New Orleans
September 2nd, 2005I have tried for days now to think positively about this situation in New Orleans. I've tried SO HARD not to let my political bias get involved. But ya know...screw it.
If it takes some partisanship, the threat of lost elections, some good old fashioned criticism to get the job done....then so be it. Now I understand that Dubya is himself very angry that this is happening. Every human should be angry. But what it comes down to is that Bush helped create this mess. Constant ACE cut-backs. The firing of people who protested his cuts. The installation of incompetent people.
Now if the Iraq mess is our guide, we can expect, despite the gross failure of the humanitarian effort in New Orleans, Chertoff (homeland security) and Brown (FEMA) to get the congressional medal of freedom in the same fashion as George Tenet, Paul Bremer and Gen Tommy Franks.
Setting all that aside....lets address how effin' DUMB they are. A news anchor gets them on, addresses the thousand people at the convention center and they claim ignorance. How could the entire country, be WITNESS to it, and they don't know anything about it. As someone said in a comment of a dailykos diary, every American with a remote can see whats going on, should we honestly believe that they don't?
Now I'm going to link to a dailykos diary that was written much better than I could have expressed myself. Olbermann, Limbaugh, Sharpton and the GOP Mindset Yes political, but yes, gets the point across.
Just get the job done! As a mother, as a HUMAN, I can't take this. And I can't make excuses for it. And I will no longer hold back from pointing fingers. Cuz if thats what it takes to get some people to grow some balls...again....SO BE IT.
Around a year ago on this day..
- Saturday Sky - 2006
- Cassidy's 8th Birthday - 2006
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:42 am
Maybe because there are no working TVs on NOLA, no working cell towers, and no more batteries?
There is a total communication failure *in* NOLA.
The roads are just now becoming passable. The crowds are so……frustrated…..that relief efforts are being thwarted by the very people needing the relief.
Now, I am *not* saying everything in coming up roses, by any means. I am saying, give credit where it is due.
I was reading the news somewhere, and really what has happened is 3 *separate* disasters. First Katrina itself, then the levee breaks and then the flooding. Let’s all remember than until Tuesday morning, we thought NOLA would be basically ok, and that Biloxi and Gulfport would have the most intense problems.
It seems like forever to me, too, as I refresh and refresh and refresh the news. But really, its been just 72 hours. Long nightmarish hours for the affected, no doubt. The looters are so………violent that the workers are facing life-threats just to go in there.
It’s just a nightmare. Please excuse me while I go puke now.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:55 am
Well, no..
There is bad looting going on. But the majority of it is people searching, looking, for FOOD. CLEAN clothing. CLEAN water.
And Harry Connick Jr, a native of N.O. this morning said. ya know…hes been able to get in and out of the convention center for two days, unhindered. UNHINDERED! The mayor himself is pissed off!
If we can drop pallets of food and water into neighborhoods in Baghdad, why can’t we do it in NO, to at least keep more people from dying of starvation and dehydration? WHERE IS THE F’ING NATIONAL GUARD?????
The naval hospital is not even LEAVING Baltimore until today? IT SHOULD HAVE LEFT RIGHT AWAY. And in this day and age of threatened terrorism, it should be READY to go on command…not days later!
It boils down to gross incompetance. Poor management. Budget cuts. Dipslaced priorities.
And I will blame BUSH…completely. He has notoriously placed, totally incapable people in charge of agencies because they are his buddies. Mike Brown is no exception. Read here: http://www.horsesass.org
Cass…you better start stocking bottled water, duct tape and some non perishable food. Because honestly, if they can’t handle this, how do you think they would handle a WMD terrorist attack?
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:07 am
And in response to this comment
“The looters are so………violent that the workers are facing life-threats just to go in there.”
I’ve heard few reports like that. Mostly what I see from photojournalists THERE and reporters, THERE. Is that these people are looking for food and water. Yes, there are some people taking valuables, but its not the norm.
Now set that aside. Firefighters and police officers, ran INTO burning sky scrapers on 9/11. Its what they were trained to do. Knowing full well they may die doing it. This situation is no different. THIS is what the national guard is trained for. Not patrols in Falluja. They should be in NO, not Iraq.
THIS is the noble cause Cindy Sheehan has been talking about! And if Bush doesnt see that now. Then there is no hope for him.
Like I said, this is a grandscale fuck up. And it goes all the way to the top.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:36 am
Where will the ships dock? No piers. Helicopters can only ferry a couple people at a time. It’s slow work. Unbearably slow work.
No roads for a couple days.
Yeah, I am getting my news from people there, too. But not from KOS.
They are dropping supplies.
The NG is there, with more coming in.
I understand that you are appalled. I am too. But placing blame is not going to help. While you are pointing, don’t forget to pass some to those who CHOSE to stay. I know some could not get out, but many CHOSE to stay. And tourists! GAH!!!! How dumb can you be? If they had money to get in, they had money to get out. *Before the storm hit*.
Not all the looters are just looking for survival. Some are shooting at police and NG. A hospital evac had to stop because of shots being fired.
Folks are raping and beating people in the convention center.
Human depravity. It’s just not helping the situation.
There is a huge difference between this and 9/11. Number of people affected. Victims not fighting the rescuers. People coming togeher.
I am not even touching that Cindy Sheehan comment. And I only wish Bush were as powerful as you seem to think: Able to control the forces of nature, build roads with his bare hands, wish existing roadways into passable condition, manufacture buses through sheer will and fart gasoline to boot. Oh yes, and read the thoughts of every person left stranded on rooftops and in attics to divine their positions.
September 6th, 2005 at 5:10 pm
Hey Carla,
Long time vister first time writer. Nice site !!! Did you solve the web site going down problem??? I thought Rich did all your tech work, what-da-ya doin, farming it out to losers or what? Any-Hoot I’m glad that You’all had a nice time for Cassidy’s Party. As far as gas goes, our Michigan Gov, put down the gavel on gas prices, so nothing is allowed to go over 2.99 a gallon. so come to Michigan to fill up your tanks full of gas.
take care, Later. -Mikey