[Rhodes22-list] Horse shit and drinking.

[Herb Parsons]

Actually Rummy, I don't live in another country, nor am I basing what I say on watching "the news much". I spoke personally with the commander on duty at the Coast Guard staging area in Alexandria. He had the resources in place, waiting in Alexandria. He was waiting for permission FROM THE STATE to send them in. The STATE chose to have their resources in place, namely the Louisiana Fish and Wildlife Department (yep, that's right Governor Blanco chose to put her state's game wardens in charge of recovery, instead of the feds, who are trained to do that.)

I was there friend, I saw it first hand. I saw the news cameras on site at the barricades, in their air conditioned portables studios. On the other hand, out in the streets, there were a few print media folks, but very few. The only video crew I saw "out in the field" was with the Air National Guard. The rest of the folks didn't want to stray far from their portable studios. And, in spite of your absolute belief that it was the news media that brought about change is as misguided and misinformed as the rest of the nonsense you seem to be subscribing to.

But, that wasn't the point of what I was saying at all. My point was folks can stand around pointing fingers at others all they want, but that gets NOTHING done. Before anyone complains about what someone else did or did not do, they should ask themselves what THEY did. 

I view the governments role to fill in where the individuals can't (I can't personally build a highway, or field an army), but that does NOT relieve the individual of their duty when the need arises. I went to NO because I couldn't be me and NOT go. My boss instructed me to stop thanking him for letting me take off, that he did so because it's what he had to do. My wife and children told me to stop apologizing for missing my wife's 50 birthday party, that they missed me, but that what I was doing was more important.

Everywhere I went, and this isn't hearing it from a television reporter looking for ratings, or an ex-first lady trying to position herself for the next presidential vacancy, EVERYWHERE I went, I saw people first hand doing what they could do; whether it was giving me some gas cans so we can put gas in our DUKW, or handing a baby to our crew on the boat.

THAT my friend, is what "we" are. We AREN'T the whimpering whining media, or the jostling politicians looking to gain ratings numbers on the Neilson or the latest poll on the backs of those that lost everything.

Oh, and for whatever it's worth, I'm still getting in boat time too. Mast going up got delayed by a few days because of the trip, but it went up today. It had to, our sail club is taking a group of handicapped kids out sailing this weekend, and I committed and need to be ready.

THAT's the country I live in, since you asked.

Now, go have your drink, and watch your game.

Herb Parsons

S/V O'Jure
  1976 O'Day 25
  Lake Grapevine, N TX

S/V Reve de Papa
  1971 Coronado 35
  Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana Coast

>>> R22RumRunner at aol.com 9/19/2005 8:54:09 PM >>>
Herb,
You either live in a different country or don't watch the news much. Our  
gov't sat on their collective hands and did nothing for the people of NO for  
five, yes count them, five days. And then it was only after the news media made  
them look as stupid as they collectively are that they decided to finally do  
something.
The governments own weather person said this was going to be a devastating  
storm 24 hours before it struck. It certainly had time to react, but no, those  
idiots in FEMA (not trained in emergency management) didn't know what to do.  
Hell, I could go on and on and rehash the same shit, but I won't. There's 
more  important things to attend to tonight, like watching football and drinking. 
 Remember, a shot in the glass is better than one in the ass.
 
Rummy
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