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09/02/2005 11:43:29 AM · #26 |
In one of the countless articles I've read over the last few days, an interesting comparison was drawn between this evacuation and that of the Cuban evacuation when the hurricane hit there.
Apparently, the lack of freedom to question authorities made for some very quick and efficient evacuations there...I just found it interesting, no social commentary necessary... |
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09/02/2005 12:02:49 PM · #27 |
I was thinking for some time whether or not to post anything... but I feel like I can contribute somewhat to the discussion.
You can't blame the gov't. Yes, it could have acted better, faster, etc. but you can't blame it for what's happening. I came to this great country from a war-torn area, and the situation I left at home has a lot in common with the situation people in NO are facing today. Only it lasted for 4 years back home, not a couple of days.
One problem we face here is that US did not have a major crisis on its soil, such as war, since 1860s, and nobody remembers that any more. The wars make you stronger, and teach you how to behave when there is no gov't or other entity to guide you and direct you and tell you what to do.
The US concept is great, as long as everything functions well and everyone has money. It is money-based concept. AS long as you have the money, and as long as there are places to buy things, everyone is more or less happy. We bitch about gas prices go up and that is the biggest problem. There is still gas to be purchased, only at a higher cost. So its just a reason for rant, not a major life disruption.
The government here is not responsible for much, such as health care, etc. It is all done on a private/volunteer level. Things are done in a commercially feasible manner. There is no waste of money anywhere. Social and human is placed behind economically feasible and profitable. And all that is OK and great - look at all prosperity - until something like this hits us. Then, we all wish we had government-run and unified law enforcement, unified communication networks, unified health care because in the situations like this one it would have worked much better. The same way the retirees would prefer that the pensions are higher when they retire, while they would object to every tax $$$ they have to pay while working.
But, for the remining 98% of the US, the current system works much better, and that's why it will remain this way. We may call for one party to step down and other will ascend to the throne, but nothing in essence will change.
So, wait a couple of days, the poor people of Gulf coast will fall into oblivion, as another news tramples over this one - just as with any other bad thing that happened in this world in the past.
So, rant on. Nothing will change because it is not feasible and it is not the will of the majority. It is just a rational thinking on the part of minority.
my thoughts are with the people of the Gulf. Stay strong and don't wait for the others to help you - I know it does not work that way. Not even here. |
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09/02/2005 01:00:00 PM · #28 |
srdanz...thank you. a very eloquent rendition of my exact thoughts.
this problem didn't sneak up on us. this has been a very real possibility for ages. the republicans didn't cause this nor, did the democrats. both parties have had a shot at fixing the problems we're dealing with in this disaster. we all knew a disaster like this could happen, we just didn't want to believe it.
as a Louisianian, i appreciate the passionate feelings that everyone has about this tragedy. i would urge you now to pour those passions into ways to help the victims.
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09/02/2005 01:41:38 PM · #29 |
I came across this a last week and thought it might be fitting to parts of this thread.
John Stossel story on the Effect of Goverment and private charity
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09/02/2005 02:24:19 PM · #30 |
| maybe if the gov't would subsidize it, they could get the people that do 'Extreme Makeover' to come do 'Extreme Makeover - The City Edition'... |
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09/02/2005 06:46:40 PM · #31 |
Originally posted by rjm1982:
Im going to play the devil's advocate here...
Though I do sympathize with them on the largest level...They were told a week in advance not to be there when the storm hit...I was in Florida when Andrew hit...we went to georgia for a few days, came back and had 3 palm trees in our living room. Stubborn people always want to ride the storms out because they think its just not going to be that bad.
Im pretty sure that New Orleans is a lost cause, get people out...stop sending more people in...the Earth is constantly changing, islands form...ice caps melt, the overall sea-level rises... Trying to pump out and re-build a city below sea-level is silly.
And for all the complaining that we arent sending people in...I dont blame them. I would'nt go in either. If the police and military are being shot at and assaulted, why on earth would the red-cross or FEMA want anything to do with being in an area like that.
Yes, the government has a responsibility, but at the same time, the people in crisis have personal responsibility for what happens as well...Everyone wants to sit in the 'Dome and wait for help, when one of my local reporters is sitting less than 10 miles away on dry land, thats a bit of a walk, but its managable, then they could get to proper lavatories and food...it wouldnt be easy, but they need to put forward an effort help themselves rather than feeling sorry for themselves and only seeing themselves as the helpless victims...
Im not blaming this all on the people...mob-mentality will tend to take over in the initial panic...but we're past the initial problem...and people are going to have to prove that they want help and are willing to try to help themselves before everyone else rushes in to help them.
Comparing this to the tsunami is silly...there is a major difference there, there was no warning with the tsunami, no evacuation calls...just BOOM and the get hit...we watched this storm for weeks before it hit...and it was ignored...
edit ...
After reading through that article, and others...Am I the only one seeing a media bias and ramping-up of the situation in the news accross the board? Though they wont say it themselves, they will quote everyone as saying we arent sending help...and never correcting it. I live in chesapeake, va, right near Norfolk Naval Base...we are sending a Carrier (USS Truman) and 3 LPD/LHD (amphibious marine/supply ships) down there, and there is already an LHD down there working, thats over 10,000 sailors headed that way...the truman is going to be acting as an active airport for supplies, with the amphibs getting the supplies to shore.... |
I'm back. And thank you asshole for getting this pushed into the rant. I don't post images in a rant forumn so now you all can just guess what the hell I saw today.
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09/02/2005 07:18:26 PM · #32 |
i think your anger may be misplaced here, martin. that wasn't the only post that could have pushed this into the Rant section.
sorry we won't get to see your photos. i was looking forward to it.
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09/02/2005 10:49:57 PM · #33 |
A few thoughts here.....
First of all, if I remember correctly, the hurricane was originally projected to turn to the north well east of where it actually did. As it crossed the tip of the Florida peninsula there was concern that it would turn toward the north shortly after entering the Gulf Of Mexico and menace the entire west coast of Florida before making landfall again somewhere in the vicinity of the 'armpit'. But it kept drifting farther and farther west before turning north until all of a sudden it brcame apparent that it was aiming straight for New Orleans. This is why the evacuation warning was given only a little more than a day before the hurricane actually hit.
Second, why didn't New Orleans and the other areas have some kind of pre-storm evacuation plan in place. About the only pre-planning they did was to make the main interstate highways one-way away from the area. In effect they told the people, "You must evacuate because we are going to be hit by a killer storm, but you are on your own as to how you do it, and if you don't have a car or can't get a plane, train, etc. out of town because they are all booked solid, then tough.". THAT is when they should have used the busses, etc., to get the people out who didn't have the resources to do so on their own.
Another question here; Mayor Nagin says that they don't have enough busses and to send more. Well, what about the city transit busses? They are obviously going to be idle for some time so why not use them?
And finally, 3 reasons why so many people ignored Nagin's first evacuation order:
1 - He ordered an evacuation last year for Ivan, which ended up just brushing the city and causing next to no damage.
2 - Many thugs saw the hurricane as an ideal opportunity to loot and just have 'fun' being thugs
3 - Other people risked their safety to stay behind and protect their property from the above-mentioned thugs. |
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