The Forgotten Storm

Today CNN did a segment with a famous artist. This artist has created a beautiful new picture to be sold to benefit hurricane victims in the Gulf Coast States. Key words "hurricane victims" and "Gulf Coast States". Isn't Texas on the Gulf Coast? Ahhhhh yeah. Didn't Texas get hit by a hurricane not too long ago? Ahhhh yeah. Weren't there hurricane victims in TEXAS? Ahhh yeah . WAS TEXAS INCLUED in this man's tribute? NO IT WAS NOT!!
Do you hear any more about Rita or the recovery going on in TEXAS? NO you don't. Does it appear that TEXAS doesn't matter? Yeah it does. WHY? I'll leave that for you to figure out 'cause I'm still working on it myself.
I wonder ...if the Houston/Galveston area had been affected as severely as their eastern and northern neighbors would the news coverage have lasted longer and been more thorough? From the Houston media maybe? Or is it because the cities and towns that were affected were smaller and more rural areas and communities were hit that the story is DEAD?
What about the people still suffering in Texas? You know , like the ones that lost their homes, their livelihoods, their loved ones. It's everyday life for them and it is certianly not old news if you are living it.
All we are hearing is how Katrina victims are rebuilding their lives and moving on. Great! I am proud for them but I am concerned for my neighbors in East Texas that can not get help and don't know where to turn. Their lives are destroyed or at least heavily damaged too. I am wondering WHY what they are going through is of any less concern to the public and WHY good American's in Texas are being forgotten in their time of need. And I wonder WHY no one is thinking about the next time ( and there will be a next time....another storm another mass evacuation ) ? What needs to be done differently? How can everything be improved from the mass exodus in the beginning through to the response time and services provided for the areas effected?
Yes... FEMA and the Red Cross are present...for all the good that seems to be doing. There seems to be no ryhme or reason to the decisions being made by these organizaions. WHY are people being refused help when their homes are too severely damaged to be lived in ? WHY are people being given checks that had no damage, didn't have a job to be displaced from, etc. ? I personally know someone that recieved the full $2000 by claiming his fathers' empty rent house as his residence. Guess what? The fool lives in an apartment in a town at least 20 miles away and does NOT live in the house he made the claim on. Besides there was NO DAMAGE TO the house in the first place. To make it even worse this same man's girlfriend got another check of the same amount because they chose to evacuate due to no power. (All they were out was gas since they went to Dallas/Fort Worth area to stay with family and guess what? They've been partying heavy since cashing in). Heaven forbid a young heathy person spend one second without A/C! (I know I am not the only one that did not have A/C growing up.. AND after Rita I lived without power for 3 days myself and survived just fine thank you for asking).

On the other hand what about the retired couple living on a very limited income whose home was completely destroyed and they have yet to hear from FEMA. Fortunately for them someone took them in until they can get on their feet. Two thousand dollars would do that for them but so far all they seem to be getting is a good work out due to the run around tactics they have been put through.

Okay so FEMA is suppose to be invistigating the claims....after they have dispursed the checks? Come on and say it with me "duh"? The money will be long gone by then and how is FEMA planning to get the money back if it's a bad claim? So what are they going to do about these false claims? Put the bastards in jail? How, when the jails are full already ? And if they do put them in jail the tax paying public gets to spend more money on these jokers? You say "Make them pay it back? " Yeah right!

Has it occurred to anyone else that these organizations are not bottomless pits of free money? The money has to come from somewhere and when they run out they'll get more from somewhere else. Three guesses as to where the money will come from and the first two don't count! What vital government programs are going to be cut to keep it all going? Is it a program that is part of your life? And who the hell does their shopping? Paying retail instead of wholesale? Excuse me .... but isn't it a point of pride to pay wholesale for every red blooded Amerian shopper?! I can't believe that one. Oh and what about the supplies that are still in storage on the East Coast? Then there's...okay...okay...

....I know I have to stop somewhere but don't you see how it goes on and on and on?

If your reading this and you are from a county that suffered from RITA and you have a personal account to share please feel free to post it here or on the FEMA blog listed above. Just make sure that it is your story . We want to be able to stand by our words if we are to make a difference. I'll reclaim my blog from time to time for my other nonsense but right now this is more important .

If your just passing through please link here or to the above site. Please help us be heard.

EAST TEXAS has been forgotten and before it happens again we need to be heard. Changes need to be made . The only way that' will happen is to do it ourselves. To do that we have to start telling anyone and eveyone that will listen our stories. This is a great format to MAKE SOME NOISE in. Get busy people and make your voices heard.