I have been taking heat for the post that points out the lack of International aid to the US for the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Here is one email:
In light of your unbelievably ignorant and ridiculous post "US on its own," I thought I'd draw your attention to three articles outlining the outpouring of support being offered from around the globe:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9161198 http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20050901T000000-0500_87388_OBS_THOUSANDS_FEARED_DEAD__NEW_ORLEANS_TO_BE_ABANDONED.asp http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050831_katrina_template_050831?s_name=&no_ads=
Related to the Canadian offer, I learned this:
"On tonight's news, CTV (Canadian TV) said that support was offered from Canada. Planes are ready to load with food and medical supplies and a system called "DART" which can provide fresh water and medical supplies is standing by. Department of Homeland Security as well as other U.S. agencies were contacted by the Canadian government requesting permission to provide help. Despite this contact, Canada has not been allowed to fly supplies and personnel to the areas hit by Katrina. So, everything here is grounded. Prime Minister Paul Martin is reportedly trying to speak to President Bush tonight or tomorrow to ask him why the U.S. federal government will not allow aid from Canada into Louisiana and Mississippi."
Also note this from the MSNBC article: "Offers have been received from Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, Jamaica, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, NATO and the Organization of American States, the spokesman said."
"Still, Bush told ABC-TV: 'I’m not expecting much from foreign nations because we hadn’t asked for it...But this country’s going to rise up and take care of it.'"
As you can see, there has been an incredible outpouring of support and it is being rejected. I demand a retraction of your post and an apology to the world.
Let me respond to what is called "an incredible outpouring". One of the links provided compares the tsunami damage to Katrina:
The United Nations went further to characterise it as one of the worst disasters internationally, outstripping even the damage caused by the December 26 Asian tsunami which killed 180,000.
While the destruction from the tsunami was estimated at about US$10 billion (euro8.2 billion), insurance experts estimate that Katrina will result in up to US$25 billion (euro20.5 billion) in insured losses.
Clearly the response to Katrina was more than what was stated in the column I posted, but shoud it be classified as "an incredible outpouring"? But how does the offers compare to the $350 million that President Bush initially offered in tsunami aid? Remember how the blame America crowd reacted. That America was being cheap. That wasn’t enough. But there is no such reaction in regard to the this offer that was again found in one of the links provided by the email:
Venezuela, a target of frequent criticism by the Bush administration, offered humanitarian aid and fuel. Venezuela’s Citgo Petroleum Corp. pledged a $1 million donation for hurricane aid.
So how does $1 million compare to $350 million? And take note that Katrina’s economic impact is two and half times greater than the tsunami. Where are those who whined about the $350 million? Why are they not 350 times more outraged at the $1 million from Venezuela? I owe no one an apology for putting this point out there.
And yes we can go it alone. And the reason why is because we have prospered under the freedom of a free market enterprise system. The hate America crowd wants us to reject that system and turn to the same socialism that causes others not to be able to take care of their own problems.
Now let’s return to the point made in my post regarding the Iraq War. Where were the United Nations and the rest of the world when we decided to do something about terrorism? Russia, Germany, France, and the UN cared more about preserving their Oil-for-Food scam. The amount of money skimmed could have paid for the entire tsunami damage.
No, my post stands without apologies. The United States goes it alone because we can. Perhaps we should be given respect for the prosperity that can be created when freedom is allowed to empower the people. And I will continue to respond to those who join in with the hate America crowd. They hate America because of the wealth we created. All they want is to be able to have some of it without earning it. The "ungrateful leeches" comment stands.
After thought: I did appreciate the above email. It was well done. You should not have been ashamed to identify yourself.
