We can all agree that the War on Christmas is a very sad, confusing thing. How did it get this far? You may read the reports from the front-lines (thank you Hunter), but you might be left asking, "Yes, but what can I do?"

Well, Christian Soldiers, I thought of a way to save Christmas this year. It's a little bit nutty. It's a little bit extreme. It might even be crazy in a sitcomy-Three's-Company sort of way, but it might just work.

A friend of mine has several family members that did not evacuate when the first order came through. They all survived, so far, but she was worried because she didn't know if they were going to be rescued, and most of them were elderly. She said she had some difficulty locating this information, but this is what she discovered.

The place you need to contact to get a relative who needs help getting out is the local Homeland Security office for SE Louisiana.

Homeland Security offices in New Orleans/Orleans Parish

Orleans Joseph Matthews (504) 658-8700 (504) 658-8701

For questions or comments please contact

Jones, Art
Division Chief
(225) 925-7555
ajones@ohsep.louisiana.gov
Weiser, Richard
Asst. Division Chief
(225) 925-7556
rweiser@ohsep.louisiana.gov

FTR, her elderly relatives are classified as "medium" priority, but at least the urban search and rescue crews are aware of where they are, and that they're waiting.

This is my first diary. I hope somebody reads it. This has been eating at me for a long time--since just after we lost the election in fact, and I witnessed something ugly and shocking. All the Kossaks who fought so valiantly for Kerry--all the men and women I grew to admire from afar for their diligence and hard-work and perseverance--turned on the man like a pack of hungry, angry dogs.  I knew at the time that this would be a problem, but who was I? Nobody. I just found the blog. I didn't know the culture or the community. I kept my comments to myself. I hoped some of it would lighten up.

But as the months went on, I realized that it wouldn't lighten up. People here hate Kerry in large numbers, and honestly, that breaks my heart. He's a good man, a patriot, an honorable civil servant, a leader, and somebody we should be proud of. He lost by the slimmest of margins, and quite frankly, I don't believe it was his fault. The Republicans can simply do something the Democrats have not been able to do in the 21st century. And turning on Kerry is the problem.