Just like animals raised in a zoo, put em in the wild and they cannot fend for themselves because they were always given a handout and were always taken care of.
Posted on 09/02/2005 11:54:28 AM PDT by TIADaily.com
It has taken four long days for state and federal officials to figure out how to deal with the disaster in New Orleans. I can't blame them, because it has also taken me four long days to figure out what is going on there. The reason is that the events there make no sense if you think that we are confronting a natural disaster.
If this is just a natural disaster, the response for public officials is obvious: you bring in food, water, and doctors; you send transportation to evacuate refugees to temporary shelters; you send engineers to stop the flooding and rebuild the city's infrastructure. For journalists, natural disasters also have a familiar pattern: the heroism of ordinary people pulling together to survive; the hard work and dedication of doctors, nurses, and rescue workers; the steps being taken to clean up and rebuild.
Public officials did not expect that the first thing they would have to do is to send thousands of armed troops in armored vehicle, as if they are suppressing an enemy insurgency. And journalists--myself included--did not expect that the story would not be about rain, wind, and flooding, but about rape, murder, and looting.
But this is not a natural disaster. It is a man-made disaster.
The man-made disaster is not an inadequate or incompetent response by federal relief agencies, and it was not directly caused by Hurricane Katrina. This is where just about every newspaper and television channel has gotten the story wrong.
The man-made disaster we are now witnessing in New Orleans did not happen over the past four days. It happened over the past four decades. Hurricane Katrina merely exposed it to public view.
The man-made disaster is the welfare state...[read on]
(Excerpt) Read more at tiadaily.com ...
Just like animals raised in a zoo, put em in the wild and they cannot fend for themselves because they were always given a handout and were always taken care of.
What exactly have Republicans done to reverse this?
Please be specific and provide links.
I'll wait.
And what's even more sad about your observation is that New Orleans, unlike Biloxi or many of the smaller cities, is a major US city that has recieved substantial federal funds for any number of projects. Heck, I'm dying to know just what NO has recieved as part of the Homeland Security budget since they are such an important city.
Yet, even with all these resources, it is evident that the local government has done nothing but waste that money. We're not even talking about an unexpected terrorist attack...but a hurricane with at least 48 hours warning. Were where the evacuation plans for the city (especially the poor) when even after Ivan last year, the city was informed of its inadequate emergency plans.
I don't know if others have seen the story from last year after Ivan, but even the Red Cross warned of these problems:
"It's always been a problem, but the situation is worse now that the Red Cross has stopped providing shelters in New Orleans for hurricanes rated above Category 2. Stronger hurricanes are too dangerous, and Ivan was a much more powerful Category 4.
In this case, city officials first said they would provide no shelter, then agreed that the state-owned Louisiana Superdome would open to those with special medical needs...Mayor Ray Nagin's spokeswoman, Tanzie Jones, insisted that.."Our main focus is to get the people out of the city,"
Yeah...and that's why we see flooded parking lots of useless school buses that could've been used for evacuating the poor. Hey mayor...forget the Greyhounds from around the country; you had the resources right under your nose to move these people. Just as you (and the Governor) had a National Guard that could've stopped the looting before it got out of hand.
self-induced helplessness
I found this particularly appropriate.
My colleague is from NO, and said what's happening is typical of the incredible corruption there dating back to Huey Long. He claims it doesn't matter which party is in power, but I disagree. The difference between NYC on 9/11 and NO now is like night and day.
Well-stated post! WOW! With the media to back up the looters, what more do they need?
There's some truth in this, but a few points. First, at least some of the people left in the city were old, with health problems, unable to drive and without relatives in the area to care for them. Second, if you've lived through other hurricanes, there's a tendency to think that the warnings are exaggerated. It's not always clear to people just how seriously the warnings are meant. Third, I think you have to take into account not just criminals and welfare recipients but people who may make contributions to society but who are just "slow" or live in a much more limited and confined mental environment. "Dependency" or "parasitism" are words that can get thrown out a lot, but some people, even if they work productively, are "dependent" upon a secure environment, and when that breaks down they're at a loss.
bttt
Welcome to FreeRepublic, FRiend.
I tried that link and the next thing that happened was that Norton Antivirus told me I had a trojan horse on my hard drive.
This is the article in the link I emailed to you.
The Definitive Analysis of the New Orleans Crisis.
And let's not forget "Compassionate Conservatism"!
(D) or (R) we are all responsible and we will all pay a price for this nonsense.
We were wondering what happened to Mississippi after watching the morning news. The Weather Channel is the only branch of the media that is reporting from Mississippi, it seems. We agree that it's because people are getting to work, helping each other, and are not complaining! No news, there.
God bless all the victims of decades of DemonRat rule as well as of Hurricane Katrina!
Bookmark.
amen
Grand Forks, ND flood of '97
One radio station was able to stay running. A gal called in to say she had some stereo equipment stolen-the next 15-20 calls all said if they see looting, the perps will get shot. There were no more complaints of looting after that.
Clothes, blankets, towels and shoes lay ready in plastic sealed bags. Air mattresses, flash lights, more waterproof matches, lanterns , heavy duty boots and rain gear are at the ready. Rope ladders have been installed for the attic and a small heaters to run on a genarator have been stashed in the attic and garage.
This may seem like overkill to some, but it is comforting to me. I pray to GOD I never have to use them, but they are there if I do.
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