Katrina & Rita: What Now?

Good afternoon to all,
hope your day is going well.

So, here it is, weeks after two of the most devastating storms of recent times, words were aplenty after the Hurricane Katrina debacle, with less words spoken after the "success" of Hurricane Rita preparation. I use the quotation marks around "success", because anyone living down here on the Texas Coast can tell you that things did not go as smoothly as said. In the days leading up to Rita, there was a small bit of chaos taking place in this area, and many people were gridlocked on our highways, running out of gasoline, and worrying about the safety of their families. All these days later, I somehow keep hearing those words "now isn't the time to play the blame game", that were uttered so many times after Hurricane Katrina. I find myself wondering, "Is now a good time?" When is the proper time for us to ask the tough questions? Is there ever a good time for those who might have to provide answers? Probably not, but the questions seem to have all but but slowed to a trickle, which is saddening to those who can still vividly remember what we all saw. However, the news services appear to have now moved on to other stories taking place. When was the last time you heard a question asked on television that even resembles any of those asked during the immediate aftermath of Katrina? My best bet would be that it has been a while. Now, I know that bad memories are best put behind us, isn't that what we all most often do after seeing something that effects us deeply?. I think so, but in this instance, is it best to just move on, and let things sort itself out, or is it better to find answers that might allow us to fix things sooner rather than later? The Mike Brown hearing did little to clear up things, as Mr. Brown removed himself from any responsibility about what took place (or didn't take place) after Katrina, that single hearing was the last I saw of the big questions being asked. What happened? I guess the "wait to ask questions" tactic has worked, as now after the wait, few are still asking, they're all "asked out".

One of the biggest questions people should be asking is, "what is to happen to the Katrina evacuees now?" Now that the fervor has died down, now that the budget appropriation for public housing has been cut, now that the survivors are being shuffled from community to community, with the stability of their lives hanging in the balance. "Limited resources" keeps coming up as a sort of catch-phrase used when talking about evacuees taking up residence in a new location, where is the big dollar figure now? I heard the sounds of money being thrown at the situation, back when administration poll numbers were in a slide, when everyone wanted answers, now I can't help but sense the door closing slowly on those who might be considered to be amongst our poorest of citizens. Why? Why are those who have endured so much, now seeming to have to endure so much more? First, a wave of water washed away their homes, leaving them with not much more than hope, now it seems a wave of bureaucracy is coming to wash away that hope. Money is surely there to help these people get back on their feet, to find some level of stability, though with the no-bid contracts once again finding their way into yet another of our nation's most terrible incidents, I wonder where the money will actually go? Is it really necessary to go with the "no-bid"? If the companies who have been regularly getting the no-bid contracts are truly the best, and can do the jobs at the lowest cost, then that's great! Just that it would be nice to see what the other companies might have to offer. I can't believe that with all of our technology, only a very small handfull of companies have the ability to do work on a big level? Does anyone else think that unlikely? I'm not against the best getting the job, nor am I against an American company getting the job, just that for the sake of the concerned public's peace of mind, why not go through the conventional bidding process? It would surely calm people's nerves, and would leave some sort of record as to why a particular company got the green-light to perform a needed task.

Now, back to the matter at hand, housing for the people... what is to be done? Should dignity be the final sacrifice of the survivors? I say no, it should not be! Even the poorest of people (and I hate to use that term "poor", though it's just that the term "economically challenged" sounds too politically correct, sounding like I would try to clean up the description of the situation to make it not sound as difficult as it is becoming, it's far too sterile of a term, seeming to point away from those who are really in need), so I say that even the poorest of people, ask for nothing more than what most of us would demand or expect, they ask that we don't forget they are Americans, they ask that we care as much... not more, but as much... as we would care about those we know and love, and I believe that isn't too much too to ask. I sure wish I knew what the public housing plan was going to be for them, but nobody is talking, even those in charge of the public housing programs are saying not much more than they're "trying to do their job with limited funding." How typical that sounds nowadays.

For those who might say, "let them find their own homes... get a job, and stop living for free", (and yes, they're out there) I saw a comment like that posted on a news forum somewhere, I just say..... first of all, that is a cold thing for someone to say, and I hope they never find themselves in that sort of situation, but imagine living without a home, without a car, without many clothes, without much money, with a family to support, with some food, but with time running out for the help. How would you feel? Would you consider it charity to simply get a roof over your head, a place to call home, if just only for a time? Would you consider it charity to get a few dollars to purchase a few necessities you need while looking for a job, or would you appreciate the help? I know I sure would appreciate the help. Now, the help needs to get to the people who need it, and the sooner the better. Unfortunately, there are many who are still waiting, still unsure of their futures, and the futures of their families, wondering where they'll be a week, a month, or a year from now, how they will live, the uncertainty of their voices going mostly unheard by a press who has all but moved on, and a public trying to escape the bad times that found it's way into their homes for a time, as they watched the evening news or while they read their newspapers.

Here's a link to a related news story, it describes how the survivors are coming to be regarded in some communities, I believe it to be shameful.