Hurricane Hyperbole and Hypocrisy

Hurricane Katrina was horrible. People died, and that is tragic. No question. A natural disaster always is. But there have been some things said in the midst of all of this that have to be commented on.

• Mayor Nagin of New Orleans said, and I'm paraphrasing, "...this is the biggest {BLEEP}ing crisis in the history of America!" I'm sorry, but that is plain nonsense. This isn't even the biggest natural disaster in the history of the country. Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Ivan caused more property damage. But even beyond that, to call this the biggest crisis in our history? I seem to recall an event that was taught to me back in high school that may have been slightly bigger. It took place in 1861 - 1865. You may have heard of it - the Civil War! The union was almost destroyed! Americans fighting Americans. I think that crisis was a helluva lot bigger than what's happening down in the Gulf Coast.
• Oprah Winfrey took her show on the road down there. Why? Don't know. Supposedly to make awareness of what's happening down there. As if we didn't already know. On her show, she said that "We owe New Orleans an apology." For what? For causing a hurricane? For not giving enough? Can you go anywhere or watch anything and not be inundated with requests for donations to the Red Cross? The American public has been most generous. What we are tired of is celebrities like her asking for donations, when they don't put their money where their mouths are. Speaking of which, did you know that the ratings for the Hurricane Relief special that aired on Friday, September 9th on 29 stations had smaller ratings than a typical American Idol show? No one wants to hear from these high-and-mighty people who donate 'their time.' Oprah, you want to help people? Have some of the now homeless stay with you wherever you're staying at! I know, since the popular thing nowadays is to tell others how to spend their money, why don't you pay for the building of an apartment complex? How about some houses? No, that would cut into your shopping money at stores that are already closed!
• Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), when asked why there was no one to drive the buses to evacuate the people said "It's hard enough to get people to work when it's sunny out, let alone in a hurricane." Since the population of New Orleans is predominately black, she essentially said that blacks are lazy! Can you imagine a Republican saying this? How is this not a racist statement? But, since she's a Democrat, and they are supposedly friends to blacks (even though, after 50 years of social programs and spending, the problems have only gotten worse), she can't be a racist. The free pass that she has gotten on this from the media, and frankly, from even Conservative news sources, is to me sad. To basically call an entire race of people lazy is inexcusable. Rush Limbaugh called the media biased in their reporting on Donovan McNabb; Jimmy the Greek said that blacks are bred to be the better athlete, and they both lost their jobs because of their comments. What Landrieu said was far worse, and yet, nothing. Sickening.