nykola.com | bothering people since 1981

It's amazing to see how much more diverse and insightful the blogosphere is in comparison to the echo chamber of mainstream media.

Amid the morbid reports, heroism is rising up among those who are properly taking matters in their own hands. A prime of example of when there's a place for illegality, 20-year-old Jabbar Gibson (although I heard he was really 17) comandeered a school bus to rescue citzens and drive them to the Astrodome.

Oklahoma City University is offering free tuition to any hurricane affected college students.

The Anchoress takes a big picture perspective of where have come thus far.

Blogger Eddie Butler asks "Where is the church?" Good bloody question. My best guess? Running emotionally-charged whop-fest telethons with no tangible fruit and raising money to keep themselves on the air.

The harvest is ripe, but people never seem to be prepared. Churches in South Texas are forming a list of resources. I'm certain there are many more that don't have websites because like in all things, the church is behind.

Blogger Michelle Malkin linked to an article on a vivid personal account of a tourist caught in the chaos. I read it and stumbled on some interesting information. It reads:

John McNeil, a 20-year-old university graduate, rang his parents in Brisbane yesterday from a payphone in the foyer of the New Orleans Hilton, where about 60 foreign tourists, including 10 Australians, were sheltering under armed guard after they were rescued from the Superdome by US military personnel.

Did I just read that correctly? Foreign tourists are being sheltered at the Hilton?

I quit.

Yes, churches here in TN are acting, but that isn't as much news as Walmart's donations and the local tv station's drives. Many churches have members opening up their homes to victims, especially for college students. Water and food is being collected and missions are being planned. I know one thing our church likes to consider is LONG TERM help because so often people rush to help quickly, but after a few months, most "forget" that help is still needed.

I agree with Mark, the church is helping, but they aren't "whoring the media".

"...Did I just read that correctly? Foreign tourists are being sheltered at the Hilton? I quit..."

Ambra,

I guess I'm not quite sure by the above comment if you think that should have happened or not. I sense you feel it was wrong and possibly racist. Could you expand on that?

In any case, it appears that these foreign tourists and other white people were being specifically targeted by what I am sure is a very small percentage of African-Americans, unfortunately. Read this quote from this news report, http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&u=/nm/20050903/ts_nm/mayhem_dc_1 :

"...Valenti and her husband, two of very few white people in the almost exclusively black refugee camp, said she and other whites were threatened with murder on Thursday.

"They hated us. Four young black men told us the buses were going to come last night and pick up the elderly so they were going to kill us," she said, sobbing. "They were plotting to murder us and then they sent the buses away because we would all be killed if the buses came -- that's what the people in charge told us this morning..."

I know the vast, vast majority of blacks in the stadium are good, law-abiding citizens. But, when a few thugs start to target specific types of people I don't blame them for being separated.

All that being said, the city, state, and federal government has messed up in this relief effort.

"I guess I'm not quite sure by the above comment if you think that should have happened or not. I sense you feel it was wrong and possibly racist. Could you expand on that?"

What Mark said. If this young man's account is true, it's a discrace to me that foreign tourists were "rescued" before tax-paying American citizens.

That's just ridiculous

I respectfully disagree, in this case, based on what I read. I find it very American to protect the helpless, whether they're American or not. Based on what I read, it seems to me that whites, foreigners or not, were being targeted in particular (see what I quoted above) and they had to get them out. To not do otherwise would be very un-American.

"...Mr McNeil claimed African Americans in the Superdome had abused foreign tourists ..."