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I Will Rebuild With You, Mr. President

By Donna Brazile
Saturday, September 17, 2005; A21


New Orleans is my hometown. It is the place where I grew up, where my family still lives. For me, it is a place of comfort and memories. It is home.

Now my home needs your help, and the help of every American. Much of my city is still underwater. Its historical buildings have been wrecked, its famous streets turned to rivers and, worst of all, so many of its wonderful people -- including members of my own family and my neighbors -- have lost everything.

On Thursday night President Bush spoke to the nation from my city. I am not a Republican. I did not vote for George W. Bush -- in fact, I worked pretty hard against him in 2000 and 2004. But on Thursday night, after watching him speak from the heart, I could not have been prouder of the president and the plan he outlined to empower those who lost everything and to rebuild the Gulf Coast.

Bush called on every American to stand up and support the rebuilding of the region. He told us that New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast would rise from the ruins stronger than before. He enunciated something that we all need to remember: This is America. We are not immune to tragedy here, but we are strong because of our industriousness, our ingenuity and, most important, because of our compassion for one another. We are a nation of rebuilders and a nation of givers. We do not give up in the face of tragedy, we stand up, and we reach out to help those who cannot stand up on their own.

The president called on every American to reach out to my neighbors in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf Coast. The great people of this country have already opened their hearts in the immediate aftermath of the storm, and their tremendous generosity has done more than just provide extra comfort -- it has saved lives. Now the crisis of survival is over. But the task of rebuilding remains, and the president made it clear that every single one of us has a role to play.

Each of us belongs to some group -- a church, a union or a fraternal organization, or even a book club -- that can make a difference. It is those groups that can pool resources and then reach out to their counterparts in the stricken states and ask, "What can we do?" Schools, Girl Scout troops, Rotary clubs -- this is the time for every community group to step forward to lend a helping hand. We need it.

The president also laid out the federal government's goal for rebuilding. It is unprecedented in its scope and ambition, matching destruction that is unprecedented as well. He made the challenge clear: This will be one of the biggest reconstruction projects in history. But he also made it clear that we can and will do this. New Orleans, Biloxi, all of the Gulf Coast will rise again. And the residents are ready to pitch in and do their part.

I know, maybe better than anyone, that there are times when it seems that our nation is too divided ever to heal. There are times when we feel so different from each other that we can hardly believe that we are all part of the same family. But we are one nation. We are a family. And this is what we do. When the president asked us to pitch in Thursday night, he wasn't really asking us to do anything spectacular. He was asking us to be Americans, and to do what Americans always do.

The president has set a national goal and defined a national purpose. This is something I believe with all my heart: When we are united, nothing can stop us. We will not waver, we will not tire, and we will not stop until the streets are clean, every last brick has been replaced and every last family has its home back.

Bush talked about how we bury our family and friends. We grieve and mourn. We march to a solemn song and then we rejoice and step out and form the second line. That line is now open to every American to join us in rebuilding a great region of this country. New Orleans will rise again. My hometown is down but not out, and with the help of every American, it will be back on its feet, bigger and brighter than ever.

Mr. President, I am ready for duty. I am ready to stir those old pots again. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.

The writer, a Democratic political consultant, managed Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign

That is lame. That is one person who changed their mind about George. If I post an article about someone talking about Cuba's great health care and how it's better than ours, it's the same thing.

What is it with you and Cuba? It seems that everytime you oppose something you compare it to Cuba. Almost every thread that you post in lately has something about Cuba in it.

If you think so highly of Fidel Castro then why don't you just go live there? This way he will pay for your schooling and everything else that you want for free.


DS

I was using an example. I'll go find one of Sweden if ya want! And I got a question for you: How come any time I ask you a serious question in response to a thread you create, you seem to ignore it?

I didn't read any change of mind. I read about an American who was inspired to pull together and support the governments effort to rebuild New Orleans. This person is willing to forego political and ideological differences and recognize that collectively America is bigger and better than flag-wavers or naysayers. I'll echo DS's sentiment.

Your obsession with Cuba and Castro clouds your objectivity and prevents you from seeing the big picture, the human picture. Maybe when you're of age you can apply for citizenship to Cuba. I'm not sure if you will be able to get online in Cuba, but if you do tell us how great it really is.

This one person happened to have run Al Gore's campaign in 2000

I don't answer questions that have nothing to do with what is being talked about. He wrote that it is time for us all to band together and help people in need, and you call it lame and then want to throw in Castro. Why do you show so much hate for our country Pat?


DS

I don't answer questions that have nothing to do with what is being talked about. He wrote that it is time for us all to band together and help people in need, and you call it lame and then want to throw in Castro. Why do you show so much hate for our country Pat?


DS [/b][/quote]I am showing no hate for our country. Stop doing that. I hate when people say someone is anti-American when they haven't said anything of that nature. That post just really reminds me of a post I read a while back about on IMDb. A man who lived in Cuba discussed the health care system and said it was fantastic, just like this guy is trying to tell everyone that we should all get with George now and trust him. I'm actually looking for the post right now. It's on the 'Sicko' film page. It's one man's opinion.

Not to mention, Pat, that as much as you admire Castro, he doesn't have 1% of admiration for America, or it's citizens.

He is the epitemy of Anti-American.

How can we measure the human condition and people's characters by percentages? How is Pat's resentment of his own government categorised as anti-American? Pat cares for the society in which he is living. As much as Don Smitty does. But just Don Smitty seems pretty content, whereas Pat isn't. If I started to criticise a novel I'd written myself, would I be anti-Capo? No, not really; I'd be concerned as to where I'd gone wrong, and wanting to improve upon that. If Patrick is criticised for posting about nothing but Cuba, surely Don Smitty must be criticised for posting nothing but external quotes about current US affairs.

Thanks,
Mick

I love you Capo (in a brotherly way, of course). I wish ya would start posting as much as you used to bud. Gimme a PM some time.

People like me and Pat must criticize our government. It's stated in the Constitution that the citizens of this country must regularly question it's government to manke sure it is not abusing it's power. This is also the job of the other branches of government too. This country is founded on the principle of for the people, by the people. And though this is not the case anymore, the core remains the same. Whenever a person or group of people feels the government is over-stepping it's limits, the people MUST BY PATRIOTIC DUTY, callinto question the motive of the government.

People like me and Pat are doing our Patriotic Duty to call America's methods into question. I love this country, and want it to be the best in the world. Sadly, this is not the case, but I am fighting for it, so that it can be.

The Doc

Does that make you feel superior to Don Smitty, who is content with the way things are? I'm sorry, Doc, but it sounds like you want to disagree just for the sake of disagreeing. Like that makes you a better citizen because you are ever vigilant. Since Don Smitty is a Republican, perhaps he was very much at conflict with the federal government when a Democrat was in the White House.

I'm not gonna be drawn into a political fray but I'll say this to Pat: If someone was to tell me, "America, love it or leave it", I'd say to them, "Fuck you, its my right to believe as I do". Thats just me, though.

I also think Castro is a prick. Thats just me, though.

See why I stay outta these political discussions?

And you scolded me for yelling at the manager in the Tuscany Restaurant! At least I didn't tell him "F**K You! just kidding my friend, just kidding.

You are 100% correct.


Don Cardi

The only reason that you think Castro is a Pr**k is because his revolution against Batista and eventual takeover caused your father to cease smuggling molasses from Cuba into the United States where they were put on trucks provided by my father.


Don Cardi

I'm not questioning my country because of it's rediculous "trendiness" to do so. I am and have been worried abo0ut my country for some time now. I'm not better than any other citizen, but I am concerned about where this country is headed. Don Smitty has every right to feel content. I wish I could feel content but I can't. Not with Bush in office.

The Doc

As you know, I am not a great fan of Mr. Bush's either. However, I thought I detected a bit of smugness in your "people like Pat and me" post. If there was none intended, then I apologize.