Politics Hurricane Katrina
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Tricia0817
Cadet
I am in Louisiana... it is very scary right now! The media is not reporting the whole story (surprise)! I have friends that are state troopers and emergency responders in Jefferson & Plaquemines parishes! Rescuers are being shot at, nurses have been raped, and people are wondering the streets (because they have been bused to shelters in surrounding cities, and though they have a curfew, they can roam during the day). They are causing chaos! I have never seen anything like it! It is devastating, tensions are high, conditions are poor, but the sense of entitlement is overwhelming! There have been car jackings, boat jackings, and assaults! I feel very unsafe! Lots of people are using this as an excuse to steal, etc. I could go on and on...
I wish I could say that the recovery efforts were going smoothly, but the decent people of Louisiana who are giving so much of their time and money (including myself) have to step back and think of our own safety! The crime and violence is so bad that I am afraid some innocent people will not be helped as quickly as they desire!
Lots of prayers are needed! I am praying for the innocent children and the elderly people!
I wish I could say that the recovery efforts were going smoothly, but the decent people of Louisiana who are giving so much of their time and money (including myself) have to step back and think of our own safety! The crime and violence is so bad that I am afraid some innocent people will not be helped as quickly as they desire!
Lots of prayers are needed! I am praying for the innocent children and the elderly people!
Jamison
Cadet
*sigh* I knew I'd have to explain myself.
Don't you think these are timely questions? I know that the people in New Orleans are asking those very questions. How do I know? I have family there. My roommate is from New Orleans. Almost her entire family lost everything they own, their houses in ruins. Her grandparents live in Biloxi, they suffered injuries and their home was entirely leveled with nothing left. They're asking those questions.
Of course we should be helping them...but some people don't have the means to do so, and keeping them in their thoughts and praying for them is all they have. I've donated to the Red Cross and donated water and food to local collection agencies. I don't think there's anything wrong with questioning what went wrong, especially when you are doing things to help.
*sigh again* I never said it was Bush's fault. I am blaming him for the extremely slow process that it is to get these people help. It happened Sunday and Monday...it's Thursday and many of these people have no where to go and have no food or water. He should've done more, and you'll find very few people who disagree with that stance...especially the people who matter, the people who are in the heart of the devestation. When you think that he left his vacation immediately and called an emergency session of Congress on a Sunday night for Terri Schiavo, you think he could do more for these people, when the lives of thousands are at risk and likely thousands more have been lost.
I don't want to take anything away from the disaster and the people who are suffering. But these people deserve answers, and I know for certain that they want them. Doesn't the President owe them an explanation as to why he was eating cake and playing a guitar while their lives were being destroyed? I don't think that's so much to ask.
And like I said before, please help these people. Any little bit would help. Donate food or water (especially water). Donate to the Red Cross...anything would be of help.
the_alliance said:
Don't you think these are timely questions? I know that the people in New Orleans are asking those very questions. How do I know? I have family there. My roommate is from New Orleans. Almost her entire family lost everything they own, their houses in ruins. Her grandparents live in Biloxi, they suffered injuries and their home was entirely leveled with nothing left. They're asking those questions.
Of course we should be helping them...but some people don't have the means to do so, and keeping them in their thoughts and praying for them is all they have. I've donated to the Red Cross and donated water and food to local collection agencies. I don't think there's anything wrong with questioning what went wrong, especially when you are doing things to help.
Jinnie said:Oh, a natural disaster is entirely Bush's fault. Haven't you heard.
I love liberals.
[post="1477277"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]
*sigh again* I never said it was Bush's fault. I am blaming him for the extremely slow process that it is to get these people help. It happened Sunday and Monday...it's Thursday and many of these people have no where to go and have no food or water. He should've done more, and you'll find very few people who disagree with that stance...especially the people who matter, the people who are in the heart of the devestation. When you think that he left his vacation immediately and called an emergency session of Congress on a Sunday night for Terri Schiavo, you think he could do more for these people, when the lives of thousands are at risk and likely thousands more have been lost.
I don't want to take anything away from the disaster and the people who are suffering. But these people deserve answers, and I know for certain that they want them. Doesn't the President owe them an explanation as to why he was eating cake and playing a guitar while their lives were being destroyed? I don't think that's so much to ask.
And like I said before, please help these people. Any little bit would help. Donate food or water (especially water). Donate to the Red Cross...anything would be of help.
church of mammals
Cadet
I just donated $10 to Habitat For Humanity a few minutes ago. I agree with Jamison: any reasonable donation is good ASAP. Kinda off topic, my half-sister who enters 11th grade next week is definitely going to get attention from peers for one reason: her name is Katrina. 
Once again, any reasonable donation is possible.
Once again, any reasonable donation is possible.
Phoenix 47
Cadet
I feel so terrible...I wish I could do more for New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast, but about all I can do is help hold fundraisers and give money.
At least there are finally some countries sending aid...finally!
At least there are finally some countries sending aid...finally!
the_alliance
Cadet
accepting or excepting? two very different meaningsJamison said:
Moonlite Star
Cadet
Wow, I can't believe this. I have seen hurricanes come and go in the US, living in the South, but never have I heard of one that has caused so much chaos!
I had turned on the radio this morning and had heard the talk show hosts discuss the looting in New Orleans. I can't say I was surprised, but I have not really seen hurricanes cause these things to happen on such a large scale (in the US). I had expected FEMA (isn't that the rather new organization that deals with these situations?!) would have prepared for such an incident and forsaw all these complications. And dealt with them (earlier...)!
But I guess I had too much confidence. Or maybe I just haven't lived long enough to see the day these things happen...
I had turned on the radio this morning and had heard the talk show hosts discuss the looting in New Orleans. I can't say I was surprised, but I have not really seen hurricanes cause these things to happen on such a large scale (in the US). I had expected FEMA (isn't that the rather new organization that deals with these situations?!) would have prepared for such an incident and forsaw all these complications. And dealt with them (earlier...)!
But I guess I had too much confidence. Or maybe I just haven't lived long enough to see the day these things happen...
Vaughn_Lovah
Vaughn's Chin Fondler
Things like this bring out either the best or the worst in people. It is a shame that they are acting like this.
Looters walking over dead bodies in houses to take what they can. It all just disgusts me.
Every minute that those levees stay unplugged matters a great deal. I wish they could hurry and get that done so they could go ahead and pump out the water. People are walking around in that nasty contaminated water with open wounds and diseases are going to spread if they don't do something soon.
I have no idea when I will be able to go back home. I can't even estimate a time. As of right now...I have no job. I don't plan on going back until the place is in a little bit more order and they get power and water under control. Like I said...who knows when that will be.
And Jamison is right about every reason that people didn't leave. People had their reasons. Some couldn't do anything about it.
Most of the people in New Orleans don't have cars because its such a big city so they use public transportation. There was nothing they could do.
Some people didn't expect it to be so bad. The older ones thought that if they stayed during Camille and survived than they could survive this one. They never even dreamed of seeing a storm this much stronger than Camille. This storm was just unreal. I'm still having a hard time getting my head around all this. I don't think it has really hit me yet. I know it will when I see it for myself.
The country just wasn't prepared for this. There should have been more help close by and ready to help. I don't really know who is to blame for it but theres nothing we can do now but point a finger.
Looters walking over dead bodies in houses to take what they can. It all just disgusts me.
Every minute that those levees stay unplugged matters a great deal. I wish they could hurry and get that done so they could go ahead and pump out the water. People are walking around in that nasty contaminated water with open wounds and diseases are going to spread if they don't do something soon.
I have no idea when I will be able to go back home. I can't even estimate a time. As of right now...I have no job. I don't plan on going back until the place is in a little bit more order and they get power and water under control. Like I said...who knows when that will be.
And Jamison is right about every reason that people didn't leave. People had their reasons. Some couldn't do anything about it.
Most of the people in New Orleans don't have cars because its such a big city so they use public transportation. There was nothing they could do.
Some people didn't expect it to be so bad. The older ones thought that if they stayed during Camille and survived than they could survive this one. They never even dreamed of seeing a storm this much stronger than Camille. This storm was just unreal. I'm still having a hard time getting my head around all this. I don't think it has really hit me yet. I know it will when I see it for myself.
The country just wasn't prepared for this. There should have been more help close by and ready to help. I don't really know who is to blame for it but theres nothing we can do now but point a finger.
Jamison
Cadet
the_alliance said:
Accepting...typo, my bad. And anyways excepting wouldn't have made any sense in that situation...but actually I haven't read anymore about it, so I'm not sure it's true. It is true that we were not accepting the aid of troops from countries.
Vaughn_Lovah said:
It really is a shame. And thanks for backing me up, I thought my reasons for people wanting to stay pretty much covered all aspects.
And I just honestly had to vent. Aside from school, I've done nothing but watch the hurricane coverage and cry my eyes out over the tragedy and the obvious incompetence of the people in charge. I don't regret what I said, because it's true. Things weren't handled properly. I don't think people will say that they were. And we deserve an explanation as to why. And why Bush cut the funding a few years ago that was going to reinforce the levees, because scientists knew this was going to happen, it wasn't if, but when. I just had to get it off my chest. And it seems like a lot of people are. Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn, and Ted Koppel all did as well. Anderson knows best...he's down in the heart of it, and is absolutely disgusted with how things are being handled.
On a side note that has relevance to Katrina...60 out of 100 gas stations are out of gas in Asheville, NC...and a good portion in my college town are also out, and if they aren't out most of them only have premium left...it's absolutely crazy to see people so panicked over gas.
Why the hell arn't the Army being sent into what is left of New Orleans?, i know the national guard are in there. There are armed gangs roaming around, looting, raping , beating people up and apparently now starting fires, there are people in desperate need of water and food and having to steal food to survive. They havn't had any help from the Red Cross or the goverment officials and this is the 4th day after the event! And this is a civilised industrialised country what the hell is Bush thinking! It is an absolute disgrace. It is blatently clear fronm the BBC news that it is the poor and the sick that are left behind to suffer. The local hospital was promised an airlift of its patients 2 days ago,they are still waiting. These people didn't have the means to get out of city. Bush should be very very ashamed of himself. I know he didn't cause this tragedy, but the response to it is worse than a third world natural disaster.
Azhria Lilu
Captain
It's horrible how long the federal government has waited to move in.
It's impossible for me to understand why people would shoot at rescue helicopters.
It's impossible for me to understand why people would shoot at rescue helicopters.
White_Rabbit
Mr. Trixter
Vaughn_Lovah said:
I agree with Charlie, that I don't understand, why people would shoot at rescue helicopters, that's too extreme. But I partly understand the looters. People aren't choosing to act like this; they have no choice. The only people that have come are New Orleans Cost Guard troops. The federal government have not helped. And those who have been pulled from their homes have been sent to the convention center, and no one's helping them there either. All that food and water are behind closed fences at the center.
The people were told to go there, so that's where they went. Pointing a finger and feeling sorry for yourself is not the right thing to do or the only thing. The best thing we can do is to donate and help in any way we can. If I were them, I'd be stealing food too. I mean, we're talking about infants dying here. If it was my family, I'd go to those extremes too.
In my opinion the federal government isn't doing enough. I live in Dallas and I went downtown to the reunion area, and though people were better of than in New Orleans, it still wasn't too good. I brought a lot of clothes and water, it was heartbreaking to see all those people. They looked like walking zombies, in a state of confusion and fear. One of the little girls came up to me, and asked if I had any toys. When I gave her a teddy bear, she looked like she had won the lottery...
Everyone there was really thankful to the media, one of the women I met said she has family in the Convention center, if it wasn't for the media then the 'government' wouldn't even know about them.
As far as the looters, I think that there are two kinds: Ones who stole to survive, and ones that stole to get rich. For latter I feel anger and the former were doing what was nessacary to survive!
-Jules-
Everyone there was really thankful to the media, one of the women I met said she has family in the Convention center, if it wasn't for the media then the 'government' wouldn't even know about them.
As far as the looters, I think that there are two kinds: Ones who stole to survive, and ones that stole to get rich. For latter I feel anger and the former were doing what was nessacary to survive!
-Jules-
Jamison
Cadet
Julia08 said:
Amen to that. They aren't doing enough. Finally today some things are being done. But I'm like a lot of the people out there, I'm sick of these press conferences showing politicians thanking each other over and over again while people are dying.
And I agree about the looters...the ones who have stolen guns, are shooting at hospitals, raping girls, and stealing just to steal absolutely disgust me. However the ones who didn't have a choice and have stolen food, water, diapers, blankets and other necessary things did what they had to do and what any number of us would've done to save our family. If things had been done sooner, this wouldn't be happening...at least to the level that it is.
My University, as well as all the public UNC system universities in North Carolina are opening their doors to students displaced by the storm...and they are all organizing fundraisers, donation sites, and blood drives...we're trying to do as much as we can.
And an update on gas. My hometown is almost completely out of gas...75% of our gas stations are closed because there is no more. My college town is in about the same boat. The public schools in my hometown have less than a week's worth of gas left, and got a memo today saying that if they didn't get gas soon, they'd have to close. Needless to say, things are getting chaotic here. People are behaving like crazy people and are even going so far as to steal gasoline out of other people's cars. I realize it's nothing like the situation in the gulf, and I don't want to show it as such, but just want to point out the far reaching affects of Hurricane Katrina.
White_Rabbit
Mr. Trixter
I don't think anyone is stealing to get rich. No one's thinking about making money now, they need to live.
Vaughn_Lovah
Vaughn's Chin Fondler
Yea they are stealing electronics and guns. I don't really think that those are items needed to survive. Looters shooting a cop in the head? I seriously doubt that all that was over food.
sugababyboo
mrs. charlie
Did anyone watch the telethon??? How about Kanye West totlaly going on an anti-Bush rant?? AWK-WARD! lol I totally get why he's pissed but I don't think it was the right time or place to get political. Yes, I believe Bush and Co. were tardy on handling this situation. But I think it was unfair of Kanye to say that only "his people" were affected and that Bush didn't lcare about black people. I like the guy, he's talented, but he's got some learning to do because blacks aren't the only minority group that is discriminated against in this country and they are certainly not the only ones that have suffered because of Katrina. Although I will hand it to him, he has cajones!
Here's an article
From juiceenewsdaily.com
Kanye West used a Red Cross benefit to benefit his own personal platform Friday night during the NBC Hurricane Katrina Relief program.
In a disgusting display, West strayed from his prepared script to offer an overflow of hatred from his mouth, taking the spotlight off of the matter at hand, turning the relief program into his own personal soapbox.
Just before being cut-off by NBC executives, West stated: "George Bush doesn't care about black people."
West appeared on-screen with comedian Mike Myers, who was obviously shaken by West's remarks. At one point Myers attempted to put an end to the tirade.
NBC beat him to the punch, cutting to a shot of actor Chris Tucker.
Other comments by West: "They're saying black families are looting and white families are just looking for food...they're giving the (Army) permission to shoot us"
Here's an article
From juiceenewsdaily.com
Kanye West used a Red Cross benefit to benefit his own personal platform Friday night during the NBC Hurricane Katrina Relief program.
In a disgusting display, West strayed from his prepared script to offer an overflow of hatred from his mouth, taking the spotlight off of the matter at hand, turning the relief program into his own personal soapbox.
Just before being cut-off by NBC executives, West stated: "George Bush doesn't care about black people."
West appeared on-screen with comedian Mike Myers, who was obviously shaken by West's remarks. At one point Myers attempted to put an end to the tirade.
NBC beat him to the punch, cutting to a shot of actor Chris Tucker.
Other comments by West: "They're saying black families are looting and white families are just looking for food...they're giving the (Army) permission to shoot us"
