.jpg)
Wow, this is amazing. Sean Penn went down to New Orleans to “help”, but his boat sprang a leak. Oh, and part of his entourage was a personal photographer, making sure this true American hero could be captured in all his glory. Wow, what a total loss of respect for someone I’ve always been a big fan of. Nothing like a disaster to get your name in the news! Here’s a pretty decent write up about the situation from Anne Rice. And below I have included a response to the article on a message board that I kind of liked, even though I disagreed with a lot of it. Finally, here’s an editorial in the NO Picayune Times calling for FEMA director Mike Brown’s head.
To that I say, ********. I failed no one.
I was laid off two weeks ago when my company eliminated my entire department on 24 hours notice. I’m a single Mom. I’ve never visited New Orleans. Not for Mardi Gras, not for the Jazz Fest, not for anything. Vacations are not in my budget. The only vacation we get is when we visit family in Texas, because that’s all we can afford. I drive right past New Orleans on I-10 en route to Houston each summer to visit family, and I drive right past on my return home to Atlanta.
I just got my first unemployment check. What did I spend it on? Me? My kids? Our bills?
Nope.
I spent it on the people I supposedly “failed”.
I went to my local warehouse club and bought: 5 cases of diapers, 2 cases of wipes, 2 cases of ready to feed baby formula, 2 cases of water, 1 case of hand sanitizer and 1 case of large garbage bags. Total $202.96
I then hauled it to my van, loaded everything up by myself, and spent nearly $4.00/gallon in gas to drive 20+ miles each way to personally deliver it to our local shelter, and to volunteer my help in any capacity to the people “I failed”.
I failed no one. I resent that very implication. Especially given that Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco cried, gnashed teeth, cussed, wrung their hands, cussed and blamed, and cussed, and cried some more from Baton Rouge and did NOTHING to help save their people.
THEY failed New Orleans Louisiana, and THEY failed US…the American Citizen taxpayers who will be picking up the tab of the VASTLY increased damage bill, a bill that was inflated due directly to their gross negligence and incompetence.
As a TAXPAYER who will be helping fund the clean up, I demand answers (and yes…unemployment benefits are subject to Federal and State income TAX, so even though I am not employed, I am STILL a taxpayer).
WHY did Blanco and Nagin fail so miserably to protect their citizens?
The question continues to beg an answer.