An Unnatural Disaster: A Hurricane Exposes the Man-Made Disaster of the Welfare State

The Intellectual Activist ^ | Sept 02, 2005 | Robert Tracinski

[etcetera]

What Hurricane Katrina exposed was the psychological consequences of the welfare state. What we consider "normal" behavior in an emergency is behavior that is normal for people who have values and take the responsibility to pursue and protect them. People with values respond to a disaster by fighting against it and doing whatever it takes to overcome the difficulties they face. They don't sit around and complain that the government hasn't taken care of them. And they don't use the chaos of a disaster as an opportunity to prey on their fellow men.

[bitt]

MUST READ. You will not disagree.

[TaxRelief]

bump

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Jack Black]

ping

[andyk]

I noticed they finally pulled poor Shep after he went ballistic a night or 2 ago

Ooooh, boy. "Bitter? No, Geraldo, I'm not bitter."

[Jaded]

Great article.

[spudsmaki]

LaPlace was the home of the *bestest* andouille sausage. Did it go underwater?

Search for FEMA. It turns out FEMA is not a first responder. That story also has a link to the NOLA disaster plan. The mayor is a big time screwup and shirker.

[bk1000]

"The poor are often not accustomed to being challenged to meet their own needs or that of their families,.."

That is why they are poor. My Grandpa said: "Anybody can be broke from time to time, but poor is a way of life."

[bk1000]

"But how it is that so many of those on public assistance were congregated in New Orleans...well, I just don't know how that occured."

Every major city, especially in the South, is exactly like that.

[BIRDS]

Availability of public transportation and housing subsidies, I guess.

Now that I think of it, also Portland, Denver, Salt Lake City, Detroit...

[BIRDS]

A lot of people would argue with that, as much as I love Alaska and respect you all who live there (sincerely so), because of the money Alaskans receive every year in the form of that dividend. I've read by some that the annual check from the state makes life there possible for them. Just saying...

[nerdgirl]

I see your point, but I'm talking about culture - not economics. Alaskans are by and large a rugged, survival oriented people. Those who get by economically in part because of their dividend, are even more likely to be those with large stores of canned salmon they caught themselves and loads of moose meat in the freezer - and certainly aren't going to sit around waiting for airdrops in the event of a 9.0 earthquake.

Not to say all is great up here! We have plenty of substance abuse, crime, etc - just like everywhere else. Seems like a relatively common way to get a divorce here is to just shoot your mate! Lol.

[rightwinggoth]

Raw visual proof of the tenacity, determination, and frenetic industriousness of the residents of the Big Easy.

[rightwinggoth]

FEMA has been a clusterfornication for a very long time.

[hoboken109]

Has anyone posted a LIST of what the mayor of NO and the Govoner of LA DIDNT'T do and should have done ? ..If so I'd like to print it and post it at a few locations around the nY area.Everyone around here is in a bash bush frenzy .

[little jeremiah]

meant to ping this out. Will later.

[captivatinglight]

An Unnatural Disaster: A Hurricane Exposes the Man-Made Disaster of the Welfare State
Sep 11, 2005
I am not sure if anyone will ever read this. I have looked at this site,thank you for posting. I know we all have the right to believe freely~
I am going to post a letter I just sent my father in response to a "Fwd:" letter containing (sort of) this article. It had been edited and didn't know (or care)~he agrees with the concept so sent it on to 18 people.
Please know...I am a PhD candidate in Neurology, I have a backround in Psy (BS)and Social work (LCSW).
A woman hates to confront her fathers beliefs, it is difficult.I believe this country needs productive change, more though. I cried when I hit send...I know he didn't. Call me what you will just THINK ABOUT IT> Re: Fw:FW: Fw: A MUST READ - THE REAL STORY Dear XXXX, Well.... speaking as someone who has studied the history of welfare law in this country and has followed this story very carefully from all points of view. I find this article not only personally offensive but also inaccurate and morally intolerable. So....knowing you know a lot more about current events and political stuff then I do, help me out. Please tell me what you think, and you don't have to agree with me. I need some advice.... I am going to tell you something too. This is important. When I went to forward this, the formatting was mixed. I could pull apart the pieces that were added. When I forward stuff I will edit it and so do others! You can check the author...he wrote this article. And you may not look farther. Know over time people add their opinion. You make it all one font and no one knows. You need to know that. Look below, I found the actual published article, also many variations that have circled the globe. This was not one original article written by a reputable source. Over time people add things to make it slant their direction. Please read it. I wrote a response to an article I read the other day that I will never send to the paper .... I am tired of keeping my mouth shut.I hope you will tell me more about this and what you think,/know.I am Broken hearted and confused about recent events. Write back. Hope all is well, Love you. ( See, you raised a girl who can think.... (even if we do not agree).For that I do thank you.) XOXOXO ~~~~~~~~~~~~`` Please know that when you forward articles that often times it is not legitimate anymore. I get lots of stuff every day from all viewpoints and often it is sent by someone who thinks it is "real news". I will re format forwards ....add color , fonts and make it enticing. Just know on this site that there are people who do not agree with this thread and are fighting for there beliefs too. Even where it is the most difficult.