Sunrise and Sunset (Katrina's Camps Still Draw The Underclass Multitude)

New York Times ^ | 14 December 2006 | Bob Herbert From Baton Rouge LA

[shrinkermd]

They look for all the world like internment camps. The long rows of identical white trailers sit on flat, grim, barren expanses of land that are enclosed by metal fences. Armed guards are stationed at the entrances around the clock.

More than a year after the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of the poorest victims from New Orleans are still living in these trailer parks run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They have ironic names, like Mount Olive Gardens and Renaissance Village. A more accurate name would be Camp Depression, after the state of mind of most of the residents...

"...The “parks” are nothing more than vast, dusty, gravel-strewn lots filled with trailers that were designed to be hitched to cars for brief vacations or weekend getaways. The trailers, about 200 square feet each, were never meant to serve as homes for entire families. But in these FEMA parks, it’s common for families of five or six, or even more, to be jammed into one trailer.

[shrinkermd]

It has been said, "The poor are alwyas with us." Surely, this is the case here. While Mr. Herbert tries to sound sympathetic and understanding it is apparent he has the same problem as most people.

We have no real solution for the underclass penchant to be "free riders." That is, throughout history we have become accustomed to identify and punish people who didn't do their part. In the past this was crucial for small groups of humans to live.

We still have the ability to identify "free riders" but we no longer have the will or belief that punishing them is the way to go. A dilema not easily solved even though many will opine with simple slogans.

[3AngelaD]

"They look for all the world like internment camps." We are a bad, bad country for not putting these poor folks into esthetically pleasing 6,000 square-foot ranch houses on golf courses and allowing them to stay there for the rest of their lives on the public dime.

[Condor51]

Okay New York Slimes, you're right. They still shouldn't be in gubmint trailers. They should have been kicked out six months ago and told to get a freakin' job.

Huh? What's that? Oh... you didn't mean that. Uh-huh, I see now. Yeah a gubmint furnished Mansion with Maids would be better. Might as well throw in a Limo and Chauffeur too.

[tx_eggman]

More than a year after the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of the poorest victims from New Orleans are still living in these trailer parks run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Meanwhile, the spanish speaking population of New Orleans has exploded due to the large number of hispanics that have moved there to WORK on the rebuilding.

[sully777]

Sunrise Sunset=Fiddler On The Roof

Internment Camps=Japanese/Holocaust


The imagery is never-ending for these libs. Meanwhile Mississippi and Alabama are recovering quietly.

[Kenton]

I guess Jimma Carter and his Habitat for Certain Members of Humanity group have been sleeping on the job. I would have thought these trailers would have already been replaced by welfare mini-mansions with built-in pools.

Of course, there's that controversy about whether or not to put the large pillars out front, since it would take up valuable porch-sitting, 40 ouncer-sipping space. I can see how that would be racist.

[avacado]

Meanwhile in Houston, Texas the survivors of the "Katrina Holocaust" remain 100% committed to not looking for work and are demanding more FEMA checks.

[rock_lobsta]

Renaissance Village

[JimRed]

I seriously doubt that armed guards would be stationed there unless they were NEEDED.

Tell me, who created the need?

< /rehtoric >

[KingArthur305]

How dare you! They are nice hard working people who work hard but the country prevents them from working because of institutional racism. Now the mexicans are discriminating against the poor blacks and taken their jobs. Its a conspirasy, the government doesn't want New Orleans to remain chocalate, now it wants mexican caramel. Those people didn't shoot at NATIONAL GUARD TROOP WHEN THEY WERE LIFTing UP THEIR DEPENDANT HANDS FOR HELP FROM "THE MAN". /sarc

[stevie_d_64]

Don't forget the illegal alien grounds-keepers...

[Carolinamom]

I don't see any armed guards in that picture, rock. Could the NYT be caught in another "misstatement" (aka lie)?

[nonliberal]

Camp Largesse, Camp Uneducated, Camp Crack Whore

[Fierce Allegiance]

In America, it takes serious effort to be included in the underclass. If they spent half as much effort trying to succede, they'd be middle class.

[CharlesWayneCT]

The sad thing is they are probably happy to live this way forever.

[KingArthur305]

The sad thing is they are probably happy to live this way forever.

Why do they blame the Federal government for everything that has to do with their life, they must be Uncle Sam's children.

I guess that's why they like Uncle Sam, but they abhor the good Uncle Tom, the one that got the hell out of Katrina's way and got a new job in another state.

sigh Urban Black Culture...

[Alouette]

Where are the guard towers and the dead zone and the electrified razor wire fence?

[Kenton]

Looks WAY better than the old 9th ward...

[supremedoctrine]

Yeah, if anyone cares to read past that first ridiculous sentence, he will be rewarded with dozens more ridiculous sentences that make no point worth making and offer no perspective worth thinking about. This is what passes for journalism. Pathetic. And I think this guy has been at it for more than 30 years.

[supremedoctrine]

I was in the lower 9th Ward last April and took hundreds of pictures.Spent a total of 10 days there---- My nephew had just bought an (undamaged) shotgun house a few miles up in the Bywater months earlier: he took me down there, since HE saw it in November, one of the first people somehow allowed back in town.(He'd been touring with his band from a few days before Katrina, right up to late Oct, early Nov. When I was there there was virtually NO police presence to be found anywhere. There were certainly no armed guards anywhere, and I think this idiot journalist is trying taking great liberties with his reportage, and I also think he knows it. Dishonesty is the order of the day for most journalists, especially those with an axe to grind.