All but two tear into junior and his (lack of a) response. A couple of these are quite good, and look as if they could've been written by DU'rs.When I hear that Guatemala is offering to send troops I have to laugh in desperate irony. Guatemala? How messed up does our government have to be to have to accept troops from a tiny, impoverished developing country because we are too useless to help our own citizens? This American is outraged.
This administration has seen fit to create wars on numerous fronts, stick its nose into America's personal freedoms and airlift emergency supplies all over the world at a moment's notice, but it cannot handle a hurricane disaster in its own back yard. George Bush has depleted the United States of all its most valuable assets (human resources, financial resources and equipment) and has built a veritable "house of cards."
Those who gave Dubya another four years can thank themselves for what is happening in New Orleans. It's high time Americans started thinking about the greater good of their country instead of their right to own gas-guzzling behemoths and whether or not their own coffers are filled. It's time for Americans to take responsibility for the shambles this country is in, and do something about it.
SHARI C.
Ocean Beach
After hearing the Bush administration's responses (and seeing the lack of real action) regarding the Gulf Coast devastation, I've come to the horrifying, stunning suspicion that the Bush administration is actually trying to privatize relief efforts.
What else can one conclude when the president of the United States suggests we contribute to the Red Cross, trots out his dad and President Clinton, mentions how successful their tsunami relief work was, and then goes to have lunch with Alan Greenspan to assess the economic impact?
Certainly, there will be a devastating impact on our economy. But now, thanks to the lack of government response, the economic slam will be far worse, because we've now been shown that we Americans, we taxpaying citizens, cannot count on the federal government for anything. And a distrusting public does not go out and spend a dime.
And across the ocean in his supposed cave, I can picture Osama bin Laden, who can manage to get dialysis while, on Thursday, Charity Hospital in New Orleans had only fruit punch to offer its patients (no food), and doctors resorted to pleading with The Associated Press when all attempts to contact FEMA failed to get a response.
Bin Laden is thinking, wow, just one little dirty bomb ....
LYNN M.
Encinitas
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/op-ed/letters/20050907-9999-lz1e7lets.html