We CAN AND WILL Take Care Of Our Own

[El Peludo]

Even the vast and all knowing "media machine" is not aware of, or do not think it important to mention, the thousands of folks who quietly hitched up their belts, put their tools in their trucks, loaded up material and supplies and equipment, and headed south, and east, even as this was all coming down. The many power companies, phone companies, construction contractors of every stripe, suppliers, trucking companies and independents, railroad companies, and all of their employees, and so many others, always "just suck it up" and go, when something like this happens, whether it is here in our own yard, or in someone elses. And, when the mess is cleaned up, they quietly go back home and return to their own lives, and hardly anyone seems to notice or acknowledge the contribution they made. I am PROUD of those folks. They are what has made us who we are.

[Big John Denny]

You're right on that score EP, but I wouldn't turn down the help from our friends that has been offered. This is going to be a huge job for months to come. The more help available, the better things will be.

[Badlands Walker]

Even the vast and all knowing "media machine" is not aware of, or do not think it important to mention, the thousands of folks who quietly hitched up their belts, put their tools in their trucks, loaded up material and supplies and equipment, and headed south, and east, even as this was all coming down. The many power companies, phone companies, construction contractors of every stripe, suppliers, trucking companies and independents, railroad companies, and all of their employees, and so many others, always "just suck it up" and go, when something like this happens, whether it is here in our own yard, or in someone elses. And, when the mess is cleaned up, they quietly go back home and return to their own lives, and hardly anyone seems to notice or acknowledge the contribution they made. I am PROUD of those folks. They are what has made us who we are.

Amen Brother!

[J.W.Neely]

The convoys of equipment heading down I-10 is something to behold and downright inspiring , the might of this country is awesome.
God Bless the USA

[jiminy criquet]

but I wouldn't turn down the help from our friends that has been offered

According to Condi Rice in her newsconference on CSPAN on Friday, we haven't "turned any international offers down".

It wasn't until the follow-up question that she grudgingly admitted the whole truth ...we haven't accepted
any international offers of assistance either.  According to her, we're (she's) "weighing the offers" to see exactly when and where we could possibly put them to use, if at all.

I'll refrain from commenting further since this isn't a political forum.

[Sixgun Murray Greenblatt]

What's exactly wrong with what Dr. Rice said?  We haven't accepted or declined aid. Wow!  That's pretty damning.   If we don't need the help why would we accept it?  If we accept it shouldn't it be applied to where it's going to be the most use?  And to be honest I'd like to see the transcript before I would accept anything that you say on face value since in my opinion you have the credibility of Jesse Jackson.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

As Jiminy said, this is not a political forum. Nor is it the place for personal attacks. Please show some self restraint.


26 countries from the European Union have offered something like 20 MILLION barrels of oil a day to help us. They'd be taking it from their strategic reserves. I don't know the details, so I don't know if any strings are attached, but I appreciate the offer.

We should be able to take care of our own and not just in times of crisis. But doing so implies a self-sufficiency I am not certain this nation has.


AnnieLee

[Sixgun Murray Greenblatt]

  

[Big John Denny]

Pards, when you need help never turn it down when offered by a friend.

[Silver Creek Slim]

El Peludo,
This is one of my pet-peeves. There are many unsung heroes when natural disasters happen, but the media only mentions the likes of the Red Cross and such. Don't get me wrong, the Red Cross does a good job, but there are alot of other organizations that help out also. I've said enough. 

Slim

[El Peludo]

Slim, thanks for your awareness.  I am particularly sensitive to this, because I have BTDT.

All of my working life, I was one of those invisible people who was out there in the heat, and the rain, and the wind, and the snow, trying to keep the lights on, or trying to get them back on, and most of the time, when someone did notice us, it was to complain because the lights were out, or our trucks were blocking their way, or some other sort of gripe. 
There were those who, to be fair, did come and offer us a cool drink, or some hot coffee, or to say thanks, but those folks were few, and quite far between.
 
About the only time the mass media said anything about us, it was skewed way out of whack, reality wise; we were either grossly overblown heroes, or we were gross incompetents who, in their opinion, could not do anything right. 

I felt moved to make this post after I caught a blurb from a news crew from someplace in the norteast, that was just arriving on scene in Mississippi, and was obviously shooting without a script, and the reporter commented on the large number of trucks that they had passed that were heading south, loaded with "telephone" poles, and reels of "cable", and "pipe" and steel.  As I said: BTDT.  Now it is some of my "Kids", or some like them, who are going, and this old horse can only sit here and watch.   

May God be with them.

[Big John Denny]

El Peludo, we don't have all that many natural disasters here in Georgia, but in March 93 when the big storm shut down all of North Georgia, I saw the local power company crews working to get power back to our homes, brewed up some coffee, put it in a big thermous and took it down to them on my 4-wheeler. I really appreciated them being out in the bone numbing cold doing their job to help us out. God bless the overlooked heroes.