nothing is quite as liberating as being suddenly homeless

[mopaul]

liberating, but not in a good way of course, i know from personal experience, it sucks. it changes your life forever, it leaves a permanent scar on your soul, it levels your playing field, and it's effects are long lasting. it makes you feel like you are not a real man, or a real father, or a real husband, or a real american.

it's happening right now, times one million. in our town of kansas city, mo., 800 families have arrived, with nothing, nothing, NOTHING.
a clean slate, a fresh start, a trauma like none you've ever known, and god forbid you ever will. there's nothing quite like it. it's the worst possible thing that could ever happen to a family.

i feel for all these displaced persons, not just the ones running from katrina, but all of them, the world over, and there are so many, many millions of them.

nothing compares to suddenly being homeless, nothing is as horrible. nothing.

it should happen to bush and his vampire family, and if there's any justice in this world, it will.

[Bluebear]

1. Well they were underpriveleged anyhow, so it's working out well for them.

[mopaul]

2. that will be carved on barbara bush's tombstone

[benburch]

5. I will spray paint it there.

That much I can promise you.

[soup]

11. .

:loveya:

[stlsaxman]

14. paint it with lots of blood red paint so it drips.

Babs the Elder is a horrid, horrid bitch. Even "bitch" is too good a word for her.

[benburch]

18. Having owned several bitches...

yes, comparing her to one of my sweet female canine friends insults them.

[Flubadubya]

10. LOL, I can just see it...

"Here lies Barbara Bush... this is working very well for her." :rofl:

[Bluebear]

25. PERFECT flub!

[no_hypocrisy]

3. "Freedom's just another word for nuthin' left to lose . . . "

From Me and Bobbie Magee by Kris Kristofferson

Sounds good on paper until you live it . . .

[expatriate]

4. Been there.

There is nothing more devastating, I think - and I've coped with deaths, major illnesses, poverty, abuse, addicted relatives, a dying child, financial disaster, bankruptcy, incredible medical debt - none of those was a terrible as having lost everything I owned. The indignity of being in the position of having nothing - of having to depend on other people for your very existence - to know that the bite of food you are putting in your mouth is someone else's food, that the bed you sleep on (if you have a bed, I spent ages outside of any sort of shelter)is someone's contribution - is the worst possible form of humiliation and alienation.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again - the breast of charity rapidly grows cold. It is enormously expensive for any group or individual to provide all needs for people who have lost everything. In time - and it will not be very long - the resentment of these poor people who have lost everything - will begin. It has already begun in some schools where the child victims of Katrina have been sent.

I only hope that these people can be accomodated in some housing they can call home very soon. America has the resources - but will America use them? I can't say I'm very hopeful. Barbara Bush's attitude is reflective of so much.

May she someday be homeless - may all the Bush family know that feeling of utter and complete dissociation and despair.

[JHLerch]

6. The Desperation Of Decent People

Shame, hopelessness and desperation are settling on decent people throughout this country. Our Congress, government, press and corporations have been taken over by vile, venal, callous, despicable people. They lead by irresponsible misconduct, gross mismanagement, and dereliction of duty fueled by blatant lies and propaganda amplified nationally by a corrupt press.

They embrace preemptive war, abuse and torture of prisoners, massive theft of federal taxes, unconscionable and unrelenting increases in national debt, the utter devastation of government programs and services, the elimination of health care and education for both poor and lower middle class families, and the Wall Street seizure of Social Security taxes.

They literally own the voting machines and adamantly, successfully, refuse to allow them to be inspected. We are nothing but sheep to be slaughtered.

Like global warming it appears that this nation is past the tipping point where anything we do will reduce the inevitable disaster and devastation. When corporations own and control the government it is called a fascist government. In America the Republican Christians are its servants and soldiers. Witches will burn in the streets fueled by bonfires of books. They already scream death for the democratically elected president of Venezuela, death for doctors who terminate unwanted pregnancy, death for homosexuals, death, death, death. It is the Republican Christian way.

The dead in New Orleans are uncounted - that is how stupid they think we are. We are not told that the new bankruptcy law enslaves financially devastated middle class families while severely limiting the same treatment for high income people since all but $6,000 of debt can be erased while the banks can charge unlimited fees, penalties and interest. There are no usury laws, anymore.

The middle class is being hammered into oblivion by exploding health care costs, outsourcing, union busting and increasing tax burdens while congress kills the estate tax giving a $60 billion a year tax break that only benefits multi-millionaires.

Welcome to the third world. New Orleans is just the beginning. Millions will die.

But I refuse to give up! I refuse to quit!

Let us join together and recall every member of Congress. Every Representative. Every Senator. Recall them now. We cannot wait until January of 2007. We must act now and act by the millions. Please help me.

The desperation at the Superdome is the desperation of every single American.

Recall now!!!

Do we have a choice?

[mopaul]

7. they're our overpayed employees, they've failed us, now FIRE THEM

and welcome to DU

great rant!

[newyawker99]

22. Hi JGLerch!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Boomer]

8. The roots of fascism

>> Shame, hopelessness and desperation are settling on decent people throughout this country. <<

This is exactly what happened in Germany after World War I. Unfortunately, it seems that this emotional state makes people prey to the seductive charms of a "strong leader."

[Benhurst]

9. Don't hold back-- tell us what you think.

:hi: Welcome to DU! Great rant!

[annabanana]

13. Well put, and welcome....

Welcome to DU, invite your friends...

We here have heard the call. We have been working for years. So many Americans are still sleeping. This is not a comfortable truth to have to confront, and denial is so cozy.

How do we alert the country?

"Who will tell the people, that free speech is a ruse? The corporations run the country, and then they make the news. Is it media or mind control, heroic victory or crime? Who will tell the people that we're living in these times?"

(Will Pitt... please help me source this song)

[buzzsaw_23]

19. Excellent Idea

From d.a. levy
"Really"
                     the police try to protect
                     the banks - and everything else
                     is secondary"

The only answer is mass movement from the people. Corruption rules both sides of the aisle. The few ,VERY few, in the Congress that are noble are powerless and hamstrung.

The US is a Business-Miltary Dictatorship. The people have zero say, zero power.

Time for a change

[Tsiyu]

20. Nice first post

:applause:

[all.of.me]

12. about ten years ago, there was a wildfire here

it wiped out 33 homes. miraculously, no one was hurt! one homeowner was interviewed on the local radio station and said she didn't even have a toothbrush. that statement has stayed with me all these years. when there is a disaster like this, i try to understand what it would be like, and i do what i can to help. like you say, "nothing, nothing, NOTHING." scary place to be, at the mercy of others.

[FormerOstrich]

17. My house burned to the ground in 1988..

it was certainly one of the most traumatic events of my life.

In case anyone wants ideas of what people are going to need:

The first things are things like tooth brush/paste, floss, soap, first aid kit kind of medical supplies, feminine protection, toilet paper, finger nail clippers/emery board.

Next an alarm clock, 5 days worth of work clothes, a few leisure wear items for after work, a laundry basket, towels and wash cloths.

As you start re-acquiring things some things you always took for granted: hangers, rags (yes, every day rags for dusting and cleaning), cleaning supplies, twine, rubber bands, pens, paper, scissors. For more ideas, look in your junk drawer. Many of those things are invaluable but nothing you go out and "buy".

There is nothing greater than a home cooked meal when your starting over. Personally, I still don't care much for pizza because I had so much of it while trying to re-establish things. It's one of the only meals you can have at home that doesn't require a plate, pans, utensils, microwave or a lot of condiments.

[all.of.me]

21. wow, thanks for the story

and i'm sorry you had this happen.

[teryang]

15. I had a phone conversation with a desperate family member

...they are about to lose their home for non-payment of back taxes. One family member is totally disabled with major surgery residuals and long term illness. The other is unemployed. I'll do what I can. What does the future hold for all of us?

I won't tell anyone about it. The new mantra is "you could have been in New Orleans." It's the new put down for people suffering from the priorties of the have more plutocrats reducing this society to grinding poverty.

[Jamastiene]

16. It's certainly not like camping like Tom Delay suggested and it's not

a good thing like the mother of that son of a bush said. That much is for sure. They sure don't have a clue to be suggesting those types of things about people. Homelessness is akin to hell in my book.

[lynettebro440]

23. I posted about homelessness once

it was about a homeless guy I met when being homeless myself. It was in the context of the war but now it seems appropriate.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4239768

These people that are homeless now from New Orleans and any other person that finds themselves resorting to living on the streets with just the clothes that they carry are strong, very, very strong people. Being left out to dry by this nation and people that you trust brings a strength and a bitterness in you that never dies. The one thing that we must NOT do is to forget these people as we did with all of the vets from Vietnam and people that couldn't make it in this world. I honestly believe that if all the people in the world that want our nation to change embraces this issue and joins forces to make changes, we might be able to make it happen.

I know that the Bush's will never experience homelessness. Their lives are too cushy to ever have that happen. But because they will never experience this, they will also never have the strength either of those of us that have, and that is the one factor that all the New Orleans misplaced have in their favor. Strength in numbers must unite, no matter what color, religion or gender, we must all unite and join the strength. Those of us that know homelessness, help those that are now homeless themselves. Those that can afford to help, embrace them with your kindness and willingness to understand and help them bring their lives back again.

But most of all, don't FORGET, because harnessing that pain and strength might just give us the edge we need to overthrow this administration. Thanks.

[leftofthedial]

24. but these were poor people

so they have made out quite well

:sarcasm:

Let them eat cake

where's my guitar