By Beauty Damned

Not Another Please

And then comes Hurricane Rita.

All the evacuating reminds me of that movie, the Day After Tomorrow. You wonder, where does everyone go? I would hate to be stuck in traffic in the south right now with everyone fleeing this next hurricane. It's a nightmare. I assume people drive north and shack up in hotels or with friends and family. What if you can't afford a hotel and don't have friends or family? Then I guess you just have to find another way, or face the storm.

Of course, this time, help will be standing by to save Texas.

I guess all they can do down there is keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best. No one wants this to turn into the next bodycount. I don't really know how much more we can take.

Meanwhile, much as everyone likes to bitch up a storm about Hollywood, I have been so impressed by how many in Hollywood have given the Hurricane Katrina tragedy so much energy and support. On Oprah's season premiere she publicly announced a donation of ten million dollars and the foundation of a program that allows people to buy home furnishings and necessities for victims of the tragedy, John Grisham donated five million dollars, and many, many others have donated their time and money in admirable numbers and with just as much heart.

My dad recently started a newspaper in Ashland, Oregon and is giving the proceeds of all advertising to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. My firm packed up 500 boxes of basic necessities to send to those in need, as well as collecting donations from employees. So many people I know are doing whatever they can to be part of a solution.

With the generosity that so many regular folks are showing, I am beginning to have real hope for a situation that seemed all but lost as soon as it began. I don't pray often, but I really am praying for the victims of Katrina, and however sad I am sometimes when I think about how stupid I think a lot of Americans are, I am also amazed at how just as many are decent people, desperate to do the right thing and to help others when the shit really hits the fan. This is a crazy country, but there's a lot of good to be said of our resiliance and (albeit selective) concern.

Posted by Maria at September 20, 2005 11:05 PM | TrackBack