Unbiased Hurricanes, Biased Politics
President George W. Bush cannot please the American people. He was accused of doing too little, too late for Hurricane Katrina and now a political pundit warns that Bush has done too much to prepare for Hurricane Rita and runs the risk of being a "political opportunist." When did learning and adapting become bad form?

I spoke with a physician from Japan. He said the Japanese media heard & reported that the Bush administration acted racist in its response to Katrina. He asked me if that was true. I look at the diverse Bush cabinet and think, "No way is he racist." The slow response was a fact of being unprepared. Because Katrina did not make a direct hit to New Orleans; people did not expect the storm surges to be so large, so devastating. A WGN radio announcer noted how ridiculous it was to make the blacks victims of racism when most of the people in power in Louisiana and Mississippi are black; the mayor of New Orleans is black. The New Orleans buses were available to evacuate people before the storm but they were not used. What about the non-black people in New Orleans; they did not receive any better, faster treatment.

Stupid Jesse Jackson: is he always a provocateur? And Kanye West, why?... I expected more from Kanye, very stupid me; he has a reputation for being cocky. [Truth is, the "fewer" half of the nation that lost the 2004 presidential election will not change overnight (or over a year) to accepting the re-elected president. This is just another chance to gripe.] Who is the real political opportunist? Such racism accusations have given misleading fodder for the national and international media to chew on. It was ugly enough with reports of looting and shooting at helicopters.

At home, I am thankful and warmed by our nation's generosity in response to these disasters. Let us be thankful that there were fewer injuries and deaths with Rita, but the suffering is disheartening. It's not going to be over for a long while. Please keep the hurricane victims and relief workers in prayer. Humans are weak, needy, small creatures ... "waves tossed in the ocean, vapors in the wind" (where's that from?). One cannot over prepared for natural disasters.