Comments on: What are you doing today? http://musicandcats.com/2006/03/what-are-you-doing-today/ "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." --Albert Schweitzer Sat, 05 Nov 2011 10:08:30 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Karen http://musicandcats.com/2006/03/what-are-you-doing-today/comment-page-1/#comment-1857 Karen Sun, 26 Mar 2006 20:38:49 +0000 http://musicandcats.com/?p=364#comment-1857 As a former resident of south Louisiana for many years, and of New Orleans, I was very proud of my new city, Houston, stepping up and welcoming 200,000 people after Katrina. Gradually other cities offered help but not many. Our city, the fourth largest in the nation, has struggled to accomodate the evacuees on a long term basis. The mayor has given them free rent and utilites for a 12 month period. Our schools have crowded classrooms, including my son's high school. PTA's provided school supplies and backpacks for the students. Now we are seeing the long term effects. Crime is up as not just "good" citizens came here. Local charities are suffering from what is known here as "Katrina fatigue". Everyone gives as much as possible but needs are always going to be there. To assume the federal government is going to save the day is naive. The locals in New Orleans have only recently put together a plan for people to rebuild and it is very questionable. Naquin and others are too busy coming here and other places looking for votes in the upcoming election. Local and state governments have failed the people miserably. And what about the Mississippi Gulf coast? At least most of New Orleans is still standing. My birth city of Biloxi is gone. Not to mention Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, etc. They get very little notice these days. The western coast of Louisiana and the east coast of Texas are still not functioning from Rita. No coverage there either. As a former resident of south Louisiana for many years, and of New Orleans, I was very proud of my new city, Houston, stepping up and welcoming 200,000 people after Katrina. Gradually other cities offered help but not many. Our city, the fourth largest in the nation, has struggled to accomodate the evacuees on a long term basis. The mayor has given them free rent and utilites for a 12 month period. Our schools have crowded classrooms, including my son’s high school. PTA’s provided school supplies and backpacks for the students.
Now we are seeing the long term effects. Crime is up as not just “good” citizens came here. Local charities are suffering from what is known here as “Katrina fatigue”. Everyone gives as much as possible but needs are always going to be there.
To assume the federal government is going to save the day is naive. The locals in New Orleans have only recently put together a plan for people to rebuild and it is very questionable. Naquin and others are too busy coming here and other places looking for votes in the upcoming election. Local and state governments have failed the people miserably.
And what about the Mississippi Gulf coast? At least most of New Orleans is still standing. My birth city of Biloxi is gone. Not to mention Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, etc. They get very little notice these days.
The western coast of Louisiana and the east coast of Texas are still not functioning from Rita. No coverage there either.

]]> By: lindy http://musicandcats.com/2006/03/what-are-you-doing-today/comment-page-1/#comment-1856 lindy Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:33:38 +0000 http://musicandcats.com/?p=364#comment-1856 You are so right. Just an additional note: If you can send money, be very careful how you contribute. The apparent diversion of contributions to this cause through the Red Cross, which are now coming to light may make you want to scream all the louder. My feeling is that it may be most important of all to keep pressure on federal officials, and your senators and congresspersons on this matter. Public officials sometimes (perhaps correctly) assume that most people forget about an issue after it has been intially raised and discussed. Let them know that it is not only the people directly affected by Katrina who are still watching their performance on this. You are so right.

Just an additional note:
If you can send money, be very careful how you contribute.
The apparent diversion of contributions to this cause through the Red Cross, which are now coming to light may make you want to scream all the louder.

My feeling is that it may be most important of all to keep pressure on federal officials, and your senators and congresspersons on this matter. Public officials sometimes (perhaps correctly) assume that most people forget about an issue after it has been intially raised and discussed. Let them know that it is not only the people directly affected by Katrina who are still watching their performance on this.

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