There must be a light under the bushel!

Hugging Negroes

I was watching Bill Maher tonight, and he satirized Bush by making up a quote that Bush could have said that was something close to, "I was hugging negroes all day. What else do you want from me?" As a gut reaction, I laughed and laughed. Then, I thought about why I was so amused. The mental picture was so absurd. I imagined Bush doing a beauty pageant winner's wave and then carefully picking out the cleanest of the impoverished, suffering people of New Orleans whom he would allow to touch him.

A friend of mine, who is deeply religious, said to me today that she is a Bush supporter, but she instructed me not to ask her anything about politics--because she doesn't know anything (her admission). Yet, she laughed as she sincerely stated that she was a huge supporter of what Bush stands for. She said she believes he is a holy man. I don't know whether I believe he is or isn't. I do know that his choices and actions are not always great examples of the righteous life. I'm not going to get into a political rant because that's not where my heart is right now. My need to help right now is overwhelming me. I'm sure part of it is because we are getting such a large influx of these now homeless people, but I want to do something other than just give money. I want impoverished people to be valued as humans. I am frustrated that I don't know how to begin fixing that kind of problem.

This is our land and our people. I'm not belittling the suffering of others from foreign lands; I'm just realizing that this touches me so profoundly because I can see it. I have taken trips to New Orleans, and I grieve for the city. I loved the culture and the individuals. It was rich with humanity. I feel a part of that humanity. I want to see life and prosperity breathed back into Louisiana, yet I fear that it might not happen. I fear that New Orleans will exist only in film and memories.