I feel completely useless right now for the Katrina victims.

[LibraLiz1973]

I donated $45 to The Red Cross & $50 to The Salvation Army.
But when you see these people on tv stranded on their rooftops- without water, food, or anywhere to go...

I immediately think of orphanages, seniors who were stranded, animals, people losing family members... homes, businesses.

I wish there was something more that I could do- that all of us could do. It must be terrifying to be so unsure of what tomorrow holds.

Meanwhile we don't have enough National Guardsman because that fuck-stick in the Oval office has pillaged our resources so that they can be stranded, scared, hot & thirsty in Iraq.

You know, since * TOOK office it's been one sad f'n catastrophe after another.

[villager]

1. feel the same way

Will donate to Red Cross - haven't yet -- but there's nothing we can do to alleviate all that pain right now...

...and yes, the Crawford Caligula's arrival has presaged one disaster after another...

[LibraLiz1973]

2. honestly I feel like opening my house to someone

All I can think is, WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO?!?!?!?!?!

[lildreamer316]

4. I have.

Anyone who needs it badly. I posted it twice.....

[LibraLiz1973]

7. I wish they would put up web sites for stuff like that

You know there are foster children there who just lost home placements... whole families with no where to go.

[lildreamer316]

11. Someone on the news

said alot of ppl are doing that on cragislist.

[Justyce]

6. If they can ever rescue them all and

get them out of there, there are a lot of shelters set up everywhere to take them in -- in one shelter alone in Beaumont (at Ford Park) we already have 2000 people, and more in churches throughout the area. Everyone is pulling together, and they will be taken care of -- if they can ever get everyone out of New Orleans to safe ground! Those poor people, especially those scared children :(

[VADem11]

3. Donate blood

If you feel useless that is another thing you can do. They need help and always need blood. If it doesn't go to Katrina victims you will be helping someone anyway.

[LibraLiz1973]

5. Great idea!

[LunaSea]

8. donate, donate, donate.

I know how you feel, sent $500. to the RC today. I wish it could be more.
We have 21 tropical depressions predicted this season. I think Katrina spawned from #12.
The height of the season is yet to come.

[Kenroy]

9. We all feel that way

I've donated to the Red Cross and noahswish.org....

it's all I can do now. But it's a terrible feeling.

[LibraLiz1973]

10. You just get the feeling that you want to "get in there"

so to speak- be hands on, you know?
Helping people get relocated etc.

The thing about no drinkable water really really really saddens me.
We so take that for granted

[lildreamer316]

12. I KNOW

I'm dying to get in there and DO something hands-on. I can't because of child. aaaaaugh.

[MasonJar]

13. On Keith Oberlman the Red Cross rep said that they need money

[huskerlaw]

14. Unfortunately, not even the Red Cross itself

can help out much right now. Particularly in New Orleans. I feel the same way though. It's like, "get me down there and give me a boat." But if we, sitting in the comfort of our own homes, feel helpless, imagine the poor people down there.

I saw a clip of some people trying to save a seal that had washed into a parking lot and I thought, look, they feel useful. They are completely capable of dumping buckets of water on a beached seal...and it's giving them as much comfort as it's giving the seal. Great for the seal, but my heart breaks for those people.

[LibraLiz1973]

16. I know

It's really frustrating to feel so useless when your sitting in your centrally air conditioned house drinking your bottled water. I drove to and from work today & even had a baked potato from Wendy's. I can't imagine life without water.

[TornadoTN]

15. Feel the same way

I would very much like to go there, get on the ground and help get these people out of there. I just don't know where to go to sign up or even my assistance would be needed.

I keep thinking about those people, screaming out, waiting for someone to come help. I have a young child, as I mentioned in another thread, but I asked myself earlier, what would he think of his dad if he didn't do something to help when he could have? I certainly hope someone would help us out of the kindness of their heart should we ever get caught up in something like this.

I made a donation to the Red Cross today and I'm going to do another one as soon as we figure out whats needed. We all feel a bit helpless, but thats what seperates us from a lot of other people: we care about ALL people, not just those that will benefit us directly.

[sarahlee]

17. Organize bake sales or car washes or something

to raise money.

Probably there are some young kids at your local high schools who want to do something as well. Jump in and help them channel that energy into raising money for the Red Cross.

I live out in the country with no close neighbors, but if I was in town, those are the kinds of things I would be thinking about.

I would also consider making sure I had some T-Shirts that said in small letters somewhere, "Progressive Democrat, working for America" - or something like that.

That may sound crass, but I recall during the relief work in Florida, the media was full of photos of folks with T-shirts with crosses and one republican group with T=shirts on unloading trucks of stuff, handing out water, etc. - making it seem like it was only the right wingers and Christians out doing good. At some point, we have to do what is in our hearts while showing we are a Party that cares as well. This seems to go against all we believe in, but I don't think that just putting on one T-Shirt over different one you have in the closet, takes away from what is in your heart of your actions.

Open to being told I am wrong about this. Just thinking out loud.