Katrina

I don't really have anything to say myself about the tragedy. I just want to point everyone to this story, (via Workbench) which has been reprinted in many places. It is the personal experience of two EMTs who were vacationing in New Orleans when Katrina struck. They were stranded in the city for several days, and during that time they -- along with other people they banded together with -- were treated like dirt by the authorities who were supposed to be mounting the rescue operation. At the same time, however, they tell of many ordinary people -- some who were stranded with them, others who they met as they finally got out of the city -- who displayed incredible kindness and compassion.

Please read it all the way through. This story tells us a lot about the still pervasive official classism in this country, but also about the compassion of random people.

Robert