WELCOME TO MISSISSIPPI

O.K. I'll make an attempt to tell what's going on down here right now. It's
hard to do for several reasons. First, because there is so much , it's hard
to talk about. Let's try to focus on the positive.

You're right to be sick about New Orleans. They've turned into a bunch of
animals over there. The idiots are shooting at the people who are trying to
help them???? I think for the most part it's due to the frustration caused
by the lack of response by their State Government....I mean, an SOS call?
Give me a break.

Everybody is so focused on what's going on in the Superdome, the Mississippi
story is going un-reported.

It's one of the bright things that are happening here now.

We are NOT leaving our people to wallow and starve in their own filth ,and
the cadavers of loved ones. Were finding the live ones and getting them
north as fast a possible. Most of the hundreds showing up here have at least
had a meal, and a bath.

Haley Barbour the Governor and his administration will come out as true
heroes in this disaster once the total story is told. The differences
between the Louisiana and Mississippi responses are truly startling. Haley
and MEMA had already had Mississippi declared disaster areas TWO DAYS before
Katrina hit......What does that mean? A lot........

It means we had a two day head start on recovery. It means we had
pre-positioned response teams...FULLY EQUIPPED ! It means we already had
supplies being loaded on trucks to go to the coast while the hurricane was
still going on. It means Federal representatives from FEMA were already IN
State when it hit. Which means somebody on the Satellite Phone moving troops
and aid our way while Louisiana was still trying to get ....... .

We have been dealing with looters a little differently on the coast. Once
you shoot a few and leave their bodies laying in front of the store with
their arms full of booty, the rest get the idea pretty quickly. Hasn't been
a big problem. In the case of breaking in to get survival supplies...food
and water. The police have shot the locks off the doors and helped take the
stuff to distribution points.

School buses to haul refuges to shelters north, an idea Louisiana JUST
figured out by the way, have been running shuttle since Wednesday morning.

They are pouring in here by the hundreds. Red Cross has been doing a GREAT
job on setting up relief shelters in our area.

The local Governments have opened all of the convention centers and school
auditoriums to them. I know it's hard to believe, but the local Friday night
Football games have ALL been canceled this week. Our efforts are going
elsewhere this weekend. My daughter is the editor for the local University
newspaper. She asked me what she could do for these folks, and I told her"
The main thing they need right now is bottled water". So she made a few
phone calls and set it up with her newspaper and the local T.V.
stations....in 24 hours they had collected over 600 gallons. This story is
typical and is happening all over this part of the state.

Pulpwood haulers (lumberjacks to you Yankees) who showed up at Interstates
and main feeder hi-ways heading south. Started cutting up the downed trees
with their own chainsaws, and loading them up with their hydraulic boom
hauling trucks. Opening the way south for our relief effort...nobody called
them....they just showed up and started doing what had to be done. Welcome
to Mississippi The local churches are jumping in too. Emmanuel Baptist has
been cooking and serving three meals a day for 1500 people at the shelter
there since Wednesday. Where is the food coming from? Strangers are just
showing up at the convention center and dropping it off. Red Cross is
providing some of it, but the majority is just showing up....from people who
aren't seeking and never will be recognized. It's happening all over the
state. again and again. Welcome to Mississippi.

Our local hotels are full of people here from New Orleans.....most are
starting to run out of money, so we have begun collecting for their hotel
bills and providing them with meals at the shelters. Quite a few in town
have taken them in to their own homes...knowing they may be there for
months. I filled up one guy's tank at the gas station Tuesday because he
only had enough money for a few gallons. Welcome to Mississippi.