Posted on 09/19/2005 7:47:44 AM PDT by hinterlander
You know, this is a tough call. While I am a bit disappointed with the levels at which conservative administrations spend these days (I don't hear any crying over Reagans huge military spending), I don't see those who are opposed to the spending coming up with any alternatives other than "Let N.O. rot." Does anybody in their right mind honestly believe for a second that is going to happen? Who did these people think was going to pay to rebuild New Orleans? Wal-Mart? Why is everybody acting like this is some big surprize? I didn't hear anybody balking about spending money in New York.
There was a time when, if your neighbors house was damaged by weather or caught fire, you helped him rebuild. I'm sorry but frugal conservatism can not solve every problem that comes our way. FReepers might not give a crap about New Orleans and the gulf coast because they are down in the South. They may not care because of the high concentration of Democrat-voting blacks. Most likely, a combination of both. You know what? Screw those FReepers. I have lived in both of these states my whole life. This is my home. I don't live on the coast but it still have really affected these states. My friends, family and business dealings have been affected by this and I come here and all I see is essentially "Screw 'em". I'm sorry we are not as "cultured" and "fancy" as New York but we are still Americans. You want to see U.S. flags still flying on cars and in front of houses? Drive South. I contend that we have a stronger patrotism and willingness to fight and die for this country than anywhere else. What do we get in return? "Screw 'em". Makes me freakin' sick.
LEVVON JONES
Chapter one (Levvon leaves the neighborhood)
Levvon Jones was 7 years old. He had lived in the 8th ward near North Claiborne Avenue with his grandmother, who the kids called MeeMaw, and 8 other kids MeeMaw had taken in. Levvon did not know who his father was and his mother was hardly ever around. Levvon and the other children had made their way to the Super Dome and had endured the squalid conditions there prior to being bussed to the Houston Astrodome. Albert Rodriguez, a software engineer for the Houston based company VMC software had volunteered at the Astrodome and was assigned to help with the kids. Albert was single and was trying his best to help with the kids but was having a hard time understanding what do do with the kids.
"Levvon, he don't talk much but he likes to look at MeeMaws cookbooks and magazines" a little girl named Denisha told Albert. Denisha had arrived with Levvon and a group of other children from New Orleans. Albert was not used to children and was trying to get them to color in some donated coloring books while he tried to respond to some email on his laptop.
"I like your coloring book better" Levvon said shyly to Albert. "It's not a coloring book, it's a computer and I'm trying to get something done real quick, just keep coloring for a minute". "I done" replies Levvon. "Well, just color on the next page" replied Albert. "I done" says Levvon once again. "Well just keep going until you are finished with the coloring book!" "I done!" says Levvon quitely.
"OK kid, let me see... What the heck! Did you do this kid?" Albert says as he starts paging through the coloring book. "Did a grownup help you with this? This is beautiful!" "He don't get to color much at home" says Denisha.
"Uh kid, what's you name?" says Albert. "He name is Levvon" replies Denisha. "L-E-V-V-O-N! he spells out, like on your coloring book there" replies Levvon. "Like on my coloring book?" Asks Albert. "Yes, replies Levvon as he points to the keyboard on Albert's computer. "How old are you? "I is 7" replies Levvon.
"Look kid, I can't color like this, I don't know of anyone that can color like this." As Albert flips though the coloring book pages he's stunned. The images jump right out of the page. They look like they have been painted by an adult. An adult with an amazing talent. Albert is a software engineer and while he knows little about children he knows a lot about smart people and he's starting to wonder about this little black kid with the big round eyes.
"Do you go to school kid". "He don't go to no school mister" laughs the little girl. "How did you learn to color like this, uh what's his name? Asks Albert. "L-E-V-V-O-N, is my name, I told you that mister, just like on your coloring book!" "You can see all the letters to your name there Levvon says Albert" "Uh huh" says the little boy.
Show me how to spell your name on the comp, uh, coloring book asks Albert. Levvon points at the keys on the computer keyboard and spells his name slowly. "You can touch the keys kid, just press with your finger, here let me open up something you can type your name on. Levvon touches one of the keys and giggles as he types in to a blank notepad document Albert had opened up.
Levvon types his name then giggles. He says to Albert "I have 6 parts in my name but I am 7. How old are you mister? I'm 24 replies Albert. "My 6 parts is 4 parts of how you is old!" Levvon says smiling. Albert looks at the child and it takes him a few seconds to figure out what Levvon means. Albert says "Oh, I see, I'm 24 and your names has 6 parts. So those parts fit in my name 4 times?" "Yes, sir, 6 and 6 and 6 and 6" replies Levvon. "He always looking at MeeMaw's cook book and telling her when she didn't put the right spoon numbers of sugar for our cookies" MeeMaw gone to heaven maybe we hear" says Denisha.
Albert has a masters degree in computer science and is starting to think that this little skinny black child has more to him that meets the eye. "Uh, look here kid, do you want to play a game?" "Yes, replies Levvon". "OK, see right here underneath you name? I have put a some numbers. Tell me what numbers are missing. Alberts had keyed in the numbers 2,3,5 and 7. "Levvon looks at the numbers and says "I is 7 years old!". I know says Albert but can you keep adding numbers to my list? "Them is a lot of numbers mister!" Well, just add a few of them that are missing. Levvon types in the number 11 and giggles, he then starts to type 13,17,19,23,29. "Uh, that's enough kid.
At this point Albert looks at the skinny little kid and scratches his head. He says "Do you see all of the chairs up there Levvon, the colored ones? Not the ones down here with us but all the regular seats?" "Uh huh" says Levvon. "I bet you can't tell me how many chairs are up there all over the place! Levvon stands up and turns around slowly. "Some of them chairs have people sitting in them". "Just count them like the people are not sitting in them, here just tap the numbers in the coloring book". "Ok, says Levvon and he taps in 54,816 then 6317. Albert looks at the numbers and says "so, you see 54,816 seats, what's the other number? "They's the people sitting in them seats that ain't empt" sayd Levvon.
Albert's laptop has Wi-Fi so he goes to the Internet and finds a page with statistics about the Astrodome. One of the Astrodome employees is passing by and Albert asks him" what did they last play here, football or baseball?" The answer he hears is "baseball". Albert looks back down at the web page and it says "seating capacity - baseball -54,816. "What the hell?" Albert whispers to himself. Albert pulls a ruler out of his bag and shows it to Levvon. "How about another game Levvon? "OK mister" replies Levvon. Albert hands him the ruler and says "See up there that big circle on the inside of this place? See how that circle goes all the way around? "Uh huh" says Levvon. "Can you pretend you see a little star on one side? Like it's stuck to that circle? And then can you pretend there is another star stuck right across from that? All the way on the other side? "Uh huh" says Levvon. "OK, you see this stick? Pretend that you had these hanging on a string and that string was hanging straight from one star to another. And that one of this little sticks was hanging one by one all next to each other, side by side to make one big stick from star to star? "Can I see that stick mister?" asks Levvon. Albert hands Levvon the "stick" and Levvon studies it then looks down at the laptop, clicks the notepad document back up and types "710.16". Albert looks up the web page again on the Astrodome and the web page and it says that the diameter of the Astrodome is 710 feet.
Albert looks at the number then at Levvon who says "I likes your games mister. I plays games like that all the time by myself in my head". Albert looks down at the young child's face and says "I'll be back in a bit, you just stay here".
CHAPTER 2 (Levvon and Professor Quan)
It gripes me too. But .. people need to understand that this has been the democrat's/liberal's plan. Keep black people dumbed down and throw money at them and then BUS them to the polls to vote.
The democrats/liberals are the racists. They don't want to have all those black people in their fancy shops and restaurants - unless you vote democrat.
Exactly. And this discussion makes it painfully obvious that most of the people attacking the article haven't even read it. Who said anything about a "Do Nothing" response? The article makes clear that a Conservative response should have been different, that's all. If Clinton had given the same speech, you people would be swallowing your tongues.
Nice try. Didn't care much for W's speech myself. Next time though, maybe this buffoon will actually give us "the speech" he implies he woulda/coulda/shoulda given, instead of a handful of kvetches and a few vague banalities.
Question; Not that it appears you'll answer or respond.
What is your relationship to Human Events Online?. It seems to be the only source you post from and you very seldom choose to reply within the threads....
Be careful! You're sneaking in the back door by posting more than the allotted except.
Totally agree. I'm a Bush critic on his spending, but IMO he's doing the right thing on this particular issue. He's not going to throw the money down the black holes of liberal hair-brained schemes.
The money is going directly to the producers and not to the slackers who'll whine and say "it's not enough" no matter how many billions are tossed their way.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.