Letters: Katrina Stories

RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

Time now for your comments.

Most of your e-mails this week were about our coverage of Hurricane Katrina, and many of you were moved by our story about Brian French. He's a rookie cop in New Orleans who stayed on the job rescuing storm victims when others walked away.

Officer BRIAN FRENCH (New Orleans Police Department): I wouldn't and couldn't go through this again, but I stuck it out just because I felt I had to be there for my fellow officers and for the city.

SUSAN STAMBERG, host:

`Thank you for the positive story on Officer French,' writes Leon Pestrokov(ph) of Clearwater, Florida. `It's become difficult to listen to so much bad news recently. I'd like to encourage you to air stories similar to this one.'

MONTAGNE: We got a huge response to two essays about Hurricane Katrina that ran back to back. The first highly critical of the government response to the disaster; the second essay by Austin Bay was critical of all the criticism. Steven Dimetrio(ph) of Windham, Maine, wrote, `Mr. Bay's comments about the media often exacerbating tragic situations can be true, but in the case of levees breaking and inundating New Orleans, his apologies ring hollow. I can't help but wonder why the media had such quick access to the situation when it took days for any sort of organized relief effort to be coordinated.'

STAMBERG: But Jonathan Nightingale(ph) of Clinton, New York, writes, `I was grateful to hear your commentary by Austin Bay. I've been hearing nothing but blame being placed day after day by the media and politicians. Considering the scope of this tragedy, I think the response was timely and efficient.'

MONTAGNE: The other essay we ran by Judy Mueller noted that issues of race and class were laid bare by the storm. In response, William Ring(ph) of Flagstaff, Arizona, writes, `New Orleans is a great city with an optimistic human spirit, but it's also a sandcastle built at low tide. The storm dealt a blow to everyone and did not discriminate on the basis of class.'

STAMBERG: Scott Elliott(ph) of Asheville, North Carolina, takes another view. He writes, `This storm has focused our attention on what it needed to focus on for decades: The continued neglect of our own citizens at the bungling hands of our government.'

MONTAGNE: And after hearing a report about animal rescue groups trying to reunite evacuees with their pets, Alajandra Martin(ph) of Cedar Park, Texas, writes, `Why weren't survivors allowed to take their animals with them?'

Ms. ALAJANDRA MARTIN: These people have already lost everything. Can't those in charge of evacuation at least try to coordinate with the Humane Society or other animal rescue groups to help them evacuate their pets? I would leave my house much faster in any emergency if I could take my pets with me.

STAMBERG: Dozens of you said thank you to NPR's Rob Gifford for his eloquent goodbye to China which he has covered since 1999. Rob will be based in London now for us. Nathanson Kleinberger(ph) of Bellingham, Washington, writes, `Having lived in China--my wife is a Chinese immigrant--we were both impressed with Mr. Gifford's astute knowledge of this vast complex country. As a student of mine said, "It takes 5,000 years to understand this country." Gifford made great strides in six.'

MONTAGNE: And if you'd like to be in touch, go to npr.org.

STAMBERG: And then click on the button that says `contact us' and please let us know where you live, also how to pronounce your name.

MONTAGNE: And as Rob Gifford says goodbye to Asia, here's a replay of one of his finest moments from his series last summer called On the Road in China.

(Soundbite from last year)

ROB GIFFORD (NPR News): Well, I should have known that any Westerner who walks into a Karaoke bar in China, of course, he has to sing. So this is too surreal, with apologies to Don Henley and The Eagles. This is Rob Gifford in a Karaoke bar on Route 312 in eastern China.

(Soundbite of music)

GIFFORD: (Singing) Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? You've been out riding fences for so long now.

MONTAGNE: This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STAMBERG: And I'm Susan Stamberg.

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