I'm thinking back to the Tsunami disaster. As I recall, it took about 2-3 days for even Oxfam to start asking for aid, although they immediately said they were mobilizing and would be co-ordinating aid. So did the Red Cross. I think many people were ready and willing to give right away, but there was nothing in place because tsunami was such a shock and so unprecedented. It takes awhile to set up websites and get coordinated.
In the case of Katrina, very little news was coming out of the area at first because of downed communications. There was streaming video from a local station that finally went down, and from the Times-Picayune blog, but even then, the news was spotty and very localized. Then for awhile, it seemed that NOLA had been spared the worst. I don't think anyone realized that some of the Ponchartrain levees had been breached until late Monday or early Tuesday, and for a long time the reports were unconfirmed. It looked as if the worst part of the disaster was in the Biloxi, Ocean Shores, and Gulfport areas at first. Once again, it's going to take awhile for aid requests to get coordinated. Right now the emphasis is on getting the survivors out of NOLA, a massive task, and getting relief supplies into the Mississippi areas. Most of the infrastructure in both areas has been destroyed, so FEMA is facing a nightmare.
On the news tonight, I heard that many companies are asking for help and donating help. I have enough faith in human nature to believe that help will pour in. Caring about others is not an illness; being altruistic and concerned, doing what you can, is no sign of pathology. As poor as we have been, we sent what we could to the Tsunami victims and I know that we will also donate to the victims of Katrina, whatever we can and when we can. Unfortunately, with a disaster of this magnitude, especially in NOLA, it is going to take years to clean up and rebuild, if it is even possible. Many of the people who have lost everything were poor and had no insurance. As a human, I identify with that. I see that it is healthy to give but not become obsessed.
I also agree that there will be some "handwringers," people who have not dealt with their own issues, that will become obsessed with moaning about this disaster and saying how much they care on message boards. After the sensational news is over, they will be back to Natalee Holloway or something like that. I seriously doubt that most of the "handwringers" will donate anything.
About the looting....For the most part, the NOLA police were sympathetic to the looting for food and water, but not the other goods. Some of those people have been without anything to eat and drink, without medications, in extreme heat and humidity for days. Under those circumstances, taking what is necessary for survival is not a crime. The police are also commandeering items from stores. In an emergency it can be necessary. I don't believe the media should put much if any focus on the looting. It serves no purpose, except maybe to dissuade the kind of potential donors that usually require heavy persuasion to give anything. Anyone with good judgement knows that a disaster of this magnitude will bring out the best in many and the worst in the few. I don't think this needs to be pointed out.
On a happier note, I saw those people that have been trapped in the Superdome waiting on the freeway to get into busses. I was so impressed at how well they were keeping it together. I can't even begin to imagine how frightened, how devastated, how uncomfortable and how lost they must feel. Prayers, materials, physical help, sending money...it all helps.
