Posted on 09/02/2005 7:27:17 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
10:46 pm The Real News
The following is the result of an interview I just conducted via cell phone with a New Orleans citizen stranded at the Convention Center. I don't know what you're hearing in the mainstream media or in the press conferences from the city and state officials, but here is the truth:
"Bigfoot" is a bar manager and DJ on Bourbon Street, and is a local personality and icon in the city. He is a lifelong resident of the city, born and raised. He rode out the storm itself in the Iberville Projects because he knew he would be above any flood waters. Here is his story as told to me moments ago. I took notes while he talked and then I asked some questions:
Three days ago, police and national guard troops told citizens to head toward the Crescent City Connection Bridge to await transportation out of the area. The citizens trekked over to the Convention Center and waited for the buses which they were told would take them to Houston or Alabama or somewhere else, out of this area.
It's been 3 days, and the buses have yet to appear.
Although obviously he has no exact count, he estimates more than 10,000 people are packed into and around and outside the convention center still waiting for the buses. They had no food, no water, and no medicine for the last three days, until today, when the National Guard drove over the bridge above them, and tossed out supplies over the side crashing down to the ground below. Much of the supplies were destroyed from the drop. Many people tried to catch the supplies to protect them before they hit the ground. Some offered to walk all the way around up the bridge and bring the supplies down, but any attempt to approach the police or national guard resulted in weapons being aimed at them.
There are many infants and elderly people among them, as well as many people who were injured jumping out of windows to escape flood water and the like -- all of them in dire straights.
Any attempt to flag down police results in being told to get away at gunpoint. Hour after hour they watch buses pass by filled with people from other areas. Tensions are very high, and there has been at least one murder and several fights. 8 or 9 dead people have been stored in a freezer in the area, and 2 of these dead people are kids.
The people are so desperate that they're doing anything they can think of to impress the authorities enough to bring some buses. These things include standing in single file lines with the eldery in front, women and children next; sweeping up the area and cleaning the windows and anything else that would show the people are not barbarians.
The buses never stop.
Before the supplies were pitched off the bridge today, people had to break into buildings in the area to try to find food and water for their families. There was not enough. This spurred many families to break into cars to try to escape the city. There was no police response to the auto thefts until the mob reached the rich area -- Saulet Condos -- once they tried to get cars from there... well then the whole swat teams began showing up with rifles pointed. Snipers got on the roof and told people to get back.
He reports that the conditions are horrendous. Heat, mosquitoes and utter misery. The smell, he says, is "horrific."
He says it's the slowest mandatory evacuation ever, and he wants to know why they were told to go to the Convention Center area in the first place; furthermore, he reports that many of them with cell phones have contacts willing to come rescue them, but people are not being allowed through to pick them up.
I have "Bigfoot"'s phone number and will gladly give it to any city or state official who would like to tell him how everything is under control.
Addendum: Bigfoot just called to report that "they" (the authorities) are cleaning up the dead bodies at the Convention Center right now.
And, O'Reilly tried to get him to shut up. Shep got pretty angry. I think he needs a few weeks at a spa when this is over. Personally, while I think things are terrible down there, these so called newsmen need to get a grip, stop trying to whip people up any more than they already are, and report the news. They have become part of the story and I thought that was a huge journalistic no no.
susie
Who thought it might take 6 days to be evacuated? Its a panic, like people panicing for gas etc etc.
Houston's "Smart Growth" plan gave us a costly rail system that cannot run in more than 3 inches of rain and that only goes from one stadium through the medical center (where it hits pedestrians) to another stadium.
And our streets flood worse than ever because of the construction.
"Smart"? It was for the connected downtown property owners who have seen billions in their pockets.
The leftists around town can only grumble about Halliburton. They need to focus where their local taxes go.
Isn't that why we have the national guard. If we can pat down grannies at the airport, we can pat these people down. Additionally, have you ever seen the WWII prisoner marches through France. Why not something similar. Stage these people along the road or at a point so that the buses can get them out of there and have an orderly process.
What is going on is totally ridiculous and asnine.
yep yep
Have you ever done anything like this? You seem to have alot of advice. Please call someone in authority and tell them. We can't do anything from here.
susie
We spend literally billions and billions on homeland security. We pay 50% in taxes to these bums, for what?
There are so many examples of complete ineptness here. This will make Gorelick's wall look like nothing when everything is put on the table.
The company Interdictor works for needs help
As an owner of Intercosmos Media Group, Inc., I would like to thank all of you for the overwhelming support you have shown our company, our group, and our fight. This week has been a nightmare for everyone involved. The team at Outpost Crystal has done an outstanding job. There are many employees behind the scenes who have also committed themselves to working 16 hour days amidst complete turmoil, to keeping direcNIC.com up and operational.
Unfortunately all of these people are scattered across several states and telecommuting via hotel connections, pc cards, dial-up connections and even wi-fi hotspots. This dedicated group needs a temporary home until New Orleans is rebuilt!
Please help us to find a temporary home for 55 employees. We are looking for the following:
Short-term solution
6,000 - 8,000 square feet
Ready to occupy, desks, chairs, etc
Workplaces for 55 people
Nearby datacenter preferable
Internet connectivity
Nearby housing
Texas, Northern Louisiana, Georgia, & Florida are preferable...
Please send any information to noah@intercosmos.com.
ping...sad ping.
Then get ready; he didn't even have the balls to stand up for the First Amendment or get PBS off our backs.
Let me ask you something, would you feel different if this were a terrorist attack as opposed to a hurrican?
Of course he did.
NAGIN SAVED HIS OWN.
He rolled the dice with the lives of his constituents and LOST BIG TIME.
It was gambling fool odds to boot (his incompetence has probably killed thousands).
He ought to be brought up on charges.
I am so naive at times. To think we would do the smart thing at times is something to be dreamed about.
After 9/11, we should have really thrown the enviro's to the wolves as well as all the illegals. We should have immediately started drilling, etc etc.
ping
What is hysterical about watching AMERICAN CITIZENS being treated like cattle and many freepers show more concern for tsunami victimsin an islamic country?
That is spot on.
I saw Whoraldo trying to outdo Shep earlier at the Convention Center in New Orleasn.
It just seems to me everyone is passing the buck and no one does this and no thinks we can do that, etc etc.
Its an outrage that many Freepers showed more concern over the tsunami victims than our own citizens. Why is that??
Yes they seemed hysterical, however, they were literally in a Dawn of the Dead like area the likes of which many of us will never ever see.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.