Monday, September 05, 2005
Katrina Relief Unacceptably Slow
Morally Indefensible
My current photo is a political statement through art about the insanity of this devastation and the deficit and morally reprehensible federal government response to these horrors and tragedies. The image is now drawing considerable attention and angry comments in the photo stream by some flickr.com members. However, more members seem to appreciate the artwork and my messages. In fact, the image is now #1 for Monday, Labor Day, in the flickr.com "Interestingness" feature of the Explore pages. This means that of the 1.2 million members uploading photos, this image has now generated the most "interest" today.
It seems that there is quite a bit of blame now extending towards victims and defense by reports that these victims perhaps don't deserve aid for the reports of gunfire and looting. I base this one what I read, see and hear in mainstream US media. Wild rumors feed the blame to judge the homeless and evacuees. This defense of federal government response that is far short of meeting critical needs is despicable. This blame of the victims must stop. This rejection of non-jingoistic rhetoric must stop! Stop the insanity never was more apropos than now.
I myself may have been one of those who was NOT ABLE TO EVACUATE for my income is low and I have a disabled adult son. To have the income for a full tank of gas at the ready and a reliable car, let alone the money to head off into uncertainty, well that may have not been my fate at the first warnings of the scale of this disaster.
Many many middle-class and wealthy white folks have been evacuated and are homeless, having lost everything. However, many of these people have contacts and resources from without and will likely survive much better. Overall, the criticism of the relief response is a damning comment on the politics of poverty.
Never before in our American history has there been such a clear example of the degradation of the less fortunate in our own society.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Katrina Relief Auction
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/39546634/
Yellow Ruffles
Please consider looking at this image in my photo stream, which has links directly into the Katrina Relief Auction group pool. There are over 300 artworks donated so far and accepting bids. All money raised will be directly contributed to the American Red Cross. We are accepting bids to September 15, 2005. This effort is solely on the part of the members of flickr and not sponsored by flickr.
If you are a blogger or know a blogger, please let them know what we are doing online to contribute what we can. You are welcome to look at one of my blogs for a suggestion of what to post online. You're also welcome to post the image I put up in a blog for the purpose of calling attention to this relief effort. If you support what we are doing, please pass along the word to bloggers, one of our best shots at calling attention to our quest.
Thank you,
cobalt
