We Have Electricity!
Our neighborhood is one of those lucky few that didn’t lose power until Friday morning and then got it back Saturday night. And, Friday and Saturday were nice, cool days. We dragged mattresses to the basement last night and slept comfortably.
There are still so many people (318, 642) who have been suffering without electricity in the muggy St. Louis heat since Wednesday, after the first severe storm hit the area. Friday’s storm knocked out the rest, or, it knocked out the power of people who had just gotten it back from Wednedsay. Some coworkers were told it may be until Tuesday before their neighborhoods are repaired.
When I say those neighborhood are without power, let me add that the businesses have no power, the grocery stores have no power, and? Water mains are breaking causing flooding and a loss of water in businesses and homes. Give some love to Theresa, please.
In the tradition of smug white privilege, I overheard this string of commentary Friday after we were released from a powerless museum:
Smug White Privileged Person 1: “I just can’t believe all the people who are staying in their homes and not going to a hotel or to a family member’s house who has air conditioning. I mean, just get in your car and GO where the air conditioning is. People are so stupid and stubborn sometimes.”
SWPP 2: “Oh, I KNOW. It’s just like Katrina. There’s no reason you can’t leave.”
Posted by Melissa on July 23rd, 2006 under Blah, Observations
July 23rd, 2006 at 4:40 pm
Who said that? I must know. Um, do these people not realize that everyone does not have a car? Also, what if all of your relatives don’t have electricity? OR what if you don’t have money for a hotel. Oh and yes, this wee bit of suffering we have had is JUST like Katrina. Exactly.like.it.
I heard Dave Glover say one time that he didn’t understand why the people in New Orleans didn’t leave because he would have just started walking. My jaw dropped. The first person I thought of was my mom because she can barely walk. I’m sure she would have been trucking it on foot with the mass hysteria going on after the local, state, and federal government had failed those people. I’m sickened when people trying to judge people who are victims of an unfortunate natural disaster. I remember that there was a flood here in the 90s, but he sure as hell wasn’t calling anyone here stupid for living in flood plain. Jackass!
There are plenty of poor people in my neighborhood who have been without power since Wednesday and they have no means or a place to go. Maybe those people need to get their heads out of their asses and think about a situation that does not mirror their own life.
July 23rd, 2006 at 4:45 pm
I wish that I could type, “I CAN’T BELIEVE SOMEONE WOULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION,” but I am too jaded. I believe. It is so sick and sad.
July 23rd, 2006 at 6:50 pm
Oh sweet mother of pearl. Had I been at SLAM, I would have thrown their Louis Vuitton/Kate Spade/whatever bags into the fountain.
On another note, I’ve got all my utilities now, but went to Mass in the dark. A church not two blocks south of me still doesn’t have power. I feel like a jerk now, with all my light and a/c, but I think it’s because of that Catholic guilt thing.
July 23rd, 2006 at 6:54 pm
Oh no! I didn’t even know there was a storm a-brewin’ your way (have been living in bubble, yes).
Hope things are getting back to normal (for you and the rest of the area).
July 23rd, 2006 at 8:31 pm
Anne and Theresa, it wasn’t at SLAM and it wasn’t someone we know.
Theresa, I’m SO glad you have water now. I do want to hear more about sleeping in the library and freaking out the morning crew!
Anne, yes, I felt the same way. The responses in my head were SCREAMING all those things but I didn’t say anything. I should have. From what I gathered, the Katrina comment didn’t sound like it meant these storms were like Katrina, but that people not leaving was just like Katrina. You know, why not just get in your car and drive away! So easy! Duh! I could have been mistaken.
OTJ, yeah, you’re totally right. I shouldn’t be surprised, should I.
Supa, thank you! We’re good now but some family isn’t with power yet (only blocks away from us) and we have businesses out. In the city, it’s much, much worse and I hope it gets better soon!
July 23rd, 2006 at 8:58 pm
Oh, I would have had to say something to them. I would have had to say something. To keep myself from slapping them both in the face.
It took my husband and I an entire HOUR to find a gas station still pumping gas that had a line less than three miles long after our power went out for the second time on Thursday. We needed that gas to get to Imperial, which was the closest place we had relatives with power who could take us in.
How can you leave if you can’t even get gasoline in your car? That’s ASSUMING you have a working car, of course. Idiots.
July 23rd, 2006 at 9:19 pm
Jaelithe, it took all I had to not slap a bitch or two up. But the situation didn’t allow for it without some serious issues later.
I STILL wish I would have done it.
July 23rd, 2006 at 9:19 pm
And OMG, the gas shortages are terrible. Be sure to keep us updated!
July 24th, 2006 at 10:11 am
OMG.
July 24th, 2006 at 4:25 pm
Yes yes, just leave, there’s no reason to stick around, other than work(police, firefighters, others) or the fact your house becomes a looters target, or something could go wrong with it, or you could be an invalid or handicapped or maybe your realtievs are 3000 miles away or…..
people are stupid. But its not the folks that stayed that are, its the commentors you listed.
July 24th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
Aren’t you glad it wasn’t someone you know. Because then you’d have to rip them a new one. So glad your electricity is back on…
July 25th, 2006 at 10:28 am
HI
July 25th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
OMG!
Are you serious?
This twits need to be beaten with a baseball bat.
That really pisses me off.
July 25th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
I wish I was joking! But no. For reals.
July 26th, 2006 at 11:16 am
Yeah, I mean why can’t they just win the lottery and then move into the Four Seasons Hotel? DUH!
SO happy to hear you have power. I can’t beleive the weather all across the country. Stay cool.
July 26th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
The Beam in Mine Own Eye…
Time, at long last, to turn the microscope on myself. For years I’ve been guilty of unfair and unbalanced attacks against decent people who deserved better, employing tactics whose immorality often dwarfed that of whatever faults I attributed to my vi…
August 1st, 2006 at 8:11 am
How about Beirut?
Whatta hell are you talking about people!? Half of the planet does not have ellectricity or drinking water! And you are bitching about couple oh hours of darkness! Get serious! Be gratefull that Israel is not droping bombs on your heads and heads of your children… (37 children were killed in one nights raid)
How claustrofobic can you get!?!?
August 1st, 2006 at 2:10 pm
Uros,
I don’t think anyone here has mentioned anything like that and I think you are a TAD off your rocker for suggesting so.
This post is about people who are not used to a power outtage and the differences in their lives it caused. This does not diminish the atrocities in the world, nor does it diminish our awareness of it.
There is always something worse happening to another person than ANYTHING I am going to go through in my life. That does not mean I can’t talk about it on my personal website. I don’t believe anyone here thinks were are not privilaged to not deal with those issues. I am part of the working poor in the U.S., yet I am infinitely better off than many others considered working poor for a variety of reasons. I can still bitch about the details of my life in this venue. I paid for the $7.99 for this domain, I can write about nothing but biscuits if I want.
I do work for better living conditions, I am against the warfare that Bush so loves, I hate our president and can’t believe he made it into office, I am outraged at what happens to women and children in the world, I think women are marginalized at best and tortured/murdered at worst without penalty, I can’t believe we can’t feed everyone when my grocery store is lined with boxes of junk, I work very hard for women and children’s issues the best I can with the small resources I have. It does not mean that I am not allowed to fuss over any detail of my life that I want. I am sure that just today you have fussed over some detail of your life without thinking of how much worse most of the world has it.
Look, it seems as though you are in Norway (love that statcounter). One of my beloved professors hailed from Oslo and another friend moved there this year with her Norwegian husband. You have a much better healthcare system than the U.S., but do you think about how many American homeless people never see a doctor everytime you visit your doctor? You have tax-funded health and dental for all kids, do you realize how many chidlren in America cannot see a doctor or they extremely poor healthcare and NO dental services because they can’t pay for our crazy privatized system? Nevermind the people around the world who suffer. Wanna talk about Darfur and how you bad you should feel every time you walk into your home after work?
It’s a ridiculous way to live. I am all for being aware of global issues, working and spending in any way you can to help rectify those issues, voting for officials who can make change, educating yourself and others to stop the spread of ignorance. I would never spout off about how terrible my life is on a public forum about Darfur. My life isn’t terrible, but anamolies in my world and yours matter to us as humans. I refuse to stop LIVING and talking about my own life in this personal, yet public place.
There are better, more finely tuned political, globally-oriented blogs than this one. Finding me on a google search for “does not have electricity” makes me wonder what you needed to find. I can’t imagine why this site was #2 on the google.no search, but I hope you come away with less smugness and righteousness and more understanding that individuals matter. You matter. Global atrocities matter. But this .com is mine and my little world is discussed here more than the larger world out there. I discuss those more often on tightly focused websites. I suggest you do the same.
August 1st, 2006 at 2:16 pm
[…] In lieu of the Smackdown I wanted to present today, I hand you a Throwdown courtesy of this post and the letter N. […]
August 1st, 2006 at 7:20 pm
(gives high five)
Well said.
August 24th, 2006 at 5:16 am
Dear Melissa, I’d like to appologise to all I have insulted. Sometimes when I feel helples I let the rage take the best of me… Not good. It happens from time to time but I’m fighting it… I guess we all have our own issues… I just happened to stumble upon your web side and just happened to be in a very bad mood. That’s no excuse, I know, and that is I apologise. And I mean it!
Best regards from Uros.
August 24th, 2006 at 8:41 am
Uros,
Thank you. It means so much to me that you took the time to stop by again and say that! We all have our issues and I totally forgive yours as I have a ton of my own waiting in the wings.
I wish you all the best and I hope you come by again.
Again, thank you.
Melissa