They prefer to be called "Evacuees"

I heard on the news this morning that those who have been displaced by the terrible tragedy that was (and still is) Katrina are taking offense at being called "refugees". They claim that it is a "racial" comment, and that if they where white, they wouldn't be called refugees. Hmmmm.

Merriam-Webster has this definition for refugee: One who flees in search of refuge, as in war, political oppression or religious persecution.

Okay, these people (and here I'm including people of all races, gender, ages, etc.) have fled to various parts of the country for refuge – sadly, they no longer have homes, they had to flee. Granted, it's not for any of the reasons listed in the definition, but the words "as in" are used to show that what follows are merely examples as to why people might flee in search of refuge. It's not an exhaustive list.

I saw Jesse Jackson on his soapbox on the news, and he made me want to throw up. He's so full of #%&*@!&% that I can't stand to look at him, much less listen to him. It's people like him and Al Sharpton (funny how they both call themselves "reverend") that cause much of the racial tension in this country. Anyway, I digress. Jesse was on the news fuming about the word "refugee" and alluding to the fact that this term is being used in a derogatory manner – a racial slur. Please. It's just a word. It means what it means. Don't take it to be a racial slur, and all of a sudden, it's not a racial slur. Funny how that works, Jesse. Now, he's got a whole lot of people up in arms at being called "refugees." Great. Just one more reason for them to become angry and start raping and killing each other.

I know, I know. How insensitive of me. They're not all like that. I know.

I just talked to my friend who is a police officer in Houston, and he worked at the Astrodome all last night. There are 15,000 people living there right now, and the people of Houston have embraced them and their plight. Did you know that none of them pitch in to help each other? No one volunteers to help serve each other food. No one volunteers to help pick up the mounds of trash that's littering the floors. No one volunteers to help clean the bathrooms and showers that they use. No one volunteers to help each other. That makes me sad.

Since the arrival of these displaced persons, the once quiet and law-abiding neighborhoods surrounding the Astrodome have seen a big increase in the levels of break-ins, looting, shootings and rapes. I'm not pointing any fingers, I'm just giving you the facts that were given to me.

It must sound like I have no compassion whatsoever. That's not the case, I do. For every distasteful incident you hear about, there are probably hundreds of inspirational stories of people overcoming great adversity.

On the news yesterday, there was a crew at the Astrodome and they were walking around the makeshift shelter. The camera just happened to focus on this lady reading. The book in her lap was the Bible. I wonder if she brought her own Bible when she fled, or are there Bibles available for those who want them? Anyway, I'm sure there are a lot of those at the Dome who are wondering where God is about now. It was amazing to see this lady sitting on her cot taking comfort in the Word of God as the hustle of another busy day of surviving was going on around her.