Unanswered Questions

One year after the most devastating hurricane to hit New Orleans and almost five years after the towers came crashing down, WE KNOW NOTHING. We've been distracted, disinformed, and obviously disinterested. Not only do we not know the answers, we haven't even asked the questions. We have collectively failed the people of New Orleans, New York, and New Baghdad. Our nation has an attention span of about 10 minutes. We're told more about John Mark Karr (who DID NOT kill JonBenet Ramsey) and what he ate on his first class trip from Thailand than we are about Ray Nagin's constant struggle, exactly what happened on 9/11, and why, OH WHY, we are fighting a war in Iraq. And it seems like that's okay with us because we don't ask. I am ashamed of us. Maybe we deserve what we get.

2,633 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
19,733 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

200 Billion

The President announced that the government will be spending 200 billion of our tax dollars on rebuilding New Orleans. I won't mention that he's already spent that amount in Iraq, or that the deficit at the end of this quarter will be 333 billion dollars. It's not important that 84% of the displaced say they will not return to the city. Let's forget about the fact that it's not the best place for a city to begin with. There is more than enough money in the private sector to rebuild New Orleans, and I'm sure plenty of motivation goes along with it. Why should my tax dollars pay for it?

The Eve After Destruction

Katrina has come and gone. Unfortunately, the effects will be more lasting than ever. We are short on National Guard and Reserve troops to help the people in the devastated areas. Months ago the Governor of Louisiana begged the President to bring some or most of them home to help, knowing the catastrophe a bad hurricane can bring. Because there is no one to clean up and secure the cities in the aftermath, looting and other crimes are being committed at an alarming rate. Electricity will not be restored in some parts for two months or more. New Orleans is under water because here were no troops to help secure the levies before the storm and it may never recover. I hope all of you got to see New Orleans before it sank back into the sea. If I were Chavez, I would have called President Bush immediately and offered to send Venezuelan troops to help clean up and secure Louisiana and Mississippi. What a point that would make!