Posted on 08/30/2005 10:10:45 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
It is with heavy heart I write this...
I have finally reconnected with my best friend who is a paramedic who was sent from Georgia 2 days ago to Gulf Port, Mississippi before the hurricane hit.
He just reached me within the last 10 mins via emergency cell phone to tell me he was alive.
Thousands of bodies have been discovered throughout Mississippi in Gulf Port, Waveland,Hancock County,Bay of St.Louis.
They are hanging in trees and they are pulling them out 30 at a time. Entire families found drowned in their homes and washing up on shore.
The stories he could tell me were brief. National Guard is on the scene and arresting anyone seen on the streets.
The numbers are staggering and what I have been told tonight will shake people to their foundation as the numbers will be coming out in the next 24-hours of just how many people have actually perished in these and 3 other beach communities.
More to follow....
I know what they eat now! ;)
That doesn't change that nature is at war with itself because of mans sin.
*sigh* nevermind
(self edit)
Slidell got flooded, but it likely didn't see the worst of the surge... it is inland a bit, and there is a land barier between the town and the gulf. Most of the mass casualty would probably be in MS along the shore. I'm sure there are dead in Slidell, and NO, etc... but, these people should have had a little better shot as compared to those who came in touch with uninterupted surge/waves from the GOM.
Many of the victims deserve some blame, staying behind because you have a dog is stupid, take it with you and skip the shelters. Staying behind because you survived Camille is stupid, this wasn't Camille. Staying behind just to see it, beyond stupid. Not that the Pol's get a pass, but their incompetence was predictable, they're libs.
Time and place is an important and worthy issue to consider and I do.
As a shrink and sociologist,
I also know from extensive experience as well as training
THAT PEOPLE WHEN IN THE MIDST OF TRAUMA can be a LOT more open to hearing than at any other time.
Depends on a lot of factors and
one size does NOT fit all.
But one still does the best one can trying to prayerfully factor in all the issues and factors . . . and trying hard to be sensitive to Holy Spirit.
Thanks for a reasonable exhortation absent the arrogant, mindless hostility. Much appreciated.
The rain falls on the just and the unjust.
My fatality estimate just went up past 15,000. There were 30K in Slidell alone.
But -
Officials from a single county in MS are making statements indicating that they already think 200 to 300 is a reasonable expectation for the toll in their county.
40,000 homes in St. Bernard Parish were flooded to the rooftops.
The lower half of Plaquemines Parish no longer exists.
More than 3000 people have been plucked from rooftops in NO. And rescuers have consistently reported cries for help from other homes.
Large swaths of St. Tammany parish are destroyed. I know you saw the officer in Slidell - standing on dry ground. Well, we know now that the western side of Slidell faired relatively well. We also know that downtown Slidell is underwater, and large subdivisions were completely destroyed.
Bay St. Louis is largely destroyed. Same with Waveland. Same with Pass Christian.
And MFH's post is not the first report I've heard of bodies in trees.
The upshot of all this, IMHO, is that you seem to be going out of your way to challenge the specifics of MFH's post, but acknowledge yourself, in a guess, that we could have 1500 dead. There is no more reporting to support that guess than there is to support a contention of 'thousands' being dead. But, nonetheless, you view it as a reasonable guess. Why wouldn't 2500 be a reasonable guess? Or 3500?
Looks like Tom Brokaw found something to do with his retirement.
Open wide. Here's another spooful of mainstream media!
I don't excuse looters or those that could have gotten out. But I am horrified for those that were helpless.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
So, folks who don't agree with you lock-step are dangerous to the cause.
Wrong.
Like I said, these things happen to the just and the unjust together... because of the unjust. It's the law of unintended consequences.
However, just because someone receives judgement rightly is no reason not to help them recover.
"they have "townships" up in Pennsylvania...:-)"
As long as you don't call the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania a state!
The point is there is a time and a place to chew out the people who stayed behind. I am sure right now they more than you or anybody else is kicking themselves in the a** for staying behind. They do not need some self righteous people to preach to them from there comfy computer chair, but they sure could use a helping hand.
If you are looking for me to post cell phone numbers,a name of my best friend working this on the ground,and anything else...you can suck wind.
You have tried to make this thread all about you and it is failing. This thread is about what is going on in Mississippi.
I have addressed all of what I could possibly explain from 10-15 mins of phone calls overnight from him on the ground. Again,if the situation was reverse I would be posting the same thing.
This is simply not the case as to what I was told by a former member of the Army,current paramedic and nurse.
So sorry I can't supply you with up to the minute details of each and every corner in Mississippi and Louisiana.
I never claimed to be CNN,Fox,or MSNBC.
If any other phone calls come in via cell from him I will post it to this thread. If you don't like it...turn your head and move on.
An hour ago there was a news conference in Baton Rouge where several military officers and coordination officials layed out lots of info on the rescue effort and what will be taking place today. Our local cable news channel here in Dallas carried it live, Fox News Channel, CNN, CNN Headline News, and MSNBC completely ignored it.
2 - I refuse to feel sorry for the able bodied men who are being rescued. You'd think they'd be humiliated to use up valuable resources to get their sorry rearends out of the jam they got themselves into in the first place. Sheeeeesh already.
How far do you want them to swim? Many of those rescues are 5-10 miles east of the Superdome, and there is a deep shipping canal separating those sections of the city. How far can someone swim after 48 hours without food and water? BTW, ever wonder how bad the sunburns are for those that have been on the rooftop for 2 days straight, in 95 degree humid heat, or are you another who hasn't been able to look past their righteous outrage?
3 - One more thing. Those people in the Dome should be grateful - counting their blessings - that they had a place to go.
Agreed. And most appear to be that way. But as of late last night, there were still reports coming out that during the 48+ hours there they have been given NO information from authorities. How can there not be some degree of anxiousness and worry? It is just human nature, so maybe cut them a bit of slack? Do you realize how hot it was in there on Monday, when the storm and rain kept the outside temp rather cool? It will get close to 100 outside today, and with little power being generated, the circulation fans aren't working anywhere near full speed, if at all.
You'd think they could get themselves organized in there to at least clean up after themselves. Whatever it takes. It's like they're a bunch of helpless babies. Sheeeeeesh.
Where would they get the cleaning supplies, with the plumbing and sewer failures have rendered all the toilets inoperable? It is a bad and frustrating situation, but the time for the blaming and retribution should be later. Whatever has happened has happened, but the end result is that there are now 25,000+ (and the number is increasing) temporarily stuck in miserable conditions. These are the people who aren't rioting, many never had a car, were poor, and even poorer now.
Let's not pile on them, they still have a long, difficult road ahead. Literally. For some reason, while buses have been running all night from the western suburbs of Kenner to newly setup shelters out of the area, including a massive setup at LSU, those who have been suffering in the superdome are going to be bussed later today 300 miles west to the Astrodome in Houston. Clearly a vast improvement over the current condition, but there are some disturbing questions about why they are the ones being pushed out on the longest journey. Perhaps the undesirables have been kicked around enough, even though so many things and the situation itself are very frustrating for all of us. I know that you have a very strong and caring heart, and have gone to great lengths for the most vulnerable among us, the unborn. For whatever reason, these people are also vulnerable and suffering right now.
I hope you are right. But I think it is wildly optimistic.
LOL Way to go Quix! I am thinking of a certain Mark Twain quote about opening... or not opening... one's mouth.
OK.
" For whatever reason, these people are also vulnerable and suffering right now"
bump
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