22 Sept 2005 - 8:00 p.m. (CDT) - Birmingham, AL

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We're pulling back to Birmingham, AL tonight as Hurricane Rita moves into the gulf region and the parishes of Louisiana are once again evacuated. As much as we'd like to stay on hand and help during the storm, we don't have the proper equipment to offer first response.

The team is dispersing, regrouping and getting ready to dive back in. Christian and Mark will return to the gulf after Rita, with new activists to replace Stephanie and Mike, who are pulled away by other commitments.

We drove north on Interstate 59. Going our way were the various contractors and cleanup specialists also removing themselves from Rita's path. In the oncoming lane along the Mississippi line, we saw a convoy of empty buses heading south, presumably to evacuate gulf residents.

Rita will be the second major hurricane to hit the gulf in less than a month. The news today was full of stories of Houstonians trapped and running out of gas on gridlocked freeways as they attempt to flee their city.

It's as if it were a scene from a movie whose director can't help ladling on the ironic overstatement. In Houston, the oil capital of America, the oil addicts scramble to flee from the monster given life by their behavior.

Yet the Bush administration seems to grow more heedless with each passing catastrophe. In Katrina's wake the administration and its cronies are calling for a relaxation of environmental laws and building codes so New Orleans can be rebuilt "as quickly as possible."

It's a sad day when tragedy is seen by our leaders only as an opportunity to advance the interests of the corporations that financed their election, but it seems that day is upon us.

Comments:

Permalink Mike Perkins [Visitor] on September 23, 2005 at 12:48
Looks very much like they are reaping what they have sown.My sympathies are with the poor disadvantaged who have no stake in the aloof oil companies and their well-heeled shareholders who drive the ridiculous gas guzzlers they are so fond of.
Permalink Logan [Visitor] on September 24, 2005 at 16:19
some1 should take all those gas oil and other phosile fuel guys and tie them to poles in the middle of the town so they can se the fullscale results of theire greed
Permalink carolyn dunham [Visitor] on September 25, 2005 at 09:44
AND THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND UNTIL THE WATERS
CAME AND TOOK IT ALL AWAY.
Permalink veronica arrascue [Visitor] on September 25, 2005 at 16:05
I live in Houston, and let me tell you it was really crazy how the people left. There was so much traffic and no gas or water.
I stayed in my house.
veronica
Permalink shelby thrasher [Visitor] on September 25, 2005 at 17:01
Gas prices are so rediculous! I would've stayed in my home, instead of giving more money to the greedy.
Permalink Sushma [Visitor] on September 26, 2005 at 03:22
The real enivornmental impact of the Hurricane has not been shown anywhere on TV. The Bush administration has turned a blind eye to the whole problem. They just need a quick fix so that, they can win the next elections. No one needs a permanent solution, and thats why we are facing this mess. As long as the politicians, the citizens dont take any responsiblity, we would be witnessing more disasters.
Permalink Piers Hawkins [Visitor] on September 26, 2005 at 06:05
The reaction of the American government has been shocking and reports that in the wake of this disaster their focus is on the opportunity to grow richer in the same way rather than honestly reflecting, learning and changing is not surprising.

I now realise that making environmentally sound choices is not economically viable.

To change how our leaders behave towards our environment requires a change to how our society functions. The only way we can do that is through revolution... the only question is will we have enough time.
Permalink ARI [Visitor] on September 27, 2005 at 14:30
It's crazy how they don't seem to understand the urgency of what is going on. They take advantage of what is going on instead of realizing that it is partly their fault.
Permalink Korn Matt [Visitor] on June 16, 2009 at 02:17
The Bush administration has turned a blind eye to the whole problem. They just need a quick fix so that, they can win the next elections. No one needs a permanent solution, and thats why we are facing this mess. As long as the politicians, the citizens dont take any responsiblity, we would be witnessing more disasters.
club penguin

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