Lika’s Log

Watching the catastrophe of Katrina on TV, the lack of resources provided to the victims, death & destruction, politicians, heroism and criminalisms going on; I cannot help but empathsize and put myself in the victims shoes. I ask myself, what am I learning from all this? You know there are many lessons to be learned.

For myself I would NOT go into a shelter that has thousands of people. I will not subject myself to that type of claustraphobia and squalor that so many of the victims of the Superdome have talked about. No air conditioning and no plumbing; well hell I may as well be out in the woods then where there isn’t a confined stench. I’m not da roughing it type, but I will do wot I gotta do for survival den so be it I be shittin’ in da woods wit da bears. Its not like I haven’t done it before, although it was pineapple fields. *L*

I would hope I have my “big” purse/bag if/when caught in a catastrophe. You be surprised what you find in one wahines purse. Plus if you pack your purse thinking in terms of a disaster, one could survive. I mean seriously you should always carry tissue, right. Right, you neva know wen you going need toilet paper. Am I right ladies? There’s usually some hard candy in my purse, neva mind its a year old it can last fo’eva; its not spoiled something is betta den notting. I need to remember to put the small flashlight back into my purse. I learned from my friend M you should always keep a small flashlight in your purse, you neva know wen the lights go out. I usually have a lighter in my purse, even though I don’t smoke; you neva know when you’ll need fire. I know that sounds like I’m a pyro.

With this is mind, I would be totally lost without my purse. Guys wonder why wahines have to carry dey purse every where! Cause some of us ARE prepared. *L* My mother-in-law once was cleaning out her purse in front of me and showing me stuff. I asked her ‘why do you have all these newborn pictures of da grandkids in her purse?’ Her response was: “If my house burns down, I will still have them’.” I never looked at it that way before.

In watching the disaster of the aftermath of Katrina unfold, I’m thinking I would have to fend for myself & ohana, its about ones ohana yeah. Depending on the federal government is depending on a bureaucracy that people have died waiting for. We have seen that on TV. I’m thinking if I was one of the many people there, I would be one of those walking outta there; I’d be hele-ing up north. How long would it take me to walk to Oklahoma where my inlaws are at? Less den fo’eva.

Seeing the newborns and little kids being evacuated was heart wrenching. In one sense I was glad dey safe but da Moms no stay wit’em so how hard is dat. And not knowing where which hospital your baby went to and you stay stuck in a hellacious situation. Its unreal. I saw one clip wit dis guys outta da projects took out a dozen or more little kids and he stay watching dem cause da Moms got seperated somewhere else he doesn’t know where.

What are people from other countries learning from seeing the wealthiest country perform in the poorest way. You would think we were watching a third world country instead of the great USA. I’m thinking the foreigners perhaps are saying, hmmmmmm how can we create havoc because obviously THEY cannot handle it as fast as they think they can.

I don’t think any “foreigners” come in’hea read dis and maybe I should makem’ sound way moe da kine so dey no can undastand if dey do come in hea, cause I no like be da one for givem’ da idea………but wot if da kine yeah. Wot if da disaster is get one major strike on all da WalMarts across da country, dat would catastrophic too. And I say this WalMart dilly in jest but thinking of worst case scenarios here, you kinda gotta tink you can neva say neva; cause man can be moe worst den Mother Nature, you know wot I mean.

I’m thinking, disasters are a test of mankind. It brings out the best and worst outta people, it changes those effected by it for the rest of their lives. Natural disaster are going to happen regardless, da point is with preparedness, common sense, planning and technology; it can be handled. Families, communities, counties, states, the country need a plan and people to follow thru.

As an individual I think if I waited for the government to help me, I would be a dead body on the side of the road and no one would ID till months later. I wear a ring with my name on it so at least I won’t get tagged “Jane Doe.” I think families, communites & counties and state need to talk about “what ifs”, before a bad thing happen.

Easier said then done no doubt. A lot of times; we start out gung ho anden with time we become complacent.

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 3rd, 2005 at 8:14 am and is filed under Da Kine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.