by M Sinclair Stevens. September 06, 2005.
"What I'm hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality."
"And so many of the people in the arena here, you know were underprivileged anyway so this is working very well for them."
-- Barbara Bush Listen to the audio.
But Mrs. Bush isn't the only one in Houston that finds the influx of refugees frightening. 2005.09.06 Houston Chronicle: Crime epidemic here nothing more than rumors.
2005.09.08 LA Times: Noblesse oblige? Not our president
And for those who did have the means to evacuate and live a few days on their own before their money ran out, have no place to go. 2005.08.31 Houston Chronicle: Evacuees Turned Away. 29-year-old Nureka Jacobs of New Orleans who sought shelter at the Astrodome for herself, five daughters, ages 5 to 10, and a 95-year-old woman in her care was one. No longer able to pay for a hotel and with little money left to power her minivan, she said she has tried to get a job [in Houston] as a nurse's aide, but that at least one employer has turned her away because she couldn't produce her Social Security card, which she left behind in New Orleans.
Comments
HELLO, IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS SINCE KATRINA AND IM OKAY. IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS OF ACCEPTANCE AND ADJUSTING. GOD IS GOOD. I HAVE RECIEVED MY STRENGTH FROM GOD, MY HELP FROM LOCALS, NOT FEMA (FOR THE MOST PART). I'M STILL WAITING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO ASSIST ME. I THANK GOD FOR THE CRASH COURSE IN HUMILITY. I'M SURE I PASSED WITH A+. WE WILL STRIVE FOR STABILITY AND CONTENTMENT. CONTINUE TO PRAY AS SOME OF AMERICA HAS ALREADY FORGOTTEN KATRINA "SURVIVORS" NOT REFUGEES OR EVACUEES, SURVIVORS.
I FOUND MRS. BUSH'S OUR FIRST LADY'S COMMENT VERY INSENSITIVE AND PREJUDICED.A CARING INDIVIDUAL WOULD HAVE NOT ONLY RESPONDED SYMPATHETICALLY BUT WITH EMPATHY. IF THEY WERE SO UNDERPRIVELEDGED ANYWAY, DON'T YOU THINK THAT LOGIC WOULD SUGGEST THAT NOTHING WAS BEING DONE TO MAKE THEM FEEL PRIVELEGED. I AM CERTAIN THAT THE POOREST PERSON WOULD GIVE BACK THEIR SLEEPLESS NIGHTS ON COTS IN PUBLIC SETTINGS, THEIR SANDWICHES ETC. IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR LIVES AS THEY KNEW IT. THANKS ALOT MRS.BUSH FOR YOUR COMPASSION AS OUR FIRST LADY.