A man looks at damage to an apartment building in Gulfport.
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.
Apalling. People better get their stuff together down there.
A man looks at damage to an apartment building in Gulfport.
Paula James stands among the remains of an apartment complex that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in Gulfport.
What, specifically, do you want them to be doing? Don't just say "helping out" or something vague. What specific thing should these guys by doing?
A man and his dog walk among the remains of an apartment complex that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in Gulfport.
How do people get vandalized? Are people spray painting them?
Richard Senecal, 12, Catheryn Senecal, 6, and Robert Senecal, 10, wait with belongings salvaged after Hurrican Katrina as their parents look for a shelter in Gulfport.
Exactly the chaos described to me last night and all day today..Mississippi is just as if not more out of hand than N.O.
People need serious help down there.
People line up outside a gas station for supplies in Gulfport.
This seems a little shrill. What's the political bent of these presstitutes? Barbour seemed a lot more on the ball than the NOLA group and this article does not ring true as to the efforts underway...
Gee I don't know. Help look for survivors. Just off the top of my head. It's as good an exercise as playing basketball.
Are people spray painting them?
Is there no end to the depravity?????????
Orlando on FNC reported earlier that refrigerated trucks are parked near the mourges to store the recovery victims.
That photo was from a Florida hurricane. The only shootings I have read about were thugs in NO....
Sounds desperate and short tempered to me. These guys have been doing an excellent job updating their website with information from coastal Mississippi and has been pretty much the only source for such information and photos. I think they are frustrated that their plight is not receiving the proper attention in the media or from the Feds. They're has been a lot of good coverage here on FR, though.
Ben Powers recovers items from his destroyed home.
Shrill? Do you really think anything can be OVERstated at this point and time?
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