Cut, copy, paste, forward

Recently, I received an e-mail from a friend of my mother's. I have known this woman since birth, and love her dearly. I was upset to read this particular e-mail because of the woefully inadequate analogies, but more for the sense of taxpayer entitlement it fosters. In this version of thee-mail, the Denver Post allegedly compares the Denver blizzard of 2006 which shut down airports throughout the holidays to Hurricane Katrina. As mentioned in the snopes link, this is a version of another e-mail originally regarding North Dakotans and a like snowstorm.

I am not from Denver or Louisiana, but I did live in Colorado for 2 1/2 years, and also lived through a blizzard, as well as a plane crashing over my house, and the Hayman fires. Why am I so offended by this forward? Well, for one, the most obvious, the death toll. The death toll in Denver? 6, and lots and lots of livestock. Katrina? Nearly 1,500. Okay...so maybe that should give us an idea about severity.

The big tragedy of Denver? Ski resorts got lots of snow, and people got stuck in cars. Oh yeah, and folks had to stay at the airport over the holidays. (Not to minimize what ranchers had to endure, but I am talking the more common effects). That seems like a menial inconvenience when you compare being bussed to the Astrodome to live in your own filth indefinitely, oh yeah, and you are now magically homeless...

Incidentally, ranchers had to ask for federal help regarding livestock. That's right, in a disaster, people need help. Big Fucking Surprise! What is this overobsessive fascination with pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps? And what is the giant deal with harassing people after they have endured life altering trauma and god forbid, taken a handout? I suppose it is awfully sissy-like to live in a tent someone gave you after you lost your house and have no job because it is underwater.

Also, having resided in Denver, I will say, there are poor people, but nothing like the ghettos of New Orleans. Most of those people were one check away from abject poverty, and that disaster was the last nail in the coffin. Denver was under no such economic pressure.

I won't even go into the comparison of who is mayor over which city, but Nagin is Skeletor compared to Denver's compassionate Hickenlooper. FYI, to get FEMA involved in the first place, the mayor has to ask for help. And not when people are drowning. This is one of several tragedies that befell New Orleans.

When we stop paying taxes and giving handouts, we become like Haiti. In politics, government, and society, you get what you pay for.

So, in short, comparing Katrina to the snowstorm is like comparing your hangnail to a malignant tumor. Shut up and go get a manicure. Oh, and stop sending me hateful e-mails.

I may be a bleeding heart liberal, but at least I have one.