Four Years Ago: How Ted and Vicki Kennedy Responded to Katrina

[Withywindle]

From Daily Kos:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/8/26/772933/-Ted-Kennedy-and-NOLA

I just keep learning things I should have remembered about the man. This one got to me:

"After Katrina and the federal flood, Kennedy, aware that people had been unwilling to evacuate because they didn't want to leave cherished pets behind, could relate to their predicament because of his own beloved dogs Splash and Sunny. He decided to co-sponsor a PETS Act to prevent such problems in the future by allowing people to evacuate with their pets.

"I wouldn't leave the house without Sunny and Splash," he said. "It's no surprise that so many people in New Orleans flat-out refused to be rescued if they couldn't take their pets with them."

[Sannum]

1. Here I go again.

:cry:

[liberalhistorian]

21. No kidding, mind if I join you?

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Barack_America]

2. Of course it was him.

Of course,

Thanks for posting this.

[Withywindle]

5. He really was the voice of ALL the voiceless...

including those with four legs. (Or none at all, I have a friend in NOLA who was devastated to lose her pet snake)

[Janice325]

3. I didn't know he co-sponsored that.

RIP,Teddy. :cry:

[InvisibleTouch]

4. Excellent. Thank you. n/t

[madmax]

6. This man, this man

there are no words to describe him.

Yes, a flawed man but, one who used everyday of his life to atone for his sins. RIP Senator Kennedy, rest.

[Withywindle]

12. There was just SO MUCH to him.

When he sinned, he sinned big. But when he did good, he did MORE good than just about anyone else ever.

maybe both had to be to make him HIM, y'know.

[merh]

16. If only the rest of us were so aware of our sins and failings and used

every day of our lives, every chance we could get, to atone for our sins.

[babylonsister]

7. Such a good man. Thanks, I'm learning so much! nt

[polichick]

8. K&R

[alsame]

9. Yes, I remember getting an email from the Humane Society about

his sponsorship of PETS.

Teddy was on the right side of every issue.

[AuntPatsy]

10. Thank you

[Cha]

11. Ohhhh, how

compassionately practical.

[Swamp Rat]

13. .

:cry:

[Withywindle]

14. Good to see you, Swamp Rat.

:hug:

:cry:

[ThatsMyBarack]

15. I wouldn't want to be rescued

Without my kitteh boyz.

[Withywindle]

18. Me neither.

well, my one kitteh gal. If she ain't goin' I ain't goin'

Some of the things that were said at the time about people's love for their pets was just fucking evil - in the general category of racist, classist, victim-blaming that was going full-time all during that horror.

"Can't afford a car? Well, then it's your damn fault you have to abandon your best friend to die."

[roguevalley]

25. really. I would go down with my boys. Teddy was a good, good man.

[earthboundmisfit]

17. Teddy made this a better world for so many, in so many ways.

I shudder to think what kind of a country we'd be living in if we had not had Edward M. Kennedy as our champion all these years. Here comes the lump in the throat again :cry:

[calimary]

24. No kidding. I'm getting choked up again. Miserable last two days.

I've been crying and drowning myself in chocolate.

[Blue Diadem]

19. Thank you. This is one more thing he did that

showed he had a heart and soul filled with love and kindness.

[felinetta]

20. Republicans should be ashamed of their awful comments. What a beautiful thing he and his wife did.

[Skittles]

22. it is inhumane to force people to abandon their pets

Teddy was right - pet evacuation must be a primary consideration, not an afterthought

[Lydia Leftcoast]

23. That reaction is called EMPATHY

Understanding how other people feel.

A lot of Republicans lack it.

[Control-Z]

26. Splash and Sunny must be

devastated.

Our pets have always been very sensitive to our absences. They go looking from room to room when the kids are away. They mope around, actually depressed after a day of looking but not finding them. It is so sad to see them perk up when they think the kids are coming in the door, only to be let down when it's not them.

How sad for Splash and Sunny. I can hardly stand to think of them waiting for Teddy to come home.

Edit: correct spelling

[Starry Messenger]

27. that's getting to me too.

:cry: