We will rise from these waters

[Greenbeard]

We will make it through this situation because we are a strong people.

Our hearts have been broken.

Today we have screamed words of anger and we have cried tears of sorrow. We have felt completely hopeless and helpless watching the coverage of this disaster yet we have felt the goodness of humanity as reporters begin to report the truth and break down on camera.

Many posts here on DU have shown us how we can support the struggling individuals trapped throughout New Orleans and the entire region.

Jesse Jackson has arrived on the scene. Like him or not, this man knows how to accomplish his goals. He will help. He is a leader. He is a good man.

Our current leadership is proving incompetent yet there is an emergency session of congress taking place now that will hopefully provide some needed aid. Hopefully.

With every hour we become more restless. It is beyond our comprehension why those left behind at the convention center do not have any water or food. How is this being allowed to happen? Why?

So we do what we can at the moment. We are giving to the Red Cross and other charity organisations. Some of us are even providing shelter to the homeless. Be proud of yourselves. You are doing what you can.

In the days ahead we will do even more. We will show what it truly means to be compassionate. We will be dealing with this situataion and it's aftermath for months. Leaders will come forward. They always do.

Believe it or not, people from all sides are reading what we post on this site. Let them read. Show them who we are and what we are about. Lets work our hardest to provide solutions. So many of you do such a great job at this task. Thank you. Truly. Thank you.

We are the future leaders of this nation. We all feel it deep down in our hopeful hearts. Let us begin to show our leadership now. Continue to give. Continue to love. Continue to call out the faults of this maladministration.

We will eventually overcome this disaster but we will not forget how it was handled. THIS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN AGAIN because eventually we will be the leaders. Learn from these mistakes.

Do everything that you can now. Cry your tears. Express your sorrow. Show your love and compassion for all our brothers and sisters who are forced to experience this anguish.

Then let us all move forward together to repair this nation.

We will rise from these floodwaters.

WE MUST

[i miss america]

1. Amen!

[Greenbeard]

2. shameless kick for hope, and praise for those working hard to help others

thanks

[bliss_eternal]

3. Thank you, Greenbeard!

I can leave the board's in peace tonight--your post, and some others on another thread, have restored my faith and given me some much needed hope.

Life is what we make it, and we have to take all of our anguish, frustration and pain and try to do something constructive with it.
Thank you of reminding us all of this.

Kicked, and nominated....

have a good night:hi:

[thinkingwoman]

4. what a soothing post!

Thank you. Thank you.

I have been so heartbroken today. I spent many years as a journalist and I'm usually good at detaching, distancing, coping with insane and horribly unfair situations. But this, today, tonight--when Anderson Cooper began crying, so did I.

Mine is a news junkie family. My teenagers have watched the news and followed current events from an extremely young age. I've never shielded them, preferring to explain what they were seeing instead. Tonight, for the first time, I asked them not to watch any news coverage on tv for the next few days--told them to read online instead.

I have been in despair.

But your post helped. Thank you. Recommended and kicked.

[bliss_eternal]

5. (((thinkingwoman))) Anderson Cooper cried?

:hug:

I missed that--poor guy.

[thinkingwoman]

6. he showed some guys with a torn American flag

and then he had to look away from the camera. He apologized, and then went on and his voice was breaking.

Yeah...he was crying. It got to me.

[bliss_eternal]

7. Wow...

I can see how that would get to you.

:hug:

[Greenbeard]

8. Not just Cooper

seems like lots of reporters who are actually seeing the situation on the ground end up getting pretty emotional.

Best report I have seen so far was an MSNBC report from the convention center by a photojournalist. Powerful.

He was literally begging for someone to help these people and trying to spread the message that they were not violent and simply needed some assistance because they are dying. He kept repeating over and over again how they were not violent in hope that somebody would show up with supplies.

[markus]

9. Thank you Greenbeard

May I link or repost this at wetbankguide.blogspot.com?

Please read The Tragedy of St. Bernard if you go by there. It took me almost an hour and a half to write those few words, because I kept breaking down and weeping.

NOLA and all of the afflicted peoples will rise again from the waters and make NOLA live again, with or without the help of our government.

[Greenbeard]

10. Feel free to repost

It took me a long time to write those words as well.

I read The Tragedy of St. Bernard. Thank you for that story. I grew up in the south myself and still have family in the rural south. These are strong, hardworking folks and they will indeed make NOLA and the region live again.

[insane_cratic_gal]

11. Maya Angelou

I rise was the first thing I thought of when I saw your title. Perhaps its fitting for those in NO to hear now.. just maybe we can help them to rise.

Still I Rise"

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

[thinkingwoman]

12. Perfect.

Just perfect.