maybe i shouldn't post this...

[kittie]

i don't want to continue a closed thread that turned into a big debate, but i do want to say something. i have mixed feelings about the government and how quickly things happened for the victims of hurricane katrina in new orleans. one part of me knows how horrific and unprepared we were for this and the other thinks they could have moved quicker and how could they just let these people starve while we were "organizing?" bottom line is, the levees should have been reinforced years ago. i think it goes with the whole "it will never happen to me." saying. how many people think they are going to be raped or murdered or robbed in the near future, much less never? nobody thinks it will happen to them. it is no excuse but i honestly think that is what happened with it not being done. i bet they won't let something slide like this again. god i hope not. i really wish people would quit playing the race card. why is it the color of your skin automatically means that you will be treated any differently than someone of another skin color? i have never understood that. i know that racism occurs and it occurs alot. i know this. but do you really think that our country is so racist that they would sit around and watch babies die and people starve without doing all that they could? i mean honestly, if i thought that, that was the case i would pack all of my stuff and move today. i believe from the bottom of my heart that we as a country were not prepared for this. blame whoever you want for it. it could have been 500,000 of the richest white people in america and we would have had the same exact difficulties as we did with the victims we are dealing with now. how can racism die if everytime anything goes wrong you step back and look at the color and then analyze the situation? those victims are human beings PERIOD. i can tell you right now, that people in my state of LOUISIANA where we have a bad rep for being racists have worked our ***es off to help these people. i live in baton rouge and we have over 100,00 new people right here that we are helping in any way we can. as for as the looting goes. when i talk about looting i think plasma tvs and $300 sneakers. NOT FOOD. that is NOT looting. i don't care who they were, if they needed a clean shirt or something to eat, i don't blame them one bit. the majority of refugees left behind are black, so majority of the looters are going to be what...BLACK. that's why you see more "black" looters filmed on tv. please, can't we all just love each other and get along regardless of race? please.

:heartpump:

[jaspernotting]

One day if I meet our Creator will ask Him a few questions

1. What is Adam and Eve's color... ;) Take it easy pal...

2. Why He make us so "colorful"???

3. Whe He "create" so many languages? (bible translater are sooooo busy)

Cheers!!

[lanca]

ok I just read all the crazy ness on the other one figured I would come here. that turned into a never ending race fight with a you right you wrong on it.
I am from baton rouge and work in communications where the new orleans phones was rolling over to us and I had to listen to calls of people trapped in there house and knowing I am the last person they will talk to. this past week at work has been real hard. talking to people calling looking for family's and all the numbers of people calling wanting to send supplies and help and they get the run around.
it was not the president who totally let them down even though he should of been going thru the coast line tuesday commenting on everything. but I guess this is his last term anyway so reelection pr does not matter anymore to him. our own state gov. did most of the let down. mainly because we were not pre paired. which being born and raised here I really have problems under standing that. it is just one of the things you know growing up and told all the time one day a hurricane will come thru and wipe out new orleans. but they said it was not a priority to prepare for it. there were more concerns and to the life of me I can not figure out what the heck they could be. keeping the saints in new orleans, keeping the superdome up, helping the casino's keep from going bankrupt and all the other way's they think of spending the money on much more important things. we are the only state in the us. that has a town that is considered a 3rd world country. and a mass majority of new orleans were very poor people.
people keep saying they had time to get out they had warning and they did. and the ones who could get out did. there was the few who did not think it was going to be that bad and chose to stay. but most of the ones who stayed could not get out. either they were first responders people who were not allowed to leave work before the busses left or had ailing parents living with them who can not just pack up and leave. most of the south have very strong family values and we take care of our own. same with me i have my mother and father both living here and taking care of them.
it's sad it took the mayor of new orleans to get on national tv and tell the president he needs to get his a&& down here and with help. most of all the lower public officials have been out there and working none stop from the mayor's, city officials and police chiefs to all the first responders. they were going in with there own boats after the storm calmed down to start rescuing people. but all the special crisis response states people have been running around like a chicken with there heads cut off trying to get new's time to make people think they know what is going on.
ok i will stop i can keep going for ever on this i have so many point of views where this is concerned and how the messed it up. and now have every one pointing the finger at this or another so they don't get the finger's totally pointed at them.
i know i jumped off topic so much. i have just really had some serious issues with all of this. it is now over a week and we are finally getting they help they should of had Tuesday or at least by wednesday.
ok i am stopping
lanca

[Clutch]

I think the state needs to look inward first. Your state and local governments obviously knew this was going to happen 2 days before it did, and some genius decided that the best course of action was.... tada, we'll just stick 'em in the Superdome!

I hope whichever idiot made that call is brought up on criminal charges or shot. If you're going to call 25000 people and tell them they don't have to evacuate, they can come to a central point, you damn well better be prepared to handle 25000 people. That move alone has probably cost the area hundreds if not thousands of lives. The message should have been, get the h@ll out of the city, because the wrath of God is coming into town.

I really hope there are more survivors than predicted, but whether by the hurricane, drowning, or disease to follow, the outlook is not good. I pray for everyone involved in the effort of rescue and recovery, because right now those people couldn't pay me enough to go into houses on a body search.

-Clutch

[RunninMomma3]

I think it's in extremely poor taste that the President of the United States wants to do the "bickering" of placing blame at a time like this. It shows poor judgement on his part. Just help the people. Who cares about their race or how much $$ they DID make or where they DID live. George W. is not making a very good picture of being "united". It's the other people in this country that are doing it.

[sparkk72]

I don't think that they told them not to evacuate actually they were told get the h%$#@ out of town. Think about it; almost all of the people in the superdome were poor ninth ward residents who did not have the resources to leave N.O. so they did the next best thing. If they had not gone to the superdome they would have died in Katrina's wrath. I realize that there were murders and rapes in there and thats because not only did the good,giving citizens of LA need a place to go but also the scum and low-life and criminal community which not only exists there but in every city in the world!
I was born and raised in New Orleans LA and as long as I can remmember we dealt with hurricanes, massive flooding and catastrophies of nature and me and my huge hispanic family never left!! why?! because thats what real new orlenians do they stick it out, they think, "we have been through this a million times before and if something bad does happen our government will help us." They were let down by the people who depend on them to elect them into office!!! I have no idea where my WHOLE family is as of the 7th day and they all reside in Jeff parish and Orleans Parish. I'll tell you something else if they made it to the superdome and were spared their lives even if they had to endure the horrific events that transpired there, at least I would know that they are still here. I could go one forever too, and am completely drained of almost all of my spiritual energy which I rely on to get me through times like this. Whether it was a racial issue, I don't think anyone should be argueing about this I mean WE DON'T KNOW !! Those are all just opinions not facts The fact is right now the important thing is helping these people NOW!!! They already made them wait long enough everybody can argue about all the Bull&^%$# later!

New Orleanian Forever... :miss_u:

[kittie]

Originally posted by Clutch:
I think the state needs to look inward first. Your state and local governments obviously knew this was going to happen 2 days before it did, and some genius decided that the best course of action was.... tada, we'll just stick 'em in the Superdome!

I hope whichever idiot made that call is brought up on criminal charges or shot. If you're going to call 25000 people and tell them they don't have to evacuate, they can come to a central point, you damn well better be prepared to handle 25000 people. That move alone has probably cost the area hundreds if not thousands of lives. The message should have been, get the h@ll out of the city, because the wrath of God is coming into town.

I really hope there are more survivors than predicted, but whether by the hurricane, drowning, or disease to follow, the outlook is not good. I pray for everyone involved in the effort of rescue and recovery, because right now those people couldn't pay me enough to go into houses on a body search.

-Clutch you do understand that by the time they started putting people into the dome, it was too late to do anything else. in 2 days alone it is impossible to get buses and get them all out of there that have no transportation or any other means to get out. think about how crazy traffic was. it took a girl i know 12 hours to make the hour drive to baton rouge. they put them in the dome as their last chance of survival. some couldn't afford to get out and some wouldn't go. i THANK GOD they put who they could in the dome because if they had not, the loss of life would be a thousand times over what it is.

[kittie]

Originally posted by lanca:
ok I just read all the crazy ness on the other one figured I would come here. that turned into a never ending race fight with a you right you wrong on it.
I am from baton rouge and work in communications where the new orleans phones was rolling over to us and I had to listen to calls of people trapped in there house and knowing I am the last person they will talk to. this past week at work has been real hard. talking to people calling looking for family's and all the numbers of people calling wanting to send supplies and help and they get the run around.
it was not the president who totally let them down even though he should of been going thru the coast line tuesday commenting on everything. but I guess this is his last term anyway so reelection pr does not matter anymore to him. our own state gov. did most of the let down. mainly because we were not pre paired. which being born and raised here I really have problems under standing that. it is just one of the things you know growing up and told all the time one day a hurricane will come thru and wipe out new orleans. but they said it was not a priority to prepare for it. there were more concerns and to the life of me I can not figure out what the heck they could be. keeping the saints in new orleans, keeping the superdome up, helping the casino's keep from going bankrupt and all the other way's they think of spending the money on much more important things. we are the only state in the us. that has a town that is considered a 3rd world country. and a mass majority of new orleans were very poor people.
people keep saying they had time to get out they had warning and they did. and the ones who could get out did. there was the few who did not think it was going to be that bad and chose to stay. but most of the ones who stayed could not get out. either they were first responders people who were not allowed to leave work before the busses left or had ailing parents living with them who can not just pack up and leave. most of the south have very strong family values and we take care of our own. same with me i have my mother and father both living here and taking care of them.
it's sad it took the mayor of new orleans to get on national tv and tell the president he needs to get his a&& down here and with help. most of all the lower public officials have been out there and working none stop from the mayor's, city officials and police chiefs to all the first responders. they were going in with there own boats after the storm calmed down to start rescuing people. but all the special crisis response states people have been running around like a chicken with there heads cut off trying to get new's time to make people think they know what is going on.
ok i will stop i can keep going for ever on this i have so many point of views where this is concerned and how the messed it up. and now have every one pointing the finger at this or another so they don't get the finger's totally pointed at them.
i know i jumped off topic so much. i have just really had some serious issues with all of this. it is now over a week and we are finally getting they help they should of had Tuesday or at least by wednesday.
ok i am stopping
lanca hey lanca- i bet you are so stressed having to deal with this first hand. my husband has worked 60 hours of overtime this week and is really stressed. getting called in, in the middle of the night. he has broke down and just cried several times. it is so sad what has happened to us. but we will all get through it. i agree about not understanding how our state could give the saints 200 million dollars but couldn't spare anything for reinforcing the levee. i will never understand that.

[kittie]

Originally posted by sparkk72:
I don't think that they told them not to evacuate actually they were told get the h%$#@ out of town. Think about it; almost all of the people in the superdome were poor ninth ward residents who did not have the resources to leave N.O. so they did the next best thing. If they had not gone to the superdome they would have died in Katrina's wrath. I realize that there were murders and rapes in there and thats because not only did the good,giving citizens of LA need a place to go but also the scum and low-life and criminal community which not only exists there but in every city in the world!
I was born and raised in New Orleans LA and as long as I can remmember we dealt with hurricanes, massive flooding and catastrophies of nature and me and my huge hispanic family never left!! why?! because thats what real new orlenians do they stick it out, they think, "we have been through this a million times before and if something bad does happen our government will help us." They were let down by the people who depend on them to elect them into office!!! I have no idea where my WHOLE family is as of the 7th day and they all reside in Jeff parish and Orleans Parish. I'll tell you something else if they made it to the superdome and were spared their lives even if they had to endure the horrific events that transpired there, at least I would know that they are still here. I could go one forever too, and am completely drained of almost all of my spiritual energy which I rely on to get me through times like this. Whether it was a racial issue, I don't think anyone should be argueing about this I mean WE DON'T KNOW !! Those are all just opinions not facts The fact is right now the important thing is helping these people NOW!!! They already made them wait long enough everybody can argue about all the Bull&^%$# later!

New Orleanian Forever... :miss_u: :heartpump: i'm so sorry about not knowing about your family. have you been in touch with any of the shelters or anything? i have alot of numbers and urls for helping locate missing loved ones. let me know if maybe i can help you.

[MustangSally]

"RunninMomma3

Bronze Phenster
Member # 17893

posted September 05, 2005 10:33 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think it's in extremely poor taste that the President of the United States wants to do the "bickering" of placing blame at a time like this. It shows poor judgement on his part. "


I dont think it was the president who pointed the finger first...
...the mayor should be looking at the governor and asking WTF!! last time i checked the governors were able to tell there own states national guard where to be...and the mayor could of used all those school buses now under water to take all the people away from there...to other towns/states...just a matter of picking up the phone and asking...can we come there, will you help? Dropped it...and now some people are trying to save face by pointing their fingers at W...BTW...time or place never stops anyone else from blame placing...
other places are suffering too, and we are hardly hearing about it...what about MS? Who can we blame for their lack of coverage...how bout the press....no not the press...say it aint so.

[kittie]

we are hearing now that it was the governor who requested 24 hours to decide what she wanted to do and how to send in help. 24 hours that those people could not afford. then again, all we know is what we hear or see on tv or read in the paper. these are only assumptions until we get facts which will probably never come out.

[Clutch]

I NEVER, EVER, COUNT ON SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE SURE I SURVIVE, EVER.

Your local and state government failed. If this was not the case, than why have other states with underwater cities not had near as many dead. For one, they didn't invite them all to the Cholera Dome instead of bussing them out.

Oh, if you're too stubborn and decided to stay at home and "ride it out", you've made your choice, don't go screaming that the government did nothing to get you out.

Sorry, but survival is something I'm very passionate about. I understand that there were invalids and old people, and they are the ones that I feel were failed by the government. But any able bodied person should have hiked out if they had to, because God knows I would have.

[Clutch]

Originally posted by kittie:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by sparkk72:
[qb]because thats what real new orlenians do they stick it out, they think, "we have been through this a million times before and if something bad does happen our government will help us." Well, I guess next time you can vote for the other guy. Somehow I doubt it would have made a difference.

[DeeEmm]

I think there's plenty of blame to share AND spare on this one. They all dropped the ball - starting with the people who didn't leave when told all the way up to the president.

I just got done reading the other two threads and I feel sick to my stomach. Tragedy usually brings out the best in Americans, but this time it's brought out the worst. People are saying some truly shameful and disgusting things here.

I'm probably going to wish I never joined in on this, and this isn't what I come to this forum for anyway.

[sparkk72]

Thanks for your advise on my next vote.

I was speaking for me and my family whom I have not heard from and can not find on any safe list.

Its nice to know what you would've done but frankly I don't think anyone there cares. They didn't give them a choice to stay they told them to leave but some could not. some people were begging for money for gas to leave because they are on assistance and had run out of funds at the end of the month. Regardless none of them deserved to be abandoned.
survival??? yeah thats why they are walking in feces, gasoline and human remain infested waters thats survival!!

Empathy is a great thing. I was not slamming anyone just venting some of my frustration rather than balling my eyes out like I did all week. All people are different and handle stress and havoc in different ways. They were all let down! some people stayed with the invalids and old people that they take care of.

Have a nice labor day everybody I won't be back to post here I thought I would get support not attacked.

Thanks for your kind words Kitty.

[missus]

God Bless us all.

:heartpump:

Missus

[MeganRose]

Originally posted by kittie:
i don't want to continue a closed thread that turned into a big debate, but i do want to say something. i have mixed feelings about the government and how quickly things happened for the victims of hurricane katrina in new orleans. one part of me knows how horrific and unprepared we were for this and the other thinks they could have moved quicker and how could they just let these people starve while we were "organizing?" bottom line is, the levees should have been reinforced years ago. i think it goes with the whole "it will never happen to me." saying. how many people think they are going to be raped or murdered or robbed in the near future, much less never? nobody thinks it will happen to them. it is no excuse but i honestly think that is what happened with it not being done. i bet they won't let something slide like this again. god i hope not. i really wish people would quit playing the race card. why is it the color of your skin automatically means that you will be treated any differently than someone of another skin color? i have never understood that. i know that racism occurs and it occurs alot. i know this. but do you really think that our country is so racist that they would sit around and watch babies die and people starve without doing all that they could? i mean honestly, if i thought that, that was the case i would pack all of my stuff and move today. i believe from the bottom of my heart that we as a country were not prepared for this. blame whoever you want for it. it could have been 500,000 of the richest white people in america and we would have had the same exact difficulties as we did with the victims we are dealing with now. how can racism die if everytime anything goes wrong you step back and look at the color and then analyze the situation? those victims are human beings PERIOD. i can tell you right now, that people in my state of LOUISIANA where we have a bad rep for being racists have worked our ***es off to help these people. i live in baton rouge and we have over 100,00 new people right here that we are helping in any way we can. as for as the looting goes. when i talk about looting i think plasma tvs and $300 sneakers. NOT FOOD. that is NOT looting. i don't care who they were, if they needed a clean shirt or something to eat, i don't blame them one bit. the majority of refugees left behind are black, so majority of the looters are going to be what...BLACK. that's why you see more "black" looters filmed on tv. please, can't we all just love each other and get along regardless of race? please.

:heartpump: Kittie,
This posting does, in effect, continue the same argument that began in the other forum but as you chose to continue it, I felt compelled to write. For those that maintain that the way that Katrina was dealt with was not racist, I can agree with you-- with some qualifiers. Ultimately, the US is a country that is driven by money. It is sad but true to conclude that the value of human life here directly correlates with how much money one has. I realized this when I was in high school in Colorado when Jon Benet Ramsey died in Boulder, CO. That same week, another little girl in Denver had gone missing. She was found later that week, dead, in a vacant lot having experienced things that I would rather not write about. The only difference between the two girls? Same metro area, same approx date. One, a rich 5-6y/o, brutally killed, another a poor 5-6y/o brutally killed. One white, one black.

Speculation and concern about Benet's death persists today. I cannot tell you the name of the other girl as the story was a B page story at its height.

This (to the person receptive to the lesson) is a perfect example of the way the US works. It is a lesson that has repeated itself throughout my life. People who have money, get the most attention. Having said that I agree with those that say that Katrina's handling was not racist, I can continue to say that it indeed was.

When addressing issues of classism, there is a defacto racism that follows (i.e., blacks and hispanics make up a disporportinate amount of ppl living in poverty in the US) In effect, it is nearly impossible to say that concern and response was limited bc the ppl there were poor without also addressing issues of race.

In short, wealthy people are the ones that rule the world and drive the politician's hand. Even if ppl feel the handling of Katrina's aftermath was appropriate few would disagree that in a wealthier neighborhood the levees would have be corrected thus possibly avoiding (or at least lessening the severityo of) this whole disaster. If ppl were 100% honest with themselves they could see the issue with Katrina at the least as one of classism.
Just some thoughts,
M

[RunninMomma3]

MustangSally....
All I'm saying about the Pres is that instead of taking the time to throw the blame in another direction, for him to get off his high horse and quit flying around to see the damage, and get those people the BASIC ITEMS THEY NEED TO LIVE!! SADDAM HUSSEIN IS LIVING BETTER THAN THESE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW!!!! He is supposed to be the leader of these United States! I don't care who did what or who had time to make decisions....the point is now that these people were not getting and still aren't getting what they need! My bro-in-law (a marine) was in for the weekend. He is recently back from Iraq. He could not believe that this country is going through that crap! Or that there was not a deployment of the National Guard as soon as they could get there. This whole situation is sickening right now. It's not about being right or wrong or anyone's pride. I feel not everything was done to help people when it could have been.

[MustangSally]

the governor could of deployed the national guard whenever she wanted...W has the right to defend himself and point out where fault and flaws are...obviously, you do care...and my husband, a special forces soldier wonders why they werent deployed earlier also, why the Zoo there had a better plan to save the animals than the local government had to save the people, or why the governor needed 24 hours to "think".