Posted on 09/01/2005 2:34:49 AM PDT by Siobhan
Katrina is a huge and historic story. The human cost, the financial cost, the rendering uninhabitable of a great and fabled American city--all of it amazing. A quick look at the good, the bad, and the let's-shoot-them-now.
The governors. Political leadership in times of crisis is a delicate thing. You have to be frank about the fix you're in without being demoralizing. You have to seem confident without seeming out of touch with reality. You have to be human without indulging all your very human emotions. Rudy Giuliani set the modern standard on 9/11, and in a way that is not remarked upon. All his public statements were brilliantly specific. He told you exactly what resources were on their way to do what and where and why; he told you the No. 4 subway had been diverted west and then south until 11 a.m. Saturday; he told exactly which blocks were closed off and for how long; he told you New York would come back and then he told you why and how. His leadership was a masterpiece of specificity. That he had the facts at his command left people feeling: Thank God, someone's in charge, I can take care of me while he takes care of the city. That's what people want in a time of crisis.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
That's so right! Peggy needs to read a book.
"May a water moccasin climb up your baggy low-hanging shorts."
Good point.
Added to the list.
New Orleans deserves what they voted in.
Thanks for the ping!
The squeamish should take a few armed self defense courses, from decent instructor(s), and de-squeam themselves.
It worked wonders for Mrs. Bustard.
Goblins need to be shot. Repeatedly. The poor things are suffering from LDD (Lead Deficiency Disorder) and require immediate treatment.
WWRD - "What Would Rudy Do?" :lol:
LQ
Mississippi's Gov. Haley Barbour came closest to the Giuliani model. We are friendly acquaintances; I knew him years ago when he was a political operative in Washington. I'm frankly surprised he's turned into a leader, but he has. From the beginning of the hurricane drama Mr. Barbour came close to Mr. Giuliani's specificity. In news conferences he laid out with breadth and precision the facts of the Mississippi coastal devastation. He had to keep telling the press and the public that there would be more dead than they understood, a delicate thing to have to do. He did it with candor and transparency but no defeat. He had command of what facts were known. His face was shocked and sad, but he never looked beaten; he referred on "Larry King Live" to the rebuilding of the coast as if it were a foregone conclusion but one that will take massive work. He seemed straight, unillusioned, human. Watch Mr. Barbour. If he continues like this, he's going to become a significant national figure.
Bravo! "All the nation's universities should agree"....
We are still learning how massive this disaster is....every organization, every church & temple, every organization based on nationality, each civic club, every union and every profession should step up with offers such as yours. This is our chance to live the old saying "Charity begins at home" and forgive me for playing on JFK's phrase, but we must
"ask not what the government/officials are doing for these fellow citizens: ask what you can do to help"
I sent an e-mail to our president earlier today (haven't heard back) but just to "ping" him also called our local newshound/reporterette and said she should quiz him over this!!
ping
Following up on your post that all organizations, religious, academic, etc should be helping our citizens on the Gulf;
Part of an email I rec'd this morning.
The Window
on August 31, 2005
A Catholic Look at Society, Culture and Politics
Deal W. Hudson
In This Issue:
Katrina Devastates Dioceses on Gulf Coast
The path of Katrina left devastation and loss of life over three states. The recovery operation will be the largest in the history of our nation.
The same will be true for our Church, facing the challenge of rebuilding the Catholic infrastructure along the Gulf Coast.
In an extraordinary measure, three inland dioceses in Mississippi and Louisiana are "adopting" the three dioceses most directly affected by the storm. The Diocese of Baton Rouge has adopted the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Diocese of Jackson the Diocese of Biloxi, and the Diocese of Lafayette the Diocese of Homa-Thibodaux.
In addition to office space, the adopted dioceses will receive office equipment, computers, telephones, housing, and the help of local diocesan staff.
Archbishop Hughes of New Orleans has already set up a chancery in an empty elementary school in Baton Rouge. He expects to be there at least four months.
Today a communication went out to all the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge to be prepared to double their class size. They are planning to take in the students from the Diocese of New Orleans. They are also offering housing to displaced families.
snip
"" There seems to be some confusion in terms of terminology on TV. People with no food and water who are walking into supermarkets and taking food and water off the shelves are not criminal, they are sane. They are not looters, they are people who are attempting to survive; they are taking the basics of survival off shelves in stores where there isn't even anyone at the cash register. ""
My wife and I were talking about this earlier today and that is exactly how we see it. Those with TV's, etc.? Well, that is a different matter.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.