Al Gore & The Big Apple!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
NEW YORK - Friday 25 May. The Barnes & Noble Book Store at Union Sqaure.
I was on hand for the New York release of Al Gore’s latest book:The Assault on Reason. It was a great opportunity to network and learn from other civicly engaged people who are doing something everyday to improve our environment.
Gore empowered me when he said “the Founders of our Republic place the responsibility of democracy and citizenship on everyday Americans.” He went onto say that we as a people have not done enough to challenge the misguided decisions of our officials in the current Executive Branch.
His book further expounds on those remarks: The Bush administration has “no fear of being held accountable for a cavalier, lackluster, mistaken, and inadequate response to the onrushing tragedy in New Orleans” (207).
The full U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee has not seriously probed or investigated the actions of the Bush administration in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina - despite the recent revelations that the Departments of State and Homeland Security squandered and mishandled millions of dollars in grants and aid from overseas (Washington Post: “Most Katrina Aid From Overseas Went Unclaimed,” Sunday, April 29, 2007).
And while a provision within the Stafford Act (a law requiring the Gulf Coast states to repay 10% of the federal disaster assistance they received after Katrina) was finally waived by the federal government last week - Congress continues to fail the victims of Katrina displaced throughout the Gulf Coast by not fulfilling its constitutional role to “check” and Probe The White House.
Lastly, Gore challenges us to be agents of change: “When the corpses of American citizens are floating in toxic floodwaters five days after a hurricane strikes, it is time not only to respond directly to the victims of the catastrophe, but to hold the processes of our nation accountable, and the leaders of our nation accountable, for the failures that have taken place” (206).
New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg: by Ed Reed, Offical Mayoral Photographer
Aside from operating in New Orleans, Washington D.C. and Chicago - now thanks to the generosity of a gracious donor - we have office space in Times Square, New York!
In addition to providing direct humanitarian relief to many individuals and families throughout The Big Easy, Team BNO has worked hard as Katrina survivors advocates in our nation’s capital.
Impressed by our persistent and sustained efforts, an anynomous donor has awared us office space in NYC, charging us with transporting the resources of “The Financial Capital of the World” into the hands of those displaced by Katrina.
Our team will spend the summer meeting with CEOs and senior executives of major business corporations in DC and NYC, persuading them to invest in New Orleans’ marginalized neighborhoods.
Our time in New York will be especially valuable in organizing and planning our major fundraising campaign during our historic 500 mile bike ride tracing the storm path of Hurricane Katrina from Tallahassee to New Orleans 25 - 29 August.
Hope you can join in our success whether supporting our bike ride or applying for/spreading the news about our internships! For Internship Information: http://bnonoun.blogspot.com/
