VENT HERE - anger about Katrina Relief

[DeLarla 22]

As far as people being told to evacuate, it's too hard to put myself in their shoes. I have countless friends and family across the country (even some outside the country) that would take my family in and get us back on our feet. Chris and I both have the mental and physical abilities to find work elsewhere, even if that means clearing land, flipping burgers or stuffing envelopes for a meal.

But, what if all I had was a small house in New Orleans where all my cousins, sisters, brothers and friends lived? What if I had lived there my entire life but could never afford to take a vacation so I never knew other places existed? Then the rich folks come on my TV and tell me to run and leave everything behind. So I scratches my head and thinks, "hell no, if I leave my house the hoodlums will come take all my things. I have to stay right here and protect it." A warning of that magnitude might not have registered.

So I can easily see why people didn't leave. I might have stayed, too. It's hard to say.

[babsintx3 0]

Hi Again!

Lisa: Glad you can see beyond the media rhetoric. THat really the point I was trying to make. We can all put a different slant on a story. Take Newsweek, Time Magazine, Business Week etc.. You can have the same story in all three and one is really right wing, the other left. So where does the truth lie? Somewhere in the middle...

Michelle - Both stories were written after the fact which support my position that it is easy to look back in retrospect and say coulda woulda shoulda done something about those levees. If it was such an important project, why did the state not fund it? The levee projects have been going on since the 60's according to the articles. I think people should consider that government has to rob Peter to pay Paul. I believe that national security has been a much bigger issue in 2001-2005. If I had to make a choice between an immediate threat and a projected one, I would opt to take care of homeland security first, send $ to the troops etc or we dont have a country if some big bad terrorist blows up the country or puts something in our drinking Water. Then we would have a much bigger tragedy and no country to harbour the hurricane victims. Its about choices and I would not want to have to say no to one thing and yes to another.

Penni: I was using an example but cite better ones to Michelle (above). It was a calculated risk and we lost on the decision to fix the levees. I am sure that the money was used for something significant like national security. We have not had a terrorist incident since 9/11 on American soil. For this I am grateful and if it took money from the levee project, thats the way the cookie crumbles. Its terrible that choices have to be made that affect peoples lives. That why I am not ruling a country... LOL

Gotta go make some dinner and pack up some clothes for Katrina victims.

Babs in TX

[La_madam 20]

Michelle - Both stories were written after the fact which support my position that it is easy to look back in retrospect and say coulda woulda shoulda done something about those levees.

You are correct, they both were written after the hurricane but both of the articles clearly stae that the government was warned years beforethe hurricane but neverdid a thing about it.

"For years, Washington had been warned that doom lurked just beyond the levees. And for years, the White House and Congress had dickered over how much money to put into shoring up century-old dikes and carrying out newer flood control projects to protect the city of New Orleans"

[KarenB 0]

Lisa, your point is very well taken as to "why didn't the people get out?" History repeats itself in disasters, natural or not. After the atrocities of the Holocaust were revealed, people kept asking the same thing..."why didn't they leave?" Many couldn't, wouldn't leave sick/elderly relatives & some just couldn't believe it could happen. In this case, it's kind of hard to leave if you've never left your home town before, have no car, and have no place to go.

Everyone has valid points here. As a New Yorker, I can't help but see the parallels(sp?) to 9/11 going on. We get stopped at bridges & tunnels when an orange alert goes up--sometimes! I was in & out of NYCon the day of the London bus bombings & to tell you the truth, there just wasn't that much police presence! I was horrified. It's plastered all over the newspapers & tv news that the NY subway system is JUST getting underway installing video cameras. I wouldn't get on the subway if you paid me. Then again, I don't work in NYC & when I did, it was the only way I had to get to work every day!

I guess I REALLY needed to vent about this stuff. But venting is not enough, my small donation to the red cross is not enough, but I can send old clothes & I'm going to go pack up everything I can lay my hands on.

[the best me 6]

Awright girlie, where's the Balance Thread? Am I missing it? I went to "Find all threads started by DeLarla" and it wasn't there. Did you delete that thread? I'm gonna PM Donali!!!! (wagging finger wildly)

[Penni60 45]

YUP she deleted it Kathy.

[mousecrazy 2]

Delarla, my sister and daughter are Libras, and the weighing both sides of every issue is a trait I am familiar with...I am heartend to find an open mind. Babs, you did an excellent job of expressing your views, and I agree with you. A couple of points: the Coast Guard did achieve dangerous rescues the very first day, as soon as the weather was safe to operate. Second, WE elect our leaders, be they mayors, governors, senators, etc., and I dare say almost half the population doesn't vote at all, and if they do, many of them do not know who they are voting for, and if they can be counted on in an emergency. Think of the manner in which Guiliani led NYC through 9/11. Very effective leadership, even if some of his personal issues are a bit iffy for some. Please, please, please, set aside personal animosity for the man who is our president, even if some of you can not give the title to which he is due, because Babs is right: he does not have all the pull people want to scapegoat him with. He is the head of a large cumbersome bureaucracy. Something else I beg of you: read and research stories of compassion, generosity, heroism and stepping up to the plate. America, the people, are doing those things by the thousands every day. I think this highlights the saying "United we stand, divided we fall." Why would be ever be embarrassed of that? Read, read, and read some more. Try watching some news with less slant, or at least a different slant. Try Fox Cable news for a change of pace. Read some blogs on the internet...there are lots of questions. I like to search around for the answers, and decide what makes sense. It just does not make sense that people just didn't care about the victims because of race...what about all the white people in Mississippe who are still waiting for significant help?

Thanks for indulging me in my writing. I like this discussion. I know there are strong opinions here, and I do defend everyone's right to their own. Cindy

[La_madam 20]

Its nice to know we all can have different opinions and may not see this eye to eye but we all have the same common goal..to help these people as much as we humanly can.

I have been doing whatever I can to help, this week we ( the family) are sending clothing to a friend who is a bandster who lives in Texas who will get the clothes to the Astrodome or wherever they are needed, they need plus size clothing in both men and women and Im sure childrens clothing too. Ive sent money to the Red Cross personally, I have had a fundraiser at my restarauntand sent more money to the Red Cross,I purchased $200 in gift cards from Wal-Mart to send out.I have sent a box of toiletries to Alatina, I will continue to send boxes of clothing and toiletries.. Like I said in another post before I may not have much but right now I have more then these people do

[Penni60 45]

I too am getting stuff together to send to alatina for aid. I can't sit by and do nothing but complain I have to act. I know my last statement might have come across as directed at someone well it was directed at someone. MYSELF! LOL!!!

[coyotegirl 3]

I just watched "48 hours, investigations" I am soooooooooooooo mad!!!!! Maybe I am a little behind but did you know that familys that evacuated from Mississippi to a Hotel in another city or state( I'm not sure where) were told they had to get out of the Hotel? Only to find out that it was so FEMA workers could have the rooms? The man talking said they were put out on the streets along with a very elderly lady in a wheelchair! Can I really beleive that they would do this? Please God tell me it is not so!

FEMA was so good to me and my family in our time of need. (Nothing compaired to this) and they really SUCKED and still SUCK! The man also said that they have not seen a single FEMA worker since being kicked out of Hotel! WHAT THE F@*K IS GOING ON???????????????????

[mousecrazy 2]

If anyone is still wondering who was responsible for what, and want to read the actual City of New Orleans Emergency Preparedness Plan, go to this website: http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46

This is the plan that should have been followed, and had it been, hundreds of thousands of people would be in much better shape than they are now.

This information is completley accessible, though strangely ignored by the media (at least most of the media). The questions can start with this document. Responsibility is clearly outlined. The governor has admitted she told the president to give her 24 hours to determine what she needed from FEMA/fed govt. That is, after Louisiana and Mississippi were declared disaster areas TWO DAYS before the hurricane struck, by the president.

Still on my mission for better understanding for all...thanks for reading. Cindy

[Penni60 45]

Here is an article in National Geographic that was written a Year ago. Pretty impressive. REMEMBER IT WAS WRITTEN A YEAR AGO WHEN YOU READ THIS. WOW!!!!!

Louisiana's Wetlands @ National Geographic Magazine

[Mita 2]

WOW I cannot believe that is was already forwarned to happen. But again hindsight is 20/20.

That was very interersting, Now lets see what they do to repair the damage not only done by mother nature but by man.

[Alexandra 55]

Wow, that article is mindblowing. How prescient, and how even more unbelievable was our lack of preparedness.

[babsintx3 0]

Hi Penni,

THis is a fantastic article. Really Truly...but does not support your case that something immediate could have been done in the last 5 years to prevent massive flooding from Katrina because of the levee breach. It says everyone knew about the problem of coastal erosion and levee breaches, but there wasnt a clear cut solution.

According to the article the Army Corp of engineers asked for 15 billion in 2003 to fix the problem over 30 years. (Would not have stopped this tragedy, since there was no immediate way to solve the levee problem) THere were multiple options presented by the Army Corp of engineers so Prez (with a needed approval by Congress) authorized 2 billion over the next 10 years for the Army Corp to find a solution. Didnt give then their 15 billion over 30 years cause there were multiple options that needed to be researched and no clear proposal/solution.

As a matter of fact the article is very clear about the fact that the levees were actually a source of the problem and were probably not the appropriate solution anyway. You can warn people about a problem, but if there is no clear cut solution.... welll...

Additionally, the article basically claims that since the 1950's the canals have cut and created 8,000 miles of jigsaw that has increased the problem of erosion and that human factor has contributed to this problem. It was the Army Corp of engineers that created this problem in the first place to solve other problems for petroleum producers, fisherman and others who have a financial vested interest.

I tried to cut and paste the pieces that support what I am saying and could not for some reason, but if folks really take the time to read this article, they would see what I am referring to. Its really quite sad though, but once again it doesnt make sense to blame anyone. And once again, I say we should not politicise this since Congress consists of just as many Democrats as Republicans and this is not a Bush thing.

Babs in TX