This is a letter from a tourist who didn't make it out of New Orleans. He wrote this to his mother; it was then sent on to friends and Ira posted it to the social justice listserv at UMass. Thanks.
Another letter was written by emergency medical personnel who were in New Orleans for a conference.
Also, a link to teaching resources.
Q: What is Bush's position on Roe vs. Wade?
A: He really doesn't care HOW people got out of New Orleans.
Nice editorial in the NYTimes today, but the political struggle isn't over.
Yesterday the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention voted to sustain the year-old same-sex marriage law by voting against a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Hoorah!
Kanye West's Torrent of Criticism, Live on NBC
By Lisa de Moraes
Saturday, September 3, 2005; Page C01
Washington Post
forwarded by Carlos, Social Justice listserv
Why We Love Live Television, Reason No. 137:
NBC's levee broke and Kanye West flooded through with a tear about the federal response in New Orleans during the network's live concert fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina last night. Kanye West performs on ABC's "Good Morning America" concert series at New York's Lincoln Center on Friday, Sept. 2, 2005. West's second CD, "Late Registration," was released Aug. 30.
***On Fri 5:40a Sep 2, 2005 maillist@michaelmoore.com wrote***
Friday, September 2nd, 2005
Dear Mr. Bush:
Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag.
Also, any idea where all our national guard soldiers are? We could really use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with?
Last Thursday I was in south Florida and sat outside while the eye of
Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its way to New Orleans. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to ignore and smear. You sure showed her!
Here's a great piece on the unspoken racism and classism being covertly fed by the mainstream news coverage of Katrina.
