Dustin Duvall, left, is hugged by his mother Elizabeth Duvall after the two reunite outside the destroyed remains of their neighborhood in East Biloxi.
Posted on 08/31/2005 2:36:51 PM PDT by 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.
Scene after scene after scene. The mind numbs and the heart breaks.
Wow I can't believe the devastation this hurricane has caused. I know there's a major relief effort going on here in the area and the whole state so help is on the way.
People around this nation are awaiting instructions, but this whole thing is so overwhelming. We need to know specifically what they need. Is there no disaster preparation there at all? If there is, what does it recommend we do? And if not, why the heck not?
Maybe the editors should get off of their sorry asses and go look for survivors.
No. It is unprecedented. By shrill I meant pointing blame. I have just become too cynical of the press, I guess...
Salvation Army is getting my $$ also...just because I'm not sure I trust the Red Cross after 9/11.
Which shows your complete ignorance of the situation. The newspaper has spent the last week compiling any information is has about the conditions in South Mississippi, from what shelters to goto to road conditions, and providing a city by city breakdown of said information, much of which has been posted here. They have done a fine job, and most people wouldn't have any idea what's going on in Mississippi if it wasn't for the work of their reporters, they're constant updating of their website, and posts from Freepers.
I got room for a couple here. If they can make it up here they are welcome to stay as long as it takes to get their heads back in order. Old, young, black, white or whatever I dont care. Just so they are good folk who need help.
They must understand that they wont be idle while up here..for the reasons that a person with nothing to do will become even more depressed sitting around doing nothing.
You signed up today to ask us to ignore human beings who need help, because they might be liberals? No thanks---please report back to DU on your unsuccessful "make FR look bad" mission.
Yep.
Right now I'm seeing the MSM play the "blame game."
They need to save that for a few MONTHS down the road and use their power right now to mobilize people to help.
We're not alone as to the RC (I wish the President did not mention them-but they are the best known): http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1474322/posts
They reported on our local news in Austin that refugees here are asking for work. I think most folks would like to be doing something as opposed to sitting around wondering or knowing they have no house to go back to. You are very generous for offering.
Dustin Duvall, left, is hugged by his mother Elizabeth Duvall after the two reunite outside the destroyed remains of their neighborhood in East Biloxi.
Tony Phan spent six hours in a tree outside his house riding out Hurricane Katrina that destroyed his home in the background, in East Biloxi.
Deborah Duvall wipes away tears as she sorts through the remains of her sister's home in East Biloxi.
I went back and read the piece again, and I agree somewhat.
Members of the Biloxi fire department work to carry one of six bodies recovered from a destroyed East Biloxi, Miss. neighborhood.
I wish I could give them a reasonable answer.
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