KATRINA, KATRINA

just a few things running thru my mind after watching the news...

After watching the countless reports on the news of the destruction, Katrina left in her aftermath I can't help the feeling of wanting to get down on my knees and praise God. No matter how bad things look on my life, seeing all those left homeless and all those who have lost family members and all of their earthly belongings, one can't help but to be thankful for what we have. How often do you see a homeless person panhandling and look down on them. That could be any of us, statistics say 70% of the population is one paycheck away from being homeless.

I hear about all the celebrities donating millions of dollars to organizations like The Red Cross, all of the radio and television stations and other corporations raising millions of dollars and i cant help but wonder how much of that will trickle down to the hoods. To the poorest of the poor. How many of them will have their homes restored. How many of them will see their share of that money, and the ones who do, how long will it take before they do?

The press shows the victims of Katrina looting, sure some are trying to capitalize off the situation but a good number of them are just sick, tired and desperate and just want food and water and other items to survive. How can you look at them as criminals and not the gas stations that raise prises to up to six dollars a gallon, leaking stories of gas stations closing because they will be out by the end of the day taking advantage of us.

I wonder had Katrina took another turn and hit states and cities where the population was 70% white instead of black would our government do more to restore what is being called the disaster zone and to get the people out of the affected area. This is a natural emergency as well as a national disgrace.

Lasty I also wonder why we refer to the victims of Katrina (ie African-Americans) as rufugees when the victims of the back to back to back huricanes in Floridas, were just Florida residents looking for somewhere to go until their cities were restored. The word refugees to my knowledge has never been used before to describe American citizens. But then again should I be surprised a word usually reserved for non Americans like Cubans and Hatians by the press, why should I be surprised the press would used the word to describe African-Americans from the disater zone.

what do you think, feell free to post your comments
I would like to hear your point of view on the subject....