horrible

the news crews are angry. the anchors are angry. the people are much as you'd expect. people are dying outside the convention center waiting for buses. they have no food. they have no water. everyone wants to know why there's no help for them. why hasn't any food and water been brought for these people? where are the buses?

the coast guard is reporting they've stopped rescue operations because it's too dangerous in the city. the military claims otherwise. everyone wants to know why the military isn't in the city to keep order.

this is absolutely appalling.

if you live in the southeast (especially within 300 miles of New Orleans) and you have a spare room, an extra bed, or even a decent couch, please go to http://www.hurricanehousing.org and offer it up for hurricane survivors, at least until there are more shelters available. there are a million people with nowhere to go, and not enough is being done to find places for them. do what you can.

and one more thing

i am absolutely disgusted that anyone can sit there in front of their working computer in their comfy chair with a fridge full of food and a bed to sleep in and make judgments about who does and doesn't deserve sympathy in the areas destroyed by Katrina. you know who you are. for christ's sake, people, would you stop and think about the magnitude of this disaster? we've lost an entire major city and 100 miles of coastline. all of these people are desperate. they have nothing. nothing. no homes, no jobs, no clothes, no food, no water. nothing. their entire city is underwater. they're being bused to strange cities where they will sleep on cots in stadiums with tens of thousands of other victims. they will still have no jobs. they will be entirely dependent on what others do to help. and they cannot return home for months. and most of them -- most of them, especially the poorest -- will have no homes to return to, no jobs to return to, and many of them no families to return to.

this is not a time to mouth off and make arrogant, uninformed judgments about people. this is a time to shut the fuck up and do something to help, even if it's as small as writing a check to the red cross or using your lj to spread awareness of what's going on and what people can do for the victims of this disaster. jesus christ, people, these are fellow human beings and they are desperate. they are dying in the streets. they are starving. and yes, some of them are assholes.

some of you are assholes too. not to put too fine a point on it.

ways you can help:

• the red cross -- their main site is a little swamped; find your local branch
  
• americares, highly recommended by haineux
  
• volunteer your spare room
  
• the humane society of northern louisiana - many pets were lost or abandoned in the disaster; they've also set up free housing at LSU for pets whose people are going to shelters.

let me know if you know of other good sites and i'll add them.

*snort*

the director of FEMA is claiming that the federal government was unaware there were refugees in the superdome until yesterday.

bull. fucking. shit.