The Hypocrisy of 'saving American lives'.

As i track the course of hurricane Katrina and its pending landfall in New Orleans on Monday, I am absolutely numbed by the hypocrisy of this adminstration's phrase 'saving American lives'.

Bush has committed over 200,000 troops abroad in an effort to 'save American lives', an effort that he justifies by saying will prevent another 9/11 happening where 3,500 lives were lost. Yet, as Katrina approaches New Orleans, where there are an estimated 100,000 people, and more probably, a higher number, who have no way of escaping - the fed govt. does nothing to 'save these American lives'.

The governor declared a state of emergency, yet still the southbound lanes of the interstate are not closed to southbound traffic which would help speed the evacuation of those that have cars.

Bush has declared a state of emergency for LA, but has yet to mobilize any military assistance that IS available to help evacuate these people. The arc of decision for the incident commander in the New Orleans region passed well over 12 hours ago. Had the govt decided to mobilize the troops to aid in the evacuation - they would have had over 36 hours to complete it.

The AP reports:

"Katrina could be especially devastating if it strikes New Orleans because the city sits below sea level and is dependent on levees and pumps to keep the water out. A direct hit could wind up submerging the city in several feet of water.

Making matters worse, at least 100,000 people in the city lack the transportation to get out of town. Nagin said the Superdome might be used as a shelter of last resort for people who have no cars, with city bus pick-up points around New Orleans."

I've been through 8 direct hits from hurricanes since 1997 and you would think that after what we've gone through in NC and what FL has suffered since last year, that someone in govt would get off their ass and be proactive for a change, and put our resources to best use where they are needed the most...right here on American soil.

Was the death of the 3,500+ that died on 9/11 the fault of the U.S.? I can't know that for certain, but I am certain that if, when we wake up on Monday and hear that someone died in New Orleans that was too poor, old or infirmed, to escape their watery grave, that their blood will be on this govt's hands.

Hypocrisy...*shakes my head as I offer a prayer.

Lessons Learned from Terri Schiavo

We decry the abhorrent human rights conditions in other countries. Our sons and daughters have sacrificed their lives on foreign soil because they were told America believes that no human being should endure this tyrannous torture...because our Founding Fathers believed that all life has value. Yet we have allowed our own liberal, activist judges to starve a woman needlessly to death.

At what point does life cease to have value? Do the lives of the elderly, the infirm and the disabled have no value? This is the message that the U.S. sent to the world today when we allowed a minority opinion to represent the majority.

This administration tells us that we have a right to defend our country, to defend our rights to life and freedom against the threat of terrorism. Yet liberal judges are slowly eroding away the principles upon which this country was founded...and we do nothing.

Before one more life is sacrificed protecting those abroad, we, as a nation, need to take a serious look at reforming our own judicial system so that we can protect not only the lives of our own citizens but our country as a whole.

"At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."
--Abraham Lincoln from the January 27, 1838 Lyceum Address