MoveOn.org says: "Don't Blame the Victims, Get to Work"

[annathepiper]

MoveOn.org is circulating a petition now to tell the President to make his people stop trying to blame the victims of Katrina and start HELPING them. I am not terribly hopeful that it will help, but it feels like something I can do at least in addition to donating dollars. Look behind the cuts for more, folks...


MoveOn.org's blurb:

The President and his administration failed at their most important job: keeping America safe. The federal effort was too little, too late and the cost of their delay will be paid for in human lives. Now, they are seeking political cover by blaming state and local officials, despite the fact that they had begged the administration for help early on. Its really outrageous that the President would blame the victims at a time like this. Will you help me tell him he needs to stop blaming the victims and get to work helping them?

http://political.moveon.org/helpvictims

What I added to the sample comment they provided:

Mr. President:

Words absolutely fail me when I read on the Internet--not only in the blogosphere, but on news sites such as cnn.com as well--about how badly the effort to help our people on the Gulf Coast in their time of crisis and need has been bungled.

There is NO EXCUSE for FEMA denying food and water to citizens.

There is NO EXCUSE for FEMA cutting off communication lines set up by other parties trying to provide assistance to the stricken victims.

There is NO EXCUSE for anyone to try to prevent citizens still in the city from leaving in an orderly manner and under their own power.

There is NO EXCUSE for trained firefighters being assigned to hand out FLIERS rather than to do the jobs for which they have trained.

There is NO EXCUSE for Navy pilots being criticized for RESCUING VICTIMS before taking care of other duties. No other duty should supersede the saving of lives. NONE.

And there is NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER for officials in your administration to start blaming the victims of this catastrophe for what has befallen them.

Cut through the red tape, Mr. President. Eliminate this bureaucracy that is crippling the effort to save American lives--and hold those responsible accountable, regardless of what political party to which they belong. I don't care if they're Democrats. I don't care if they're Republicans. The simple fact is that criminal negligence has been committed and that people under your watch have failed to do what's most important:

SAVING THE LIVES OF OUR PEOPLE.

Sincerely,
Angela Korra'ti
Kenmore, WA

Comments

[smeehrrr.livejournal.com]

It's really nauseating to see both sides trying to make political hay out of this disaster. Maybe moveon.org's time might be better spent, I don't know, HELPING SOMEONE?

Both major political parties should be ashamed of themselves.

[annathepiper]

Maybe moveon.org's time might be better spent, I don't know, HELPING SOMEONE?

It is getting spent on that, too, for what it's worth. They've set up HurricaneHousing.org.

It sux to have a fellow Christian looking at your actions...

[snowstorm-tm.livejournal.com]

And remember a few things from the bible.

NOT that it is spectacular, Anna, like yours, becaue I'm NOT that kind of person, this is what I put.

I'll have to second Ms. Angela Korra'ti's (Kenmore, WA) statement. There is NO excuse for what has happened.
You claim to be a Christian, you should know that it is far more CHRISTIAN to accept responsibility and get what needs to be done done instead of casting blame. As a Christian, you need to refresh your memory of the teachings of Christ. Have you forgotten “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”? Is THIS the way YOU would have liked to be treated had you been in the disaster areas and been unable, for whatever the reason, to leave?
As a concerned fellow Christian, let me refer you to Luke 6:17-49. Look at that last part, Mr. President. Luke 6:49. You are not putting his words into practice; therefore, I seriously wonder what kind of Christian afterlife YOU will earn with your actions as President of the United States of America. Below I have listed the passage so that you don’t need to “waste time” looking it up.

Praying for you and the country under YOUR command,

My RL Name
Cincinnati, Ohio

Blessings and Woes


24"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.


41"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

The Wise and Foolish Builders
46"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (from Biblegateway.com)

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Anyhow, hope it helps along with yours. And yeah, I cut a lot of it.

-Snowstorm

Re: It sux to have a fellow Christian looking at your actions...

[annathepiper]

*snugs* It may never reach his ears... and honestly, I doubt it actually will... but one never knows, and it's better than having said nothing at all. So.

I was absolutely flabbergasted to hear in the last couple of days though that Michael Brown of FEMA has resigned and that Bush actually publically announced that he is "taking responsibility" for the negligence on the federal level. That's genuinely more than I was expecting to come out of this! Guess we'll have to see what happens as Congress settles into the Katrina Commission thing.