Hurricane Katrina Devastates The Gulf Coast.

[Drunkmasterflex]

I watch this and I just can't believe this is our own country. I can't believe that the government could let our own farging citizens sit there for FIVE days before sending food and rescue. I tossed and turned AGAIN last night over this. I just feel helpless, because other than dontating money, what else can we do?

What a crock of shtein, there is a lot you can do you can volunteer to go help.

That's completely uncalled for. They don't even want people in the gulf states. They want money! People that bring material items for the Red Cross in places are being turned away because they can't do anything with the stuff. Why don't you get a clue before you go spouting your nonsense.

I'm in Texas and I've been trying to volunteer for two days and I can't even get through on the number they told us to call to find out what I need to do, but I'm going to keep trying. In the mean time I'm gathering shirts, towels and blankets to send to a friend in Baton Rouge that's housing people and can distribute the rest to people that are out there begging.

It's real nice of you to lambast, PG, though. When do you leave for the gulf again?

I am not lambasting anybody, you can volunteer to go help in your area, getting supplies together to send down or money, whatever.  Now, your the one lambasting me telling me to get a clue.  I have donated money and as far as volunteering I am doing that right now I am currently in the process of going into the U.S. Army(provided my wavers go through), so don't lecture me.  It just bothers me and (this is not directed at anybody particular) that people are bitching and moaning right now, let me ask you what good that does in a situation like this?

As far as them not letting people in that is news to me, up here there are daily reports of local volunteer groups going down and helping out.

Yeah, firefighter groups and such.  John Q. Public doesn't belong down there unless he's trained in Police, Fire, EMS or the like. 

And that is just my opinion.  The only reason i say that is because basically people down there now are going to be rescuing citizens.  Unless they have some type of training in that, then they would just be getting in the way mostly.

Makes sense.

[Diomedes]

[Drunkmasterflex]

[Diomedes]

Tell me how this is acceptable:

link

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - National Guardsmen helped evacuate the mass of storm refugees from the Superdome on Friday, where thousands were stuck in knee-deep trash and blacked-out, putrid bathrooms.

``This was the worst night of my life,'' one mother said.

At one point, the evacuation was interrupted briefly when school buses rolled up so some 700 guests and employees from the Hyatt Hotel could move to the head of the evacuation line - much to the amazement of those who had been crammed in the stinking Superdome since Sunday.

``How does this work? They (are) clean, they are dry, they get out ahead of us?'' exclaimed Howard Blue, 22, who tried to get in their line. The National Guard blocked him as other guardsmen helped the well-dressed guests with their luggage.

The 700 had been trapped in the hotel, next to the Superdome, but conditions were considerably cleaner, even without running water, than the unsanitary crush inside the dome. The Hyatt was severely damaged by the storm. Every pane of glass on the riverside wall was blown out.

Mayor Ray Nagin has used the hotel as a base since it is across the street from city hall, and there were reports the hotel was cleared with priority to make room for police, firefighters and other officials.

National Guard Capt. John Pollard called the decision to move the Hyatt people to the head of the line ``very poor.''

Let me quess.  The folks in the hotel also just happened to be a lot richer and whiter than the folks at the Superdome?  And anyone who would suggest that evacuating the wealthy whities was as anything other than coincidence is an un-American troublemaker, a voice of destructian amidst a remarkable recovery effort, blah, blah, blah.

[Drunkmasterflex]

Tell me how this is acceptable:

link

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - National Guardsmen helped evacuate the mass of storm refugees from the Superdome on Friday, where thousands were stuck in knee-deep trash and blacked-out, putrid bathrooms.

``This was the worst night of my life,'' one mother said.

At one point, the evacuation was interrupted briefly when school buses rolled up so some 700 guests and employees from the Hyatt Hotel could move to the head of the evacuation line - much to the amazement of those who had been crammed in the stinking Superdome since Sunday.

``How does this work? They (are) clean, they are dry, they get out ahead of us?'' exclaimed Howard Blue, 22, who tried to get in their line. The National Guard blocked him as other guardsmen helped the well-dressed guests with their luggage.

The 700 had been trapped in the hotel, next to the Superdome, but conditions were considerably cleaner, even without running water, than the unsanitary crush inside the dome. The Hyatt was severely damaged by the storm. Every pane of glass on the riverside wall was blown out.

Mayor Ray Nagin has used the hotel as a base since it is across the street from city hall, and there were reports the hotel was cleared with priority to make room for police, firefighters and other officials.

National Guard Capt. John Pollard called the decision to move the Hyatt people to the head of the line ``very poor.''

Let me quess.  The folks in the hotel also just happened to be a lot richer and whiter than the folks at the Superdome?  And anyone who would suggest that evacuating the wealthy whities was as anything other than coincidence is an un-American troublemaker, a voice of destructian amidst a remarkable recovery effort, blah, blah, blah.

If this is true it is totally unacceptable.

[General_Failure]

Mayor Ray Nagin has used the hotel as a base since it is across the street from city hall, and there were reports the hotel was cleared with priority to make room for police, firefighters and other officials.

So they needed to clear out a building so they could do some real planning. They picked the one across the street from City Hall. Maybe they should have just thrown those people into the Superdome and told them to wait in line. I mean, there's no reason to move the people really far if you just need them out of the way. Right?

[TexasEagle]

I am not lambasting anybody, you can volunteer to go help in your area, getting supplies together to send down or money, whatever. Now, your the one lambasting me telling me to get a clue. I have donated money and as far as volunteering I am doing that right now I am currently in the process of going into the U.S. Army(provided my wavers go through), so don't lecture me. It just bothers me and (this is not directed at anybody particular) that people are bitching and moaning right now, let me ask you what good that does in a situation like this?

As far as them not letting people in that is news to me, up here there are daily reports of local volunteer groups going down and helping out.

I wasn't lecturing you, I was saying what you said was uncalled for. I don't know PG's situation, she might not have a job that even allows her to take the time off to volunteer. Anyway, they don't want people just showing up. That's why volunteers have to go through training. Right now they need people out of the area, not heading in.

I have no idea what's up in Philly in regards to what type of volunteers they need/ can use, but most of the country can only donate money unless they have medical training of some sort. They set up a toll free number (1 866-528-6334) that's only available for medical folks to call and volunteer. Really, if you can't help them in saving lives, they don't want you down there right now. That will change once they get things settled, but for now they only want funds.

Sorry if I seemed snippy before but your post came across really out of line.

[TexasEagle]

Mayor Ray Nagin has used the hotel as a base since it is across the street from city hall, and there were reports the hotel was cleared with priority to make room for police, firefighters and other officials.

So they needed to clear out a building so they could do some real planning. They picked the one across the street from City Hall. Maybe they should have just thrown those people into the Superdome and told them to wait in line. I mean, there's no reason to move the people really far if you just need them out of the way. Right?

I think the issue that will come up is not that they had to clear out of the hotel, but that those 700 people got to jump ahead of the masses that were stuck either outside or crammed into the Superdome for days and get on the buses first. There's no excuse for that. It brings up the thought, what makes those people so special that their lives are worth more than the other people that were also waiting in less desirable conditions. Stories like this are why people bring up race and class in regards to what's been happening.

[General_Failure]

Mayor Ray Nagin has used the hotel as a base since it is across the street from city hall, and there were reports the hotel was cleared with priority to make room for police, firefighters and other officials.

So they needed to clear out a building so they could do some real planning. They picked the one across the street from City Hall. Maybe they should have just thrown those people into the Superdome and told them to wait in line. I mean, there's no reason to move the people really far if you just need them out of the way. Right?

I think the issue that will come up is not that they had to clear out of the hotel, but that those 700 people got to jump ahead of the masses that were stuck either outside or crammed into the Superdome for days and get on the buses first. There's no excuse for that.

That's not the issue that should come up here. There's no point in putting those people in the Superdome. You need a building cleared so you can use it, you evacuate the people in it while you're at it. It's more sensationalism to say they got pushed to the head of the line because they're rich and probably white.

[Drunkmasterflex]

Mayor Ray Nagin has used the hotel as a base since it is across the street from city hall, and there were reports the hotel was cleared with priority to make room for police, firefighters and other officials.

So they needed to clear out a building so they could do some real planning. They picked the one across the street from City Hall. Maybe they should have just thrown those people into the Superdome and told them to wait in line. I mean, there's no reason to move the people really far if you just need them out of the way. Right?

I think the issue that will come up is not that they had to clear out of the hotel, but that those 700 people got to jump ahead of the masses that were stuck either outside or crammed into the Superdome for days and get on the buses first. There's no excuse for that. It brings up the thought, what makes those people so special that their lives are worth more than the other people that were also waiting in less desirable conditions. Stories like this are why people bring up race and class in regards to what's been happening.

Well, that is my fault and I didn't intend it that way.

[TexasEagle]

Them needing the building and kicking the people out of it and them moving the people from the building to the front of the bus lines are two different issues. If they need the hotel, they need the hotel and those people need to get the farg out of it. No problem.

Them getting immediately evacuated is a different issue though. There's no legitimate reason why they couldn't wait with the other folks for their turn to get bused out. Everyone's getting evacuated, 'why'd they get to go first?' is the question being brought up. Just because they were in the hotel isn't a justifiable reason (IMO) for getting to jump to the front of the line.

Whether they're white isn't a concern of mine. I haven't even seen a report that said they were "rich and white" or even mostly white. They could be Cuban for all I know...

[General_Failure]

The rich and white part was Dio's spin.

I'm still of the opinion that there was no reason to put those people in the Superdome. Who's to say they don't start getting violent if they're moved out of their comfy little glassless hotel and thrown into the piss pond.

[Eagles76ersFan]

I watch this and I just can't believe this is our own country. I can't believe that the government could let our own farging citizens sit there for FIVE days before sending food and rescue. I tossed and turned AGAIN last night over this. I just feel helpless, because other than dontating money, what else can we do? 

I'm so farging sick of hearing this. In a different world, this catastrophe could have been avoided beforehand. Yes, the government, or some other group, would have already fortified New Orleans/Mississippi/all other victim states against a hurricane of this caliber. Well, guess what? In a perfect world, the streets are made of gold, worries don't exist, and the Wicked Witch is dead. shtein happens, and we deal with it.

This is what I'd like to see: I'd like to see all you iceholes that are placing blame on FEMA, on the Government, on anyone, you don't care who, just to bitch and place blame, farging stand up, get out of your farging air conditioned homes, away from your "I can do whatever I want, eat what I want, and bitch about whatever I want" lives, and actually put forth an effort towards what you "believe in".

I am so farging tired of listening to people whine and moan and complain about this and that, about how our people shouldn't be over in Iraq or Afghanistan, how the government didn't prepare for the Hurricane. Well, you know what? Join the Military, move up in the ranks, and go ahead and change it. Go out with the National Guard, the Marines, the volunteers. Go to the hurricane ravaged areas. Save people. You're doing nothing by bitching about what should have been done.

Realize what is being done, iceholes, and appreciate it. You'll never see anything greater.

You want to know what you can do? Well, take these people for example. http://www.meridianstar.com/articles/2005/09/03/local_news/news_stories/a1-volunteers.txt. Now, go do something and make a difference or shut the farg up.

[Diomedes]

Yeah, and I'm awful sick and tired of idiots like you apologising for the rich, wealthy, powerful leaders, while preaching that critics shouldn't speak their mind about the total, lethal failure for which these dirtbags are responsible.  So blow me, Nationlist Pig.  Better yet, blow Bush and Chertoff.  Their "Progress is on the March" spunk should suit your tastes just fine.

[Geowhizzer]

The Bush administration screwed this one up.  No doubt about it.