Pray For New Orleans

There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

-Luke 21:25-26

Wizbang dispenses with sugarcoating and tells it to us straight. The Big Easy hasn't been scraped off the face of the Earth, but most of it has been rendered uninhabitable. To even begin rebuilding - if they even bother to rebuild in such a vulnerable area, as Hurricane Katrina just exposed - will take not weeks, but months.

You want to know how bad it is? Just watch this interview of Mayor C. Ray Nagin recounting the damage assessment given to him by FEMA. Look at his face, his demeanor. Can you blame him? I've just spent the past hour watching one video after another of the devastation, and sitting 2,500 miles away it's overwhelming. I can't begin to fathom what he and his city's residents must be feeling right now, and wouldn't feign the conceit that I could.

Michelle Malkin, as usual, is Grand Link Central. And Hugh Hewitt, as usual, is mobilizing the blogosphere for relief efforts.

See the Hurricane Katrina Help Wiki for comprehensive links/info on relief/aid agencies, fundraising events, helpline numbers, missing persons info, and breaking news.

UPDATE: Statement from the RNC:

Hurricane Katrina has passed and now the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama must begin the process of rebuilding. Our thoughts are with those who were affected by this powerful storm. During times like these, there is no room for politics and partisanship. This is a time when we all come together to help our neighbors.

Due to the size of this storm and the area of impact, the cost for recovery will be staggering. For that reason, we are asking you, our supporters, to make a donation to hurricane relief efforts. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army provide shelter, food, water, blankets and clothing to those who have lost everything.

It'd be nice if Ken Mehlman's "no room for politics and partisanship" sentiment was mutual on the other side of the aisle, but we know better than that.

ONE MORE UPDATE: Red State elaborates on this thought:

We interrupt your previously scheduled shrieking of "Blame Chimpy McBushitlerCo!" and "We can blame this all on global warming!" to bring you this much-needed dose of reality:

We don't want to ruin your little view of the world, but America's corporate giants are stepping up in a big way to help those in need.

Just a quick summary:

Ford Motor Company is allowing customers affected by the Katrina to defer payments for the next two months, penalty free.

For those with two and four-legged friends, Petco is holding a national fundraiser through their stores, asking customers to "round up" their purchase to help those critters in need.

Anheuser-Busch is sending more than three hundred thousand cans of clean drinking water.

Lowe's is not only matching customer donations to the American Red Cross up to $1 million, they're on the case with trucks and supplies.

The company that the Left loves to hate is taking the lead. Wal*Mart 1) already gave $1 million to the Salvation Army, 2) is using all 3,800 stores to raise money, 3) is sending trucks and trucks of supplies (many of which they don't even account for) as we speak, and 4) have already gotten a store in Kenner, LA open for supplies.

And many more to come… Right now, in conference rooms and offices across the country, executives are meeting not to discuss whether or not to help - but how much to help, and how to effectively help those in need.

You tell me which is "the reality-based community" - to say nothing of the fount of genuine compassion.

[HT: George Meredith]