Q: One quick follow-up. Is it fair to say, using the convention center as an example, that one reason it took until Friday to get aid in is the National Guard needed time to build up a response team with military police to ensure law and order because the New Orleans Police Department had degraded so much?
GEN. BLUM: That is not only fair, it is accurate.
Looters stealing diapers? Not a problem.
Looters shooting at rescue workers? That will slow down relief efforts and cause people to die.
My brother-in-law was mugged there a couple of years ago. The night he was mugged, there were over 20 muggings and four murders.
Stress didn't bring anything out! These criminals are just acting the way they always have, but this week the whole world got to see it.
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