The Reality of It
Putting things into perspective

During and after the devastation levied by Hurricane Katrina this past week, I watched the news intently as though I had family being affected. Although I didn’t, I still wondered and felt for those individuals whose lives would be drastically altered from that day forward. It is hard to fathom losing your wife, husband, child, grand-parent or anyone in close relation within a 24 hour period, but watching the reports, I couldn’t help but feel bad and pray for those that were stricken.

To see the thousands of people and families literally living on the streets with no basic shelter, water or food is everlasting shocking. Worse even is the fact that in this day and age of technology and advancement, this Country can’t rescue our victims fast enough. It will be well after a week of the hurricane before the vast majority of those individuals are even touched with an ounce of help. How many will die in that morbid situation before any help from the National Guard or FEMA reaches them?

Yet, all in all I watch ESPN and the other news (CNN. MSNBC) channels and hear stories regarding the Saints and where they’ll play this coming season. I watched Commissioner Tagliabue on CNN discuss the action plan for the Saints and how it could adversely affect their season. Stories on where the New Orleans Hornets will play this season. Headline news on Brett Farve’s family as though he were the only player in the NFL who had family in that region. Even us on the MCFFU Website, we’re so oblivious to the conditions in the Southeast region, we’re beating tournament directors to death worrying about an event to be held in North Carolina this weekend.

HELLO!!!!!! Do you not realize that someone is acting on your behalf, in your best interest, by evaluating how a catastrophic event directly and indirectly affects your well being? Do you realize the effect on Natural Resources, like gas, is severely depleted because majority of its supply originated from the Gulf Coast? Do you really want to travel from New York to North Carolina at $8.00 a gallon?

The reality of it all is we as a society have our priorities in life bass ackwards. How do you worry about sports and where a team will play when right there in front of your very eyes people are dying for no fault of there own. Why is Brett Farve’s family more important than the family that exists no more? What about the Mother’s and Father’s who are watching their children die in front of them and they can’t do anything about it? Anybody wonder how the Saints got out of town after the storm and not many others could?

Even though we’re overly sport minded, we still don’t prioritize properly. We listed the LA Hitmen as the top recognized team in the Country today. Anybody try to make contact with those guys and ask if they’re okay? How are the other teams from that area? Do we care about them as individuals or do we care about what they can do for the Union.

Today is a sad day not just because many of our own are dying when they don’t necessarily have to, but because we as a people truly don’t care. Good luck in North Carolina this weekend, I’m sure those affected will be anxiously awaiting the results.

That’s the reality of it.