Sometimes, tragedies do reveal the inherent goodness of human beings.
From the AP:
Americans Contribute Millions for Relief
Americans are pouring in millions of dollars in donations for disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, rescue organizations said Wednesday.
The Red Cross said it had so far raised $21 million, a figure comparable to the response for tsunami victims following the devastation in Asia earlier this year. Nearly $15 million of that has come from individual donations through its Web site, with the rest representing corporate contributions.
"The outpouring of support has been amazing," said Kara Bunte, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross, which has set up hundreds of shelters for hurricane victims.
"People are now starting to see the images on TV and want to help," she said.
Catholic Charities USA, based in Alexandria, Va., said it has received hundreds of calls in the last few days from volunteers asking how they can help. The group has raised $15,000 through its Web site, but will be stepping up collection efforts at churches in the coming days.
"The response is right up there with the calls we had after 9-11," said spokeswoman Shelley Borysiewicz. "The American public is quite generous and they will rise to the occasion."
And sometimes tragedies just bring out the worst.
Via News Hounds:
[Sean] Hannity introduced an interview with Charles Foti, Louisiana Attorney General, and a former New Orleans sheriff, by saying, "This morning, cameras caught people ransacking a grocery store, trying to gather as much food as possible." Nearly everyone in the video was African American. The video was show[n] repeatedly throughout the hour.
After extending "our thoughts" to Foti, Hannity continued, "These images of looting have literally shocked the nation. How bad is it?"
snip
Foti answered, "When you think about that you have no electricity, you have no food, you have limited water and the grocery stores are closed, that may not be looting. That might be self-preservation, OK? That food will go bad anyhow."
Hannity: "I think you can make that case for food. But I see people taking clothes and other items - and to a large extent televisions."
There were no people taking televisions in the video shown, although some did appear to have clothes and flowers. But mostly we saw people taking food.
Foti said his major priorities right now are to make sure the hospitals are running, to rescue people trapped on roofs, and to bring in food and water.
Hannity then accused Foti of "minimizing it."
Foti responded that he's not trying to minimize it. "The process that we have is that people are losing lives... The devastation in these areas is complete."
Alan Colmes pointedly asked if the officials didn't have many other priorities that had to take precedence over looting.
The AP even gets in on the act, as seen via Wonkette.
Finders keepers, looters weepers.
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