Just received a copy of this email a friend of mine received from her friend
in Louisiana:

She's in Louisiana and amid all the turmoil there. When I read her story I
got the chills, this is horrible. I'm sending this to all of you to spread
the word, PRAY. There are local churches where she lives who will be housing
the homeless but "they will be getting no support from the RED CROSS."

Here's her note:

** We have had a battery operated TV so we've been getting local channels
focusing on the situation there and here. I'm just getting the "national
perpsective" and its *(&*&(*ing me off!

First, this is not a racial thing. I'm sorry if all the reporters are seeing
are black faces but if they would
take their cameras to places like Slidell, Mandeville, Metairie and
CHALMETTE! they would see a several thousand white faces being affected by
this. Most of the tip of the boot that is Louisiana south and east of Baton
Rouge is under water. Thse people are stuck too waiting for help, dying, but
all the news people can focus on is the Superdome.

Another misconception. The violence going on there is not the reaction of
desparate people. Its typical New Orleans on any given Tuesday!!! Its a
dangerous, dirty, drug infested place where the city police and city
government is corrupt and useless. Volunteers are getting shot at and their
cars vandelized. Hellicopters are being shot at. Just another day in the
city.

Another misconception. These poor people couldn't get out because they don't
have cars. If the cameras show the city once the waters recede, you'll
notice all the flooded out cars littering the streets. They couldn't all
have been broken down before the storm hit . Yes, there are always people
who do not have transportation. Part of making the call for a MANDATORY
evacuation is that the city has to provide for transportation and/or shelter
in the city. People stayed for the same reasons they always stay. They think
the storm wl l turn and go in another direction. They think they can "ride
it out." Or, they're just too (*&( lazy to pack up and leave.

Another misconception. The federal government was slow to respond. The
president issued a state of emergency BEFORE the storm ever hit,
unprecedented. This means that the full access of the federal government, be
it military or civil, were at our govenor's disposal. The levee broke early
Monday afternoon. She did not call evacuation until Tuesday morning. You
cannot call up National Guard units in 20 minutes. It takes time. The
governor and mayor are in high CYA mode at the moment.

The situation is bad here. Crime is becoming a problem in Gonzales and Baton
Rouge where the evacuees are being housed. We live between the two cities
and there is pistol on my desk shelf as a type (yes, I know how to use it).
Hellicopters flying overhead all day, gas is running out, stores shelves
becoming empty. Its like a war zone. Our kids are both here and are staying
here until th crime situation gets in control and I fear it will get worse
before it gets better. Pray for us. **

SO, that's all I'm asking. SEND this to your friends and right now say a
prayer for the people going through this whole catastrophe. Thanks