Katrina Victims

[quicksilverdon]

Am I alone in being angry and embarrassed at our country's response to the hurricane victims? There are lots of volunteers and heroism, but where is the federal response? A couple thousand guardsmen just got there.

Friggin' Congress could hold a special meeting for one person in a vegetative state (Schaivo) but can't convene for this crisis with tens/hundreds of thousands of lives at stake????

People are dying from dehydration, starvation, and will soon die from diseases. I think there was quicker response to the Tsunami half a world away.

All remaining Nat'l guard (ones not in Iraq ) from however many states are needed until there's about 50,000 -
send them in trucks loaded with food and water - the bulk of the troops stay to rescue people, maintain order, collect and dispose of bodies, etc - the trucks pick up people and take them to military bases - open some bases that were just closed and put the people there.

I can't believe ships were sent from Virginia - They'll get there MONDAY. Planes, helicopters and trucks are needed and should have been there by this past Wednesday.

I heard a commentator onsite in New Orleans tell some stupid politician that he was sick of hearing them pat each other on the back about what a great response to the disaster, thanking and praising each other - he said from what he's seen it is woefully inadequate.

Listen to the mayor of New Orleans speak... I agree from what I've seen and heard.

I applaud the offer of the Houson astrodome - but what logic is behind that? so they're in a stadium - now what? Why not use military bases? House people in barracks. I know there are ample empty barracks, and it would be better than a stadium!

Again, I am angry and embarrassed at our national government's response - TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE!!!!!!

[CREWZIN]

Totally agree Don. There are still people sitting on tops of houses waiting to be rescued...no food or water for days. Bill O'Reilly had a good idea that they should commender a few cruise ships and dock them in New Orleans and fill them with the homeless. But it is sad to see the overall response of the government to this disaster.

[turbomangt]

I don't think even the government knows the scope of the diaster. looks like another coutry when I see the pictures. Its sad to say the least. Gary

[Mojito]

I'd like to express my sympathy to all Americans and especially to those affected by this disaster. I hope this all nightmare will soon be over and without any additional victims. I understand how difficult it is to perform rescue operations in the huge flooded city so let's hope they'll do it quickly and efficiently.

[Espresso]

To be blantely honest. If you didnt know. We dont have anything to give them. All our stock of food & such went overseas.
This country today is a f***ing mess. Honestly, I can be glad to say that I am leaving. I severly dislike our president. I cannot stand to hear him speak anymore, as MANY of my friends on all my frequent forums knows.
It's funny how they say help is on the way..IN THE FORM OF COAST GUARD. SO is he saying that they are allowed to shoot the coast guard, then cook & eat their bodies? Because they damn sure cant help, unless they have food & water. All our reporters, no tto mention Harry Connick Jr can DRIVE to teh convention center, with absolutely no trouble what so ever...yet the coast guard cant get water to them.

I'm done talking abotu this. I'm sure you knwo how I feel about it. I have 5 friends missing ther on top of all of this.

Thsi country is a disgrace today. I am ashamed to be part of it. These ar emy honest feelings..Go ahead & tell me to leave then. I dont give a damn. Because ANYONE that agrees with what is happening in that area is a piece of garbage. We can go to "war"( it isnt war we are trying to take it over) with Iraq for OIL, but cant feed our own damn country in a time of need.
It is a damn shame. DOnations DO NOT help...i fthey did somethign would ahve been done. The Red Cross cant buy food if we dont have any to give. BUT, they are more than welcome to shop at our super markets here.
2 hours to go shopping, 4 hours to air lift & drop it. They ALL could have food, medication & water by NOON!!! Ofcourse they couldf have done this on the 2nd day with all their "donations"

AAARRRGHHHHHH...I'm finished.

[bigdogdad]

Agree, agree, agree. Just talking the other night with the wife about the buses picking people up at the dome to take them to Houston. Couldn't they have been loaded up with water/food? Can't they air drop skids on the roads? As others said, we help others faster then our own.

[quicksilverdon]

quote:Originally posted by Mojito

I'd like to express my sympathy to all Americans and especially to those affected by this disaster. I hope this all nightmare will soon be over and without any additional victims. I understand how difficult it is to perform rescue operations in the huge flooded city so let's hope they'll do it quickly and efficiently.

Well, for quickly it's already too late....
Thanks, Mojito.

[Espresso]

quote:Originally posted by bigdogdad

Agree, agree, agree. Just talking the other night with the wife about the buses picking people up at the dome to take them to Houston. Couldn't they have been loaded up with water/food? Can't they air drop skids on the roads? As others said, we help others faster then our own.

YES they can but liek I said...they have nothing to give them.

I'm sure ALOT of you have heard of the berlin Airlift better known as Operation Vittles. If nor READ ABOUT IT!!!

here is another thing.
You'll notice the word EFFORT used alot.

Definition of effort...
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something.

key word is... intended..meaning..
have in mind as a purpose
They have it in mind to do it. But that doesnt mean they are.

How is it back in 1948-1949 we could fly 1/2 way across the world & deliver food to Berlin, yet we cant drop anything here..the awnser should be obvious.

[bigdogdad]

They are sending ships from the East Coast that will take upto 5 days to get there. I just don't see why they can't load up a C-130 or two or three and arrive there the same day. Of course they would have to land at the nearest operational airport and then truck it from there. Seems like this would take a day, two tops. There is food/water in the USA.

[robinjoe]

Forget what you see in the "media". They're a bunch of morons only showing the failures and hype to sell advertising. They don't understand the logistics, and neither do we. And they certainly wouldn't want to show the hundred's of thousands of people who are being well cared for. The lady who hasn't eaten for a day is a lot more interesting.

Of course this is human tragedy of the worst kind. But people are doing their best and the last thing they need is a bunch of amateurs sticking our noses in and mucking up the works. Yeah, lets drop a 2 ton pallete of food on those people on that roof...that will help...duh!

As for what Bush and Congress can do? The best thing they can do is declare an emergency so the money is there and then stay out of the way. The last thing we need is some congressman saying we should send 100,000 packages of toothpicks because he's got a toothpick factory in his district that needs jobs.

President Bush declared a state of emergency on Sunday, before the hurricane even hit!

From the FEMA website:
"President Bush has authorized 100-percent reimbursement to Louisiana for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance. The government normally pays 75 percent of these costs."
http://tinyurl.com/czdno

Funding for the relief is already in place.

As for mobilization, I know for a fact that people were sent down there as far back as Friday (8/26) to prepare.

People who were stranded in the flooded areas of New Orleans were taking their chances. I don't buy the excuse that some were too poor, or didn't have a car. The low lands of New Orleans isn't that big. They could have walked to higher ground and shelter. There are numerous agencies and help available for the invalids who couldn't walk. They had two days notice!

I'm not saying we should blame the people for their own lack of foresight, but I don't think we should blame the government either. The warnings before the storm were apocalyptic, yet people chose to stay in New Orleans despite the obvious hazard of being below sea level.

Maybe if New Orleans spent more money on Levies year after year instead of wild Mardi Gras Parties they wouldn't be in this situation, but no, you'll blame the Bush administration. That's convenient.

BTW, the relief is flying in to New Orelans airport and trucked to the sites, which is open only to relief efforts, and being trucked in. That is more efficieant than dropping pallettes at the Super Dome.