There isn’t a lot more that I can say about the tragedy in the gulf. Everything has been said, and I think we’re all a little heartbroken. My brain is numb from staring at news stories showing photos crushed cars, collapsed people, and hopeless, lost people stumbling around what used to be their homes, their neighborhoods.

In my lab, the tone of conversation has been that of anger. Where was the evaculation plan BEFORE the hurricane? Yes, 80% of the population of New Orleans left, but obviously they had places they could go. Most of the people in Bioloxi stayed, because they had no where else to go. So they died.

Where is our homeland security? What are they doing, besides making sure our we can coordinate our daily outfits with a particular color-coded warning level, and making sure they have files on everyone’s library book check outs? Aren’t they supposed to be protecting US?

Most of our national guard is thousands of miles away. We are relying on the few that are left, and a largely untrained force of red cross volunteers. The man-power and organization is just not there. There is little water and food for those that are stranded.

What if this HAD been a terrorist attack? No way would we have been ready. Our government has been shoving paranoia down our throats for years! THE TERRORISTS ARE EVERYWHERE! THEY ARE NEXT DOOR! THEY ARE COMING FOR YOU! But is there some kind of plan? To protect people? A place for refuges to go where they can live for several weeks or months? Is there fresh water and food available to them?

NO.

The big genius plan is to ship those stranded to the Houston Astrodome. What, do you expect them to survive on stale hotdogs and watered down beer?

And this is something we had ADVANCED warning for. A few days at least. And not like we’ve never had hurricanes before! True, few this bad have hit us before, but we KNEW there would be people left homeless and jobless. Why can’t we have a plan in place? WHAT THE FUCK IS HOMELAND SECURITY FOR???? DO ANY OF US FEEL MORE SECURE? I SURE THE HELL DON’T!

And PLEASE don’t give me bullshit about the expense, and people should have to fend for themselves, and SHUT THE FUCK UP. We’re spending BILLIONS UPON BILLIONS in Iraq. A few billion here would have saved lives. A few billion here would have re-enforced those levies years ago. A few billion here and those people would have a place to stay, food to eat, and water to drink for as long as it takes.

Oh, yes, Bush is calling for us to donate to the Red Cross. And we should. But WHY should the burden go to the Red Cross and donations?

Oh, god, if I could just be in a room alone for a few minutes with Haliburton…I am so fucking angry.

God help us if there is a surprise lying in store for us.

God help us if it’s a bigger city next time.