children by the millions are waiting for alex chilton to come around*

I had a period of utter bleakness this afternoon, looking at footage from New Orleans. I had a hard time not losing it and sobbing into my Cobol for a minute. I keep thinking of The Stand, and how everything went to hell after things became dire. You know, I don't even call it stealing, much less looting, if they're taking food or medication or toiletries that can't/won't even be sold now anyway--and even if it could be saved, these people are dying in the streets. Let them have the damned toothpaste and a carton of diet pepsi. I find the ones taking electronics and DVDs more questionable, but then I think.. it's a disaster zone, people are going a little nuts. Who am I, really, to judge? I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be joining in on that part if I were there, but you can't sit in a dry, air-conditioned home that still has all its walls and contents and be too judgmental, you know? But.. snipers and rapists? What in God's name is wrong with people? What does all of this achieve? Do they think that somehow it doesn't "count" if there is a disaster? Is this the sort of behavior you could expect if all government, all laws were abolished? And it is so, so easy to blame the people who are there for not getting out, but it's a pretty dangerous path to follow. Maybe they were too poor to leave, maybe they didn't have a car, maybe they couldn't leave their aging grandma. Whatever. They didn't ask for this, but they certainly are paying heavily for it. And I am not saying anything that countless other people have already said better. But, it breaks my heart that people are suffering like this, and so little seems to be being done. Plenty of people are sending money and other things to charities, though, to do their part. marketeer posted something yesterday that I thought was quite interesting, in regard to giving to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Worth reading, in my opinion. (Hope you don't mind the link.) I just wish there was more that was being done for these poor people.

*for what is possibly the first time in my life, i am making a snappy reference to pop culture. he's missing, last i heard, which is why this was a snappy reference. i just hate to let anyone go in doubt of my brilliance there... ahem. if i was really cool, though, i would have refrained from explaining or discussing my snappiness. i'll salvage what i can by not explaining how i am familiar with the line--which was quoted as i wrote it but a lyric search shows that it really should be "children by the million sing for alex chilton when he comes around" -- right at this moment, waiting is much more appropriate.