Posted on 09/04/2005 8:55:02 PM PDT by wagglebee
International singing star Celine Dion has little problem with the large amount of looting taking place in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, and she's slamming the U.S. government for its perceived slow response to Katrina's impact.
"You know, some people are stealing and they're making a big deal out of it," Dion said on CNN's "Larry King Live," as she said she'd donate $1 million toward relief.
"Oh, they're stealing 20 pair of jeans or they're stealing television sets. Who cares? They're not going to go too far with it. Maybe those people are so poor, some of the people who do that they're so poor they've never touched anything in their lives. Let them touch those things for once."
Dion, an celebrity from Canada who now lives and performs in Las Vegas, took a double swipe at U.S. war policy while criticizing the recovery effort.
"How come it's so easy to send planes in another country to kill everyone in a second, to destroy lives?"
"I open the television, there's people still there waiting to be rescued and for me it's not acceptable. I know there's reasons for it. I'm sorry to say I'm being rude but I don't want to hear those reasons."
Fellow singer Harry Connick Jr., who hails from New Orleans, and was able to make it into the hard-hit region last week, said he was horrified by the number of bodies, including an old woman in a chair at the city's convention center.
Connick also told King a friend commandeered an abandoned city bus to help evacuate refugees.
"And I'm thinking, if [she] can get on a bus and drive a bus out with sick people, you know, well, we can't get a barge to park back up on the Mississippi behind the convention center and get these people out?"
The Bush administration was also accused of racism on national TV during a celebrity relief effort on NBC.
"George Bush doesn't care about black people!" exclaimed rapper Kayne West.
West continued:
I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, "They're looting." You see a white family, it says, "They're looking for food." And, you know, it's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I've tried to turn away from the TV because it's too hard to watch. I've even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I'm calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help – with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way – and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us!
Meanwhile, actor Sean Penn made his own personal attempt to aid those in New Orleans, but the small boat he was piloting to launch a rescue attempt sprang a leak.
The 45-year-old Oscar winner had planned on rescuing stranded children, but an Agence France-Presse report indicates he apparently forgot to plug a hole in the vessel's bottom, which took on water within seconds of its launch.
Asked about his goal in the soaked city, Penn replied: "Whatever I can do to help."
But with the boat loaded with members of his entourage, including his personal photographer, one bystander taunted: "How are you going to get any people in that thing?"
you have got to be the oddest member of this forum
According to a Red Cross lady I know (also a 911 survivor) it always takes three days for relief to really start. The levee only broke on Tuesday. Governors have to call in the National Guard. President Bush was correct in not going down until when he did because it would have diverted efforts away from recovery. He's gone once and will go again tomorrow (Mon, 9/5). Sec. Rumsfield is also going, and Condi was in Alabama today. Honestly, the libs are so blind.
I called some of my customers, and the only one I was able to reach was in Louisiana. She was incredible! Her grand daughter was born last Saturday by C-section. Then they booted mom and child out because of the impending storm. They were to return Monday, but by then the catastrophe was unfolding and weren't allowed to. She was really upbeat, laughing at the fact that her husband was hauling the generator around to all of their family and friends and then, back again. She wasn't complaining, and playing the blame game. She was doing what we all should do in disasters..."buck it up". She was such an inspiration! And a breath of fresh air, from all the whiners.
One American Voice
Yeah, but some of them don't know it yet.
It isn't hard to judge those people, or anyone for that matter. You do it everyday. "Those" people didn't do what they were supposed to do, which was EVACUATE! If I heard there was a CATAGORY 5 hurricane headed in my direction, and I knew I lived BELOW SEA LEVEL, I'd be on my way out of town before they gave the order. I've lived through some pretty nasty hurricanes because we did the right thing. I've even been through tidal waves, and we didn't head for the beach to watch it when the sirens sounded. I'm feel sad for them that they gambled and lost, but they need to take PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, and they aren't.
I'm also angry that they put not only their life but the life of someone else in jeapordy, and then have the balls to complain about it. Then they have the nerve to play the race card! Please!
I don't care if they take food, water, clothing, board games, small toys for the kids, but not jewelry or high end electronics like TVs and DVDs. Wonder if any of them will go back to those stores with offers to help pay or rebuild.
Ah, poor Sean. Was his assistant their to bail it out?
Why isn't it "grandstanding" and a "photo op" when he goes into an area he has no business (like all the other places), but it is when President Bush does?
Penn is indeed finding out how difficult getting simple things done can be without his personal assistants. I'm sure it will be a really great column for Berkely or Al Jazzera. He should stay home out of the way, and let the professionals handle it.
Because they can fly back to their base, so don't need a place to land while they're bombing? /sarc>
"I open the television, there's people still there waiting to be rescued and for me it's not acceptable.
Bad idea for an intelligent layman; REALLY bad idea for an ignorant performer. Maybe if you had bothered to open a book sometime in your pitiful life, you would be a gnat's whisker less ignorant.
Also, if they are in there waiting to be rescued, reach in and scoop them out while you have it open, you dumb slut.
Everyone judges everyone on a daily basis. It is how you choose your friends, your spouse, etc. BTW, who are these "very wise people"?
Sorry, Larry, but its not about looking "at the human side of it". We all have sympathy for the people that are effected. However, we also, are using our critical thinking skills to assess the situation. Celine and most of the liberals aren't because they don't have that skill. They could get it, as I did, but you have to practice it. Once you get it, it is amazing how clear you begin to see things.
Not so much that the whole world got to see it, but that "the whole world is watching".
She said she would donate; not that she did. Beware what a Lib says, and appears to say:
Comrade, if you had a $million, would you share it equally with us? Yes, of course; that is what Communism is all about!
Comrade, if you had a $100,000, would you share? Yes, of course!
Comrade, if you had $1,000, would you split it with us? NO!!
Why not, Comrade? "Because I HAVE $1,000!
Too bad "Gilligan" didn't take the Skipper with him instead of the photographer. Skipper would have plugged the hole before they launched. But why do I keep hearing Ceine singing "My Heart Will Go On" as the Minnow heads for the bottom as the entrouge scurries around to get a dial tone for their unions, while Sean is standing valiantly on the tiny bow yelling, "Did you get that shot?" Oh, yeah, in my vision, the music is recorded.
Too bad I keep waking up.
Last night was one of those times when I saw the world through different eyes. A friend's viewpoint looked better than it usually does. It happens sometimes. I don't know why.
Something like that did happen, I've been told. Some cops came across some kids stealing a vehicle. They told them to use the vehicle to help evacuate the aged and infirm. So they did.
The guys who wrote the scriptures and others like them. I'm very far from knowledgeable about that stuff but isn't there something about "beams and motes" and other stuff about generosity and compassion? You find sentiments like that in all religions and most philosophies.
This is absolutely wrong.
Penn may be too incompetent for this job but the actions of non-professionals - boaters, sportsmen, good samaritans, caring citizens - are what made this far less of a disaster than it could have been.
Good catch on the "would". It got by me.
Of course. I'm saying be more charitable. That's a little different than saying "you're evil".
Please. You can't be that ignorant. Lynchings, Jim Crow, segregation, slavery, whites only.
The thing is cultures last for a long time. It takes generations to create them and generations to change them. Not all the time, not for everyone. But usually.
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