Stuff regarding Katrina

[InfinityXXX]

Everytime I turn to the news I get mad because of all the people that are still stuck there in New Orleans and other palces. Theres babies dying, people starving, and confusion.

I feel so helpless. I wish I could go to New Orleans and do something to help them but I can't. Not only that but my cousin was putting inmates on the bus in New Orleans to evacuate them from the storm and no one haven't heard from her. My grand uncle told us that she called around 2 a.m and was screaming and crying saying she was gonna die. That the bus they were on was flooding up.

Not only that but I have a playing test to do and I have all this stress on me.

Errmm, but this is something that is bugging me about the people in New Orleans.

I think their is a ton of discrimination going on. Both racial and economic. The people that are there are the poor and mostly african american. And I know that it takes a long time to evacuate a city BUT I feel that more people can be evacutated. I think people are taking their time.


If they can't evacuate the people faster then they should try to help out the thousands of people waiting to be evacuated. People don't know where to go. Theres no food and people don't know how or when they're gonna get any. Its hot, and theres no safe water. Theres babies with no formula, elderly people, mentally ill people and much more.

Then theres the people that are in ghettos and projects that haven't even been rescued yet. Its a lot of chaos but I think it could be reduced. Look at the tsunami incident. Its still being recovered but when that tsunami hit, people were on the ball, helping the victims. They got help fast.

It just seems to me that everything is taking to slow and I think that it doesn't have to be this slow. I'm starting to think that if more upper class non minorities were stranded. Then there would be food and the evacutating would be faster.

But I thank the officers and rescuers and troops that are there trying to put everything together. They're really holding it down but I feel that we can do more. Lemme jsut put it like this, I don't feel the U.S is not giving 100%.

As for looting. If i was there and I was starving and thirsty and I was next to Wal-Mart. I would loot from it but only food and water. The people stealing playstations and clothes and toys need to get their asses kicked.(Where are they even gonna plug in the palystation?)

I can kind of see looting clothes but not real clearly.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: InfinityXXX on 2005-08-31 20:17 ]</font>

[ForceOfBrokenGlass]

Discrimination of African American people isn't exactly new. Nobody likes us, we get it. The government and all but the KKK just aren't willing to admit it openly. If rescuers are taking their time this is one probable reason why.

It doesn't seem like the nation at large favors people that live in ghettos or projects either. For some reason being poor and jobless is the fault of the person every time, so they think that the general poor population is lazy and useless.

They say rescue missions of this magnitude take lots and lots of money. Maybe they're expecting more funding than they're getting maybe not.

More nations got involved in the Tsunami situation but Katrina is more of an American thing. It doesn't seem like our nation at large is big on effort, or helping their fellow man.

Looting doesn't seem like a big surprise, people grab material things that will either save them or get them money. I know, it seems meaningless but money has a powerful strangle hold on the American psyche.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ForceOfBrokenGlass on 2005-08-31 20:25 ]</font>

[decrescendo]

at large, the government isn't that discriminatory against minorities. socialogically speaking, it's those who consider themselves "slightly above" the discriminated group that treat them the worst. such is the case in new orleans, if a case of discrimination could be made...the population is largely impoverished economically in comparison to the rest of the united states, and therefore it's more of an ego-stroke for them to consider themselves higher than african-americans...as they are conveniently scapegoats for their stores being looted , houses being poorly built, etc.

i would think that's not the case in general. though there might be some discrimination going on, as it can never be eradicated so long as people walk the earth - in large, people are more inclined to help those who can be more easily and more efficiently rescued - those who live in houses. from statistics alone you can infer that african americans, or anyone for that matter, who dwell in ghettos haven't a large chance of survival from a category four storm. mobile homes and the likes have little to no chance of braving the elements.

however, i'm also upset about the tragedy, but more towards the government for not renovating some of the obviously hazardous buildings erected before codes were inducted. i'm also somewhat discouraged at those who decide to stand guard pver their properties with their lives and the lives of their families despite the barrage of mandatory evacuations. i say "somewhat" because what they are doing might be understandable...as they've slaved their whole lives for their estates and in reality, for many of them that is all they have.

[Blitzkommando]

The simple fact is, New Orleans, like many older cities, is not designed to be evacuated. You are talking about an area of over a million people trying to be evacuated within a very short period of time. Many of these people have no vehicles of their own, and even if they do the roads are too overcrowed to use. Even with major highways, how many people can possibly make it out within the alloted time? It is mathematically impossible.

You also have to remember, even with evacuations, forced included, there will be people who will choose to stay. In that area with such large populations the numbers who would stay would be greater than that of a town like, say, Destin, Florida. Especially since Destin is located on the major evacuation route.

It is a terrible thing that has happened, indeed. But if one wants to point fingers, the city planners should be the ones first looked at. But seeing that they planned the cities hundreds of years before the Hurricane Evacuation Routes were even concieved that is not a fair argument. The best that can be had from this is the knowledge of how to rebuild better and to evacuate more, faster.

[InfinityXXX]

Do you think New orleans should be rebuilt? I mean in a way I don't but if I lived there my whole life I would probably want it to be rebuilt.

I figured something bad would happen to New Olreans because when I went there one time it was always wet. You woul be on dry land and then on your next step water would be seeping on the ground.

Also my cousin has called the family. Shes in houston at the astrodome. But one of her 2 kids is missing.(people always lemme know the info late)

[ForceOfBrokenGlass]

I know this isn't important but this link will bring you to a similar rant on the subject. http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/262703

[Daikarin]

What is ironic is that a hurricane would be welcome over our country. We've had thousands of accidental or not forestal fires, which, possibly due to the government's noobness, made us suffer losses of thousands of square miles of wood and trees. Not mentioning the houses, the people who were caught, those who fought and died to end the flames, and those who were left with nothing but ashes to go home to.

And in Germany, the US, floods and strong winds are abundant. Oh well.

[PrinceBrightstar]

This may sound harsh, but New Orleans is lost. even if they drain the water, the city will be unlivable until they get about 10 billion cans of fragrented air in there.

The US should now be focusing its attention on its weather programs. Sure terrorism is bad, but mother nature has done more damage than the terrorists have done. Its time to get to work on that weather machine. Even if it costs 1 billion dollars, it'll still only be a fraction of the price of fixing everything that's been damaged and it'll pay for itself many times over.

[decrescendo]

if only it was that simple...

[PrinceBrightstar]

oh it is....You put a bunch of air conditioners on a plane, and you have it fly around inside clouds, as the clouds cool, they rain before they hit land. soon after they break up. problem solved

[RicoRoyal]

Only one billion dollars for a weather machine? You're joking, right? http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif *gives Jon_F a bunch of money in an unorganized pile* Mommy, how much is this many?



On 2005-09-01 21:46, Jonathan_F wrote:
oh it is....You put a bunch of air conditioners on a plane


There are so many things horrendously wrong with that idea that I wonder if you're not just here because you might have thought the topic was in FKL. Can I have what you're smoking?

Anywho, to get somewhat more on topic, I was watching the news yesterday and I was really shocked at one of the stories I heard. Apparently some people have been taking refuge in a half-flooded Hospital in one of the hardest hit territories. Anywho, there were injured people there as well as doctors and nurses. I heard that helicopters could only make so many trips to rescue people from the dangerous building (falling apart with no electricity). Everynight, the people making a home in that place take turns being on watch . As it turns out, the hurricane allowed a number of prisoners from a nearby prison to break out. The people that are still in the Hospital are in mortal danger and for some weird reason, helicopters can only make a handful of trips there everyday. What the hell is going on over there?

I don't know if all of this is just a bunch of yellow journalism or if hell really has broken loose over there, but holy shit do I feel bad for the people in that situation.

[navci]

Ya know. If ya'll want to be of use rather than just feeling depressed about situations. Google up things that you can do. Aside from donating money I am quite sure there are relief stuff that you can help do. If you can actually head over to help rescue, get over. If not, there has to be local places that collect stuff, food and clothing wise to help the needs. You can volunteer at those places and you too, can be a part of help out rather than sitting here feeling helpless, or talk about how changes should be made.

Click (http://www.directrelief.org/sections/our_work/hurricane_katrina.html)

[InfinityXXX]

Ya, in my school, the african american club is collecting food,clothes,books, and money for the victims.

[Dangerous55]

White people are the minority in New Orleans. If it seems the rescue people are being racist because black people arent being rescued, well it's cause theres more.

Really, I don't think any politician or general is anywhere thinking, "Hey, there black, they don't need to be saved."


The entire situation sucks, relief hasnt been present enough for anyone. Don't bring race into it. The situation isn't easy to fix, and people are trying their best.

[InfinityXXX]

I'm sorry Dangerous but I disagree with you. As you stated, blacks are a majority down there and majority of people down there are poor black people. I'm not saying there just saying "Hey, hes black, lets not save him."

But back when the war was starting people arrived in Iraq in a split second, I just find it odd that in America it takes 5 days to to save only 2/4 of half of a city thats in our country.

You can't tell me that race is not a part of why it took 5 whole days to evacuate about 2/4 of half of a city. Is America that sorry? That they can't even evacuate a city in their own country or at least keep it under control. If it wasn't for the salvation army, red cross,news, houston and other cities, then the victims of katrina would be screwed a hell of a lot more. Up until now, the government got majorly involved.

The thing is, is that first, they are black, and 2nd they are poor. When your poor AND your black, the government,as of now, don't give a damn about you.

Just turn to a news station that has coverage from New Orleans or shelters and who mainly do you see? Lower class blacks.

I mean, they didn't even turn their attention to the people in the projects and ghettos(mainly inhabited by blacks)until 2 days after the storm. I'm sorry but it does not take 48 hours to all of a sudden realize that you got people in the ghetto and projects that need help. And it doesn't take 48 hours to save at least one.

Bush went to Mississippi and New Orleans and was saying that we're gonna rise from the ashes and that everything is gonna be successful......sorry Mr.President but we failed. More people have died of starvation, dehydration, or disease than the actual hurrricane. This shouldn't have happened.

But another thing thats bad is the image we're giving to other countries. We've become an ass to the world. For the past 5 days thousands of our people have died because they didn't have food or water. We've let local punk arse thugs control the city and rape women. We've let babies and children and sick people die because we couldn't even deliver some medicine for them because of delayness and gangsters.

Has America truely become this weak? Where we can't even save some people in a city in our country and we've let local punks control it?


I'm not saying that everything should be fine and dandy by now but by now it should not be this bad.




Edit:I just went to another forum and I saw pictures of the dead people that have either drowned or died outside the superdome.The two that chocked me up the most is that on one there an elderly woman thats dead in her wheelchair and on another there a child. She looks around 12 yrs old. And shes faced down, in the water, dead......

This is a tragedy. I can't even imagine the pain, and trauma thats going on. I feel so wrong. Laughing and playing around and eating and drinking for theres people in our country. People that look like people i see everyday, that are dead and starving.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: InfinityXXX on 2005-09-02 23:15 ]</font>

[HUnewearl_Meira]

On 2005-09-02 22:25, InfinityXXX wrote:
But back when the war was starting people arrived in Iraq in a split second, I just find it odd that in America it takes 5 days to to save only 2/4 of half of a city thats in our country.

Do you think our troops just magically materialized in Baghdad or something? We spent two or three weeks transporting troops to the Persian Gulf before the war even began, just so we'd be ready to move in as soon as Bush dropped the bane stone.

Seriously, I think that there are a lot of people who are really quite misguided on this subject, and have unrealistic expectations. I also am firmly convinced that it takes a great deal of unhealthy preoccupation to turn a national disaster into a debate about racism.

Racism may be a strong motivating force in some parts of the South, but it is by no means a motivating force among governmental decisions. Let's keep in mind that losing a major city's worth of citizens means losing a major city's worth of tax money, so regardless of whether you want to assume they're compassionate human beings or greedy scumbags, either way, they want to help these people out.

Perhaps you don't realize it, but it takes a long time to transport 50,000 people, let alone the rest that aren't going to be taken to Texas, and it takes even longer when 90% of the primary routes of travel are impassible. Add to that, you've got hundreds, if not thousands of phallic imputants that are doing their damnest to make a bad situation worse, then yes, I'd say that it's going to take a while to get anything done. Furthermore, I think that there are a great deal of people who are being rather ungrateful for what help they have been getting, and the irony of it is that those who take that gratefulness to far and become violent because of it, are only making the situation worse.

[darthsaber9x9]

On 2005-09-03 02:17, HUnewearl_Meira wrote:


On 2005-09-02 22:25, InfinityXXX wrote:
But back when the war was starting people arrived in Iraq in a split second, I just find it odd that in America it takes 5 days to to save only 2/4 of half of a city thats in our country.

Do you think our troops just magically materialized in Baghdad or something? We spent two or three weeks transporting troops to the Persian Gulf before the war even began, just so we'd be ready to move in as soon as Bush dropped the bane stone.

Seriously, I think that there are a lot of people who are really quite misguided on this subject, and have unrealistic expectations. I also am firmly convinced that it takes a great deal of unhealthy preoccupation to turn a national disaster into a debate about racism.

Racism may be a strong motivating force in some parts of the South, but it is by no means a motivating force among governmental decisions. Let's keep in mind that losing a major city's worth of citizens means losing a major city's worth of tax money, so regardless of whether you want to assume they're compassionate human beings or greedy scumbags, either way, they want to help these people out.

Perhaps you don't realize it, but it takes a long time to transport 50,000 people, let alone the rest that aren't going to be taken to Texas, and it takes even longer when 90% of the primary routes of travel are impassible. Add to that, you've got hundreds, if not thousands of phallic imputants that are doing their damnest to make a bad situation worse, then yes, I'd say that it's going to take a while to get anything done. Furthermore, I think that there are a great deal of people who are being rather ungrateful for what help they have been getting, and the irony of it is that those who take that gratefulness to far and become violent because of it, are only making the situation worse.




Good post. It summarises my opinion pretty well. It would be interesting to know if the people calling playing the racism card are black themselves.

[InfinityXXX]

I'm sorry but New Orleans is in our country. It is possible to to reach to New Orleans in one day from any state. There is no excuse from them to have that many people still down there.

Like i said in my last post I know that they just can't evacuate a whole city of thousands of people and look for missing bodies in 5 days, I think everyone knows that. What i'm trying to say is that the amount of people stuck down there should not be that amount. Its just too many people.

But the main part of my post is that America can't even give these peoiple food or water. Once again, I say, everyone human knows you can't evacuate every single person from a city in 5 days and look for missing refugees but for the people stuck down there, how come they don't have any food or water. Goddammit New orleans is a 4 hr drive from where I'm at and you telling me that America can barely give all the people at the superdome and highway a sandwich or water.

All due resprect hunewearl but i feel that its ignorance when there are such excuses to all these deaths. Also, its ignorance to feel that race does not play a part in the delay. For some reason, why do you guys keep thinking that I'm saying race is the main reason and that people are carrying the attitude of "Lets not save the black people".

Listen, race is a part but its not the main reason but it is a part, along with they are poor. Yall are like taking half of my reason and attacking it, you keep leaving out that its also becase there poor. [napolean dynamite] Gosh. [/napolean dynamite]

Also don't take this as a reply of molting lava. I find it nice talking about this in a ncie way


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: InfinityXXX on 2005-09-03 08:26 ]</font>

[navci]

I find it extremely disturbing how this topic has headed.

HELP THEM! (http://www.illwillpress.com/kat.html)

Stop fucking debating what is causing delay in rescue and go out and help them! Do what you can! Don't just sit here babble about some ideals!

[Allos]

On 2005-09-03 06:28, InfinityXXX wrote:

I'm sorry but New Orleans is in our country. It is possible to to reach to New Orleans in one day from any state. There is no excuse from them to have that many people still down there.




Uh, yeah there is. Most highway access to the city is gone, there's flood water everywhere, and not that many people are qualified to fly a chopper.

[Dangerous55]

Infinity, the rescue operation isn't as simple as you seem to think it would be. It isn't just the matter of moving troops into the city. They need to be assembled, and called up. I'm sure some of the actual troops lives were affected by the hurricane. Plus the supplies need to be gained or else they are just soldiers going down with rifles. It doesn't take one day to organize the biggest relief attempt in the nations history. Let alone actually do it.


I also think the racism issue is bullshit. Sorry, but no American Government, ever, would let an entire city be wiped out and only give limited and late assitance. The officials and people are trying their hardest, it just isn't as easy as you and I would want it to be.


Yeah, what do you want the entire country to do? Warp food to the Superdome and highways? People care but they can't drive 15 hours to give a trunk full of Cheez-Its. The entire nation is donating to the proper organizations. It's just that roads are flooded, blocked with trees, or bridges are just destroyed. Plus piloting a helicopter and picking people up is fairly hard I'm sure. Stop blaming people and the nation, it is a tough situation everyone is trying.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dangerous55 on 2005-09-03 10:46 ]</font>

[InfinityXXX]

Well tell me how come the news reporters are able to get there and the government can't? And most of them wasn't even at New Orleans during the storm.

[Mixfortune]

Unless those few reporters can rescue everyone themselves, that's not really too good of a point alone. It'd take a force or collection of people in order to help that many, of which I assume it'd be difficult getting all of that through.

Also, look over the past few posts. Probably used helicopter.

If New Orleans is a 4 hour drive from you, could always give it a shot and try, right? I'm sure you'll have little trouble getting sandwiches and water to the people...

In any case, this is not a movie or television show. You can't have a disaster happen, then cut to the scene where people are starting to be rescued. Added that also there's, as has been mentioned, the people and citizens who are becoming violent and making things worse for others distracting from rescue efforts of the local law, etc., and it's really not as easy as it looks. If New Orleans consisted of four blocks and one intersection, then maybe.

But in any case, it's not that they do not care or anything like that, and it's a good thing that for the most part no one has been seriously insulted by that suggestion, and seem to be going about the discussion quite well at the moment.

[InfinityXXX]

My grand uncle picked up my cousin and he called us today telling what she told him. Shes traumatized and she didn''t want to talk.

During the storm, she and her husband who both worked in the jail were evacuating the imates by bus. Her kids were with a babysitter.Well they were going on a bridge but it flooded up and the water in the bus flooded up. She told the inmates to swim so they swam to higher ground. Somehow she was seperated from her husband. People found her and the inmates and they were taken to the superdome.

According to my granduncle, she said it was horrible. All you smelt was decaying flesh. Dead bodies were everywhere. She even said she saw an infant lying on the ground dead. She also said that the the guardman and policemen treated everyone wrong. They kept telling them a bunch of bullcrap. (I didn't get any details on what they were saying to them)

Anyways she was transported to the astrodome and thats where my grand uncle picked her up. She has nothing.

I had thought that she at least knew where her husband was at and one of her kids but she don't. She don't know where both of her children at and she don't know where her husband is at. She has lost everything.

Its a damn shame that the government let stuff like this happend. Why am I so angry? Because I am a southern person and I've lived in New Orleans when I was 5 to 6yrs old. And seeing all those people is like seeing my friends, my family. In pain in misery. You know what, someone lock this topic for I'm done. Before the locking yall can keep talking or whatever.

Edit:I would also like to say. Theres many things they could've used. Cruise ships, mongo tanks,row boats. Not all of the highways were destroyed. How you think they are getting evacuated.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: InfinityXXX on 2005-09-03 12:20 ]</font>

[Mixfortune]

Its a damn shame that the government let stuff like this happend.


They didn't cause the disaster, but thanks anyways.
In either case, the government is doing what they can to help, despite what it may seem to yourself or whatever assumptions you may have.

Locked due to creator request.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mixfortune on 2005-09-03 12:34 ]</font>