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this one I can't leave alone
I try not to talk about politics here, but my husband sent me a link and until I get something off my chest I won't be able to concentrate on anything.
Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert on the disaster in New Orleans, as reported in the Washington Post:
It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said of federal assistance for hurricane-devastated New Orleans. Democratic lawmakers from Louisiana were quick to disagree Thursday and Hastert sought to clarify the comment during the day."It looks like a lot of that place could be bulldozed," the Illinois Republican said in an interview about New Orleans Wednesday with the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights, Ill.
Aside from the monumental lack of sensitivity displayed by this leader of the Republican party, a few things jump out at me.
1. There are still people trapped in attics who need rescuing. Do we bulldoze them, too?
2. The people without enough money to flee the city are living in hovels in sport stadiums without clean water or sufficient food. Maybe that would be a more appropriate topic for action.
3. So it would be expensive to rebuild New Orleans. How much money exactly have we spent in Iraq? How much on the rebuilding of Bagdad? Think how much money we could have saved and how many lives, too, if we had just sent over a fleet of bulldozers to start with.
Some things are worth time and effort and money. I would say that the Gulf Coast is one of those things.
September 2, 2005 10:59 AM
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Comments
I've been hearing a lot of stupid things from people with titles and access to a television camera--people who probably have had a shower and change of clothing within the past twenty four hours.
How long will it be before a disaster caused by an act of nature degenerates into verbal mudslinging, with one "side" blaming the other.
Isn't it ironic that some of the worst stories are coming from a sports stadium?
Posted by: Rosemary at September 2, 2005 05:29 PM
Thanks for your link to donate. Do you think there will also be fundraising to help the victims get their lives back together as much as possible over the next few months?
I was also wondering how this tragedy has impacted on your writing of New Orleans in Queen of Swords. I'm not sure if you have already finished writing the bits that are set in New Orleans but if you haven't, I was wondering whether you are approaching writing about the city differently (ie. with a different emotional canvas?).
As a nonAmerican, I'm pretty alarmed at suggestions that the city should not be rebuilt or simply relocated. This whole tragedy has made me want to reread Penelope/Penn Williamson's crime novels, "Mortal Sin" and "wages of sin" which are set in New Orleans. I am sure there are lots more novels that pay homage to the city. Can anyone suggest any good ones to read?
Posted by: Jacqui at September 2, 2005 11:13 PM