Fig 1. New Orleans bitch slapped by Hurricane Katrina - source: Getty Images
I know something about hurricanes. But not that much. Apparently, my sleeping habits haven’t changed much since I was 5 because I slept through the worst of the storm which my parents have described as a full-size train outside the boarded-up windows. Even though there was no damage to the house (somehow the large, 100+ trees all fell AROUND the house) - my father will say that he regrets staying for the storm because of what could have happened.
I look at New Orleans and other scenes from Katrina’s path and I understand why he would feel foolish. The United States hasn’t seen that kind of destruction from a natural distaster since .
So I’m looking with a sense of awe (I do that for most violent storms), a sense of humility and sympathy.
Fig 2. New Orleans completely fucked by Hurricane Katrina - source: AP
I’ve been reading the news - and a blog when I can find a good one. The stories coming out, so far are pretty bad and the images are impressively horrifying. Despite that, I have faith that the people effected by the storm are going to recover and rebuild.
However, I have this uneasy feeling about the level of support that will be mustered around the country. I’m wondering how people are going to react to this disaster - will it be similar in the way people reacted to the Indian Ocean tsunami? Granted, I think the deep south was - and still is pretty far ahead from that part of the world. But does that mindset spoil the fact that there are plenty of people in need here in the United States? So far I’ve seen more stories on global warming than I have on aid and support.
Even though I think global warming is an issue everyone needs to be focused on and talking about, I think we can wait a few days to politicize the disaster.
Hurricane Relief Efforts, Donations
I was just listening to Mindy Smith - Jolene