As some of the commentary to our latest posts on Katrina has resulted in a bit of political recrimination, let me remind readers once again of the importance of helping out at a time like this. In a post on Thursday, Bruce encouraged donations and indicated his contribution to the Episcopal Relief and Development charity. In my first post on the hurricane, I noted that after reviewing the charities on Glenn Reynolds’ list, I made a contribution to Mercy Corps.
Please review Glenn’s list and find the charity that, you feel, can best meet the needs of the people in the afflicted areas.
The Republican Jewish Coalition has also provided a list of charities providing relief. I just doubled my donations to relief efforts by making a contribution to United Jewish Communities.
We always welcome debate on this blog, so keep that going, but as you take issue with those commenting here, also take the time to make an extra donation to relief efforts.
-Dan (AKA GayPatriotWest): GayPatriotWest@aol.com
Is there a charity for bloggers?
Dan, great post there. And good advice for all of us to heed. Thanks.
“We French Kill More During Our Vacations And Call Your Hurricanes a Silly Thing”
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003458.htm
MEMO TO BUSH: FIRE MICHAEL BROWN
By Michelle Malkin · September 04, 2005 08:17 AM
During his visit to Mobile, Ala., on Friday, President Bush singled out Michael D. Brown, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for praise:
“Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.”
Really? “Brownie’s” job is to direct the federal response to natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Let’s review his public statements during the past week:
– He admitted that he didn’t act more aggressively because as late as last Sunday he expected Katrina to be a “standard hurricane” even though the National Weather Service in New Orleans was already predicting “human suffering incredible by modern standards.”
– He proved himself utterly clueless about the disaster unfolding in New Orleans. He claimed that the federal relief effort was “going relatively well” and that the security situation in New Orleans was “pretty darn good.”
– He blamed the flood victims in New Orleans for failing to evacuate on time, even though local authorities failed to make municipal vehicles available to residents who could not drive or did not own their own cars.
“It took four days to begin a large-scale evacuation of people stranded in the Superdome stadium and to bring in significant amounts of food and water to an American city easily accessible by motorway,” the Observer notes. “Relief agencies took half that time to reach Indonesia after the Boxing Day tsunami. ”
Although the delay was not entirely the fault of the Bush Administration, Brown’s complacency clearly didn’t help. And his bumbling statements after the hurricane struck have not inspired confidence.
This is not the time to give a weak performer the benefit of the doubt. The FEMA director’s role in the ongoing recovery effort is too important to be entrusted to a clueless political hack with such poor judgment.
Rather than praise Michael Brown, Bush should fire him.
***
Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it. just my 2c…