Friends, I implore and beg of you to be kind and compassionate. The devastation in Mississippi and Louisiana cuts us all. While I realize you may have been dismayed by the cruelties of victims preying upon victims, remember that a society is not measured by how well it treats its best citizens but by how well it treats their worst ones. How we resolve this crisis reflects upon us all. Similarly, your generosity is a measure of your integrity and the truest measure of a person is not made under ideal conditions but under the worst of ones. Please, give generously as you are able.

For those who cannot, resolve to limit your highway driving speed to 55 miles per hour to conserve fuel. Driving faster than that amounts to individual selfishness we can ill afford. Please encourage your friends and family to do the same. My heart goes out to all of you.