The lack of compassion and competence at every level of the Bush administration is made evident by two emails sent out this week to all employees of the National Institutes of Health.
One has been previously mentioned on this site, urging NIH employees to participate in a bogus "Freedom Walk" on September 11, that seeks to perpetuate the Bush administration lie that the 9-11 terrorist attacks were somehow linked to Iraq. It was considered important enough to be sent out to the entire NIH staff on Wednesday morning, which happened to be Day 3 of the Bush New Orleans disaster.
The second, seemingly an afterthought, describes how NIH employees may volunteer to provide medical care for those stranded in New Orleans. It was sent out Friday, on the fifth day of the disaster, just after 5:00 PM, right *after* most employees had left for the Labor Day weekend.
Details below
Here is the email sent out on Wednesday morning to the entire staff of the NIH:
"In twelve days, we will commemorate Patriot Day, a day to remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001, a day to honor members of the Armed Forces currently serving at home and abroad, and a day to reiterate our commitment to the freedoms we enjoy. I will honor Patriot Day by participating in the Freedom Walk, a memorial event sponsored by the Department of Defense. I invite you as employees of the Department of Health and Human Services to join me.
The Freedom Walk begins at 10 a.m. in the Pentagon's south parking lot, winds two miles through Arlington National Cemetery and over the Potomac River, and ends at the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall where country music star Clint Black will perform. The walk is free, but people must register by visiting www.AmercaSupportsYou.mil <http://www.amercasupportsyou.mil>
September 11 marked a change in the way we view our world, our nation and ourselves. The betterment of ourselves and our country is our response. In whatever way you choose to commemorate the horrendous acts of early September four years ago, let us once again renew our gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy and reaffirm our commitment to tolerance, peace and liberty throughout the world."
...
And here is the email sent out almost a week after a catastrophic hurricane was expected to hit New Orleans, on day 5 of the ongoing disaster, after 5:00 PM on the Friday of a long weekend when no one would get it for another four days:
"September 2, 2005
TO: All NIH Staff
FROM: Director, NIH
SUBJECT: Volunteering to Help Regarding Hurricane Katrina
Thank you to all staff who have asked in what ways they may be able to help in the NIH Katrina response.
We are asking for two kinds of volunteers at this time. Please note that those who do volunteer must be willing and able to spend 2 weeks in difficult and unpredictable circumstances. For this deployment, volunteers must be in excellent health, physically able, and able to make a complete commitment for a full two weeks to volunteer at this time. You will also need to have the approval of your immediate supervisor and executive officer if you are asked to participate, to ensure that all critical agency areas are covered.
For physicians, nurses (licensed registered and practical), and clinical support individuals, please send an e-mail message to "NIH Katrinaresponse" indicating your willingness and your specialization, degrees, and credentials. You will find the address is on the global listing. Include in your message all contact information for the weekend.
For non-clinical personnel, please send an e-mail message to "NIH Katrinaresponse" indicating your willingness and any special skills (languages) or experiences you have related to this need. Include in your message all contact information for the weekend.
Finally, we must ask that once you have submitted an offer to volunteer, please be patient and do not attempt to recontact the mailbox or IC or OD offices, as there will be many considerations to be made about staffing. Also, we anticipate other opportunities to help in the NIH response as more information becomes available.
Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D."