Honor Jabbar Gibson

[nickyt]

http://www.petitiononline.com/JG0007Q/petition.html

[Peace Patriot]

1. I would like to sign a petition to honor Jabbar, and I would very much

like to see him honored, but I object to the wording of this petition and I urge those who wrote it to change it. There is no necessity of contrasting Jabbar's actions with those of murderers and rapists. This language implies that Jabbar's other option--rather than being the skillful, resourceful hero that he is--was to commit crime. I consider this a racist assumption, and I don't believe that those criminal behaviors were an option for Jabbar. If anything, his option was to do nothing or to just save himself. Crime was never an option to him.

This exaggerated emphasis on crime connected to the disaster also serves the agenda of the Bush Cartel, which used false reports of crimes--for instance, sniper shootings at rescue helicopters--as an excuse to allow thousands of poor people to die of dehydration, starvation and neglect. Louisiana National Guard head Honore has said that reports of crime were exaggerated, and rescuers who finally reached the crowds of stranded poor people--after being deliberately blockaded from doing so, for many days--reported despair, illness and death from neglect--not gangs, not criminals, not hostility.

Whatever crimes that may have been committed opportunistically, in this disaster, pale before the crimes of the Bush regime, in failing to protect New Orleans from flooding--by an 80% reduction in disaster prevention and disaster preparedness funds--and by withholding and blockading disaster aid to the poor and others in New Orleans and the Gulf coast region, resulting in thousands of unnecessary deaths.

I can't imagine that these criminals will honor Jabbar, a hero who saved many people. He puts them to shame. But I will gladly support this effort and sign such a petition, if it's re-written.

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The Petition as written, with suggested editing points marked by *(EDIT THIS)*:
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To: U.S. Congress

We, as citizens of the United States, and other nations trust that it is within our power to affect actions at the highest levels of government. We believe we can be heard, and we hope and expect that our elected officials will respond to our heartfelt expressions of concern, as our representatives at the national level.

We have been extraordinarily moved by the story of Jabbar Gibson, and the initiative he displayed in commandeering a bus to drive Hurricane Katrina victims out of New Orleans. We were very alarmed to hear that he was at one time in danger of prosecution. Mr. Gibson declared to the news media, "I don’t care if I get blamed for it, as long as I saved my people." But WE care if he gets blamed for it.

We are citizens, voters, property owners and taxpayers. We are determined to move Heaven and Earth to see to it that anyone who dares prosecute Jabbar Gibson will never be re-elected.

*(EDIT THIS)* When others were turning to crimes of the most brutal sort, he turned despair to hope; saving the lives of his fellow strangers and using the resourcefulness that is the hallmark of the American spirit. This young man deserves the highest honors this nation can bestow upon him.

Though he did not know how to drive a school bus, this practical and level-headed young man took control of the situation he found himself in. He took advantage of the slim opportunity at his disposal. Loading a school bus with 100 survivors, he drove seven hours straight through to the Houston evacuation center, arriving ahead of even the coordinated evacuation efforts.

*(EDIT THIS)* There is no need to speculate what might have become of those he saved for the news has been replete with cases of death, rape, and murder.

Are these the qualities that invite prosecution in this nation? Are bravery, common sense and initiative to be criminalized in the aftermath of such unprecedented disaster?

We, the undersigned, give a resounding no! We request that this young man be awarded appropriately with a Presidential Medal of Freedom and a full four-year scholarship to the college of his choice. For we truly believe that Jabbar Gibson as an individual, exemplified the courage and the spirit that is the best part of America and in so doing became emblematic of the actions many others who responded bravely and selflessly in the face of this disaster. He is someone we should support, encourage, and see prosper in this great nation. Jabbar Gibson and those like him are the future of America!

Sincerely,

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Suggested edits:

Change this...

*(EDIT THIS)* When others were turning to crimes of the most brutal sort, he turned despair to hope; saving the lives of his fellow strangers and using the resourcefulness that is the hallmark of the American spirit. This young man deserves the highest honors this nation can bestow upon him.

...to this...

In the midst of a major disaster, in conditions that were unimaginably chaotic and difficult, Jabbar turned despair to hope; saving the lives of many strangers and fellow victims, and using the resourcefulness that is the hallmark of the American spirit. This young man deserves the highest honors this nation can bestow upon him.

And change this...

*(EDIT THIS)* There is no need to speculate what might have become of those he saved for the news has been replete with cases of death, rape, and murder.

...to this...

Many thousands of Gulf coast hurricane victims would die of dehydration, starvation, illness, injury and neglect, in the following days, in addition to those directly killed by the hurricane. Jabbar's resourceful and courageous action moved many people--all those he could get into his commandeered bus--out of harms's way.