Thursday, September 01, 2005

What FEMA Can Do

At The American Thinker, a reader has come up with an idea:
     Gary DeYoung of San Antonio writes with an excellent idea and a kind offer:
With the thousands of displaced families spreading out from New Orleans looking for a place to live while their city is rebuilt, you might think that one of the larger relief organizations would have a means in place for people to volunteer to open their homes to Katrina victims. I have searched in vain - and frustratingly, nobody seems to be working to match displaced families up with people with spare bedrooms.
A Red Cross volunteer told me on the phone that they have to use their own shelters for liability reasons.

Ah, yes. How could I have forgotten? The Lawyers. They wait, like Death, for such opportunistic moments. Can't you see the liability suit ads now? "Did FEMA fail to help you?" Trust the lawyers. They'll be making big bucks from Katrina.

Mr. De Young offers accomdations for two people, but he also has a brilliant idea: FEMA could set up a database online for those who are willing to do likewise.

Aren’t Americans amazing? Except for the liability lawyers.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

“The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.”

William Shakespeare

Dymphna said...

Al Stewart takes longer to sing it, but when he does it's a winning song. Very good to do exercise to:

License to Steal

He walks into the room
He's got a briefcase like a bomb
A smile on both faces
And he calls it aplomb

He wants a bite of your apple
Hands you back the peel
He's fresh out of law school
He's got a license to steal

When he offers his advice
You can guarantee
For several hundred dollars an hour
He will see just how many complications
Your life will reveal
He's fresh out of law school
He's got a license to steal

He's an ambulance chaser
A waver of papers
He loves to mix with the movers and shakers
He's taking from them
He's taking from you
Lawyers love money
Anybody's will do
Just take it

He's poking his nose into people's despair
When tragedy strikes he will always be there
Looking so cool
His greed is hard to conceal
He's fresh out of law school
You gave him a license to steal

We've got seven hundred thousand attorneys at law
Nobody can tell me what we need them all for
We should throw them in chains
Chastise them and rebuke them
If it doesn't work
We ought to take 'em out and nuke 'em

Blow a lawyer to pieces
It's the obvious way
Don't wait for a thesis
Do it today
Take him to the court of no final appeal
When you're fresh out of lawyers
You don't know how good it's gonna feel


Thanks for reminding me of this song, Dave.

Hey, maybe we could send them to Nawlins?

Dymphna said...

Suzi--

Thanks for the information. I hope this all eventually comes together in one database.

I'll bet some denominations are in touch with people in other areas, too.

Headmistress, zookeeper said...

Like Suzi, I've seen several as well. And as you say, Dymphna, denominations are in touch with one another.

I'm on an email list for a group of homeschoolers who are members of the churches of Christ, and there have been numerous offers of shelter. I know our names are up on the bulletin board of a churchbuilding/shelter in Louisiana, and I've heard of a few homeless families traveling north to be taken in by their church brethren.