Did anyone else almost become unglued yesterday?

[Island Blue]

Helplessly watching the incompetence (or is it uncaring?) of my government almost put me over the edge. I cannot even fathom what those people trapped in NO are going through. I know it's also difficult (though the situation certainly not as dire) for those who evacuated and know they've lost everything but can't get back home.

I'm going to try to be calmer and not use the F word quite so much today.

[TayTay]

1. It is exactly the kind of thing that unhinges Democrats

There is a reason we log in and post in Democratic boards. Democrats are the ones who woory about the people, who worry about the poor not being able to to get a decent life, have a job, raise kids without fear and so forth.

This is a Democrat's worst nightmare. A Rethug bastard in office who is completely callous and tone deaf to pleas and screams of the suffering. A city, a major and beautiful and majority poor, black and brown city, being ravaged right before our eyes. Death, pain, deprivation, lawlessness and chaos ruling the streets of that city.

You wouldn't be a Democrat if you didn't fall to your knees in tears after witnessing that. It is everything we fight to prevent. If you didn't fall to knees in tears and scream to heaven for relief for those people, you would have no soul. It is the downside of truly caring and being involved, it hurts so much to care sometimes.

[JanusAscending]

2. Yeah Island Blue,

I haven't been a DU member very long, but the moderators had their work cut out for them yesterday!! I have never seen so many threads locked as I did yesterday!! I had my first post deleted yesterday! Phew!! I'm glad they did 'cause I was on a rant. Now I'm praying that nothing happens to "baby bush" while he's in NO , 'cause we don't need him to be a "martre" , just stay the idiot that he really is, because he's about to meet his "WATERLOO" Now NO is burning, my Lord what else? I too am going to try and be calmer today. I'm getting away for 24 hrs. No TV, no computer, and just good friends and a few games of Bridge!! Boy I sure miss our smilies table!! Hugs to you all, Love DC

[rox63]

3. The same thing happened to me

I laid awake half the night thinking about the people dying in the streets of New Orleans, for lack of water, food and medical care. All while the Repukes in power keep coming up with more lies and excuses. I've been bouncing between despair and raging fury for days now. I have to take breaks from the coverage, to insure my continued sanity. I want to know what's happening. I want the world to know what's happening. But the emotional roller coaster has been very rough. I can't imagine how awful it is for those actually stuck there.

[whometense]

4. I have to say that

I am utterly clenched.

If it weren't for the fact that I have young adult children who are watching me like hawks for signs of freakout, I would be unglued.

This is also what freaks me out the most - though I am working really hard to suppress the signs of what I'm thinking - our beautiful country is being steered into 3rd world status by a lunatic, and I have no idea what it will take for the rePUKES (and I include the Landrieus of congress in that group as well) in power to repudiate the entire junta, toss them in the trash, and save the country. If the sight of what is happening in front of their eyes doesn't do it, I don't know what will. These people have children too. I can't even fathom their mindset.

It's been really something to see media types like Jack Cafferty and Anderson Cooper (and Olbermann, but he got there a long time ago) awaken in front of our eyes, on camera, to the full horror of what Bush has wrought. The dems who have hearts and consciences have my full support and love. The rest of them are nothing less than criminals.

My vigilante mantra the past few days has been the satisfying fantasy of imagining Bush being sentenced to 6 days in the Superdome as it is today, in the company of thousands of starving, dehydrated, filthy and desperate displaced americans - and no secret service to guard his ass.

[Island Blue]

5. Thank you guys for understanding

This just isn't my country that I'm seeing on the television. I've talked to so many friends and family members yesterday and today who are simply outraged by the government's response (or lack there of). No one can ever remember witnessing anything like this in their lifetime. I know our nation will get through this, but dammit it hurts so much to witness it. All I've been thinking about for the past couple of days is John Edwards' "Two Americas". This horrific tragedy proves just how insightful he was. It wasn't just a campaign slogan, that's for damn sure!

Thank you all for being here to listen.

[rox63]

6. I finally totally lost it today

When I read an article that mentioned that some people in NO were so desperate that they started eating the dead. I won't go searching for it, because I just don't want to go there. It was on the Huffington Post, if you care to go looking for it.

It is very odd that the troops bearing relief supplies just happened to arrive in New Orleans shortly before the Chimp landed. Did BushCo withhold aid until then, to make for a better photo-op? Just so he could play the cowboy in the white hat who arrives with the cavalry, just in time to save the day. I felt like throwing up. I sobbed at the fact that I think my government is just evil enough to be capable of that. Then I started thinking that maybe they withheld aid as some sort psy-ops experiment, to see what would happen when their own people are driven to that level of desperation. :tinfoilhat: And then I just totally lost it.

I suffer from chronic depression, and this whole stinking, outrageous, horrifying tragedy has really done a number on me.
:cry: :banghead: :scared: :mad: :puke:

[TayTay]

7. This is one of those situations that is completely bad

There ae certain events that happen that are just bad. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, no, 'this will be okay in the end," crap. It's just a horrific tragedy with no possible positive spin on it at all. It is the abyss.

We have to deal with that. Americans are so used to having at least a little sugar mixed in with the sour. There is no good here. It is a momumental fuckup with devastating human, envinonmental and ecnomic ramifications that will last for decades. We as a nation have to deal with that. We have to face the truth and prepare ourselves for it so that we can begin to go forward.

Go and take care of yourself. This is not self-indulgent. Save the parts of yourself that love and care and feel and are outraged, because you will need them when the time comes for action. Do not fall into despair. Despair takes away your humanity and your ability to take action. Despair whispers that nothing can be done and that you are useless. This is a lie. We can take action and affect change. Believing otherwise only makes things worse.

We love you kiddo, and we are here for you. As any one of us would say, when you are tired and hurt and in grief, come lean against me. I will hold you up for awhile, cuz when my time comes, you will do the same for me.

[whometense]

8. Ditto.

It's been a very tough week for everyone, let alone those who have to fight depression. TayTay's right - go see the 40 Year Old Virgin, or listen to music, or go to the museum, or just turn off all news shows and watch whatever movies make you happy or read a great (non-political) book.

It's important to take care of yourself.

[MH1]

12. You are right,

"no, 'this will be okay in the end,' crap."

Yet * had the gall to say "America will be the better for it" eventually (I think this line was in his first or second speech about the disaster).

Did anyone else get stark steaming livid mad when they heard that?

I have been close to coming unglued too... part of why I haven't posted much here, I have been really busy with work and school so it was easier to just bury myself in my work. But I have been alternately despairing and royally pissed since just before the hurricane, when I realized they were doing nothing to help people get out of harm's way.

I'll say it again... the incompetence is just stunning.

[Island Blue]

9. I'm so sorry Rox

:hug: I don't think I'll go in search of that article. I just don't think I can handle it right now. I think they waited this long to send aid because they are simply incompetent. (After all, Shrub didn't acknowledge the Tsunami victims for at least two or three days did he?) Along with the incompetence, there is of course a heaping helping of callousness, indifference and pure evil. And cluelessness. I honestly think the Bushes (all of them) live in some kind of bubble that nothing can penetrate, not even sound or television waves. Everything is fine in their world (Shrub is just looking forward to the day he can sit on Trent Lott's rebuilt porch. Say what?)

I do hope that those poor souls who are being shuttled around from place to place are aware that most average Americans out there DO CARE! The current administration does not represent our feelings or our desire to help!

Take care Rox - maybe take a little while off from watching and reading so much about this. Unfortunately it will still be with us for a long, long time.

[politicasista]

10. I am sorry rox

Please take care of yourself. Hang in there. :grouphug:

[rox63]

11. Thanks, everyone

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[saracat]

13. I lost it yesterday. There was a story about a handymen and his two dogs t

that had to swim to safety and noone would pick him up. He swam for eight hours. All he could do was apologize for being "stupid" , not having enough money and endangering his dogs. It broke my heart.I cried all night.
I hate Bush with an intensity that isn't rational anymore. I hope he gets what he deserves. He is a mass murderer.

[jillan]

14. I hit my breaking point today, and it was a good thing I had to be at

work this afternoon.

I have been glued to the television. I even slept with CNN on...
Watched again this morning.

And right before I left for work, I decided to check my email. There was a petition from PFAW to send to my congressmen about how badly they screwed this up. OMG! McCain, Kyle and Flake are probably going to have me locked up! lol!

The one thing that pushed me over the edge was when I was watching the Black Caucus, and someone in that group told the media to stop calling these people "refugees", they are not refugees, they are American Citizens, and that's what they deserve to be called. And it dawned on me that those people in NOLA, sitting in garbage and sewage,with no food and water, are the ones that are paying bushiter's salary....

It hurts. My heart is so heavy. And I have been so angry. But tonite, I just feel numb.