Gee, thanks, Kat. Actually, only about 10% of the Lower Ninth Ward came back to rebuild. You just can't expect a city below sea level to withstand that kind of abuse. The Army Corps built levees when they should have said, "Ok, pool's closed. Everyone out of the pool." THAT's when Federal resources should and could have been used to relocate folks--with dignity and some level of "tenderness" (best word I could come up with).
I am really a fan of faith-based organizations taking charge in this area. I've hammered nails on vacation for Habitat for Humanity and it has been some of the best "recreation" I've ever experienced. The sheer joy of watching someone's face light up when you give them the keys to their new house--you think some bureaucrat gets a warm fuzzy when they sign off on a disability claim (usually after half-dozen appeals)?
Daughter Anna spent two weeks working on a Chippewa Reservation in Northern Michigan last summer through a program with our church. Truly life-changing when you get your fingernails dirty every day and you drop into your cot every night from exhaustion.
I consider it an incredible (maybe miraculous?) opportunity that I, a man with CP, was able to find a niche in the military where I could serve my country and my fellow Americans. No, medically, I could never be deployed overseas (I am "profiled"), but even if it's just handing out bottles of water I really get the sense of serving my country. It is an incredible feeling when the National Anthem is played and, in uniform, you execute a smart salute instead of placing your hand over your heart. There is no other word for it--I am truly "blesssed" in this regard.
There's nothing that prevents any of us from giving back. Check out your local CERT teams, check out AmeriCorps. I have an elderly neighbor, a widower, that served in WWII and then in the Israeli Defense Force up through the 1967 war. We visit a small local military cemetery together every Memorial Day, Veterans Day, VE Day, VJ Day and every other "military" holiday to make sure that each grave has a flag. Every year, for Passover, my kids and I visit his home for the Seder meal. You can't imagine the joy it brings to him for my kids to ask questions about the meanings in the ritual--I understand an important part of Seder is answering questions of children. His own son was killed in the 1973 war and he was a re-emigre to the U.S. after his wife passed away in Israel. I'm obviously not Jewish, but he's asked me to say "Kaddish" for him during his military funeral when he passes. His health is failing, so I've been working on this with a Jewish neighbor so I can recite this in Hebrew.
Individuals are where the metal meets the meat, not the government. If you rely on Uncle Sam, he's going to let you down every time...
________________________________
From: Cerebral Palsy List on behalf of Kathy
Sent: Sun 8/31/2008 10:39 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Republicans altering convention
While I'm loathe to give the Republicans any credit, I have to admit I
side with you on this one, Kyle.
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