Barbara Sandusky writes of the chaotic situation gripping New Orleans, Louisiana, in the midst of the aftermath caused by Hurricane Katrina.

I look at the images playing out on the television screen, and I am at once sickened, horrified, and repulsed as I think of the chaos that has gripped New Orleans, Louisiana, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Gangs of looters have been plundering the storm, flood-damaged streets od what was once a vibrant city, a city that holds a special place in my heart. There have been shots fired at helicopters and buses, transportation that was meant to take stranded, storm-weary people to Houston, Texas, or to other cities so that they could get the help that they so desperately need in the wake of this national tragedy. Snipers have been shooting at police and other people; the entire city of New Orleans, Louisiana, is in total disarray.

I realize that everyone is beyond the point of exhaustion: they are hot, tired, in desperate need of water and food (or a bath and electricity), but at the same time, I am sickened at the brazenness and greed of these gangs of people who have absolutely no regard or compassion. They are stealing everything in sight that wasn't damaged by the hurricane (and if the items were, that isn't stopping them from stealing things like tvs, dvd players, cars that once belonged to victims, in addition to clothes, jewelry, food, and water). The law is helpless as to try to stop them because there are so many of these gangs roaming about in the flooded streets. To me, they are as bad as the terrorists who struck our land nearly four years ago who use violence or hatred to try to drive their (crazy and stupid) point home. They are not just stealing food and water as I just said: they are stealing the livlihood of a once-proud city, and they are going as far as stealing items from dead bodies that lie bloating and stinking in the hot, humid Louisiana air; and the air is heavy with the scent of blood and death.

I firmly believe that martial law should be instituted, and I believe that the military should also be involved, anything to try to stop this senseless violence and greed.

I know disasters such as the hurricane that struck the Gulf Coast on Monday brings out the best in people, but it also brings out the very worst in people, as the situation in New Orleans, Louisiana, clearly illustrates. This is probably the worst national disaster EVER to hit our nation, and now thousands of poeple are feared dead in the storm's rubble, mostly in New Orleans, Louisiana, and in the gulf towns along the Mississippi coastline (Biloxi and Gulfport, mainly). The death toll will most assuredly rise as more bodies are found. There is the threat of fires, gas leaks, disease, toxic waste, and God only knows what else; the disaster will affect each and every single American, even those who were not directly affected by Hurricane Katrina's killer winds. It will take YEARS to recover from this economic disaster, and the Gulf Coast will never, sadly, be the same ever again.

I watch the images on tv, and I wonder what is going to happen next. I am almost afraid to look or turn on the news again, to see what is going on now. I wonder where God is in all of this chaos, and I wonder when this horror will end. It is enough to make me want to cry out in desperation.

I guess I feel so strongly about New Orleans, Louisiana, because I lived there for three years of my life, from the ages of six to nine. I lived in an orphanage deep in the heart of the city (my own parents died in a hurricane when I was but six years old), so I know of the fury that a hurricane can bring. I also know of the helplessness one feels when they lose their homes, their belongings, their electricity or power, even friends or family members. I had nightmares for years about the hurricane, and now seeing this disaster unfolding before my very eyes only opens old wounds, and I am once again facing the demons of my past.

I loved New Orleans, Louisiana: there was so much to do, so much to see, and I always looked forward to the Mardi Gras celebrations or going to the Riverwalk or going to the Aquarium of the Americas, plus all the other attractions that made New Orleans so appealing to visitors. I loved the jazz music at Preservation Hall, and I loved the bouncy Cajun music that sent one's body to dancing to the enticing accordion-and-fiddle-laced rhythms. There was so much history in New Orleans, and now, thanks to a killer hurricane's ruthless winds (and the greed of some senseless people), New Orleans, Louisiana, will never be the same ever again, and now this young Cajun kid must live with the realization of the disaster and mourn along with the rest of a dazed nation.

Now New Orleans, Louisiana, lies in ruins, and now my heart is breaking. She is all but wiped off the face of the earth, and now her displaced survivors must start elsewhere and try to rebuild their crumbled lives from the ground on up. All I can do now is watch the chaos and shake my head in disbelief--and wonder if God clearly even CARES.
******************************************************************************

Dear readers~

PLEASE give all you can to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, or any reputable, respected charity organization and help out the victims of this horrendous disaster that has hit our nation. The peoples of the American South (many of them desperately poor, elderly, or disabled, and many with very young children) will be forever grateful, and you will feel better in knowing you are helping your own neighbors right when they need it most. I plan on giving some money to the Red Cross myself, in my own small way, to try to bring SOME relief to some very desperate people. It may not be much, compared to a lot of what some will give, but it is better than sitting back and doing NOTHING. We must try to learn to UNITE, PRAY, and try to help our fallen brothers and sisters in any way that we possibly can. Thank you.

~Karen Lynn, the Texas Tornado. :( >tears<