So, I haven't such much about Katrina because, as I posted earlier this week, it didn't do much here. But to give you an idea of how freaky things are getting - this afternoon there were wide spread rumours of rioting in town, including car-jacking and rapes. Lafayette is taking in refugees at the Cajundome (think a mini-Superdome), and the rumour was that when some folks were turned away, they got a bit testy.
I'm serious.
Of course none of it was true, but the police had to come on the local news to calm people down.
Archived Comments
WTF... We can air lift thousands of troops and equipment to Iraq in a couple of days, but we cant air lift in food and water to our own citizens????I'm not anti war, but shit... If we get hit with a dirty bomb, God for bid, were screwed. The empty suits in washinton have to go... Hang in there budy...
I was wondering how you were doing. Glad to hear you're OK!
I agree with Criminal Minded... there should NOT be people dying of thirst in a major city in the US. Airdrop some F'ing poland spring in there damnit!
What I don't understand is
1) Why the hell are people shooting at helicopters and police?! They’re trying to help!
2) Why the hell isn’t the national guard driving in there like we did into Bagdhad? It sounds like we need to take *control* of the city again!
3) Why the hell are people just sitting there, getting ready to die?!
WALK!!! If busses can drive in, you can walk out! If it's as bad as they say it is at the Superdome, you can’t get much worse. Don't just wait to die! Go! Act! Do something!
Doug,
1) People are stupid alright
2) Because most of the national guard is currently in Irak? To give them a break though, preparation simply takes time.
3) You are asking a single mother with 4 kids or old people (possibly in wheelchairs) to walk miles and miles out of town? They have no water, no food and would probably die on their way out because of that. Their best chance was and still is to be in a central location where some sort of relief effort can collect and help them.
2) Because most of the national guard is currently in Irak? To give them a break though, preparation simply takes time.
Don't wanna get into a debate in Ray's blog but it's a little more complex than this. The national guard has a few different types of troops for different types of situations. The kind needed on the gulf coast aren't the kind that are deployed in Iraq.
Will
Ray, sorry. I’m frustrated. I can’t stand watching this stuff unfolding on the news. I agree that the old people and the fragile people shouldn’t try to walk miles in the heat down there. Really, I do.
Not being there, there’s probably something I don’t know or understand. However, I have a two year old son. If he and I were there, at the super dome, I think I’d give walking a chance. I think my wife might too.
Yes, it would be extremely hard. Yes, you might die. But, if you could get out of downtown you might be able to find a more inhabitable area. You might find food and water.
I can’t imagine, in those circumstances, giving up control and just hoping for the sake of hope that things don’t get worse.
Regarding #2, you’re right. I’m frustrated. You can’t just walk the national guard into a city and hope to change anything. It would probably make things worse.
Will, cut Ray some slack. I don't think he intended that as anything more than an off-hand remark. Ray's second point is more on the mark, it takes time to organize this stuff.
Time to organize? They knew the storm was coming. :) I just don't understand the lack of planning. I would think in an area like this where they KNOW it's going to flood in a bad storm - people would have been informed of what to do, where to go, etc. And food and water would be in place beforehand.
I live next to a nuke plant and I have a nice booklet, maps of where to go, what to do if my kids are in school etc.
Unfortunately you can already count on:
a. lawsuits
b. made for TV movies
Doug - did you mean me? I didn't make 2 points. :)
And my friends think I'm a survival nut becuase I have stockpiled a week's worth of food, water, and shotgun ammo for things like this. It truly doesn't seem to take much to turn "civilation" into "Mad Max".
make that "CIVILIZATION" please! doh.
I agree that we should have been on this before it even took place. I think we all agree on that one... But, I think its insulting and completely inappropriate to critique the decisions that people have made in that situation. Its a horrible thing that has happened, yet I find it more troubling that for so many of us, our first response is to assume that we would act so differently in such a situation.
Who knows maybe you would up and just walk away. Maybe I would too. But I'm going to assume that all the people enduring this situation probably have a better perspective. It is tough though, I have to pay $3.20 a gallon for gas, I have to drive all the way to the store to buy food and water, with the price of heating oil I should probably only take 10 minute showers , and I'm going to try to save some money by nudging my A/C up to 73. Even though, I think I'll assume that they are still in a better position to make those kinds of decisions.
Maybe I'm alone on this one, but that attitude is disrespectful and grinds me pretty bad.
Personally, I am disgusted by the behavior being reported.
I can understand 'looting' if you need to get food or water.
What I cannot fathom is the reported raping, gunfire and other violence.
This is just more proof of my Theory of Devolution.
My comment wasn't directed at Ray, 'twas Tunic. I've just heard some good comments from National Guardsmen about the Iraq whining, and it just doesn't hold water.
Will
I just wonder how many buses they are going to find in the muck of New Orleans that could have been used to help the poor of New Orleans and Gulfport escape from the city before the hurricane struck.
Even a nutjob like Joe Scarborough from MSNBC has been recounting tales about people in Mississippi who would have evacuated if they had the $20 it took to get out of the city.
Our nation has been given a large black eye. Our president owes the people of the South who helped him be elected in '04 a big apology.
If people want to do some finger pointing, check this out: http://alternet.org/story/2...
The thing is people in the rest of the coutry need to realize is that what they see mostly of N.O. is the glitz and charm of the French Quarter ,but this is probably the poorest of the large metropolitan areas in the US. What you are seeing now is people who have been pretty well neglected for a while feeling like in their time of need, they are once again being neglected and are basically resorting to primal survival techniques, just with modern weapons. I agree it shouldn't have taken more than about 30 minutes after the levees broke to call up the needed National Guard units. The fact it took almost 48 hours is alarming.
Even Mr. Bill knew what would happen if a hurrican hit New Orleans
January 2004 -- ESPN Outdoors -- Mr. Bill tapped to help save La. swamps
http://espn.go.com/outdoors...
As a side note, I've found that the WWLT site in New Orleans seems to have some of the most up to date information about what is going on in New Orleans in their blog.
WWLTV.com | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | Local News
"Print it | Discuss it | E-mail it to a friend
Updates as they come in on Katrina"
http://www.wwltv.com/local/...