Katrina's wrath remembered

A year after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, its effects are still being felt — even in Huntington Beach.

About 60 protesters gathered Aug. 31 on Pacific Coast Highway south of Main Street to criticize what they consider a lack of government assistance since the disaster.

The group, which was organized by Huntington Beach resident Jay Funsch, dressed for a New Orleans style funeral.

Adorned with feathered masks and plastic bead necklaces, the protesters carried a few black coffins, which Funsch built in his garage, in a funeral march intended to honor those whose lives were lost or affected by the storm and to call into question government response they view as partly responsible for the catastrophic losses.

"I called a buddy up and said get some bands together," Funsch said. The protesters had a week to prepare.

In a last-minute crunch, Funsch e-mailed news releases, called a few friends, and then went to work on organizing supplies and musicians, hoping the rest would fall into place.

Two patrol officers showed up shortly after the mock funeral started but there were no problems.

In Sept. 2005, President Bush, in a briefing with reporters, apologized for the mayhem that ensued after the hurricane.

"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government," Bush said. "And to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility."

That did not satisfy Thursday's protesters.

"I don't think it makes a difference to people who lost loved ones there," Funsch said.

The event got off to a slow start, but quickly built momentum as boosters gathered along the curb of Pier Plaza before the march, holding signs and waving at people to honk if they supported the cause.

One of those in attendance was Dr. Bill Honigman, the Orange County chapter leader for Progressive Democrats of America.

"It's been a long time coming," Honigman said. "Now we've all had a year to think about it."

The federal government had enough time and warning to prepare for the hurricane, Honigman said. Federal emergency workers could have prevented some of the devastation, he added.

Mike "Crab" Nelson, one of the black-clad pallbearers at the mock funeral, heard about the march through his brother, Vern Nelson.

"I wouldn't say [Bush is] the worst president ever, but he is the worst president since Jefferson Davis," Mike Nelson said, referring to the president of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.

Nelson's message was geared more toward the public than the government.

"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention," he said.