While Mississippians Wait Aid is Offered to Cuba

Mississippi, site of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, that devastated the city of Waveland once again had storm surge from Hurricane Gustav. Though it was not as bad as Katrina, nonetheless there were homes that water invaded. Water was over the main thoroughfare, Highway 90. Many people remembering that August morning that Katrina came calling had left the coast when forecasters predicted the landfall of Gustav.

Mississippi governor, Haley Barbour has applied for emergency help from FEMA for the people of his state who had damage from Gustav. Many were still in FEMA provided housing and the MEMA cottages that were supposed to be a solution to the campers and trailers of the Katrina ravaged area. The cottages did not hold up either. Despite the elevation requirements being clearly mapped out by FEMA, several of these cottages were below the elevation that FEMA said was required.

While Mississippi waits for the help that is hanging in the balance, the U.S. has offered $100,000 to Cuba in emergency aid for their victims of Hurricane Gustav. They also said they are willing to send more if Cuba allows a U.S. approved disaster team to tour the areas of Cuba hardest hit.

I am sure Mississippi would allow a U.S. approved disaster team to tour the areas of their state that was hardest hit in return for $100,000 in aid. Waiting on a response from Cuba the money is ready and waiting. While it is all well and good to project the humanitarian side of the U.S. in offering aid to Cuba, the money should go to the people in the U.S. before money is offered elsewhere. What happened to the country that was supposed to take care of their own?

This is just another example of how the government works. After the fiasco they made of Hurricane Katrina when people lay for days waiting on help that did not come in time, you would think they would be better prepared to help now. The state has been promised they would not be forgotten. Yet there are people who remain in FEMA trailers today. The money that was wasted on campers and trailers that were essentially death traps could have helped many people to be in a home of their own where they would be safe.

But this was not to be. The bottom line is - When are we going to start taking care of our own people who work and pay taxes in the U.S. before we provide for the rest of the world? Humanitarianism is great. No one should have to suffer the inhumane way of life that hurricanes can cause. However, if you have the choice to provide for your family or someone else's, which one would you choose first?

Sources:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/05/news/Cuba-After-Gustav.php

The Associated Press