New Orleans 3 3
It’s starting to sound like Lord of the Flies.
And political accusations are starting to get dirty. I’m not going to rehash them here, but Blinq has an excellent assortment in the item, If We All Got Our News by Blog posted today.
Nevertheless, one has to wonder whether Mr. Bush or his handlers are truly in touch with what’s going on. In particular, his statement that no one anticipated that the levees might break is at odds with a decade of history. Reuters today had an item tracing the history of predictions of what might happen if that took place.
E. J. Dionne had some trenchant comments for those who seem to think that government is a bad thing and must be emasculated through tax cuts.
I do think it’s clear that the mayor loves his city and is very frustrated at the slowness of help. I think it’s still too soon to know whether his complaints are justified.
September 4, 2005 at 1:06 pm
Much has been and will be written about Hurricane Katrina. The finger pointing will continue and I’m sure many will use the tragedy for political fodder and gain. Blame will be placed and heads will roll. As in most cases, probably not the correct heads…
The heroic actions of the US Coast Guard rescue crews (especially the Rescue Swimmers) and the Air Guards rescue crews must not be forgotten in the aftermath. These men and women risked their lives during the early hours of the rescue efforts plucking total strangers off rooftops. I recall one CG Rescue Swimmer on the roof of a house, ax in hand, chopping through the roof to get to the survivors in the attic. These efforts continued through the night with the use of night vision goggles. While performing a rescue at sea is no small feat, their efforts in and around New Orleans were made even more treacherous due to above ground utility lines. Even though the lines carried no electricity, I imagine being suspended at the end of a cable with utility lines on either side is not a good feeling. Also, many of those who first responded lived in the New Orleans and Gulf Coast area. I’m sure many of their homes (and lives) were damaged or destroyed by the storm and flood. Yet, they put that aside to help others.
The word “hero� is used all too frequently in our society (especially in connection with sports). It should be reserved for true acts of heroism such as those of these first-responders.
September 4, 2005 at 7:19 pm
I agree, especially as regard using the word “hero” to describe some overgrown steroid-using behemoth making hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a child’s game. This is not to say that there are not instances of *personal* heroics in sports of all sorts–as persons take chances and make sacrifices for their teams; it is to say that the term has been cheapened beyond recognition.
I recall an interview in which someone asked Howard Cosell, the late ABC network sportscaster, who he–Howard–thought were the bravest athletes. Cosell replied, to the great consternation of the interviewer, “race car drivers,” because they put their lives on the line whenever they go to work.
Now it may be argued that many race car drivers are not athletes, though they may be “sportsmen,” it’s probably hard to deny their courage–or foolishness.
September 5, 2005 at 9:42 am
“…some overgrown steroid-using behemoth making hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a child’s game…”
Only a making hundreds of thousands? He’s grossly under paid. A steroid-using behemoth should be making tens of millions…