I am so sorry about the suffering that is going on in the south. Unfortunately, these things do happen in America and it still takes time to get aid and relief to the people involved. Disastors take a lot from us when they happen and take a lot to recover from. This is one of the worst ones we have seen in this country.
I am one that likes to try to look at things from different angles.
I have lived in a city that experienced heavy flooding although not the scope of what is happening now. I saw how the media played up the bad that was happening. Very little in the national media about the good things that were happening. My family away from the area thought the whole city was under water and the efforts were too little too late. Well, a small portion of the city was under water. This is a city that is use to flooding every spring. That winter, 80 inches of snow had fallen and not much had melted, this was true up river also. Then we had a warm spell along with rain, so there was all this snow melting in a rapid time along with heavy rain. They were prepared for a worse than normal flood but it was still more than plannned for. There was also fear the dikes would give way as some of them had been compromised over the years. People living in the high risk areas evacuated as ordered. I never knew how I was going to get to work or home as the evacuated area was expanding rapidly over a few days. My DH spent nights sandbagging and days going to classes. People were helping people. The city was focused on their problem and paid little attention to what was happening elsewhere at the time.
How does this apply to the events today? Well I think there are a lot of people helping people and good things are happening. I think the people doing the raping and shooting would probably be doing them anyway, we are hearing about them as it is happening in such a public way. Criminals will be criminals. The milatry was poised to send aid, they just can't sail in the type of weather that would destroy them so they had to wait it out until it was safe to sail. Aid from the air, well only so many aircraft can occupy a small area at a time and with that many people on the ground, it does take time. The roads are gone or covered in water so it is difficult to get people in or out. What about evacuating when told to. Yes, I know there are sick or poor, but surely these people could have found help last weekend in getting out, maybe not.
The city is below sea level and the shore has been eroding for years as well as the levees not being maintained properly and not strong enough for this strong of storm. This is something that has been feared would happen for a long time but when it actually did, it was more than they were prepared for.
We have to remember that the people stranded that the media are talking with have no communication outside of where they are at. They are hungary, thirsty and hurting and their patience has run out. They don't know how bad things are and that aid is coming. They don't know that there are so many people stranded. We can not forget that this is widespread, New Orleans is not the only place.
I think things will improve greatly now that relief aid has had a chance to organize and it is getting easier to get in there. Unfortunately, relief takes time but at the same time, it is very hard to wait when you are the one hurting.
I hope I don't get in trouble here but these are some of my thoughts.
Yes, we do need to step in and help. Find ways to send money. My church's World Relief is asking for Wal-Mart gift cards to give to people that have arrived in Houston and other areas. Check with your church, work or any other organization on how you can send money, gift cards or other items to these people.
Maybe help with airfare for those who want to go to other places in the country with friends or relatives. If you can't help financially or physically, pray that others will.
Just some of my thoughts.
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