Tuesday, September 06, 2005

She's Our Collective Bitch

Katrina, in a word. Like 9/11 there a few, if any, Americans who have not felt the effects in one way or another.

I thinkI am having delayed reaction/shock to what's going on down south, honestly. I was w/o any type of news/TV until the night before it actually hit last week and then was working 24/7 with very minor news snippets until last Thursday. Friday I went on vaca to my beloved NC and that is when I started reading the papers and watching too much CNN. And I love this to tears!

The New York Times, love or hate the Grey Lady, has moved me to tears the past few days with human interest articles. The disparity between the black and white, the "haves" and "haves not" and the face of the homeless I never thought I would see:

My Former Roommate's Boyfriend

He started Tulane Medical three weeks ago. I walked into my old apartment last Thursday and there he was. Great to see him, but not under these circumstance. He has a laptop, 3 bags of clothes and is waiting to hear where he is going to be placed for classes, most likely at another University.

Our Beach Neighbors

Their close friend's daughter lost everything and came up to VA with her two small children and husband, homeless and unable to even get cash out of an ATM.

My Current Roommate's Extended Family

Her cousin's husband flew down there over the weekend to get his two nieces, 14 and 17, and bring them up to VA in order to start school this morning.

Hearing all of this I want to help, give, do SOMETHING to not feel so helpless. Yet I don't want to just give to the Red Cross. So my roommate and I decided last night we would get each of the girls some of my product, a Target gift cards and a disposable digital cameras. They can get clothes/shoes/school supplies...whatever they want with the gift cards. And after we heard how lost they were without any family photos I am hoping the cameras this can at least start them on the path to making some new memories.