I love you people. Now let's get to work

[TayTay]

I flat out love you people. I love the ones who argue with me because their hearts are breaking and they are at their wits end because they are seeing suffering and can't prevent it.

I love you people who want to hold our elected officials feet to the fire and demand that action be taken. I disagree with you on the whys and wherefores, but I flat out love you for doing this. You are the people who preserve, protect and defend this nation. I agree.

I love Democrats who can't stand injustice, can't stand inequality and who are screaming that something has to be done.

Now, a bit of 'Eyes on the Prize.' I am looking at this as one person experiencing a disaster, 3 million times over. I can't save 3 million people, cuz it will drive me insane and make me so emotionally overwhelmed that my brain and heart shut down and I can't help. This is not good.

I am going to begin to organize some charity events in my town and see if I can mobilize all the people who feel helpless and sad and frightened by what is happening to our brothers and sisters in the Gulf. I am going to see if I can get the merchants and restaurants and school in my area to hold some events and raise some money and send it to the Gulf. I can't save everyone, but damn it, I can help pay for a blanket, a tent, some bottled water and life will get a little better for someone.

I am going to ask for help from my neighbors. There are a lot of folks who are hurting and don't have a lot of money. They are also worried about the people who are suffering in the Gulf. I'll ask them to come and wash a windshield, donate some blood, exchange a couple of hours of raking at someone's house for some cash for their fellow Americans. Cuz everyone can help. And maybe life will get a little better for one person.

I can do this. It won't save the world, it won't get the water out of New Orleans and it won't change Congress. But life just might get a little better for a few people and that much more will be right with the world.

And I mean it, I flat out love you people. Even as we fight, we fight about compassion and action and giving government a good kick in the ass to get things right. If that isn't the right thing to fight about, I don't know what is.

So, what are you doing, how can I help or give you tips on organizing and when are you doing it?

[globalvillage]

1. Love you, too, Tay Tay

You crazy, liberal Masshole, you.

:pals:

Donated to Red Cross and signed up here http://www.hurricanehousing.org
I'll look for something more tomorrow.


Dear MoveOn member,

Hurricane Katrina's toll on communities, homes and lives has devastated the nation. Now victims must face the daunting question of where to go next—and we can help.

Tens of thousands of newly homeless families are being bused to a stadium in Houston, where they may wait for weeks or months. At least 80,000 are competing for area shelters, and countless more are in motels, cars, or wherever they can stay out of the elements. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross are scrambling to find shelter for the displaced.

This morning, we've launched an emergency national housing drive to connect your empty beds with hurricane victims who desperately need a place to wait out the storm. You can post your offer of housing (a spare room, extra bed, even a decent couch) and search for available housing online at:

http://www.hurricanehousing.org

Housing is most urgently needed within reasonable driving distance (about 300 miles) of the affected areas in the Southeast, especially New Orleans.

Please forward this message to anyone you know in the region who might be able to help.

But no matter where you live, your housing could still make a world of difference to a person or family in need, so please offer what you can.

The process is simple:


You can sign up to become a host by posting a description of whatever housing you have available, along with contact information. You can change or remove your offer at any time.


Hurricane victims, local and national relief organizations, friends and relatives can search the site for housing. We'll do everything we can to get your offers where they are needed most. Many shelters actually already have Internet access, but folks without 'net access can still make use of the site through case workers and family members.


Hurricane victims or relief agencies will contact hosts and together decide if it's a good match and make the necessary travel arrangements. The host's address is not released until a particular match is agreed on.

If hosting doesn't work for you, please consider donating to the Red Cross to help with the enormous tasks of rescue and recovery. You can give online at:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=859

As progressives, we share a core belief that we are all in this together, and today is an important chance to put that idea to work. There are thousands of families who have just lost everything and need a place to stay dry. Let's do what we can to help.

http://www.hurricanehousing.org

Thanks for being there when it matters most.

—Noah Winer and the whole MoveOn.org Civic Action Team
Thursday, September 1st, 2005


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[TayTay]

2. Thanks! And I'm so there to help get rid of Santorum

And then one more thing will be right with the world.

I have just gone through to the other side. I hae been through anger and emotional overload and anger at people on this board and all that stuff and I'm done. It did no good, it didn't even make me feel better. It made me fell worse.

So, I'm over it. I want to do what I can do. Donate, organize and petition Congress and the President for a redress of greivances. That I can actually do. And I want to stand with other liberals and progressive who can act as brass knuckles on a fist that the Dems can use to hammer the unfeeling, greedy and deadly impulses of the REthugs who contributed to this disaster with their incompetence.

That's it. If your not there, then go and do what you do. Fine by me. This is what I'm doing.

[Hazelrah]

3. The NJ National Guard is accepting bottled water

at their armories to ship south and my family will spend the weekend collecting and dropping off as many carloads as possible.

Learn about it here: http://kyw.com/news/local_story_244094939.html

Also I wrote nasty, demanding emails to every one of my local and state Representatives. My letter to * was down right mean.

That's where I'm starting, but I'll keep trying to find out what more I can do.....

[TayTay]

4. Hey, Hazel_rah, I love you kiddo

I will pick up a couple of cases of bottled water and drop them off tomorrow. Thanks!

Again, I can't solve the world's problems. But I can dramn right and well do something besides yelling at people who feel the same way I do. And this is a whole lot better and positive and saves my anger for later, for when I will really need it.

Andy you rock kiddo!

[Hazelrah]

5. feel the love?

because I'm directing it your way - TayTay.

:toast:

on edit - I can't spell for crap

[TayTay]

6. Got it, felt it, gonna pass it on now, if you don't mind.

There are a lot of people who need some at this moment.

And I know Democrats who have it in huge, huge blocks to give. It's why we are Democrats.

Peace kid!

[Island Blue]

7. Your'e so right Tay Tay!

This is the time when ALL Americans need to roll up their sleeves and get busy DOING SOMETHING! If the current inept, incompetent administration can't be bothered to help, We The People will have to pick up the slack!

I know a lot of frustration has been spewed on DU over the past few days, but it's only because we all care so much and want to see a wrong made right. Rock on!