Katrina

I haven't commented much on the devestation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Most of the rest of the media is taking care of that and there is nothing else I can really add.

But I just ran across this first-person narrative from CNN's Jeanne Meserve who is in the deep South. There are a couple of things she says that put this disaster into perspective:

"I truly believe that apart from 9/11 this is one of the most significant events that has ever hit this country. Anybody who tells you this disaster is going to be rectified in a matter of months hasn't seen the situation."

And...

"A woman coming down to the police, close to hysterics, saying, 'My elderly mother is in a building over there, she needs dialysis. She can't get it. She is dying. Can you help me?'

And the police had to say, 'There is absolutely nothing we can do. We don't have a precinct house. We don't have communication. There is absolutely nothing we can do for you.'"

And today Gov. Kathleen Blanco ordered the evacuation of New Orleans. An entire major American metropolis! Evacuated! Folks, this is huge; it really does seem like something out of "The Day After Tomorrow."

Of course my thoughts and best wishes are with the people of New Orleans and Biloxi and the entire Gulf coast.

It's times like these when the blue and the red converge and we become purple states; when the true UNITED States of America shows its true colors.

If you would like to donate to the cause you can do so here.

Update: Will Bunch wonders if things needed to be this bad. (Hat tip, Gil.)