This cartoon summarizes my overall impression of the U.S. government’s response to the Hurricane Katrina crisis so far, which has been woefully slow and inadequate. Many Americans, I think, have the right to be very angry with their President right now, and this article originally posted at Salon.com seems to me a good explanation of how the U.S.’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) came to be in such a sorry state. And this article at Alternet exposes the “eight big lies about Katrina” that the Bush administration used to deflect blame. [link added on Sept. 9, 2005]
My heart goes out to victims of the Hurricane, especially the poor and homeless who fell victim not only to nature, but to an incompetent central government. Still, I am confident that the amazing energy and optimism of New Orleans residents will return the city to its former self. As one wide-eyed tourist who visited on the last days of 2001 Mardi Gras, I left New Orleans a very happy newly-converted jazz fan who just had the most amazing musical experience of her life – two hours listening to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band weave their magic, never mind that I had to stand the whole time because the room was completely packed. A lot of things happened in that room that I find amazing to this day, such as: how 80-year-old musicians can blow trumpets nonstop, and how such a wonderful experience can be had for just $5 at the door.
This cartoon summarizes my overall impression of the U.S. government’s response to the Hurricane Katrina crisis so far, which has been woefully slow and inadequate. Many Americans, I think, have the right to be very angry with their President right now, and this article originally posted at Salon.com seems to me a good explanation of how the U.S.’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) came to be in such a sorry state. And this article at Alternet exposes the “eight big lies about Katrina” that the Bush administration used to deflect blame. [link added on Sept. 9, 2005]
My heart goes out to victims of the Hurricane, especially the poor and homeless who fell victim not only to nature, but to an incompetent central government. Still, I am confident that the amazing energy and optimism of New Orleans residents will return the city to its former self. As one wide-eyed tourist who visited on the last days of 2001 Mardi Gras, I left New Orleans a very happy newly-converted jazz fan who just had the most amazing musical experience of her life – two hours listening to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band weave their magic, never mind that I had to stand the whole time because the room was completely packed. A lot of things happened in that room that I find amazing to this day, such as: how 80-year-old musicians can blow trumpets nonstop, and how such a wonderful experience can be had for just $5 at the door.
While we’re on the topic of George W. Bush’s incompetence, this seems like as good a time as any to promote a great non-partisan political song from one of my most favorite bands: “16 Military Wives” from The Decemberists, who deserves extra kudos for making their video in the style of Rushmore, one of the best ‘geek movies’ ever made in my opinion. (I like the recent Napoleon Dynamite too).
You can also download high-quality version (73MB) of this video from The Decemberists website.