Posted on 09/02/2005 12:15:24 AM PDT by anymouse
Refugees being helped at expense of the city's poor is one sentiment
Amid the overwhelmingly compassionate response to hurricane evacuees in Houston, a less-welcoming undercurrent is developing among people worried about the impact of thousands of needy, desperate people.
E-mails, blogs and callers to the Chronicle wonder why refugees draw such immediate assistance while Houston's poor continue to suffer. Others fear an increase of crime.
Some are blunt. "Yes, let's rush to bring over the looters and destroyers of public and private property," wrote a blogger.
Some are thoughtful. "I have grave concerns about a city that can't help the people here now that are going hungry and cannot pay the high cost of utilities," e-mailed a Houston woman.
Others feel a burden has been foisted on Houstonians. "I am not a Christian, but I am charitable. That being said, there's a difference between me making a personal choice to give $50 to the Red Cross and my elected officials inviting 25,000 homeless into the middle of my city," a resident wrote the Chronicle's SciGuy blog.
Laurence Simon, a tech support employee for a local company, has mixed feelings.
"I'm glad that we're putting out a welcome mat. These people have to go somewhere. But I don't know if officials are appreciating the extent of what it's going to take," said Simon.
"You can hold the door open on the elevator for more and more people but, at some point, the elevator gets too full and the cable snaps."
About two-thirds of the population of New Orleans and many of the evacuees are black. Some of the e-mails and calls have a racist bent.
But the unease cuts across racial lines. Michelle Louring, an African-American resident of the Greenspoint area, said her neighborhood already has experienced an increase in petty crimes and nuisances she blames on refugees.
"I understand we need to help. But the crime rate in New Orleans is really high and now we're getting their problem. Plus, people in my community already have trouble getting jobs and services, and now everyone is concentrating on helping the refugees."
Sylvia Brooks, longtime director of the Houston Area Urban League, has heard the sentiments. "Some people are bound to feel that we already have plenty of people to help," she said. "But, especially in the African-American community, we have to rise to the occasion."
The sheltering of evacuees inside the Astrodome is raising some security concerns in nearby neighborhoods.
"They have no money, they have nothing, and we feel sorry for them," said Sid Sabel, who purchased his southwest Houston home more than 50 years ago. "But by the same token, we have to protect our interests as best as we can."
Sabel doesn't fault the decision to offer the Astrodome as a temporary refuge.
"I think it was something that had to be done," he said. "After all, we are our brother's keeper."
Chronicle reporter Mike Glenn contributed to this report.
lori.rodriguez@chron.com
Notice those complaining are those who expect the government to take care of them. They should feel fortunate that they are not in New Orleans with that attitude. Then again maybe we should draft them into going to New Orleans and help. They could always use a few more sandbags to throw on the levee breach. :)
Ya can't blame them for being worried
A most of those people are not going back. Most of these people don't work. I'm sure most metropolitan are would just love to absorb them.
These people are not going back. Houston is going to regret this in a big way;.. but the city also earned some bigtime good Karma.
This is going to get real interesting, real fast.
Yep .. and it's very predictable
The other thing I am waiting to see is exactly how they plan to get the last of that crew of looters out of NO.
Because they surely do not want to leave now -- not with all the "stuff" they've stolen right there.
God Bless Texas
"Some Houstonians Question Welcome-mat Effort"
They are concerned and they should be. Soon their goodwill will turn to the overstaying relative syndrome, like John Belushi's "guest that would never leave" character from SNL years ago.
This person is crazy.
The poor in the USA have a higher likelihood of suffering from health problems caused by obesity than any other place in the world.
Now, the people remaining in New Orleans--those are people who are probably really hungry--and thirsty.
Well .. they can come out with their hands up .. or not
IMO ... they are so cocky .. they'll go down in flames and lose
The preacher Osteen has remodeled the former Summit into a colossal church. Anyone heard if he has offered shelter from the storm?
I heard that last night more people showed up for dinner than they had evacuated from New Orleans. They figured some of the Houston street people showed up for dinner and then spent the night. LOL
Since you asked: LAKEWOOD TAKES AN ACTIVE ROLE IN HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF EFFORTS
Maybe you should donate something through their church's web site as a way of appologizing and doing some good.
Because they surely do not want to leave now -- not with all the "stuff" they've stolen right there.
Hopefully, they'll shoot them all. Population control/crime prevention. Works for me! :o)
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