Seeing the destruction and our government's reaction has me

reflecting on our history covered in literature and cinema. One such novel, The Grapes of Wrath speaks volumes for the people of the gulf. As the news broke today of Rehnquist's death I am reminded of a quote in which Tom Joad says, "Seems like the government's got more interest in a dead man than a live one." In the days to come we'll see more and more from the media and the administration about Rehnquist's passing if only to take the spotlight from those who are really suffering and who are still dying.

The conservative media and Bush administration will call on us to pray for Rehnquist and his family, they will surely shift the focus from the hurricane to the passing of a single man. " I wouldn't pray just for a old man that's dead, 'cause he's all right. If I was to pray, I'd pray for folks that's alive and don't know which way to turn.

I see the likes of Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity discuss the "looters" and the "ignorant" who refused to leave and it takes me back to the same feelings some had for the Okies in that novel, "You and me got sense. Them Okies got no sense and no feeling. They ain't human. Human being wouldn't live the way they do. Human being couldn't stand to be so miserable."

Seeing the image of the dead woman left in the wheel chair I'm drawn to the letter left behind when the Joad's buried their Grandpa on the side of the road, "This here is William James Joad, dyed of a stroke, old, old man. His fokes bured him because they got no money to pay for funerls. Nobody kilt him. Jus a stroke and he dyed."

We have people hurting in this country just as we did then, and the government is still reacting the same way almost 80 years later.

Michael Harris

anyway. I'm just old enough to remember some stories of those times.....the dust bowl migration, "The grapes of wrath".. et al

Matter of fact, I live in Steinbeck country--Monterey Bay. Lot's of agriculture. Lot's of poor people right smack in the midst of WEALTH--the two Castes interact with each other.

In my estimation, this country (re: social responsibility & equality) really has NOT progressed very far at all. We just dress differently......... BEYOND DISAPPOINTING...

:) You're right the only difference is that we dress differently and now days we let conservative bigots have TV shows now.

Thanks for knowing and sharing them with us. I have saved this so that I can share it in the coming few days with others (with proper credit to you, of course.)

Years ago, I heard an old gospel singer preach between verses, "Have you ever been too poor to leave?" Now we know what that looks like.

it just struck me that we still treat the less fortunate in this country the same way we did almost 80 years ago. We may not use the words racism and class in this disaster but I promise, it's very well alive, just as Steinbeck wrote about.