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Hi G
I'm like you I'm bewildered and angry at the seeming lack of organization in getting aid to the survivors of Katrina! The situation is worsening by the hour. I'm perplexed about why the busses going to the Superdome didn't carry crates of water to those people before they picked up a load of passengers for the Astrodome in Houston. At least they would have made the most of the gasoline used for round trips.

I just watched the President on TV. He's taking a tour of the area, but I don't think he really had a clue about the extent of the disaster. Why some of the administration were not more visible is a mystery to me. I'm thinking back to when Churchill went to the bombing sites as the bombs were falling just to show that elected officials were there to support those in such misery. Officials who have been in front of the camera in the last several days have been in suits and ties, the women beautifully coifed and looking like magazine pics. If they were dressed in casual clothing with hair a bit mussed, standing near a pile of ruble left from the hurricane, I'd at least have the impression they are hard at work solving problems. They know how to dress for photo ops in soup kitchens when they want publicity.

When you think of the immediate aid given within a short few hours to other countries- quakes in Turkey, tsunamis in Asia, floods in Bangladesh, not to mention the aid given in Iraq, you'd think we could do the same here. Electrical workers from Texas Ohio, Arkansas were in route to the area before the hurricane hit land, as were telephone workers, Red Cross trucks and Salvation Army.

Why did it take 4 days for the Senate to meet? Every person in the country with a TV could tell how big the catastrophe was even before the levees broke. Men here in this comunity got together with their boats the morning the hurricane landed to so they could join the rescue effort. If civilians can do it why can't the military do it? they have better resources at their disposal.

As you can tell I'm angry and I'll admit to confusion. I hope we haven't deluded ourselves that we are the greatest country on earth and our famous 'know how' is only a myth... I do believe once things get moving the rescue will go fast but in the meantime just wrapping dead people in sheets and leaving them on the side walk while people are dying of insulin shock, thirst and lack of medicines is beyond acceptable!!!

I realize in a few hours or maybe another day, my impressions and questions about the slow progress in rescue will change, but this is the way I'm reacting now. You will probably have different perspective too. If possible I hope you keep a diary of sorts of these days so people years from now can read how we coped with the loss of a city. I don't believe New Orleans will ever be a city again, at least as we have known it. We may salvage a portion, but if we do, it will be years before it can be inhabited again.

Thanks for sending your email, it gives me a chance to spout off and you know misery loves company! In other words, GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE !!!!!! love ....