I feel like a horrible human being--r/o

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2005
I feel like a horrible human being--r/o
9
Fri, 10-28-2005 - 5:54pm

Hello All,

Today, I feel like the most horrible, ungrateful, selfish human being. Let me explain. I live in one of the areas that was greatly affected by Hurricane Katrina. Luckily, me, my family and our residences were mostly spared by the devastation that Katrina wrought. Unfortunately, a lot of people, including some of my friends, were not so lucky.

Because of the widespread destruction of Katrina, most people (myself included) are not working. Some of my friends, mainly because of housing issues, have taken this time to travel extensively.

Now, let me just say that I am extremely, extremely grateful that I have my family, my health and a roof over my head, but I still can't help but feel the little green monster when I hear of my friends traveling adventures or the neat places they have and are visiting. And, I just wish I could also spend the down time that I have traveling too, instead of paying (more like requesting extensions) bills and looking for another job.

So, my issue is that I feel like the most horrible human being on the planet for feeling slightly envious of my friends trips, considering what other hurricane-victims (all over the Gulf Coast, the Carribean and Mexico) are dealing with.

Anyway...thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-03-2003
Fri, 10-28-2005 - 8:04pm
Don't to so hard on yourself. There's nothing wrong with you being a little envious. You are a human and like all human, you do feel sligtly jealous when people have the time and means to do the things you want to do. Of course with traveling to a different place right now would have been so therapeutic for you because of all the chaos going on. Don't think that you are a horrible person because you are not. You see people living the things you love and will want to do and it hurts a little bit. That's all. Everybody go through those. Don't be too hard on yourself.
Avatar for cl_shywon
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Fri, 10-28-2005 - 8:24pm

I don't quite understand how your friends are traveling instead of trying to get new jobs and pay bills also.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2005
Sat, 10-29-2005 - 12:02pm
Well, most of them are using a combination of relief funds, savings, etc. As for their housing, jobs and living expenses, that's a big question mark, just like it is for most us in the Gulf Coast.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Mon, 10-31-2005 - 7:37am
Relief funds! Are you kidding me? That's completely disingenuous. That money is intended to help people affected by tragedy have basic necessities and get back on their feet. I sure as heck don't want the money that I donate going to fund someone's grand tour of Europe.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2004
Mon, 10-31-2005 - 10:16am
I agree.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2005
Mon, 10-31-2005 - 1:22pm

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That is why I prefer to donate goods rather than donating money.

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Avatar for cl_shywon
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Mon, 10-31-2005 - 7:28pm

No kidding.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Tue, 11-01-2005 - 8:19am

While I work with FEMA, I don't work for them. I work for a different agency and handle stuff related to actual FEMA employees. Unfortunately, this kind of abuse is pretty rampant and the federal statutes rarely have definite or specific clauses for punishing fraud or false statements. On top of that, the federal government simply does not have the resources to investigate these people and my guess is that, even if the Inspector General of Homeland Security did get an air-tight case for court, the U.S. Attorney's office would not want to touch such a politically sensitive issue with a 10 foot pole.

Remember the stories of people using their cards to buy designer bags? I saw on the news the other day that some people are actually selling the MREs they were given on Ebay. Unbelievable. I actually didn't give any money for the hurricane relief effort. I figured that billions of dollars in federal aid is enough. In fact, the Washington post reported that federal money spent on katrina is expected to pass $200 billion. I did some volunteer phone banking, but did not give money specifically for hurricane relief. I was speaking rehtorically when I said "my donations." My charitable donations for each year are decided in November of the previous year and then done through payroll deductions.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2004
Tue, 11-01-2005 - 10:12am

Totally off topic from the original post, and for that I apologize to the OP, but there are certain ways in which I won't donate money, either.

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