The Real Tragedy.....

Well, Hurricane Katrina has come and gone and way too many people have died and others left stranded. Something that someone else said on another board has come to light, '...it seems that only the poor are the ones left behind during this storm.....'. People are stuck in the Astrodome with no food, no running water, no flush toilets.... 30,000 people!!!! The Govenor of that state is talking about a mandantory evacuation for all those who can leave.... If folks could have left they would have already, before the storm hit!!! Where are these folks going to go? How are they going to get there? With what money? The looting has begun and to see people running along with goods that aren't there's makes me ill. Now, I can understand food, water, even blankets and dry clothes but racks of suits and appliances???? New Orleans will quickly, if it hasn't already, turn into a very beastial community of those who are stronger will take what they want at the expense of those who are weaker. It really makes a person sit back and wonder, how much would it take for me to become like them? How hungry, or thirsty would I have to be in order to take what I needed to survive?

How hopeless are the people feeling when the helicopters won't pick them up because they don't have room or are under orders to only pick up those in medical need? How alone and lost and betrayed they must feel.

Where to put the refugees? There are now over 1,000,000 people homeless in New Orleans, where will they go? Someone brought up a very good idea that might actually work, put some of them at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. They have building after building after building standing empty and no longer used - it wouldn't take much to make them habitable for a short term of a few months. They could even utilize other buildings for schools for the children and Goddess knows whatever else is needed. How many other bases are out there that could do the same that has been down-sized or are no longer being used that have lots of buildings that could be used as emergency housing and such. Why not talk about something like that? I may just email the Govenor's office and see what they think about the idea. At the worst they will put me on a 'crazy' watch list, no big deal.

For those of you who are reading this, what do you think? I really would like to hear other comments about this and any other problem out there.

This is still America, isn't it???

As I grow older I can't help but sit back and wonder about our society. Too many other countries see us as 'spiraling downward' and losing our place in this world. I see too many people not being able to survive in today's economy. Too many people need help with the basics like rent, outrageous electric bills, skyrocketing medical bills, even food. Too many of the agencies and non-profit organizations out there are trying to help but simply run out of money and can no longer help. Too many non-porfits, big national non-profits, are politcally motivated and no longer have the people that need help foremost in their minds. Too many of us are just a paycheck or two away from being homeless. Too many people are declaring bankruptcy and trying to hang on to what they have. Too many people are having to decide between buying medicines and buying food or paying a basic necessity bill like electric or water. Too many of our elderly, who've worked hard all of their lives, are in this position every month and their quality of life continues to spiral downward.

When did we stop caring about our communities and the people around us? When did we stop worrying about whether or not the old lady down the street was able to eat? When did we stop caring whether or not the old man next door was able to buy enough gas to go out to the pharmacy and get all of his med's? When did we stop valuing people and began putting price tags and dollar signs on everything?

Where do we go from here?

What Year Is This Again?????

I was informed yesterday that a very dear friend of mine was wrongfully terminated from his job with a United Way Charity because he was considered 'too gay' for the comfort of a fellow employee. This young man wasn't 'hitting' on anyone, he wasn't rude or vulgar, he is just naturally feminine and that was too much for the comfort of this stupid bigotted woman. The Director actually asked him to apologize to this woman!!!!! What the hell is going on??? This is 2005, isn't it??? When he calmly refused to apoligize for being himself he was terminated!!!!! Now I know that Arkansas has it own strange quirks and such but this is freaking ridiculous!!!! How dare this organization ask a person to apologize for being themselves!!! I plan to not only personally contact this organization and ask them what were they thinking by taking this action but to also give them as much bad press as possible!!!! This is unacceptable!!!
I would say a public apology and a nice settlement is a good start!!!!

Out of the mouth's of idiots....

Well, it seems that certain public leaders are at it again. Letting their mouths over-ride common sense and any sense of decent behavior. Now, I understand that this country is filled with everyone's sense of "free speech" and that any idiot can 'speak out' on any issue. That is not a bad thing but when did the various community and religious leader's feel that they could take it upon themselves to publically call for the assasination of another country's leader? Yes, I'm talking about that idiot - Pat Robertson - who did this just yesterday. Did he honestly think that he could get away with that type of 'bad behavior'? Was he really hoping that the current government wouldn't distance themselves from this quagmire? Heavens above, if anything happens to the Venuzalian President then his short sighted, highly inflammatory statements could be the spark to another war that this country can't afford to fight. We don't have the manpower or the money unless the government starts flexing it's quietly acquired police state muscle.

Yes, we live in a police state, thanks to the Patriot Act. Anyone at anytime could be called a terrorist and then all bets are off and all rights are gone! Think about it, a softly gloved hand can still hurt when it slaps you across the face. This country is broke and we still rack up the trillion dollar debt each year. The current president isn't worried about public opinion, he can't be elected again so he can really get down to business. And four more years in Iraq, what is that all about? How many men and women do we have to lose before the public wakes up and demands action? Is this a war about freedom or is it about oil?

There isn't enough oil left in the world's resources to fuel anyone for very much longer. What happens then? What kind of wars will be waged in the name of oil demand? Why don't the oil companies get smart and start looking into other sources of fuel and energy? Or do they want to get the last penny out of the consumers before the end?

Any my next question is this: Industrial hemp, it can be purchased is just about any form and sent into this country to make clothes, food, coffee, building supplies, what-have-you - but it is illegal to actually grow the stuff in this country. What is that all about? If it's so illegal then why can anyone - legally - import the seeds, the fiber, whatever and utilize it? It isn't marijuana, it's a cousin and has no THC value whatsoever, but it's still illegal to grow????

My next bitch is about Medical Marijuana. Various countries and universities have proven that it is a wonderful treatment for the symptoms of many diseases and even helps with the horrific effects of chemo and radiation therapy that many cancer patients go through. These same studies have shown that many tumors have been diminished and even erradicated by injecting high levels of marijuana chemicals directly into the tumor. But, when an american university showed this study and the results in the 1970's the DEA swiftly stopped all further study into this - because marijuana is illegal. It's considered a 'gateway drug' for people who become addicts. Well, after looking at the facts and principals of addiction - it is my opinion that the real gateway drugs are tobacco and alcohol. For people with addiction issues, there is a genetic predisposition for many addictions and it starts with tobacco and alcohol. There are many thousands of people who have been smoking marijuana for many years and they have not turned to other 'hard core' drugs. It has not acted as a gateway drug for most individuals, but for some with addiction problems anything is going to be a gateway for them. Many of us start the addiction pattern early in childhood with candy or softdrinks or coffee. Once the addiction pattern has begun it's a short step to something more. Bad genetics, maybe but I think that bad living and lack of personal responsibility and accountability is closer to the truth.