Emotional Swirl
Of course, everyone here in Houston is talking about the Katrina survivors all the time. Everybody’s either helping out, or bitching. Or, most likely, both. Stories are circulating. Via email forward, legends get born. Now is the time to clear out all the stuff you were going to give to the shelters and food banks at Christmastime. Now is the time to appreciate everything you have, and share everything you don’t really need.
Of course, human beings being naturally bitchy, people are drawing a bunch of hate lines in the sand. There are many Us and Thems. Left wing vs right wing. Federal vs local. Black vs white. Middle class vs dirt poor. The people who purposely selected their children’s schools for their low student to teacher ratio vs the people who welcome Katrina survivor students into our schools no matter what. The people who decry the red tape vs the people who really think Katrina-fleeing students need to get their shots. Someone who wrote to Salon actually invoked the spirit of the Civil War.
You hear heartwarming stories, and you hear shockingly awful stories. I could detail my second-, third-, fourth-hand stories for you guys, but instead I’ll send you to the Houston Chronicle, which has been faithfully reporting them for us all.
My brothers and I have been trying to find out what happened to my mom’s sisters who lived in New Orleans. So far, no word. Aunt Laura, Aunt Livia, I hope y’all are okay.
