I am seriously trying to separate disbelief from disgust when it comes to Puerto Rico.

When news media showed the dark island without power, I noted the illuminated areas, where the U.S. military locations still had power.

Fifty years ago, the Department of Defense contracted with Vinnell Corp. to build and operate power barges to keep the coastal bases in Vietnam supplied with electricity. There are power generation ships created by companies like Mitsubishi, that provide electric power to island locations all over the world. Why are they not relieving Puerto Rico?

In the same day’s news Oct. 3, we saw correspondents visiting dark, multi-story apartment buildings, filled with elderly who had no electricity and had not been offered medical help, potable water or food.

At the same time, there was a news item showing private planes carrying out a “humanitarian” trip to take family pets to safety in individual cages out of St. Croix – which escaped devastation – then returning them to their owners.

Then (after two weeks!), the president and entourage were welcomed by an interesting group of people applauding his arrival. They were clean-shaven, clean clad, smiling and grinning for the cameras as he tossed rolls of paper towels to them from a table covered with “relief” items. And, at last, a naval hospital ship arrived.

You cannot make this up. It is not fake news. This is the “new” reality we live in.

Loretta M. Turner

Biddeford