 Yesterday they were in second place to New Orleans, but now over
half a million people have been evacuated, far more than the number
fleeing Katrina's drowning pools.The Superdome has been replaced
with Qualcomm Stadium -- and people fleeing a surreal
fire-and-brimstone scene. One house burns while the one next to it
is spared. One man returned to find his garage burned, but the house
next to it was still standing. Lucky man.
In 2005, I was driving water and supplies to Louisiana when FEMA
was nowhere to be seen. In 2007, California doesn't need me; it
needs firefighter crews from around the country -- and more aircraft
that can dump water and retardant on the wildfires.
One scene that struck me was the TV shot of a guy manning an
ordinary water hose. He and others had banded together and saved at
least one house in their neighborhood. That's the American spirit
and unsung (ordinary) American heroes at work even when it doesn't
get much TV coverage.
[to top of second column]
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 I think the silver lining is that a lot of the people now out of
their homes in California will have a better idea what the folks in
New Orleans went through two years ago. Losing it all in seconds.
Your whole life changed forever by an act of nature outside anyone's
control. Relying on the kindness of strangers. Starting over and
rebuilding. Realizing that life is more important than the stuff in
your house. But it still hurts, losing everything you had.
It could be worse. Add car bombs and snipers, and these same
people would have a clue what civilians in Iraq are going through
every day.
Let's do what it takes to help our neighbors in California, and
not forget our neighbors in New Orleans who are still struggling.
It's the (Global) American thing to do.
[Text from file received from Michael
Fjetland, Global American series]
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