New Orleans

[lagilman]

It's like the night before an execution -- you don't know how bad the grief is going to be, only that it will be terrible.



There is a blood red circle
On the cold dark ground
And the rain is falling down
The church door's thrown open
I can hear the organ's song
But the congregation's gone
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Now the sweet bells of mercy
Drift through the evening trees
Young men on the corner
Like scattered leaves,
The boarded up windows,
The empty streets
While my brother's down on his knees
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!

Now's there's tears on the pillow
Darlin' where we slept
And you took my heart when you left
Without your sweet kiss
My soul is lost, my friend
Tell me how do I begin again?
My city's in ruins
My city's in ruins

Now with these hands,
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
We pray for your love, Lord
We pray for the lost, Lord
We pray for this world, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord

"My City of Ruins," Bruce Springsteen

(orignally written for his recession-devestated hometown, sung for Manhattan after 9/11)



And I wonder why there seems to have been n discussion of airlifting people... not even to say "it was discussed and discarded as causing more riots than people could be saved." I want to know, Mr. President, what you're doing. And if you say "praying," I will be third in line behind Jesus and St Peter to slap the shit out of you....

Comments

[dianora2.livejournal.com]

What's really great is that most of the Louisiana National Guard is in Iraq. :P

In addition to all the people I keep thinking of all the beautiful buildings in N.O., too... *sad sigh*

[lagilman]

Have you seen this? The National Weather Service announcement.

[seachanges.livejournal.com]

I've been trying not to freak out about this all day. New Orleans is such a beautiful city. So much life, so much history ... I don't even have the words.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

I had to stop watching the news coverage. Earlier tonight they played an archived interview with a forecaster from the NWS who said that if a category 4 or 5 hurricane made a direct hit on New Orleans we could expect thousands of casualties.

[darkesta.livejournal.com]

Aaagghh. This is just so scary and depressing.

[dancingwriter.livejournal.com]

Mr. Bush has still more to answer for now. The National Guard's job is to be *here*--you know, *on guard*--to protect and help people in case of violence or disaster *at home*.

This and the weather service talking about the deaths of pets and livestock were the things that really double-knotted my already knotted stomach in contemplating this catastrophe. And one doesn't even know how to begin to cope with the idea of what the people of New Orleans are going through, and what the survivors will face....

[karentoe.livejournal.com]

I'd guess the wind would pretty much rule out airlifting people. Plus getting that many people out by air wouldn't necessarily be quicker.

And for god sake's networks, keep your reporters out of the hurricane! TV stations here don't send people out to film the tornados, stupid people just do that.

[lagilman]

And for god sake's networks, keep your reporters out of the hurricane!

Almost every newscast I've seen has ended with a variant of "and we're getting out of here soon..." In fact, many of them have already headed for dryer ground and are using cameras left behind to convey the scene. And the award for "Best Use of Remote Technology Since the Mars Lander" goes to...

[merlinpole.livejournal.com]

One of the early TV new awards went to the Boston station/camera operator setting up a video camera pointed at the TV tower and leaving it there. The last thing broadcast was the tower in the process of toppling over.

[merlinpole.livejournal.com]

I left out that that was in a hurricane.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I want to know, Mr. President, what you're doing

Isn't he still in Texas fiddling while Rome burns on vacation?

[lagilman]

Until Friday. And while I don't think he should have rushed back to DC when this became so serious (thanks to modern tech, he can be updated as easily on the ranch as anywhere), I DO think his PR flaks should have made an announcement that his vacation has been cut short, and he was now back on the clock.


But then, that would mean that he actually had anything to do with what happens to the American public, other than treathing them as throw-away soldiers for His God and Faith, Amen.