C'mon Melody, we all hate these f'g thugs.

There are still many, many innocent people that may die because help is not on the way.

"Evil flourishes when Good Men do NOTHING."

AND BRING IN SOME MORE BEER, DAMMIT!!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

And whose fault is it that they might die? That is not the government's, so please lets knock off the blame shifting, it makes my [censored] hurt. The state of LA told these people to LEAVE and they didn't. The Feds are doing everything they can and should be commended for it. Hopefully, they are good at dodging the bullets that are coming from the poor refugees in the Astrodome.

p.s. our convention center is full of refugees from LA, wanna take a family in?

TA -

I think it helps to look at it as an American disaster, not a gulf coast disaster. Please keep all our fellow Americans in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama in your thoughts and prayers. Do whatever you can and what your heart tells you is right to support those in need.

The Navy is sending the hospital ship Comfort, and the hospital where I work has staff mobilizing to help.

I read articles about people all over the country offering up rooms in their homes for these victims.

Melody - I'm sure it is a small percentage of people who are causing the problems. Ever been to a Saint's game? It is the same way there.

President Bush is having another news conference. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Let me guess, Bill (Slick Willy) Clinton and Bush Sr will raise $$$ for these victims instead of rescueing the people who are still alive.

What about the sick or the elder that could not leave. They need help.

I agree with TA. How would you feel if it were you or your family? I live on the east coast. My home is only about 6 feet about sea level. I have lived on the beach and had to leave my home.

It is not as easy as you think! JMO.

Do you have any idea how many illegal Mexicans live in my town?

Makes me sick. The schools are being destroyed, these people can't speak English, and drive with NO insurance. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I need to learn to speak Spanish because English is a 2nd Friggin language here and all the Liberals here incl our Canadian Governor (Jennifer Granholm) support these Illegals.

Most of those people made a choice to stay, or had no means of leaving.

Could you imagine the crap that would be flying around these boards if the state/fed gov. forced people to leave their homes (especially if the storm wouldn't have hit)?

Are there really people reading here that think our Gov. does not want this resolved ASAP? How can you continue to live in a country you feel is so inadequate?

I am a Gov contractor on a military istallation. My company does alot of work in the Homeland Security, FEMA arena, and we are volunteering personnel, Emergency vehicles, millions in out of pocket revenue to assist anyway possible. In my past 20+ years of military/Gov employment I have seen very few other organizations willing to unselfishly put themselves in harms way.

Please do not spend 2-12 hours watching CNN, and come to the conclusion there is "an easy fix" for a situation. Please also avoid the "Why didn't they do this?" Because that what I would have done scenerio.

Having been a victim in almost every type of natural disaster, with the exception of fire "knock on wood". The best thing you can do to show support is give money, blood, and sweat "if allowed".

I am waiting to hear back on approval for my company to be allowed to bring in some support vehicles. If allowed I will hopefully be going as well!

believer, the people who are causing the problems are the ones who didn't heed the warnings and leave as they were told. Thats why they are in this mess. Many others are looting and shooting things up. Sure, I have great sympathy for the elderly and the disabled who are trapped there, but they constitute a very small minority. Most are not disabled or elderly.

Bravo!!!! Well said. Thank you.

Not everyone has a car, Melody. And the free transportation wasn't enough to get everyone out. Do the math.

It is the poor who were trapped. The people who could not pile into an SUV and leg it out of town. Or those perhaps who could not afford the alternatives to overburdened free services -- as everywhere else, they are forced to hope for the best, hope the hurricane wouldn't be catastrophic (for awhile, it looked like it wouldn't be). For the poor, as always, it's a game of roulette.

Of course they need help and they are getting it; I certainly sympathize with them. But, I am not talking about them, but the vast majority of remaining folks who chose to ignore warnings. They CHOSE to stay despite numerous opportunities, and warnings, to leave.



It wouldn't be me or my family because I would never put my family in such a position. I would have left.

Sorry, AM, but there were numerous FREE opportunities to get out of town. There were massive bus caravans going north and many churches in other states opened their doors. Our convention centers and churches all along east Texas are full of poor people who made it out just fine. Many of these people remaining just decided to try their luck and ride it out.

We went through Isabel a couple of years ago. It was only a Cat 1 when it hit. I would not stay for a Cat4 or 5. Plain stupid. There was no help for several days, but we had PREPARED. We were not expecting the govt to save us. If people made the dumb decision to stay then they should have prepared for the aftermath. It was obvious this one would hurt!!!!

It was a right-winger Louisiana friend who explained the plight of the thousands of poor people in the poorest part of the city.

Try to open your heart as well as your mind.

Let me put it this way, I have sympathy for those who are disabled, elderly and/or TRULY couldn't get out, but I have no sympathy, whatsoever, for the numerous who chose to ignore warnings and stay in NO. Our churches, convention centers, etc are FULL of poor people and they all managed to heed the warnings and get out, so I know it was not impossible. And I only wish terrible things on the scumbags who are looting and shooting up the place.

I have stayed for a Cat3. My husband and I have both agreed that anything more and we are gone. We do try to prepare. But how do you prepare for what these people are going thru.

As far as the Looters & the crazy ones they need to leave them behind to kill each other.

I guess knowing of the POSSIBILITY of the city flooding would be enough to get out. Isabel flooded my whole neighborhood and was a cat1. NO is below sealevel. That's all I would need to know. You get out. That's your preparation.

Ummm, just so you know and as someone already mentioned...Canada is helping! We have rescue/medical teams on their way and our PM has called George Bush to see what is needed and what we can do. Although I recognize it's not a priority, it is sad that the message isn't getting out that your neighbours to the north do care and are helping.

Canada was there after Hurricane Andrew as well; rebuilding and providing medical care.

MicheleG,

I guess people were not thinking. I would have left NO to because of it being below sea level.

Are you in NC. We did not have the problems you had from Isabel but we are close enough that we travele on releif teams to help in the aftermath.