I grew up not too far from New Orleans - it sound like some of you really don't understand the community in the inner city there. These are some of the poorest people in America - a large percentage of them didn't "heed warnings and get out" because they simply couldn't. Lots of them don't even own vehicles and travel by foot or if they are lucky bicycle. Many of them have never been out of the area they live in. The people you see on tv going in circles more or less trying to figure out where to go - it is because they can't see the scope of this thing. They don't know how bad it is - they aren't watching CNN with the rest of the country.

Pray for them - pray they get out alive. Stop blaming them for the predicament they are in. Somehow someway someone has too help them!

My H is one of the National Guardsmen working on the logistics from our state--1500 miles away from the gulf states. When the National Guard from other states come in, they too have to be provisioned with food & water, have a place to land, understand the situation and their role. Different units have different missions with different training & equipment, ie are they a transportation company, engineers, medics...artillery.

Some ARE in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia.

The Guards in the devastated states may not have access to their equipment, generators, communications or their soldiers who aren't full-time federal employees. Phones are ringing all over the nation in the homes & civilian offices of the members of the National Guard.

Natural disaster + big city + voluntary evacuation = some people will still be there during and after the disaster. This is a fact. Everybody knew this would happen.

A society that values civility and brotherhood does not turn its back on people because we judge them to have made an unwise decision.

ML, how shall we determine which of those stranded in NO are worthy of help?

I love you ML, but you're full of it today.

GC

GC, I think everyone is "worthy" of help and help is certainly on the way. However, I refuse to impart sympathy to those who sat there on their a**es instead of leaving as they were told. They only have themselves to blame.

I'll save my sympathy for those who truly deserve it, such as the real victims, like those poor children whose parents were too damn lazy to get them out of harms way. And the elderly and handicapped who couldn't get out.

If you choose to feel pity for people who CHOSE to put themselves in that position, that is your issue, but don't you dare sanctimonously DEMAND that I feel pity for folks who had every opportunity to get out and chose to stay.

Jack Rafferty (he was fuming) of CNN ripped Bush, the Governor, the Mayor, the Natl Guard, and every singl gov't agency.

CNN has a poll going and so far over 600 respondents ALL said we were unprepared. Not one person said we were ready. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Said it has been 5 days since the storm hit and we knew no less than 2 days notice that it was a CAT 4 storm at Minimum.

He also said if these people were Rich White Fat Cats they would have been saved within 24 hours.

Your racism is hardly necessary don't ya think ???

I'm with ML on this one.

If I'm living in a city below sea level, and a CAT 4 is coming, I'm not riding it out folks. I have children. They come first.

So it's wrong for the rich to utilize their own resources for their own benefit? Resources that they have acquired by being the "movers and shakers" of this country. Punishing the wealthy by restricting their use of the advantages that they created for themselves would cause a societal shutdown. Without the rich, the poor or middle classes do not exist...Read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand to see what would happen if we began to penalize the wealthy simply because they have used their intelligence to become successful and productive members of society. I am not a Darwin fan, but I must call "survival of the fittest" on this one...


Mrs. Wondering


P.S. "Who is John Galt?"

I must call survival of us all on this one.

There's no excuse for people to be sick and dying and in danger in NO. My question for those who want to turn their backs...

Why do you hate America?

GC

GC, who is turning their backs on these people? I have yet to see anyone who is doing this. And who "hates" America? The only "hate" I see here is being spewed from TA against Mexicans and white people, who ARE Americans.

Correct, there is no excuse for them staying behind when there was warning and FREE transportation out of N.O.


Who is turning their back? There are plenty of people trying to help those who are in a bad spot due to their own bad decisions. And they are being shot at by those they are trying to help. (With guns looted from Wal-Mart, btw)


Please... It's a horrible tragedy in N.O. Many are doing their best to help.

But Melody is right. Able bodied adults should stand on their own two feet and not always look to gov.org to fix problems of their own making.

People all over television and the radio, making sweeping generalizations, saying that people stuck in NO are stuck there because they are stupid, these people implicitly advocate turning our backs by diminishing the incentive to bring aid to NO.

Aside: during the last four years, the Army Corps of Engineers has lost most of the portion of their budget intended to fund work on the levees in NO. The Corps knew the levees were likely to fail. I can't believe anybody from the federal government would say something as colossally dumb and false as "Nobody expected the levees to be breached". When I heard this, my jaw dropped.

In early 2001, FEMA listed the three major disasters most likely to occur in the near future. One was a terrorist attack in NYC. Another was a devastating hurricane striking NO. The third was a major earthquake in San Francisco.

I'm amazed that anybody is debating whether or not Americans in pain are deserving of assistance.

GC

For the most part, this is a true statement.

They have known this type of thing could happen for decades. It is known that the levees couldn't take more than a cat 3. Would *you* have stayed???


Who is debating that they don't deserve help? I hear people saying they were stupid to stay behind, and that is pretty obvious.

Amazing. They don't need an excuse. They're human beings in danger in America. When our brothers are suffering we should help them. Why is there any debate about this?


What makes you sure there are plenty?

An old man in NO fell down a stairwell and cracked his head. His neighbor tried to stop the bleeding. Somebody went for help. They found several NO police cars, but none of the cops could help.

Why were there not National Guardsmen crawling over the place?

Plenty? You really think so?


Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Shall we wait for the people stuck in NO to just pull themselves up by their bootstraps then?

What is the point here?

This isn't some lame-brained debate about social welfare programs. It's the wake of a disaster. Sheesh.

The only point I can see is "to heck with them; they're fools".

I think that's sick.

GC

GC, most are stuck there because they are stupid. That is simply a fact; don't shoot the messenger. But, I have yet to see or hear a single person advocate turning our backs on these people. Yes, many are freaking idiots who placed themselves in this situation willingly, and there is no reason to ignore that unpleasant truth. You may wish to do so, but you have no right to demand it of others. There is nothing "compassionate" about pretending it isn't true.

I see alot of sanctimonious folks trying to co-opt the tragedy of others in order to portray themselves as more "compassionate" and beat others over the head for not being as "compassionate" as them. [most often called guilt manipulation]

But you know what? We have a little saying here in Texas that goes like this: TALK IS CHEAP. Or another favorite: Money talks and bullsh** walks.

How about the "compassionate" folks on this thread put your money where your mouths are and take in a refugee family as many of us here in Longview, Texas are? You can call my church at:

First Baptist Church
290 E South St
Longview, Texas
903-758-0681

and put your name on the list to "adopt" a family. Or you can call:

Maude Cobb Center in Longview. That number is (866) 438-4636 [about a 100 refugees and growing daily]

They need money, clothes, blankets, towels, washcloths, pillows, etc.

Not that this thread has any business here, but break out the gaff, fish-on...

Regardless of your News preference. CNN or Fox News, They will tell you what you want to hear in support of your politcal beliefs, finger pointing options.

I think the focus should be "what can I do to help". Not what has this division or branch of federal/local Gov. Done or NOT done.

Simply said Quit B*tchin, and take action.

There is no debate. You are fighting a paper tiger, my friend. There is no there "there" as no one is arguing that we shouldn't help them.

Why not put your money where your mouth is and take in one of these families?

Why don't you shut up and do something about it then? Take in a family and quit whining about BIG POPPA GUBMINT doing all the work. We have numerous refugee families here in Longview who deseperately need help:

First Baptist Church
290 E South St
Longview, Texas
903-758-0681

and put your name on the list to "adopt" a family. Or you can call:

Maude Cobb Center in Longview. That number is (866) 438-4636 [about a 100 refugees and growing daily]

Folks -

I hope everyone here will learn from the unfortunate experience of these survivors. How many times have you seen the pamphlets and lists for disaster preparedness? They are EVERYWHERE.

With the threat of terrorism and natural disasters, people are crazy not to be prepared. I have supplies, which I rotate, and have had for YEARS. I have meals, water, canned goods (and boxed wine!), flashlights, first aid kits, sleeping bags, tents, fishing poles (we live by the ocean). They are stored in 3 plastic bins that can be evacuated with my family and pets, in about 2 minutes - all packed up and ready to go.

I work for the federal government, so I KNOW not to count on them. Anyway, they always warn you to be able to be self-sufficient for up to two weeks.

NO ONE is ever going to take care of you and your family like you will.