School bus comandeered by renegade refugees first to arrive at Astrodome

Houston Chronicle ^ | SALATHEIA BRYANT and CYNTHIA LEONOR GARZA

[Coldwater Creek]

There is no NO to return to. You might as well make a place for them permanently,

[exodus]

To: OXENinFLA
How are they renegade if they were given the bus?
# 43 by cyborg
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To be honest, the police who 'gave' it didn't own that bus.

[exodus]

To: Jalapeno

“After arriving at the Astrodome at about 10:30 p.m., however, they initially were refused entry by Reliant officials who said the aging landmark was reserved for the 23,000 people being evacuated from the Louisiana Superdome.”

It almost sounded like the voyage of the SS St. Louis, May 13, 1939; but luckily, they weren’t turned away as the passengers on the SS St. Louis were. What a great, wonderful story for a change.
# 52 by Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
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Government workers are not required to help people in need.

Thank God these folks helped themselves.

[after dark]

I hope you are wrong. New Orleans was always a fun place to visit.With all the technology we have now,there must be someway to rebuild and recover the beauty of New Orleans.

As for the refugees I doubt they will give up their city so easily. Once order is restored they will go back and help rebuild what they lost.

[exodus]

To: born in the Bronx
This ENTIRE SITUATION IS UNACCPETABLE CASE CLOSED.
# 56 by Dallas59
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What about this do you consider unacceptable, Dallas59?

[exodus]

..."THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE" We have lost an American City. Doesn't matter, black, green, red, white...These people are AMERICANS and needed help day one. What has happened? I am VERY disapointed with how bad this has gotten out of control.
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Ah, that's what you meant!

I agree.

[pointsal]

When it is primary self-help and self-preservation, the question hinges on the intent and good-work they did by picking up others.

Someone should help them now.

[exodus]

Bryan and I were watching tv last night, when the show was interrupted w/ breaking news. The Astrodome was at capacity and the 40 buses filled w/ refugees were being turned away. Only 8,000 were inside--weren't we prepared for 25,000? KTRK (ABC 13) got an interview w/ a Red Cross official inside the Dome. They were turning buses away b/c they didn't have enough volunteers. (For the past 2 days, we've been repeatedly told to NOT come, they had enough volunteers).
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Well, maybe I'm just not as smart as those Red Cross folks, but wouldn't it be possible to ask the refugees to help?

I'm sure they would be happy to work in exchange for a place to stay.

[SueRae]

Great story..ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

[F.J. Mitchell]

These people selfishly helped themselves at the risk of everyone alse' well being. Like the similar self centered idiots who flood the aisles and block the exits of burning buildings , Aircraft and sinking boats. Like those stampeding Muslims on the bridge in Baghdad the other day that killed 800 and injured many.

Splitting hairs? More like hare brains.

[SueRae]

Thank you, we need to keep hearing that over and over. Help for these people is what is needed. Thank you for being on the front lines.

[SueRae]

Outstanding post. Everyone can do their part, thank you for being there.

[Marysecretary]

God bless them. Can't blame them for wanting to escape that tumultuous situation. They gave a damn. Apparently the local and state government doesn't or they'd get those busses down there a lot earlier than they have.

[Marysecretary]

I noticed that, too. They will never get anywhere in life with that lack of education. Sad.

[RushCrush]

They don't like how I talk either huh. Well I'm going to kill myself now.

[RushCrush]

oops forgot the SARCASM tag

[exodus]

"... A guy I know spoke to his friend that works at the police department ... He said that we need to remember that there are thousands of good people that are elderly, children and helpless being housed with people that are criminals and dope addicts going through withdrawals out of no choice. He said that there has already been a rape in the dome of a woman by two men and they are writing graffiti on the walls and some are going through withdrawals and have been violent to innocent people. He said that these people cannot be contained to the dome and some are desperate and that desperate people do things that they might not ordinarily do ... He said that we need to remember that there are thousands of good people but they are being housed with the bad out of no choice.
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Shooting looters? A citizen would be crucified for doing what some are begging the police to do.

Shooting a perp committing a violent criminal attack on innocent people during a time of National Emergency?

"I'm sorry that you're going through withdrawal, sir ..."

[SueRae]

Amen to that!