Rita: How Soon We Forget
Residents north of Houston, specifically The Woodlands and Conroe (my area of knowledge) won't soon forget Rita. In fact, most people are either without power or have the joy of rolling black-outs. No one complains too much--we all realize it could have been much, MUCH worse.
It seems that other people, however, have very short memories indeed. A friend stayed home from work on Monday and Tuesday since all the schools were closed (and a lot of everything else, save a few grocery stores). Her boss called her Monday saying, "You really need to look for a back-up source for child-care."
You have got to be kidding me. So a boss in the Katy area who is experiencing no inconvenience from the storm, whatsoever, assumes everyone else is in the same luxury yacht she floats in.
And then, talking to people from up north (anywhere north of the gulf-coast), it is amazing how little play this whole thing is getting. Oh yeah, yeah, the hurricane. Blah, blah, blah.
Oh realllly? the hurricanes are no big deal, 'eh? I bet these same people will be screaming when they purchase their home heating oil.
They can kiss my rear while they keep the thermostat at 60 degrees because "it's too expensive." Lovely readers, please catalog this little post and remember it mid-January when a huge "nor-Easter" blows through dumping three feet of snow (global warming the cause, no doubt) and people are "freezing to death" because they "can't afford to heat their homes".
I can hear Ted Kennedy now: "We cahn't heat the homes of the elderly. We need to raise tahxes."
Blech.
One problem with the mass media breathlessly reporting from the "eye of the storm", is that it all feels like a good adventure movie--like the trauma and loss aren't really real. Sound bite rolls into sound bite and the next big thing happens.
While no one expects never-ending tears and sympathy--heck most tears that will be cried over this storm have already fallen even for those going through it--a little slack would be helpful.
And employers? Surely you can have patience with people sleeping in 100 degree heat or people without homes at all.
We all need mercy some time. A natural disaster seems like as good a time as ever to extend some.
It seems that other people, however, have very short memories indeed. A friend stayed home from work on Monday and Tuesday since all the schools were closed (and a lot of everything else, save a few grocery stores). Her boss called her Monday saying, "You really need to look for a back-up source for child-care."
You have got to be kidding me. So a boss in the Katy area who is experiencing no inconvenience from the storm, whatsoever, assumes everyone else is in the same luxury yacht she floats in.
And then, talking to people from up north (anywhere north of the gulf-coast), it is amazing how little play this whole thing is getting. Oh yeah, yeah, the hurricane. Blah, blah, blah.
Oh realllly? the hurricanes are no big deal, 'eh? I bet these same people will be screaming when they purchase their home heating oil.
They can kiss my rear while they keep the thermostat at 60 degrees because "it's too expensive." Lovely readers, please catalog this little post and remember it mid-January when a huge "nor-Easter" blows through dumping three feet of snow (global warming the cause, no doubt) and people are "freezing to death" because they "can't afford to heat their homes".
I can hear Ted Kennedy now: "We cahn't heat the homes of the elderly. We need to raise tahxes."
Blech.
One problem with the mass media breathlessly reporting from the "eye of the storm", is that it all feels like a good adventure movie--like the trauma and loss aren't really real. Sound bite rolls into sound bite and the next big thing happens.
While no one expects never-ending tears and sympathy--heck most tears that will be cried over this storm have already fallen even for those going through it--a little slack would be helpful.
And employers? Surely you can have patience with people sleeping in 100 degree heat or people without homes at all.
We all need mercy some time. A natural disaster seems like as good a time as ever to extend some.
posted by Melissa Clouthier at 2:12 PM
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