South Mississippi needs your help (Desperate Appeal from So. Ms. Sun Herald)

Sun Herald ^ | Wed, Aug. 31, 2005 | Sun Herald Editor

[Smogger]

The coastal communities of South Mississippi are desperately in need of an unprecedented relief effort. We understand that New Orleans also was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but surely this nation has the resources to rescue both that metropolitan and ours.

Whatever plans that were in place to deal with such a natural disaster have proven inadequate. Perhaps destruction on this scale could not have been adequately prepared for.

But now that it has taken place, no effort should be spared to mitigate the hurricane's impact.

The essentials -- ice, gasoline, medicine -- simply are not getting here fast enough.

We are not calling on the nation and the state to make life more comfortable in South Mississippi, we are calling on the nation and the state to make life here possible.

We would bolster our argument with the number of Katrina casualties confirmed thus far, but if there is such a confirmed number, no one is releasing it to the public. This lack of faith in the publics' ability to handle the truth is not sparing anyone's feelings, it is instead fueling terrifying rumors.

While the flow of information is frustratingly difficult, our reporters have yet to find evidence of a coordinated approach to relieve pain and hunger or to secure property and maintain order.

People are hurting and people are being vandalized.

Yet where is the National Guard, why hasn't every able-bodied member of the armed forces in South Mississippi been pressed into service?

On Wednesday reporters listening to horrific stories of death and survival at the Biloxi Junior High School shelter looked north across Irish Hill Road and saw Air Force personnel playing basketball and performing calisthenics.

Playing basketball and performing calisthenics!

When asked why these young men were not being used to help in the recovery effort, our reporters were told that it would be pointless to send military personnel down to the beach to pick up debris.

Litter is the least of our problems. We need the president to back up his declaration of a disaster with a declaration of every man and woman under his command will do whatever is necessary to deal with that disaster.

We need the governor to provide whatever assistance is at his command.

We certainly need our own county and city officials to come together and identify the most pressing needs of their constituents and then allocate resources to meet those needs. We appreciate the stress that theses elected and appointed officials have been under since the weekend but they must do a better job restoring public confidence in their ability to meet this challenge.

This editorial represents the view of the Sun-Herald editorial board: President- Publisher Ricky R. Mathews, Vice President and Executive Editor Stan Tiner, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Flora S. Point, Opinion Page Editor Marie Harris, and Associate Editor Ed. Tony Biffle.

[OKIEDOC]

Seems like some posting are looking to Blame Bush for anything.

They are not thinking but instead jumping to conclusions based on what some liberal media guys wants to write.

I believe some people are like Aaron Brown of CNN looking for any little excuse to say something negative.

Sort of like that Moon Bat Cindy Sheehan.

[OKIEDOC]

Are you now loading your car with water and food and heading to South Mississippi or are you just a complainer and a keyboard warrior.

Evidently you have been effected by all those Hollywood movies where action is scripted and the problems are taken care of immediately.

I think our US government has done a hell of a job based on my past experience with disasters.

Remember, they can only do so much if the state and local people don't work effectively with them.

[BooBoo1000]

Sorry Doc if my post offends you, but I cannot understand why we cannot do something for these people.I wonder if perhaps the prolonged war in Iraq has drawn down all of our resources?

[OKIEDOC]

BooBoo1000 wrote:
I wonder if perhaps the prolonged war in Iraq has drawn down all of our resources?

REPLY:
Actually all this hand ringing makes the radical Democrats look like pathetic losers.
I look at it this way.

If and that is a big if, the war in Iraq has so severely ham stringed us to the point we can not take care of a disaster on our shores then we are truly a nation that has lost it's super power status.

Comments about looting human animals running loose in New Orleans didn't have to happen.

The Democrats in charge completely blew their responsibilities as government leaders.

Governor Blanco, Mayor Nagin and those in charge pooh poohed the questions concerning security early on.

I remember that CNN asked the New Orleans police officials and commanders if they viewed looting as a problem and they said No.

The commanders from the Louisiana state police said the same thing.

What they did was wait until the looting got out of hand and as most pacifists always do, emboldened the looting thugs that they owned the city streets and the cops could do nothing about it.

About the same scenario as what the terrorists believe in Iraq and around the world.

The Muslim terrorists believe this because cowardly pacifists Democrats such as Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan and left wing main stream media are telling the world that no one in America has the guts to fight for our security.

There are 300 plus millions of people living in this country.

140 thousand of those are brave young men and women in Iraq.

That leaves at least 299,860,000 million Americans to deal with the current problems.

Take out the hand ringing crowd, that is known as pathetic registered Democrat's of about 31,000,000 and that still leaves 268,000,000 plus patriotic Americans to handle the situation. We have a military large enough to fight two Iraqs. There are many millions in National Guard, Reserves and regular service plus lots of retired hero's. I think that had the mayor and governor asked for help in the beginning that more than enough military was available to handle the job. Instead they chose to sit on their hands and do nothing. I am sure that those on the left would like to make all Americans think that Iraq makes us totally defenseless. Something, I am sure, makes the terrorist wanting to destroy you and me much more brave.

[Joe_October]

.... Only those who were in the superdome can go to Texas....

Texas said they would take all comers and they opened up the AstroDome this morning. San Antonio said they would take people too.

Don't let the media get you down. Look at the efforts that are being spent to save people. It will be okay.

[chronic_loser]

If you want to do SOMETHING besides just send money, go to Craig's List. Lots of requests for everything from a temporary place to stay to a place to park pets that folks can't take care of.

[MarMema]

I just read that on WWL, along with a story about a ten year old who had not eaten since Monday.

Thanks. I am so sad for the people who are suffering so terribly.

[WolfRunnerWoman]

Salvation Army Bump

Donate online

or by phone 1-800-SAL-ARMY

[flutters]

Just looking for any outlet for information or a place to sign up for infamily info. Kinda feel helpless.

www.wwltv.com has a web section for families to sign in.

[Smogger]

Click below.

http://forums.sunherald.com/n/mb/listsf.asp?webtag=kr-biloxkatrina

[Joe_October]

Watch the television more carefully. The people that you see are acting for the MSM. One shot showed people chanting to be rescued from the convention center but then a kid broke into a smile (the jig was up).

Behind them were pallets of water.

The media isn't helping. This is an American moment of greatness. We are going to pull those people from the muck and set them right. Even AFTER they refuse to leave. Even AFTER they refuse to follow the rules. Because most are decent and obey, all will be fine.

Don't let the Press get you down, marvel at how great the heroes are that are rescuing these people.

[Snoitan5]

Thank you for the help and prayers you provided for my brother and his family. I found out today from a friend in the NG, that they are all safe, in a shelter somewhere around Mobile, Alabama. They lost everything they owned except the clothes on thier backs. A house, business, and 4 vehicles, but they are still with us. We are trying to get back in contact with them so we can get them the hell out of there.

[RobRoy]

Sounds like outside of NO it is just your garden variety hurricane aftermath cleanup.

Hmm, no looting, raping or shooting. There is another thing different about these pictures...