On Rosa Parks and Hurricane Katrina

I have been away for awhile. Not literally but electronically. But for those who have been enjoying my posts. Don't fret. So much has been going on in the so-called free world that I don't know where to begin.

I'll begin with the two things that have touched me the most in the past few months--Hurricane Katrina and Rosa Park's death. I won't get into how the poorest victims of Katrina are still being ignored or how the fight for Civil Rights is far from over. Just ask Mumia anyone else unjustly accussed, wrongfully convicted, and left to be slaughtered. Like many I feel we have a long way to go but we've come so far as well.

Since I recently moved to Tuscaloosa, AL I had the opportunity to see some of Hurricane Katrina's victims firsthand while they lived in the Recreation Center at The University of Alabama for several weeks. I am embarassed to say I only volunteered one evening throughout their entire stay. The gym was packed. The basketball floor covered with blanketed cots. The hallways peopled with the elderly--some in wheelchairs, the young--trying to figure out where they fit in, and finally the volunteers--who sometimes appeared more shell-shocked than the victims themselves.

I couldn't possibly imagine what it must be like to realize that everything you ever owned was gone and there was not a home to return to. As I helped pack up the truck of donated goodies--there was an overflow not enough room to store it all--I tried not to think about how the people inside the rec must feel. The desperation and confusion was palpable. And yes most of those staying in the Recreation Center were black and poor. And I am sure more came each day as their megar financial resources depleted and they could no longer afford the nightly hotel rates. While I was there a woman drove up who had been staying in the hotel for a few days but could no longer afford to and asked if there was room for her and her family. While the outpouring of help was great at the beginning, I am left wondering how the Hurricane victims are doing now.

Now that Hurricane Katrina no longer has the #1 spot in the nightly news are they still getting the help they need. While many glamorize New Orleans, there are still a few truth tellers out there who remark about the inhumane way many of the police treated the poorer citizens of Post Hurrican Katrina-New Orleans. There is no need for me to rehash the classism/racism arguments, the misspoken statments of well-known political figures, the heated statement of one musician/rapper on national television, or the countless first hand account blogs. It is obvious to anyone with eyes that there was mistreatment of many during the evacuation debacle. It is sad to see that a country that can help so many outside its borders failed to help its own in their time of need.

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Rosa Parks death touched me in a special way as I began to consider how much she accomplished with one courageous decision. While her actions weren't planned, they set a plan into action which historically became known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. I hope my life can have some lasting impact. Her death reminded me of all the unsung heroes before her who refused to give up their seats but little is written about them. She is a reminder to us all how the single protest of one can turn into the voice of many demanding a change.

As for me I have taken my game to the next level and am currently working on my Masters in Library Science and Information Studies. Yes there is a science to libraries. So from time to time I will pass on interesting tid bits about this or that for all those info lovers out there who share my similiar interest. Normally I try to post something literary to the site, but since I started school I haven't had much time to focus on my creative writing. As a result, the nature of the posts will vary. Some will be creative when the spirit hits. Some will be observations I have made while living in the Deep South.

As always feel free to comment, to ask questions, to vent, or just to share.
Until next time,
Deborah