script to The Humane Society.
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"As the fury of Hurricane Katrina dies down, relief and rescue teams mobilize to save lives. The HSUS’s Disaster Animal Response Teams provide vital aid to animals and pet-owners devastated by storm damage and flooding. .."
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I sure wish that you were our president! This gang of thugs are useless and pathetic! 9/11 and now this....
Thanks for touching base about Katrina- it will be a vast challenge to recover as fully as we can. Our hearts just ache for all involved.
It will also be a test of the Bush Administration's level of disaster preparedness. On behalf of the people who are personally affected by the hurricane and the aftermath, I can only hope they prove more competent than they have on every single other issue I can think of.
I hope the eventual silver lining- if an event this catastrophic can be said to have one- is that Katrina forces the USA to deeply & immediately re-examine & completely recalibrate its priorities in full, both here and abroad. I'm particularly distressed that our National Guard is now an International Guard.
Thank you for posting about this horrible event. As you say, 'It's times like these when our true spirit as Americans is most apparent.'
On NPR this afternoon, a woman from Gulfport was interviewed. She and her husband rode the storm out at home, because he works for the power company and she works for the Salvation Army; they knew they would be needed.
She cried when she told of her husband's journal, in which he has written for his entire life. They have been unable to retrieve it.
Thank you again, Sir.
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pd/Funding_Programs/Current/CGSELAFY06.pdf
Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.
~George Washington
for sharing your sentiments! The situation is absolutely heartbreaking. We are all mesmerized by the video footage, and photographs. My contributions have been made and now we can only wait and hope! I was shocked by Bush's "happy" speech today. He looked and sounded as though he was speaking to an entirely different national situation...!!!! What the heck!
Love and light to you and yours! :)
General,
I was hoping you might rally the troops (retirees and old Army infantry) and offer up your services to the folks down south. You could hold a briefing on Fox or CNN and ask your old troopers to come join you to help the hurricane people.
I realize you'd have to ask permission first, but couldn't you get a group together and approach the army or FEMA or national guard or the President and say something like, "Reporting for Duty Sir, what do you want us to do?".
a documentary about the dutch dealing with global warming showed a people prepared...we've known new orleans was going to join the gulf for decades...it was just a matter of time...why don't we put our resources and energy into prevention like the dutch have done???? preventing this would have been cheaper and easier than cleaning up after this disaster.
my heart aches for those who are suffering especially knowing we did so little to prevent this.
Thank you for your concern and continuing to travel across the country to support fellow Democrats, we are all extremely proud of you!
"I am the blogger formerly known as clarkuistador"
I couldn't send much, but I sent a little money and a lot of frequent flier miles (that I basically never use) to the red cross. It is something.
with your donation!
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
This is not only a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions, it is a complete failure of government, to protect and defend it's citizens.
Even today, five days after Katrina hit, they still don't have the resources to get the people out. I have heard that other countries are ready and willing to send in resources but it looks like this President is telling them "no thank you." I guess he is afraid that it'll make him look weak......and damn the consequences.
People were dying in the streets while this President was strumming a guitar. People were dying in the streets while Congress was on vacation. Why didn't they all rush back to Washington to take charge of this disaster? Even now, all I see are politicians going on TV congratulating each other.......while people continue to die in the streets.
May they rot in hell!
"George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up."
This was also posted on the TPM Cafe.