Resonance

Maybe I don't watch enough of the 'new' journalism, but last night I saw something that was a first, and it resonated within me. Anderson Cooper had Senator Mary Landrieu on live. The Senator began the litany of thanking this or that agency or higher up for their great work and support at this tragic time. Cooper cut her off and laid into her, saying that her words were hollow and self-serving at a time when rats were eating dead bodies in full sight.

Her response was that of a professional, but with me anyway, his point scored.

UPDATE 9/4/2005 -- and then days later she (as a Democrat) rips all those she was thanking. What a flip-flopping load!

Later I saw another host - Nancy Grace? - who I had never seen before, and she was darn near snarling at some of the officials she had on. Maybe she snarls every day -I've never seen her. But again, resonance.

One of the men interviewed didn't even know that there were more than 10,000 at the convention center with no food. It sounded like he was in charge of distributing supplies. At one point he said they were preparing to send meals and she lit into him, "PREPARING?" and he backed off that word.

I don't get the lack of communication. Okay, cell phones down, no electricity at the cell towers... but surely FEMA and the military have radios that run on batteries! Like in Iraq?

The story is developing/being revealed that Washington has repeatedly taken money away from N.O. that was to go to the Army Corps of Engineers for dike strengthening and construction. I can hear the pre-echo of the pontificating: "...hard choices... only so much to go around..."

My father wasn't an activist, but he studied history, was very intelligent, and wrote to the White House on occasion. Till now, I thought I missed that gene.

I read today that N.O had a 40% poverty rate. That explains something. And we know that mob psychology has been shown (in clinical studies, as well in the real world) to deteriorate to a low common denominator, putting it mildly. So, the logic goes, if you had nothing or little to begin with, lose that, then watch others loot, as nobody stops them, why wait?

But why shoot at rescue helicopters? Out of rage? That element of the human condition sickens me. Frightens me, frankly. Humanity needs a cleansing. And no, I am not being a Hitler in saying that - I have no idea how, but our collective souls need an overhaul.

Speaking of darn souls, I am also sickened by the slick politicization of this tragedy. And that there doesn't appear to be anyone able to step up and lead. Why wasn't FEMA funded with contingency money? Again I ask what would happen if an act of terrorism had struck a major urban center?