[StBernard] From Vitter's office

[Westley Annis]

In early December I wrote Sen. Vitter about the term"Katrina Fatigue" and
it's use, explaining they have no idea about what "Katrina Fatigue"
was...how about waiting for insurance, hours on end with FEMA (especially in
the beginning), waiting on assistance, waiting on a hot meal, waiting on and
on and on, everyone here knows all of this. Anywho, here was one of his
"assistant's" responses, and yet another of my own for them to take to
Congress. For those who don't know, two weeks before Mardi Gras in New
Orleans, there is Mardi Gras in DC for the Congressional Delegation- it is
extremely notorious, especially Kareoke in Mary Landrieu's suite, Breaux's
cajun pig roast, etc. Maybe we should crash the festivities, it's held at
the Hyatt? I'm always up for a good protest/march/ etc....
 
From: Hayes, Daniel (Vitter) [mailto:daniel_hayes at vitter.senate.gov]
Sent: Thu 1/12/2006 2:33 PM
To: Wendy Ponson Hall
Subject: Follow Up



Ms. Hall,

 

Thank you for your email.  The Senator asked that I follow up with you
regarding your concerns with the misuse of the phrase "Katrina Fatigue."  I
assure you that the Senator is keeping his colleagues in Congress aware of
what Katrina Fatigue is, as well as who is suffering from it.  We appreciate
your offer to help in conveying the true essence of Katrina Fatigue.  We
would be happy to assist you in any manner possible if you continue to
encounter problems with FEMA or your insurance provider.  If you have
current concerns with either of these entities, please do not hesitate to
call or write.

 

Again, thank you for your email, and thank you for your commitment to
Louisiana.

 

Yours,

 

Daniel M. Hayes

Community Liaison

U.S. Senator David Vitter

858 Convention St.

Baton Rouge, LA 70802

225-383-0331 p

225-383-0952 f

daniel_hayes at vitter.senate.gov

 
 
Mr. Hayes,
 
    Maybe Senator Vitter needs suggest/demand that all of his collegues
celebrate "Mardi Gras" in D.C. actually in New Orleans. While they here,
they can see and smell the devestation, and maybe just maybe they can roll
up their sleeves and really learn what "recovery" is like!!! Pictures say a
thousand words, but that stench and a sore back say a whole hell of a lot
more... Anyone from here knows that the pictures don't do justice. Pictures
are a small snapshot, a window...when you stand at "Ground Zero" in St.
Bernard Parish and see devestation EVERYWHERE, not just the snapshot, it
really hits home. Let his collegues come sit and eat the hot meals handed
out by volunteers with citizens who have lost everything! AND, if anyone of
them say they are above such doings/it's not their job, I say call the media
to hound their "arses." This is AMERICA'S largest natural disaster, it damn
well is their business to see it, smell it, taste it. so that it is not
forgotten. Not to minimilize Congressional work, but volunteers who are
doing more in the day to day recovery then any Congressional Representative
has done, outside of the Louisiana Congression. There is no war to declare
for this disaster like 9/11, but the money that is needed is just the same.
Party leaderships should require that all in their delegations put in to
"gut" 5 homes in devestated areas, roughly one week of work, they can work
with crews/volunteers/Habitat for Humanity. They should bring their kids,
their families, this isn't like some dirty secret, this was an act of nature
that needs to be shown the proper respect. Like history, for those who
forget, are likely to repeat past mistakes. Like 9/11, we cannot let our
guard down EVER again when it comes to "Mother Nature" in ANY scenerio.
    SECOND, why wasn't the President brought to St. Bernard or a St. Bernard
liason in New Orleans? St. Bernard WAS "Ground ZERO", not New Orleans. Not
to minimialize any other area, but WE were the least represented, the least
helped by the federal government in the days that followed, and we are the
least seen today. Canadian search and rescue found St. Bernard before the
Federal Government did....what does that say? 6000 residents that stayed and
were rescued, were rescued by St. Bernard Residents, not helicopters picking
people up from the federal government...go look at the parish website, St.
Bernard residents picked up St. Bernardians in pirogues, shrimp boats, etc.
I know I am venting on you, however, MAYBE just MAYBE a copy of this email
will make it's way into every congressional person's hands, and as I said
before, I can also drop off 426 bags (excluding the Louisiana Delegation,
they already know) of molded personal property so that they can see it and
get a small whiff of what "New Orleans" is "really" like. 
      Thanks for listening, as I am sure your ear/eyes are often strained.
 
Sincerely,
 
Wendy P. Hall

Fr