Incidents in the life of.....

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

REFLECTIONS

I just left a filmography about activism and the recent events that have rocked and are rocking our nation. There was a great film on AIDS and homosexual men. (I realize there are lesbians, but this was about men.) The point was that it doesn't matter if you are in a monogamous, heterosexual relationship; you should still protect yourself because you honestly, no matter how much you think you do, do not know who your partner is sleeping with, rather that partner is husband, boyfriend, fuckbuddy, whateva. Very informative, but....

The one that really touched my heart was one on Hurricane Katrina. There were no words, just pictures. (It was kinda like the exhibit on lynchings throughout the south.) People were literally struggling for their lives. I know we all know this, but it's just...DAMN. My heart is still pounding and I saw it ten minutes ago. I went home Saturday and people are still living in tents. The hotels are booked. Apartments are flooded. Family homes are crowded. There is really nowhere to go. I thank God for FEMA, Red Cross, and Salvation Army, but it really isn't enough. The nation has been extremely generous, but these people have no homes. Thanks for the clothes. Thanks for the shoes. Thanks for the food. Thanks for the EBT cards. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. But, where do we put the clothes? Where do we cook the food? Where do we wipe our asses? People keep saying, "I'll pray for you." Thank you for the prayers, but we still need somewhere to lay our heads at night. FEMA keeps saying trailors are coming. Trailors are coming. WHEN? My granny has a trailor in her yard right now, but it's not hooked up. You can't flush the toilet. There isn't any power. It's been a month. At least she has one though. My sister is still waiting on hers.

The messed up thing is that the county is trying to buy (take) people's land. Why kick someone when they are already down. I understand people should stay current on their taxes, but goodness, they don't have shit left except the land. They need that to put the damn trailors (that are coming) on. People, certain people (for lack of a better word)are a trip. They keep telling these people, my people, my parents included, that the house is no good and the best thing to do is sell and move somewhere else. The sheetrock is garbage, but the frame and foundation are good. We can't afford to fix it now, but we will. That house belonged to my great-great grandma. My moma was raised there. It has gone from a four room house to a five bed-room, two bathroom home. Six generations share memories in that house, good, bad, and ugly. No matter how much you offer, you can't afford our memories.

Don't get me wrong. My family is fine. There are 11 people in my house, but we are fine. We aren't needing for anything. We are the lucky ones. I promise I won't complain about the house being flooded and losing everything. I promise I won't, but I feel the pain of those who have no other family and nowhere to go. No one on the coast should be complaining about not having a job because everywhere I went had NOW HIRING signs posted. It's so sad. So many people have just moved. I don't blame them. Why rebuild when the same thing could happen next year? It's weird though. You find yourself asking how so-and-so are doing, only to be told that they have moved. People have just left the coast. It's one thing to leave by choice, but when you are forced to leave home, it's different. I hate to see home in such despair. People have just lost hope.

I can only talk about the people in my town. These are the people I grew up watching, mimicking, admiring, loving. The people in non-existant Waveland are much worse. Pass Christian is suffering. New Orleans is just....I don't even have a word.
We will get better and we will rebuild into something better. It's just going to take time. Keep praying. Whatever you can send to your local organizations, do it. People really need it.

Posted by Nik :: 10/11/2005 :: 1 Comments: