Oh, George, What a Week -- Buses on the Move - FEMA not!

On the /Road
Three busloads of activists (at least) are traveling through the country on their way from Crawford, Tx. to Washington D. C. Picking up supplies for the Katrina victims along the way. This group seems to multi-task! As Camp Casey Alums, we received a long list of "needs" -- specific and changing daily -- that the Louisiana Veteran for Peace are orchestrating, gathering and sending directly to those in need.

I am INSPIRED to see what humans are doing -- just one between another, facilitated by the internet.

In full motion, we will all gather in Washington, D. C. for a vigil of Veterans for Peace, Veterans Against the War in Iraq and Military Families Against the War, the global peace rally on September 24, ecumenical services on the 25th, and lobby day on September 26th.

I am thrilled to say that when we called to get the "preferred" rate in the Military Families Speak Out hotel, we found that the rate was totally sold out! While personally penalized, we are excited that the place will be full! We are eager to reconvene with other military families who have the courage to step forward and speak out. One of the major gifts of these conversations is that many of us who were in the era of the Viet Nam war see similar catastrophic circumstances, while the concern to oppose this war, along keeping the safety and non-retaliation for our loved ones at the top of our conversation -- is constant. None of us really is sure of how to do what we need to do without harming our dear ones, although many of them have joined us in full force, including a young military officer who just returned from Iraq,a graduate of West Point, and spoke the truth during our time at Camp Casey. I suggested that I would not photograph him, although he was not afraid. He is concerned and puts that first.

One of my major learnings at the Camp Casey gathering is to understand the deep internal struggle that so many of us face as families of active military personnel who have taken oath to serve the country's good, who maintain the faith in the rightness of the "government" at heart, and whom we would not only do nothing to hurt, but are taking extraordinary steps to assist against a government that most of us have battled before in our own era as vulnerable and loyal youth.

It is a strange interweaving of love, caring, and, frankly, awkward conversation. But, in the end, we all must do what we must do. Respect.

And while we are on our journey to stand up for what we believe, George has been busy too. For our son's sake, we hope that he wakes up.

For, before Cindy left Camp Casey, George did as well. Completing his San Diego fundraiser, en route to his baby-kissing, cake-eating safe haven in D.C. (with his new chef on board), he did "drop in," at 1,700 feet, to overlook the devastation and chaos in New Orleans from Air Force One. Now, that is low, that must have been slow, and THAT sounds risky, Dude. Snipers and all.

He looked worried, we are told. However, how could he have known of the impact that would greet him? He only "flew over" and saw rooftops in water. FEMA was no doubt on the way to perform, as it had done so well for Jeb in Florida. And, as he said the following morning, no one would have thought that the levees would break. (Sawyer, 9/2/05). (Except for those who read briefings and national security reports.) Oh, well, who are they that read, anyway?????? Remember 9/11?

Not to worry, George rallied himself after that long day of fundraising and flying, the day after his New Orleans overflight, and played golf. Really. (Palast 9/2/05). You ask how, when a major disaster is in process, the President of the United States could play golf? There is history here.

Golf is apparently a family tradition in the face of great tragedy, because THE DAY following the death of George W's little sister, Robin, from leukemia in 1953, Barbara and George H. W., grieving parents, spent the day golfing. Yes. And, on the second morning following Robin's death, the day after they golfed, they held a brief and bodiless memorial service in the morning before flying back to Midland when they finally revealed to George W. that his sister had, in fact, died, leaving the little precious body for someone else to bury -- absent. (Justin Frank, M.D. 2004.) How to find out that his sister was gone -- just like that. He had no idea, during her entire illness, that she was at risk. He was, simply, told "not to play with her." At the age of six, how do you supppose that prepared him for his ultimate tenure as our President? Do you see any resemblance to his handling of these catastrophic occurances?


But what, with that in mind, do we as military parents tell our children who have shown up for our country that we, as patriots, have taught them to love and to serve? What has happened to us?


Might George W. have severed from himself what it means to "lose" when he actually states,after the horrific scenes that HE WITNESSED in New Orleans, "the country will be better for this."

Which part of our country, exactly? Halliburton? Brown and Root? Bechtel? Certainly not the hundreds of thousands of those "other folks" who will spend the next years of their lives deperately struggling to find a way through the gaunlet of FEMA, find a job, a home, their loved ones, and ultimately rebuild their lives.
Oh, but then we are encouraged to remain eager to see Trent Lott rebuild "one" of his houses,in Pascagoula, Ga. and "it will be fantastic" (George W. Bush). W. can't wait to rock on the porch and ponder all of the wild times that he had in N'Orleens. But that was then, and this is now.

Further, Dick Cheney will celebrate the week, because he has jumped the gun on Lott's fabulous rebuild by purchasing his own hidaway,near the Rumsfeld's place on Cheasapeake Bay. Rumor has it that he will have to take time out from his official crisis duties in New Orleans and places North -- sometime this second week of September 2005 -- mark your calendars -- to close on this "other" home that was listed at $ 2.9 million. Sale price undisclosed.

Take time to read the paper work, Dick. Rove is in a jam in Texas for one of his "places" in Kerr, County, but a woman who answered questions about got fired for answering the phone while her colleague was on vacation this week. Better be connected in Texas to get that job replaced.

So far, Rove is on board, leaks and all.

Oh, but I am leaping too far ahead. We haven't found housing for the hundreds of thousands who are homeless in the Southern blue state. I have heard that the red states are faring better. Mississippi and Alabama. Maybe you can get a post office box.

FEMA CARES.


Notes on the marches: D. C. is organized by United for Peace and Justice (www.unitedforpeace.org). For those of you nearer California, the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center will host a simultaneous large rally and march in San Francisco (www.peaceandjustice.org). For those of you who have told me that you just "don't know what to do," here you go! You will meet like minded folks, make you voice heard, and be spirited in the fact that we CAN take back our democracy. We the people cannot be drowned as a nation. Let us not let them take our voice, and now, more than ever, we need to keep our stamina bouyed, as we have important and worthy competition for media attention, with the appalling tragedy in Louisiana and the coast.

Blessings to all of you who have known WANT. And may we never forget.

EC