Guest 3:04, I wish you had a name so I could thank you. You spoke truth.

MississippiTom, my opinion, frankly speaking, is that you have no idea- no way of knowing - what many of us are doing in the 'real' world. Therefore, it is my opinion that you need to look to your own house first.

* What are YOU doing?
* Are you on the streets or in the shelters along the Gulf Coast doing what you can?
*If you are not able to do that- or realize that you would be in the way were you to go there, are you sending more than just your 'spare' money? Are you giving until it hurts?
* Are you meeting with like minded people in your community to see what YOU can do?
* Are you writing your Congressmen and women telling them that you consider the lapses inexcusable and demanding that they - who act in OUR NAME - get off their duffs and act? That they - who are betraying their citizenry - speak out boldly of the failures of our broken system and promise that they will see to it immediately that it will be fixed ASAP, including getting ready for the next catastrophe? (* Keep in mind- this hurricane season is not even quite half over - and we know from last year that more may come barreling over the horizon any day now.)

If you can say that you are doing this - and MORE - great. Wonderful. I congratulate you and extend my gratitude to you for helping restore my faith. If you are NOT, don't jump on anyone else.