September 3, 2005

Convoys

It is easy to get worked into a lather over the president's inept (and quite frankly bizarrely disconnected) response to the vast human tragedy taking place in Louisiana and Mississippi (Who did not cringe on hearing him cackle about how he used to enjoy himself partying too much in New Orleans when he was younger while standing on the tarmac of the New Orleans Airport where 30 people died just last night.)... And around the world there seems to be a healthy dose of schadenfreude in the newspaper editorials about the botched response to the disaster. But not all the news is bad...

Today on the New Jersey turnpike we passed scores of New York City police vehicles, generators, communication trucks, and busses in convoy down to New Orleans. Cars on the turnpike pulled into the median, their occupants standing in front of their cars pumping their fists in support or simply clapping. People passing by waved and gave the thumbs up or peace signs. Jenn teared up as we passed each bus. On the Pennsylvania Turnpike, another smaller convoy of busses and supplies. On the median there, more people stopping and showing their support. One woman simply standing and crying.

posted at 06:44 PM by raul

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Comments:

09/03/05 10:53 PM

As a New Orleans refugee now living in Houston (we got out before the storm), I can't tell you what it means to me to hear that people from up there were cheering the busses. Thank you for your post.

09/04/05 11:49 PM

I live in Arizona and here too we have been upset and horrified by this government's response to this immense tragedy. My one hope is that the federal response to Katrina will once and for all show these people in power for who they are, and that they will all finally be voted out of office.

A neighbor down the street grew up in New Orleans. When he heard about the levee break he knew immediately what it would mean. He got together 5 friends and they left that night with 2 boats in tow. They drove straight there only stopping for food and gas. We have only had a few text messages from them but they have been working day and night saving people trapped in houses. Jack says it is impossible to describe the scale of the tragedy and that he feel overwhelmed, but that each person he takes to safety gives him hope. People like him give me hope that we will all get through this together.

Carol, Scottsdale AZ

09/05/05 08:54 AM

i live in Alabama. convoys have been coming through here non-stop and the generosity shown to the drivers has been wonderful. we've also seen convoys going the other way, coming out of the flood zone. the faces of those people tell the whole story, it is a bad scene down there.

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