Rose colored glasses
I have repeatedly referenced and posted Chris Rose articles because he has a gift to say things that I feel, but have a hard time pulling together quite so appropriately. He has the spirit of all of us who have been hurt, angered, saddened, and pulled apart by this "thing" running through his veins, and perhaps most importantly, his pen.
I was listening to NPR, which is one of the few news programs I listen to. I read the Washington post, New York times, Los Angeles times, CNET, Huffington Post, wwltv.com, nola.com, MIT's technology review, and BBC news daily. As I was listening to "The World" on NPR, they are doing a special on world changing events in people's lives. I have been intrigued to hear about amazing stories of struggle and pain but most importantly, how regular they are in other parts of the world. Countries war with others, themselves, rioting, suffer plague, genocide, etc. It is amazing what a vanilla reality most of us in the USA experience. While it gives me an appreciation for the perspectives of others, and how lucky we are in some ways to be Americans, it does make you wonder, when all struggle and how we will deal with it.
After the hurricane, it has created an inseparable bond between those who experienced it and made us feel like outsiders to the rest of the world. This why Chris Rose is so important to us... he puts in to words the struggle all of us are experiencing but unable to relate to others. I wonder if those in the rest of the country could cope with the enormous blow our city, region, and people have been dealt.
While I have been amazed by the kindness of some strangers, it still blows my mind that so many remain ignorant of the size of the problem. They do not understand there are miles of neighborhoods destroyed by floodwaters. Some of them have insurance, some do not, and some are still fighting their insurance companies for a proper settlement. Many are waiting for word from FEMA as to whether they can rebuild or not. Could other people deal with a Hurricane like Katrina that destroys 80% of property in a city and more than 300,000 homes? Could they deal with another Chicago fire? Could San Francisco deal with another huge earthquake? Will they be left to fend for themselves in a similar manner to New Orleans?
That said, I would like to make a special comment about the kindness of strangers/friends. I would like to say thank you to Jeremy Johnson and his family. They have repeatedly let us stay in their apartment in Austin for free as we have come down to look for jobs and a place to live. They got an apartment in Austin after the storm wiped out both of their houses in midcity. They lost everything due to 8-10 ft of water. They tried to start over in Austin but quickly realized their hearts and home was still in New Orleans. They have been fighting to keep their lives going in New Orleans and living with one family member who did not lose their house. Jeremy and his parents have been volunteering with a ton of agencies to rebuild New Orleans. When they are not working (Jeremy is in commercials, a physical trainer, and a massage therapist; his father is a carpenter), they are rebuilding their houses and helping others to do so. They are truly inspiring people and have helped me to realize the interconnected nature of the world. We all must do selfless acts to help others to truly live.
I was listening to NPR, which is one of the few news programs I listen to. I read the Washington post, New York times, Los Angeles times, CNET, Huffington Post, wwltv.com, nola.com, MIT's technology review, and BBC news daily. As I was listening to "The World" on NPR, they are doing a special on world changing events in people's lives. I have been intrigued to hear about amazing stories of struggle and pain but most importantly, how regular they are in other parts of the world. Countries war with others, themselves, rioting, suffer plague, genocide, etc. It is amazing what a vanilla reality most of us in the USA experience. While it gives me an appreciation for the perspectives of others, and how lucky we are in some ways to be Americans, it does make you wonder, when all struggle and how we will deal with it.
After the hurricane, it has created an inseparable bond between those who experienced it and made us feel like outsiders to the rest of the world. This why Chris Rose is so important to us... he puts in to words the struggle all of us are experiencing but unable to relate to others. I wonder if those in the rest of the country could cope with the enormous blow our city, region, and people have been dealt.
While I have been amazed by the kindness of some strangers, it still blows my mind that so many remain ignorant of the size of the problem. They do not understand there are miles of neighborhoods destroyed by floodwaters. Some of them have insurance, some do not, and some are still fighting their insurance companies for a proper settlement. Many are waiting for word from FEMA as to whether they can rebuild or not. Could other people deal with a Hurricane like Katrina that destroys 80% of property in a city and more than 300,000 homes? Could they deal with another Chicago fire? Could San Francisco deal with another huge earthquake? Will they be left to fend for themselves in a similar manner to New Orleans?
That said, I would like to make a special comment about the kindness of strangers/friends. I would like to say thank you to Jeremy Johnson and his family. They have repeatedly let us stay in their apartment in Austin for free as we have come down to look for jobs and a place to live. They got an apartment in Austin after the storm wiped out both of their houses in midcity. They lost everything due to 8-10 ft of water. They tried to start over in Austin but quickly realized their hearts and home was still in New Orleans. They have been fighting to keep their lives going in New Orleans and living with one family member who did not lose their house. Jeremy and his parents have been volunteering with a ton of agencies to rebuild New Orleans. When they are not working (Jeremy is in commercials, a physical trainer, and a massage therapist; his father is a carpenter), they are rebuilding their houses and helping others to do so. They are truly inspiring people and have helped me to realize the interconnected nature of the world. We all must do selfless acts to help others to truly live.
posted by was at 6:12 PM
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