Just Wondering?

[Detector]

Where are all of the Hollywood celebrities holding telethons asking for
help in restoring Iowa and helping the folks affected by the floods?

Where is all the media asking the tough questions about why the federal
government hasn't solved the problem? Asking where the FEMA trucks and
trailers are?

Why isn't the Federal Government relocating Iowa people to free hotels
in Chicago?

When will Spike Lee say that the Federal Government blew up the levees
that failed in Des Moines?

Where are Sean Penn and the Dixie Chicks?

Where are all the looters?

Where is the hysterical 24/7 media coverage complete with reports of
cannibalism and shooting at helicopters? (which never happened in N.O.
either, BTW)

Where are the people declaring that George Bush hates rural people?

[Highwayman]

.....Where are the people declaring that George Bush hates rural people?

Thanks for the heads up Detector. I’m sure they’ll be along shortly.

[jeezeweeze]

Excellent post Detector

[gadwall]

Iowa is populated by self sufficent conservative people who expect their government to asisst them not totally rebuild them.

[gadwall]

Iowa is populated mostly by self sufficent conserative people who expect their goverment to give them a hand not a hand out.

[K C Muffin]

Iowa is populated mostly by self sufficent conserative people who expect their goverment to give them a hand not a hand out.

You said a mouthful there, gadwall.;)

[aimerjo]

Iowa is populated mostly by self sufficent conserative people who expect their goverment to give them a hand not a hand out.

As an Iowan, I want to say that we made it throught the floods of 1993 and they will make it through the floods of 2008. Some of my family members have lost everything. They are not looking for a hand out. Instead they are helping their neighbors and friends before they loose everything also. And in return they will be helped by their neighbors and friends.

[Highwayman]

....When will Spike Lee say that the Federal Government blew up the levees that failed in Des Moines?...

Speaking of Spike Lee, he showed up at the SilverDocs film festival and said this;

The only other subject that could jolt Lee out of his slumping stupor on stage was Barack Obama, to which all conversational roads seemed to lead. Discussing his Hurricane Katrina epic When the Levees Broke, Lee referenced the current flooding in the midwest and said, “The infrastructure of this country is crumbling, and money’s going elsewhere.” He paused, then at quadruple the volume: “That’s gonna change, though…gonna be a real Chocolate City!” He went on to drop the news that his longtime editor Sam Pollard has been filming Obama throughout the primary season and has already captured 1,000 hours of footage for a documentary being produced by Edward Norton. When Kennedy began a question with the phrase, “If Obama’s gonna become president…”, Lee interrupted. “There is no if! It changes everything…it’s gonna be Before Obama, and After Obama. And I’m gonna be at that inauguration, too.”

SilverDocs: Spike Lee | SpoutBlog

[dustinwadams5]

You hit the nail on the head aimerjo. I currently live in Iowa and everybody is helps each other. They even pulled everybody out of class to have us all go up and fill sandbags.

[aimerjo]

Just another example of great neighbors in Iowa

Hope Floats to flood-ravaged eastern Iowa - Messenger News

Hope will float to flood-stricken eastern Iowa thanks to four local businesses that have pulled together for a flood donation drive.
Cedar Rapids was forced to evacuate 25,000 people during one of the worst floods in Iowa's history, and as one of the luckier cities, Fort Dodge has been given a chance to help its eastern neighbors with the Hope Floats drive.
That means the world to people like Sarah C. Duffy who has lived her whole life in Cedar Rapids and lost her home to the floods.
''I lived in my apartment for five years,'' Duffy said. ''It was a beautiful home with hardwood floors. It was the most perfect apartment. It was my sacred space.''
She was evacuated and when she returned, she felt unsafe and scared, she said.
''The smell is the first thing you experience,'' Duffy said. ''It's soul wrenching. It reaches in and grabs your heart and throws it on the floor.''
It's people like Duffy that Hope Floats hopes to reach.
The Messenger, in conjunction with Hy-Vee, Decker Truck Line Inc. and Budweiser, will be taking donations of much-needed cleaning supplies, toiletries and other essentials to be loaded into a Decker truck at Hy-Vee. The supplies will be shipped to Cedar Rapids to be distributed.
''The scope of this terrible flooding across eastern Iowa is just devastating,'' said Messenger Publisher Larry D. Bushman. ''It's our hope that Fort Dodge and all the people from this area will step up to make a difference.''
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday people can drop off donated items at the Hy-Vee parking lot, 115 S. 29th St. Hy-Vee and Messenger employees will be on hand to load the supplies.
Office supplies, sun block, canned goods, can openers and other supplies are all needed.
The idea sparked from Amy Knieriem, graphic artist at The Messenger, who said she was sitting at home watching the news when she heard the Red Cross was running out of disaster relief funds.
''I wanted to do something to help and I thought the staff at The Messenger could do something together,'' Knieriem said.
Bushman agreed.
''We pulled together a great partnership with Hy-Vee, Decker and Budweiser - all playing an important role in making this project happen,'' he said.
Regina Smith, coordinator of Hope Floats and creative arts manager for The Messenger, contacted the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, in Cedar Rapids, to see if it needed help.
Joe Jennison, executive director of the alliance, works with nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and sent Smith a list of needed supplies.
''I sent her a list of what one organization needed thinking she'd just send a box,'' Jennison said. ''Many are still trying to maintain a business without the things that businesses need.''
So, the creative services department at The Messenger brainstormed how to raise money. That's when Michelle Colshan, creative arts assistant manager, suggested filling a truck with supplies.
From there the idea blossomed.
''I was so impressed with how civil-minded Amy and the rest of the department was, I couldn't help but get excited and support the idea,'' Smith said.
Soon they had a truck and driver donated by Decker and signs donated by Budweiser.
Mike Winblade, assistant store director for Hy-Vee, said they were happy when The Messenger gave them a call.
''The Messenger was just looking for space for the truck and we had it available,'' said Winblade. ''We were just glad we could help out in any way possible.''
Office supplies will be distributed through the Leadership For Five Seasons program, the Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Central Church of Christ, Smith said.
''The positive aspect of this whole experience is what it has done to the community,'' Duffy said.
She said seeing the volunteers helping their neighbors has meant so much to her.
''It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen,'' Duffy said.
Contact Katie Williams at (515) 573-2141 or katie@messengernews.net