Thankfully, my Dad wasn’t travelling to New Orleans last weekend. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a bunch of piss and vinegar to say about current events. Below are the texts of two emails he sent me, posted here with his permission.

Part I:

Have you been blogging about what a great position G.W. has put the country in so that we are unable to help the folks in New Orleans! The Nation Guard is in Iraq ( and don’t forget they don’t get the same benefits as active armed services get in a combat situation), the Army core of Engineers have had 80% of their budget diverted to support Home Land Security.

WHAT AN ASS HOLE!

My response:

I should blog about it.

Better yet, I may just post the text of your email.

Part II:

Please be my guest.

A lame duck who has absolutely no idea what the average American is going through. I ask Thad how business was last night and he response was as follows: “Things would be fine if everyone would not have gone into complete panic over the perceived gas shortage. Are you going to spend $50.00 on a Steak when you just spent $70.00 to fill-up your car. ”

Once again thanks G.W. for looking out for the average guy. So who gets hurt SMALL Business the backbone of the American economy.

The background here is that Thad is the manager of a small, privately-owned steakhouse in Newnan. It’s a great little local place on the town square that literally came out of nowhere and is now the toast of the town.

Don’t want to believe me, my Dad and my brother? Here are some links to chew on:

• Interview (video) of Biloxi survivor
• What would we have done if this had been a dirty bomb and not a hurricane?
• Unrest Intensifies at Superdome Shelter
  

  At least seven bodies were scattered outside, and hungry, desperate people who were tired of waiting broke through the steel doors to a food service entrance and began pushing out pallets of water and juice and whatever else they could find.

  An old man in a chaise lounge lay dead in a grassy median as hungry babies wailed around him. Around the corner, an elderly woman lay dead in her wheelchair, covered up by a blanket, and another body lay beside her wrapped in a sheet.

  “I don’t treat my dog like that,” 47-year-old Daniel Edwards said as he pointed at the woman in the wheelchair. “I buried my dog.” He added: “You can do everything for other countries but you can’t do nothing for your own people. You can go overseas with the military but you can’t get them down here.”

• Sec. of State watches Broadway show while natural disaster relief continues

I’m praying for everyone on the Gulf Coast each day and each night. I’ll clear a room for you, if you can make it to Atlanta. I’m donating my money to the Red Cross, via a fund-matching site from my employer. I’m helping, but I’m afraid that the ass-backwards response of our leaders are pathetic.