On this Labor Day, 2005, more thoughts from Dee:
I don't know how phenomenal my late night meanderings of the mind are
Marianne, sure never know where to put the commas or periods, but my
heart is aching for those people of the gulf coast region.
Please use where ever you would like, I have [never] been known to be one that
minces words, doubt I will start soon. I feel we Americans need a wake
up call to start paying attention to some serious issues that could
confront us all. Have a good one up there gal, DEE
*********************
Subject: Do Americans want the truth?
(A quote by; a American in Denial)
"One thing, I think we have to keep in mind is that the media will pick up the WORST of everything."
I don't buy into this statement above, it bothers me to think, some people, would rather be in denial or blame News Reporters that try sharing their eye witness view to all of us. Possibly Americans today, having lived through daily doses of nationally publicized criminal cases in these United States, have in their minds a picture of the TV News as daily soap operas, not to be believed entirely. I'm somewhat amazed that US citizens don't realize how the news media can give them the visual truth, none of these reporters have to politic to do their job, they report on what they see and what they are told from more than one source or view.
Some Americans want to make, the errors made after Hurricane Katrina, a political issue. Democrats were complaining about the lack of haste in getting help to those Gulf State's victims, the Republicans were just as upset I watched for 4 days the real situation going on instantly/ Live from New Orleans on 7 or 8 news channels 24 hrs a day, while flipping back & forth. The news people were in New Orleans even prior to the hurricane, after the breach of the Levees, national news organization was there 24 hours per day, in this case viewers could witness thousands of different scenarios going on, rather than just a snippet of what the 1/2 hour NBC - CBS - or etc., chose to show. I witnessed thousands & thousands of people, many with tiny children, in the most horrific situation imaginable with my own eyes. I did not need a newsperson to give their opinion I could see for myself, what looked like it should be happening in a third world country not the USA.
Now if the news people could get themselves in and out of New Orleans I am not buying that troupes from Ft Rucker, Ft. Benning could not have been into New Orleans with in just a few hours. Just today the 82nd Airborne is going into N.O. the 82nd trains right close there at Ft. Benning at least it did during Viet Nam. My consensus is: the Governor of Alabama did not have a plan what so ever for her state, did not have any contact with either Homeland Security or FEMA prior or after the breaching of the levees. Possibly the formation of Homeland Sec. has some how hindered the performance of FEMA From what I gather, a Governor has to order Federal help, that is what the Federal politicians are saying.
The news people in this situation, could not help but report what they saw, when there were 30,000 people crammed in one stadium nearly as many in another, thousands on miles & miles of bridges, in hospitals with DRs in the dark, trying to treat patients that were hospitalized before the hurricane, with no aid coming to them at all afterwards. Newscasters did not have to say one word for Americans to witness this going on live in front of their eyes, while watching multitudes of people crying out for help. If I didn't have Satellite News Channels 24 hours per day, I wouldn't get much news, I some times don't get home until after the news time frame is over here in my part of the country & I don't always stay up until 11:00 pm to watch news. I doubt many working class people that do not have cable news channels see vital news information that is not edited down short enough to show between commercials.
300 tourists that were stuck in a hotel in N.O. 4 days were only just removed last night, because one lady had a cell phone and contacted FOX news, she called back last night to FOX from Maryland thanking them for their help. Some times some of the channels have a different slant on things, or "spin" as TV Newscaster Bill O'Reilly would say, however this time every single news channel had reporters into the gulf area, in every kind of situation, reporting on everything they could get too. Most refugees had not seen one national guard, one policeman, no Red Cross in N.O. in four days, while in Gulf port a church from Pensacola, had been helping them.
I am more than a little embarrassed for Bush, he screwed up I'm sorry to have to admit, his hugging on a couple of slightly Black woman at a demolished housing area of Biloxi, didn't satisfy me. He is going back tomorrow to N.O I'm sure this entire affair has not helped his ratings. I voted for him, I like him and think he is a decent man. Today I feel he has a lack of communication under him somewhere. Some one under Bush surely had a decent news channel where they could have conveyed to him accurate information Tonite the Governor of California's wife, was seeking aid for the Red Cross on television, explaining how she is the head of a family disaster information package for the citizens of CA. I think Americans need to demand information on what our local & state's policy is in case of a disaster of any kind. I have wondered about this for a long time, after some discussion with a local Sheriff's Deputy, whom I figured should have been more informed than I was. This person was not aware of any plan what so ever, that gave me some concern, prior to Katrina.
I'm not of the opinion that our government should feed & clothe us, however the taxes paid by US citizens, including poor people, have a right to have these taxes go to protect us all in the case of a emergency. It makes no sense to have a National Guard, or all the other Gov. agencies that are suppose to be in place for just such emergencies, if those that are in the position to order out help, are not even paying attention to what is going on in this country.
Some might have thought I was out in left field Friday night, when I thought of FDR's CCC camps, during the depression, for those Hurricane refugees that will be without incomes for some time to come. This morning, there was a interview on the front page of our paper with a elderly man that had served in the CCC Camps, his take was much like all the depression era friends I have heard speak of this program over the years. It was a life saver for thousands of men out of work, they created wonderful additions in this country working for the CCC. Those of us in the Northwest are still reaping the benefits from FDR's work program.
On these sad days in our History, I am hoping my brothers & sisters of this country, will realize the horrific occurrences of the past week, was conveyed to them by brave, news media individuals that were risking their own lives to show us reality. If we all were to ignore the reality of this past week's history, our country could just as easily be added as a sequel to: "While England Slept"
"One thing, I think we have to keep in mind is that the media will pick up the WORST of everything."
I don't buy into this statement above, it bothers me to think, some people, would rather be in denial or blame News Reporters that try sharing their eye witness view to all of us. Possibly Americans today, having lived through daily doses of nationally publicized criminal cases in these United States, have in their minds a picture of the TV News as daily soap operas, not to be believed entirely. I'm somewhat amazed that US citizens don't realize how the news media can give them the visual truth, none of these reporters have to politic to do their job, they report on what they see and what they are told from more than one source or view.
Some Americans want to make, the errors made after Hurricane Katrina, a political issue. Democrats were complaining about the lack of haste in getting help to those Gulf State's victims, the Republicans were just as upset I watched for 4 days the real situation going on instantly/ Live from New Orleans on 7 or 8 news channels 24 hrs a day, while flipping back & forth. The news people were in New Orleans even prior to the hurricane, after the breach of the Levees, national news organization was there 24 hours per day, in this case viewers could witness thousands of different scenarios going on, rather than just a snippet of what the 1/2 hour NBC - CBS - or etc., chose to show. I witnessed thousands & thousands of people, many with tiny children, in the most horrific situation imaginable with my own eyes. I did not need a newsperson to give their opinion I could see for myself, what looked like it should be happening in a third world country not the USA.
Now if the news people could get themselves in and out of New Orleans I am not buying that troupes from Ft Rucker, Ft. Benning could not have been into New Orleans with in just a few hours. Just today the 82nd Airborne is going into N.O. the 82nd trains right close there at Ft. Benning at least it did during Viet Nam. My consensus is: the Governor of Alabama did not have a plan what so ever for her state, did not have any contact with either Homeland Security or FEMA prior or after the breaching of the levees. Possibly the formation of Homeland Sec. has some how hindered the performance of FEMA From what I gather, a Governor has to order Federal help, that is what the Federal politicians are saying.
The news people in this situation, could not help but report what they saw, when there were 30,000 people crammed in one stadium nearly as many in another, thousands on miles & miles of bridges, in hospitals with DRs in the dark, trying to treat patients that were hospitalized before the hurricane, with no aid coming to them at all afterwards. Newscasters did not have to say one word for Americans to witness this going on live in front of their eyes, while watching multitudes of people crying out for help. If I didn't have Satellite News Channels 24 hours per day, I wouldn't get much news, I some times don't get home until after the news time frame is over here in my part of the country & I don't always stay up until 11:00 pm to watch news. I doubt many working class people that do not have cable news channels see vital news information that is not edited down short enough to show between commercials.
300 tourists that were stuck in a hotel in N.O. 4 days were only just removed last night, because one lady had a cell phone and contacted FOX news, she called back last night to FOX from Maryland thanking them for their help. Some times some of the channels have a different slant on things, or "spin" as TV Newscaster Bill O'Reilly would say, however this time every single news channel had reporters into the gulf area, in every kind of situation, reporting on everything they could get too. Most refugees had not seen one national guard, one policeman, no Red Cross in N.O. in four days, while in Gulf port a church from Pensacola, had been helping them.
I am more than a little embarrassed for Bush, he screwed up I'm sorry to have to admit, his hugging on a couple of slightly Black woman at a demolished housing area of Biloxi, didn't satisfy me. He is going back tomorrow to N.O I'm sure this entire affair has not helped his ratings. I voted for him, I like him and think he is a decent man. Today I feel he has a lack of communication under him somewhere. Some one under Bush surely had a decent news channel where they could have conveyed to him accurate information Tonite the Governor of California's wife, was seeking aid for the Red Cross on television, explaining how she is the head of a family disaster information package for the citizens of CA. I think Americans need to demand information on what our local & state's policy is in case of a disaster of any kind. I have wondered about this for a long time, after some discussion with a local Sheriff's Deputy, whom I figured should have been more informed than I was. This person was not aware of any plan what so ever, that gave me some concern, prior to Katrina.
I'm not of the opinion that our government should feed & clothe us, however the taxes paid by US citizens, including poor people, have a right to have these taxes go to protect us all in the case of a emergency. It makes no sense to have a National Guard, or all the other Gov. agencies that are suppose to be in place for just such emergencies, if those that are in the position to order out help, are not even paying attention to what is going on in this country.
Some might have thought I was out in left field Friday night, when I thought of FDR's CCC camps, during the depression, for those Hurricane refugees that will be without incomes for some time to come. This morning, there was a interview on the front page of our paper with a elderly man that had served in the CCC Camps, his take was much like all the depression era friends I have heard speak of this program over the years. It was a life saver for thousands of men out of work, they created wonderful additions in this country working for the CCC. Those of us in the Northwest are still reaping the benefits from FDR's work program.
On these sad days in our History, I am hoping my brothers & sisters of this country, will realize the horrific occurrences of the past week, was conveyed to them by brave, news media individuals that were risking their own lives to show us reality. If we all were to ignore the reality of this past week's history, our country could just as easily be added as a sequel to: "While England Slept"
1 comment:
Thanks, Marianne. Your friend voiced much more eloquently many of my own thoughts on this tragic situation.
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