Darkness

I'm still in disbelief about the damage that Hurricane Katrina inflicted on the Gulf Coast. After Katrina roared through, New Orleans was effectively plunged into the Dark Ages. Flooding and power outages are bad enough, but news reports talk about looting, sporadic gunfire, and lawlessness. Like most natural disasters on a large scale, Katrina reveals both the best and worst of human nature. Brave men and women are working around the clock to rescue the trapped survivors of Katrina's wrath. They come in boats, in helicopters, and on foot, trying to get people out, and offering what help and comfort they can. Doctors and nurses work double shifts in stifling heat tending to those too sick or injured to move.

At the same time, looters destroy what little Katrina has left intact. You've seen the images: looters breaking windows and smashing doors to carry away stuff they think is valuable. Frayed nerves and flaring tempers are causing some citizens to take "justice" into their own hands. The police are hopelessly outnumbered.

I saw what Hurricane Andrew did to South Florida: I was there. That pales into comparison to what Katrina has done to New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile, and other towns. If you have the resources, please donate some money to the Red Cross (or any other agency that is on the scene helping). If you're working, and your company matches gifts, so much the better (the company I work for is matching all employee contributions 100%).

...and if you can't donate money, just keep the survivors of the disaster in your thoughts and prayers.