Friday, September 09, 2005

Flooded Feelings

It is hard to put into words my feelings about the devastation in the South. I think about it all the time- constantly reading cnn.com, watching CNN when I am home, talking about it with people. It's all anyone can talk about, as it rightly should be. Much like 9/11, America's true colors are showing. Except this time around, we don't have someone or some country to point the finger at. Mother Nature, damn you! Yeah, I don't think we are going to rally behind that. It isn't a joking matter. Of course not. I do have to laugh sometimes because if I didn't, I'd cry my eyes out.

Oh hell, who am I kidding? I still cry my eyes out.

The news reports of abandoned and stranded pets has ruined me. I can barely watch the rescues. As if losing your home and everything you own isn't horrific enough. As if not knowing where some of your loved ones are isn't devastating enough. As if being held captive in the Superdome for days on end without food, water, facilities while you watched people die, defecate, rape and wail isn't enough. You have to leave your dog too?

I understand why they can't take them but I still hate it. I am so grateful to the organizations that are there saving those poor pets who are starving and frightened and waiting for their owners to come home. I understand why some people have/had refused evacuation. I don't know if I could leave my pets. I am crying right now just thinking about it.

And along with my immense sorrow is my anger. At people like Barbara Bush saying stupid, ignorant things. And my jubilation over reporters like Anderson Cooper who say the truth. I don't know how this is going to be fixed. But everyone is watching and I hope that we don't fall back into our little worlds and forget how we all need one another, even in times where crisis is absent.

13 comments:

Amy S. Petrik said...

good post. i found myself glued to the boob tube for over a week now. when i am not zoning in on BIG BROTHER and wishing the cry-baby lesbian would shut the hell up, otherwise i am constantly watching and crying along with the families who are missing their loved ones. i can't stand watching others cry or break their normal character and just lose their composure. i donated clothes on tuesday. i wish i could do more but i dont know what i can do. four years ago i was glued to the boob tube for 9/11...and 8 years ago again for when Princess Diana died. carry on wayward son. or i mean.....girl.

The Daily Gus said...

Bravo. The news coverage keeps getting worse---and will continue to do so in the days ahead as the death toll mounts. I sent money to the NAACP (whose hurculean efforts to find housing and match up missing families has left me speechless) and to the red cross. The ASPCA is next on my list. I just found out that one of my coworkers took off for Louisiana on wednesday---I had no idea he was leaving. Good for him--I wish I'd known, I would've sent food, clothes, water, power bars, dog food, gas money, etc.

Anonymous said...

i've had to stop watching the news. my husband is so tired of me going off about this and that... the babies dying not having formula, the animals left to fend for themselves, starving to death, airbourne disease and what are the going to do with all the trash and waste? there simply is not a landfill big enough for all of it....

Mo-Pie said...

It is a terrible thing. The reason they put these pictures of people suffering is so that the people who can help (Should help) will help. Animal has a better instinct to live then most humans, but it is still sad that they are left stranded too.

After seeing the devastation over the past few years I don't think I would ever want to live on the southern coast for any reason. Hurricanes suck, and so do the people who did not help out more when they could. I mean the people who just left without taking anyone with them. They had the space, they had the time; they just didn't have the heart. And that will always be the curse of this world. People that always think of themselves first. Only leaving the good people to help clean up the mess, after the fact.

I wish that I could do more myself, if I was a millionaire; I would be doing all I could to help out. I think there are enough millionaires’ in this country that could help everyone in need if they put their money where their heart was.

Mr. Rodacre said...

why is Dash in a bag of forks?

Sizzle said...

it is good to know there are like-minded people out there like all of you. that gives me hope.

mr_rodacre: dash enjoys getting into all sorts of messes. don't leave your purse lying around either or your new MAC lipgloss is sure to be found under the sofa or something.

sue said...

Hubby and I were just talking about the animals. With all the deaths, there are bound to be a lot of animals that won't be claimed after this is all cleaned up, either. I was watching the other night as they showed a rescue facility and they showed dogs, horses, a mule, pigs... but I never saw a cat! Hubby said maybe they were too smart and got out before it hit. I figure they just have probably gone feral and can't be caught. Who knows? Maybe they just didn't show them.

I feel sorry for them as they didn't have a chance. If the owners didn't take them, how were they to know they were supposed to evacuate?

Give your critters a hug today, and send a donation.

Trée said...

I always feel guilty when the suffering of animals moves me more than the suffering of my fellow man.

Anonymous said...

someone PLEASE put a muzzle on barbara bush. what a callous hag...

Amy S. Petrik said...

PS: I so love Anderson Cooper.

Sizzle said...

oh tonawanda, i know how you love the bush, in all its forms but give me a f-ing break. she isn't right, she's racist.

you know how you and i agreed to not discuss politics for the sake of our friendship? let's go back to that. otherwise, it's meltdowncity.

xo sizz

Anonymous said...

Your post about this disaster is spot on. And yes, Babs is a boob and a Bush. I just wanted to share a couple of things about the pet issue. I am a huge animal advocate. Anything about animal suffering sets me off. I was watching some news coverage of Katrina, and someone said something that I hadn't really considered before. A large percentage of the abandoned pets were probably abandoned because their owners didn't survive. I know, that's bittersweet in a twisted way. It's good to know that they weren't just left behind, but they are still homeless nonetheless. The other thing I wanted to mention is that Petco is doing a really cool thing to help the Katrina animals. When you make a purchase there, they ask you if you want to round up your total. They can just do it automatically in their "system", and the proceeds of this spare change go to benefit the animal shelters down south. So shop at Petco! Okay, that's my elongated two cents. :)

Sizzle said...

thanks jenster! :)