Hurrican Katrina Victims Are Still Suffering

You should be angry. You should be livid. You should be helping.

Many areas of the country that were affected and devastated by Hurrican Katrina still stand looking like desolate war zones. The only time that this is made mention on the news or in the news, is when the "human interest" angle is taken. You know these stories, they are called "feel good" journalism pieces to those inside the industry. They want you to feel positive, so they show you a piece about how a group of students volunteers for a week during spring break to help clean up areas hit by the hurricane. Or they put together a story about pet rescue foundations. (Which are wonderful.)

Meanwhile, there is real tragedy still occuring. As is usually the case with massive tragedies, often the people who are hit hardest are the poor. These people do not have the resources to relocate, or they do not have family to take them in as they begin to rebuild their lives. Many of these folks were issued FEMA trailers, provided by the government and meant to be temporary housing for entire families.

I have family in Baton Rouge, and I can tell you that hundreds of these trailers still sit unused behind chain link fences with barbed-wire at the top. Now, today news is breaking that the people who have been "lucky" enough to get a trailer for their family have been exposed to toxic fumes within their own trailers for an undetermined period of time. According to a report on CNN.com, the trailers can cause serious health risks and are emitting formaldehyde fumes, though FEMA claims these trailers are up to industry standards.

This is a case of people being continuously victimized by a lack of help and a lack of attention.

Please understand, there is still so much more happening down in New Orleans, in parts of Mississippi, and countless other areas still affected by the hurricane damage.