I urge ALL of you to watch this. (Hurricane Related)

[geekmeat]

http://www.indybay.org/uploads/aaron_broussard.mov

[GroobySteven]

That's a tough video to watch.
You're full of shit on everything else Geekmeat but thanks for that link.

It's time Joe America woke up and realised your leadership doesn't give a shit about you - black, white, red, yellow - it's irrelevant, you're in...or your out, and most of you are definately on the outside.
This has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat, it's got to do with management failure. If Clinton was to be impeached for a 15 min blowjob when the country was sleeping, then what should happen to Bush for staying on vacation for 2 days when his country is dying?

Fire the guy who is meant to be leading this company...I mean country.
Employees of the US - speak to your Union!
seanchai

[geekmeat]

Actually Im not full of shit.......only partially.
I am a very socially conscious person who participates in protest all the time.
The guy on the video was more than likely a republican.
I am NOT a democrat and CERTAINLY not a republican(nazi).
Its really rough because people like me warned everyone who would listen about George Bush.
Ive never seen so many grown men completely destroyed by grief and tears.

UPDATE....
They are now saying that up to 20,000 people may have died in this storm.

[hondarobot]

You make some good points, Mega. I consider myself a liberal and you seem to be on the conservative side of things. Nothing wrong with that, it's different points of view that allow an open society to exist.

My problem with the current administration, and Bush in particular, is his lacking in the qualities that should be required in an American president. Fuck the politics involved, the person I want as the head of this country should be beyond that. He was in a position where nobody really knew what was going on, and he didn't rise above it, take control, and do what a leader of the worlds last remaining Super Power should have done.

You can blame the governor of the state, or the mayor, or the system in general. Bush didn't lead and prove himself above the process, and that's not the sort of person who should be sitting in the white house.

It's not a democrat vs republican thing. I'm sure John Kerry wouldn't have performed any better. I think we, as a country, need to raise the bar on who we vote into office, and have more then just two corporate sell-outs to choose from.

Maybe I have higher expectations then most people, but I think that's really the whole point of being part of a potentially great society.

I'll get off the soap box now. Somebody post some pictures of some cute girls or something.

[brickcitybrother]

And now for something completely different...


But yet it still fits in.
Go figure

[brickcitybrother]

I got that from the Whitehouse.

[brickcitybrother]

I got that from the Whitehouse.

[rick_932]

i read where condeleeza rice was goin to plays and shopping for expensive shoes while people are dying in NO. just goes to show how much she and a lot of others in the administration thought about this. and those thinking that only blacks are on the tough receivin end of this are wrong. st. benard parish which is mostly white IS JUST NOW receiving help. 1 week after the hurricane arrived and theyre just starting to get food, water and supplies because most of the help was being sent to central NO. so this isnt really a race issue IMO but an issue of the local/state/federal government being slow to respond to this.

[DatNigga4Real]

Im not even gonna bother with this one[/i]

[Vicki Richter]

I love you Mega. I think you're totally right on that one. Seanchai loves to bash American politics even though he's English and he lives here. It's kinda endearing though. I think the resentment goes back to the revolutionary war.

No matter who the President is, people are going to complain. I don't blindly follow and nobody should. However, the system that the American people put into place made him the President. The American people made him the President. When was the last time America had a President who was real and not a slimey, power hungry guy who just wanted to get rich(er)? I can't really think of any. In that respect, you're totally right about Kerry. I doubt he would have done any better.

If someone is really suggesting that America attacked the WTC towers they are smoking crack. No offense. They are the same people saying that the government covered up aliens in Area 51 and created AIDS to kill gay people and drug users.

I am curious if this fuel thing is going to spark another recession. When the gas companies realize that they can really charge whatever they want at this point and people will continue to buy gas, I think it's going to get really ugly.

[partlycloudy]

http://www.zippyvideos.com/8911023771013466/countdown-looting-in-walmart/

[GroobySteven]

I love you Mega. I think you're totally right on that one. Seanchai loves to bash American politics even though he's English and he lives here. It's kinda endearing though. I think the resentment goes back to the revolutionary war.

I'll attack any politics that I consider unfair and policies that are wrong. I guarantee that I keep more people employed, pay more business and personal taxes and contribute more to the US economy than somebody like yourself, Vicki.
Seems like you've decided to attack each one of my postings now that other individuals aren't posting on the board?
Can I still use the word, cunt here? It's appropriate?
seanchai

[geekmeat]

Photos of the Carnage

[partlycloudy]

:arrow:

[hondarobot]

partlycloudy has got to have one of the most wildly extensive picture and video collections in existence. It's just amazing, pretty soon he'll be bought out by the guys at Google and made into an archivist or something.

[chefmike]

Mega, you've made some good points, but if you read brickcitybrothers last post on the hurricane katrina thread, I think it might clarify for you why so many people are pissed off at the chimp-in-chief...there's an expression called "the buck stops here'..that would be at our (unelected) prez's desk...or maybe dickhead cheney...or would it be karl rove(bush's brain, you should see the documentary)...and kerry wasn't my first choice for the democrat lesser of two evils, BUT YOU'RE FUCKIN- A- RIGHT I THINK HE COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB!!

[rick_932]

GUYS PLEASE........HOW CAN ANYONE BLAME CONDALISA RICE, HER FATHER IS FROM NEW OLEANS AND HER FAMILY IS FROM ALABAMA & MISSISSIPPI....YES HER IMMEDIATE FAMILY WAS AFFECTED TOO, SHE WAS TAKING TIME OFF TO GO TO THE AREA'S AND EVEN HELP HER FAMILY....MY GOD PEOPLE LOVE A SCANDLE, LIFES FULL OF DRAMA QUEENS AND BLAME MONGERS......HOW DOES ANYONE KNOW CONDALISA RICE WAS SHOPPPING FOR SHOES AT THE TIME OF KATRINA HIT

As South drowns, Rice soaks in N.Y.





Did New Yorkers chase Condoleezza Rice back to Washington yesterday?

Like President Bush, the Secretary of State has been on vacation during the Hurricane Katrina crisis, with Rice enjoying her downtime in New York Wednesday and yesterday. The cabinet member's responsibilities are usually international, but her timing contributed to the "fiddling while Rome burns" impression given by her boss during the disaster, which may have claimed thousands of lives.


On Wednesday night, Secretary Rice was booed by some audience members at "Spamalot!," the Monty Python musical at the Shubert, when the lights went up after the performance.


Yesterday, Rice went shopping at Ferragamo on Fifth Ave. According to the Web site www.Gawker.com, the 50-year-old bought "several thousand dollars' worth of shoes" at the pricey leather-goods boutique.


A fellow shopper shouted, "How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!" - presumably referring to Louisiana and Mississippi.


The woman expressing her First Amendment rights was promptly removed from the store. A Ferragamo store manager confirmed to us that Rice did shop there yesterday, but refused to answer questions about whether the protester was removed, and whether by his own security or the Secret Service.


At the State Department's daily briefing yesterday morning, before the New York incident, spokesman Sean McCormack responded to a journalist who asked whether Rice was involved with hurricane relief efforts by saying, "She's in contact with the department as appropriate." He made no mention that his boss had any plans to leave New York.


But yesterday afternoon, Rice had done just that. Department spokeswoman Joanne Moore told us: "The secretary is back in Washington, and she is being briefed on the situation." Moore did not know whether Condi had planned a longer stay here.

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/342712p-292600c.html
-------------------------------------

just do a simple google search for 'condoleezza rice shoe' and you'll get hundreds of links giving the story. if she cared so much, whyd it take her so long to visit the damaged area? obviously, she thought going to musicals and shopping for expensive shoes were more important. so dont tell me that trying to take care of this disaster was her first priority because obviously it wasnt.

[chefmike]

This is why Condi Rice is now known far and wide as Imelda Rice...if you folks don't know your history, google Imelda Marcos...

[brickcitybrother]

Mega:

I will not debate you - mainly because we are not in direct contravention of one another - but I will say this. To suggest that the municipal, parish and state government are to blame for the horrible response - one must turn a complete blind eye to the response by the federal government to the terrorists attacks in NYC. At no point was Water/Food/Medicine/Troops/Volunteers etc. etc. held back for any reason. At no point was the Governor asked to 'surrender' his authority over the National Guard. Nor was the Mayor asked to have a Military Commander assume local control of municipal forces - as is the case of NO. Since Bush has indicated that Katrina is NOT as devistating as 9/11 - then the requests of the Federal Government remains baffling.

The response of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT in this tragedy is simply reckless if not criminal. There is only one commander-in-chief. If he wishes to take the cheers - he should take the jeers. I see absolutely no problem in singling out the Federal Government's failure... even more so when it has YET to adequately or properly respond.

~Brickcitybrother~

"A honest person sees trough objective eyes at what others cannot through their subjective eyes."

I see failure - to say anything else isn't being honest. Can see failure without race, party affiliation, right or left wings, wealth or culture.

[NickTheQuick]

...

[NickTheQuick]

...

[rick_932]

PLAYIN THE BLAME GAME......ITS UGLY........I GUESS MISS RICE AND BUSH ARE TO BLAME...NOT THE NEW ORLEANS PLANNNING BOARD WHO KNEW THIS STORM WAS COMING A WEEK BEFORE IT HIT...HOW WERE THE PEOPLE PREPARED........THERE WAS NOPTHING CRIMINAL ABOUT THE FEDARL GOVENMENT....THE CRIMINAL; ACTS WERE THE BROTHERS RAPING , KILLING , STEALING TERRORISING THIER OWN PEOPLE........IT WASNT KKK IT WASNT UNCLE TOM MISS RICE....IT WAS THIER OWN NEIGHBORS, IT WAS THE NEW OLEANS LOCAL GOVERNMENT....WAKE UP...OPEN YOUR EYES, STOP BLAMING OTHERS..........I DONT CARE IF MISS RICE BOUGHT A BRAND NEW CAR ON WEDNESDAY, I DONT CARE WHO BOOED HER, WHAT SHOULD SHE HAVE DONE....WHERES ALL THE RAPPERS WHO SCREAM RACE AND GHETTO LIFE IN THIER SONGS......I SAY DONATE, YOU GOT IT LIKE THAT......THESE PEOPLE NEED MONEY, NOT FLAG WAVERS AND CRY-BABY BLAMERS.....SHOW THE LOVE, GEORGE STEINBRENNER A WHITE GUY DID.....DR PHIL A WHITE GUY DID.......WHERES PUFFY, 50CENT, JAY-Z, BEYONCE, SPIKE LEE, WHERE IS OPRAH....SHUT THE FUCK UP AND WRITE A CHECK......YO I CALL IT AS I SEE IT........MAYBE YOU DISAGREE WITH ME , THATS COOL....I GOT MY OPINION YOU GOT YOURS...IN MY MIND IM 1000% RIGHT IN YOUR MIND YOUR 1000% RIGHT........BOTTOM LINE IS MONEY...SEND IT CAUSE THEY NEED IT......

the rappers you speak of have been donating money for days now, youre late:
http://www.allhiphop.com/features/?ID=1170

and if you read my posts talking about this disaster, you'll see that i say each level of the government holds some blame, local/state/federal. my parents and brothers houses are underwater because the levees werent built tall and strong enough for a cat 5 hurricane, and i blame the federal government for that. i blame the local and state for not having went through secenarios and precautions for something like this happening. people could have been evacuated much faster from the highways and convention center if the mayor would have moved some of the 200 buses underwater now to higher ground before the hurricane hit.

[geekmeat]

I have to say MEGA I totally respect what you say when it comes to transexuals because you know and youve lived it.
But when it comes to politics your just ignorant.........I hate to say it like that but its true.
Ms.Rice was in NYC shopping on FRIDAY.....
None of them had ANY plans on coming back to New Orleans until this thing blew up in the press.
Now you notice their all there perpetrating a fraud.
Notice how Donald Rumsfeld who usually cant be shut up has no "charming" quotes or bullet statements this time.
THEY DONT CARE!
When bush was there on friday he NEVER even used the word New Orleans in his prefabricated walk through.
You want to see passion from Bush?
You want to see what he really cares about?
Watch his press conference on Roberts,thats what he cares about.
I hope some of you girls are paying close attention to what your customers are saying about people of your race........SEE what they REALLY think about you.

[tsluver247]

I know my opinion may different than some of this board, but these are my points: Bush returned from his MONTH LONG VACATION to the White House on Wednesday (http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/30/bush.hurricane.ap/) after the Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana on early Monday morning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina). People were forewarned about Hurricane Katrina. It is not like Hurricane Katrina came out of nowhere.

In 2001, FEMA labeled a hurricane striking New Orleans as one of the three most likely catastrophic disasters facing the United States. The Bush Administration underfunded several critical programs which would have mitigated the scope of this disaster. The Bush Administration has continually proposed budgets which cut funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, disaster mitigation programs, and hurricane protections for Louisiana's coast. In addition, the fact that thousands of National Guard soldiers from Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana are in Iraq has prevented them from being available in sufficient numbers to carry out their primary mission. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-jan-schakowsky/a-national-disaster_b_6710.html)

If in 2001 FEMA labeled a hurricane striking New Orleans as one of the three most likely catastrophic disasters facing the United States, they should have been better prepared for this scenario knowing what they researched.

A visibly angry Mayor Daley said the city had offered emergency, medical and technical help to the federal government as early as Sunday to assist people in the areas stricken by Hurricane Katrina, but as of Friday, the only things the feds said they wanted was a single tank truck.

Daley said the city offered 36 members of the firefighters' technical rescue teams, eight emergency medical technicians, search-and-rescue equipment, more than 100 police officers as well as police vehicles and two boats, 29 clinical and 117 non-clinical health workers, a mobile clinic and eight trained personnel, 140 Streets and Sanitation workers and 29 trucks, plus other supplies. City personnel are willing to operate self-sufficiently and would not depend on local authorities for food, water, shelter and other supplies, he said. (http://www.suntimes.com/output/hurricane/cst-nws-daley03.html)

Chicago offered so many services to New Orleans through federal contact and all they wanted was a single tank!!!!!

Given these facts, I would concluded that someone on the federal level needs to be BLAMED for the SLOW RESPONSE TO HURRICANE KATRINA. President Bush should receive a good portion of the blame, since I feel if the Head of FEMA is not getting the ball rolling on a critical mission, their boss needs to and President Bush was still on vacation.

Personally, I do not care if the people dying in New Orleans because they are black or poor, I CARE BECAUSE THESE ARE INNOCENT AMERICANS DYING. It is unfortunate that most of these Americans dying in this incident were black and poor.

No one could say electing Kerry would have had better or worse results, because he was not elected President of the United States and you do not know if the person he would have chosen to take the post would have done a better or a worse job. The event did not happen, so speculating the results are null and void.

This is just my opinion on the subject.

[chefmike]

PLAYIN THE BLAME GAME......ITS UGLY........I GUESS MISS RICE AND BUSH ARE TO BLAME...NOT THE NEW ORLEANS PLANNNING BOARD WHO KNEW THIS STORM WAS COMING A WEEK BEFORE IT HIT...HOW WERE THE PEOPLE PREPARED........THERE WAS NOPTHING CRIMINAL ABOUT THE FEDARL GOVENMENT....THE CRIMINAL; ACTS WERE THE BROTHERS RAPING , KILLING , STEALING TERRORISING THIER OWN PEOPLE........IT WASNT KKK IT WASNT UNCLE TOM MISS RICE....IT WAS THIER OWN NEIGHBORS, IT WAS THE NEW OLEANS LOCAL GOVERNMENT....WAKE UP...OPEN YOUR EYES, STOP BLAMING OTHERS..........I DONT CARE IF MISS RICE BOUGHT A BRAND NEW CAR ON WEDNESDAY, I DONT CARE WHO BOOED HER, WHAT SHOULD SHE HAVE DONE....WHERES ALL THE RAPPERS WHO SCREAM RACE AND GHETTO LIFE IN THIER SONGS......I SAY DONATE, YOU GOT IT LIKE THAT......THESE PEOPLE NEED MONEY, NOT FLAG WAVERS AND CRY-BABY BLAMERS.....SHOW THE LOVE, GEORGE STEINBRENNER A WHITE GUY DID.....DR PHIL A WHITE GUY DID.......WHERES PUFFY, 50CENT, JAY-Z, BEYONCE, SPIKE LEE, WHERE IS OPRAH....SHUT THE FUCK UP AND WRITE A CHECK......YO I CALL IT AS I SEE IT........MAYBE YOU DISAGREE WITH ME , THATS COOL....I GOT MY OPINION YOU GOT YOURS...IN MY MIND IM 1000% RIGHT IN YOUR MIND YOUR 1000% RIGHT........BOTTOM LINE IS MONEY...SEND IT CAUSE THEY NEED IT......puffy pimp diddy whatever his name is today...he and jay-z announced DAYS ago that they were donating a half million each...

[tsluver247]

An Arlington-based Halliburton Co. subsidiary that has been criticized for its reconstruction work in Iraq has begun tapping a $500 million Navy contract to do emergency repairs at Gulf Coast naval and Marine facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/04/AR2005090401193_pf.html)

Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform, called on Senators not to delay next week’s planned vote on repealing the estate tax (also known as the Paris Hilton Tax Cut), despite the Hurricane Katrina disaster. (http://www.liberaloasis.com/archives/082805.htm)

[tsluver247]

tsluver247....I AGREE WITH YOU....ITS NOT BLACK OR WHITE LIKE THE PUBLIC IS CRYING, ITS ABOIUT INNOCENT PEOPLE OF ALL RACES LOSING EVERYTHING..........

LESS THE 24 HOURS LATER GEORGE STEINBRENNERS MONEY WAS GIVEN AS HELP....PUFFY DADDY AINT DONE SHIT YET ABND HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO HIM IS LIKE THROWING AWAY AN OLD PAIR OF HIS SNEAKERS.......NO RESPECT HERE.....YOU SELLIN BUT I AINT BUYIN...SORRY !!!!!!!

I can understand someone having a different viewpoint than me. I am not disrespected by your comments.

But I have a couple of questions for you, since I am trying to understand your viewpoint:

Do you think the response to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina could have been better prepared? If so, what or who do you think caused the lag in the response? Why do you think help from U.S. cities and different countries were turned down by FEMA or never contacted back? Who is at fault for the miscommunications that seem to have happened?

Personally, I do not care if so and so gave and so and so did not. I do not know their personal finances, so I can not comment why someone did and someone did not.

I do not see how it is New Orleans' government fault that 1/3 of their police and fire force did not show up to work after the Hurricane hit. I do not see how 2/3 of police and fire force did not show up to work after the first two days after the Hurricane hit. How is it the local government's fault that they could not maintain order if their local enforcement did not show up. This is behind the control of the New Orleans' government.

[rick_932]

RICK......I AGREE ABOUT EVERYONE GETTING A PEICE OF THE BLAME ....BUT ...YOUR DEAD ASS WRONG ABOUT THE RAPPERS...READ THAT URL YOU POSTED CORRECTLY, PUFFY AND HIS CREW OF RAP BROTHERS HAVENT WRITTEN OUT ANY CHECKS LIKE GEORGE STEINBRENNER DID, HELL NO THEY AINT DONATING SHIT.....INSTEAD, THEY WANNA GET TOGETHER AND THROIW A BENNIFIT CONCERT.....FUCK THAT, JUST DONATE, THEY ARE WORTH BILLIONS....CONCERTS COAT MONEY THEN LATER ON BECOME A MONEY MAKING CD....PLEASE, THEY HAVENT DONT SHIT, JAY Z , PUFFY ALL OF THEM HAVE NOT GIVEN ANY CASH AT ALL........THATS LIKE GEORGE STEINBRENNER SAYING THE YANKEES WILL PLAY AN EXHABITION AND THE MONEY PROFITS WILL BE SENT TO THE VICTIMS.......WHAT ABOUT THE COSTS , THAT GETS FACTORED IN, THOSE RAPPERS AINT GONNA LOSE A PENNY, THEY WILL PLAY A CONCERT BUT NOT DONATE......TGHE RAP WORLD IS A JOKE AND THE WORST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY......."DONATE" LIKE WHITE OLD GEORGE STEINBRENNER.......

i dunno if you read the article or not but ill post a couple of paragraphs from it:

Moguls Diddy and Jay-Z are contributing to the effort by donating $1 million to the American Red Cross. Furthermore, both men run apparel companies and will contribute clothing from their Sean John and Rocawear collections for those in dire need.

“We, as African American men and leaders of our community felt it was a necessity to join forces and help,” Jay-Z agreed via a statement. “Diddy and I are committed to supporting our people in whichever way we can." Combs and Jay-Z expect to present their $1 million dollar check during a September 9 telethon that cable network BET is organizing in conjunction with the American Red Cross

----------------------------

yea, theyre during it during the telethon, for publicity of course, but they ARE planning on donating.

[geekmeat]

Watch and see how the insurance companys screw these people and George Bush will have their back.
I wonder what the money changers(bankers) will do to help these people.
Will they give them lower interest loans or will they raise their rates.
I hope Im wrong about this.
I heard the Wall Street Journal editorialized on the tragedy saying Bush should use this as chance to destroy the unions.
How nice.

[Vicki Richter]

I love you Mega. I think you're totally right on that one. Seanchai loves to bash American politics even though he's English and he lives here. It's kinda endearing though. I think the resentment goes back to the revolutionary war.

I'll attack any politics that I consider unfair and policies that are wrong. I guarantee that I keep more people employed, pay more business and personal taxes and contribute more to the US economy than somebody like yourself, Vicki. Seems like you've decided to attack each one of my postings now that other individuals aren't posting on the board?
Can I still use the word, cunt here? It's appropriate?
seanchai

Oh stop. I am not attacking your posts. I agreed with you on the other post about copywrite theft actually if you had actually bothered to read. I was one of the few that did. My second posting wasn't attacking you, it was a comment about the model you posted looking young. That is hardly an attack against you. Do you have any more references of "each and every one" or do you feel like explaining your untrue generalization. It seems like you are always the one to jump to conclusions and attack me with immature name calling and such.

Mega ripped you up 100x worse than my agreement and I don't hear you calling him a cunt.

V

[speck]

It's not the city of New Orleans mayor and administration for the things you mention.

The biggest source of fault of these people is the failure to utilize resources available such as public school buses which by my estimation could have been used to move as many as 10K-25K of the 100,000 that stayed behind.

If you accept the notion that the poor did not leave b4 the storm because they had no means too, than you must place much blame on the mayor of New Orleans for failing to evacute people that were well within his ability to do so.

To get that 10-25K number I am assuming 100-250 buses moving 2 loads
of people per day at 30 people per bus. The actual number that could have been used may be much higher.

The governor of Louisiana, the governors of other states, or the federal government could have provided emergency shelters in neighboring states to the north. I will note that somehow Missisippi managed to survive with relatively few deaths despite entire towns in that state being destroyed. Somehow they managed to evacuate their very poor while New Orleans did not.



tsluver247....I AGREE WITH YOU....ITS NOT BLACK OR WHITE LIKE THE PUBLIC IS CRYING, ITS ABOIUT INNOCENT PEOPLE OF ALL RACES LOSING EVERYTHING..........

LESS THE 24 HOURS LATER GEORGE STEINBRENNERS MONEY WAS GIVEN AS HELP....PUFFY DADDY AINT DONE SHIT YET ABND HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO HIM IS LIKE THROWING AWAY AN OLD PAIR OF HIS SNEAKERS.......NO RESPECT HERE.....YOU SELLIN BUT I AINT BUYIN...SORRY !!!!!!!

I can understand someone having a different viewpoint than me. I am not disrespected by your comments.

But I have a couple of questions for you, since I am trying to understand your viewpoint:

Do you think the response to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina could have been better prepared? If so, what or who do you think caused the lag in the response? Why do you think help from U.S. cities and different countries were turned down by FEMA or never contacted back? Who is at fault for the miscommunications that seem to have happened?

Personally, I do not care if so and so gave and so and so did not. I do not know their personal finances, so I can not comment why someone did and someone did not.

I do not see how it is New Orleans' government fault that 1/3 of their police and fire force did not show up to work after the Hurricane hit. I do not see how 2/3 of police and fire force did not show up to work after the first two days after the Hurricane hit. How is it the local government's fault that they could not maintain order if their local enforcement did not show up. This is behind the control of the New Orleans' government.

[kieron]

just in regards to the fact that other countries aren't helping...New Zealand and other countries have people wanting to help but there is too much red tape in america.

I'm very glad that bush only has this term left in office, the world won't have to put up with any more bullshit from him. He has too many resources tied up in iraq/afghanistan to start with and Halliburton is making a killing (cheney's cronies).

as for the WTC attacks have a look at:
http://www.911inplanesite.com

I'm getting my parents to order this dvd when they visit the states in a few months.

[NickTheQuick]

...

[AllanahStarrNYC]

I am sorry-

but Mega you are so worng, wrong, wrong on this issue-

i think is it isane for anyone who not blame the fedral goverment for their inept domestic policies and failure in this situation

too much, too little , too late

wow- amazing that some people don't realize this.
it's not a propanda machine it's the truth.

why did it take the govement so long to accept help from other nations?

same reason why the president, will not take blame for this situation-

cause he is an idiot.

[lurker]

The governor of Louisiana, the governors of other states, or the federal government could have provided emergency shelters in neighboring states to the north. I will note that somehow Missisippi managed to survive with relatively few deaths despite entire towns in that state being destroyed. Somehow they managed to evacuate their very poor while New Orleans did not.



They didn't do anymore to evacuate their poor. Their poor just were not trapped in their homes with flood waters still rising after the storm. Not to mention the New Orleans population is so much higher thatn surrounding coastal areas.

Everyone should try to remember, the hurricane brought the rains, but the floods the day after the hurricane has done most of the damage to New Orleans.

[lurker]

last night i was watching news coverage of the aftermath, i got up and walked into my kitchen while looking back at the TV. I stubbed my toe. I guess that's the federal government's fault too.
-- lurker

[Nowhereboy]

We have many posters here who think that they are making clever points with snotty little asides;

"last night i was watching news coverage of the aftermath, i got up and walked into my kitchen while looking back at the TV. I stubbed my toe. I guess that's the federal government's fault too." Lurker.

Come on people, if you have nothing intelligent to add to this discussion, keep quiet. This subject is entirely too important and tragic to sink to the level some would have it get to. People, Americans, are dead, more will die and some people think this is the appropriate time for childish behavior and name-calling. A calm, deliberate discussion of the issues can be very helpful but too many people here are interested only in defending their own political viewpoint. So instead of rational discourse that might educate and inform, we get emotional outbursts that irritate and inflame.

Just because we all have an attraction to certain lifestyle does not mean that we share the same viewpoints on everything, that is immediately obvious to anyone who reads almost any thread here. So accepting that differing viewpoints will be present, would it not be more helpful to discuss the issues and not the personalities?

I have very strong opinions on this issue and I will try to make them clear without resorting to ad-hominem attacks or emotional rants. I hope that the responses will be equally rational, though I do have my doubts.

[Quinn]

Depending upon whose statistics you listen to, anywhere from 33% to 44% of NOPD walked off of the job. Sounds terrible, but when you listen to some of the reports from officers who remained on duty, it all becomes a little more clear. Apparently, many of them were literally trapped in their precincts, unable to get a response from the mayor's office or the governor's office. In the words of one officer, "we were completely abandoned." They were completely unable to get any feedback – let alone assistance – from the city or state. Efforts to contact anyone at the federal level were not mentioned.

While this certainly does not constitute an acceptable excuse for abandoning your post, it does illustrate how inept the government’s initial response was at all levels.

-Quinn

[NiceGuy Eddie]

why did it take the govement so long to accept help from other nations?




There is currently a team of Canadian Firefighters working in New Orleans
They couldn`t get there sooner cause they were on the road. I`ve driven to New Orleans a few times from Montreal and it does take 3 or 4 days to get there.

[Dkg]

Can't we all just agree that this country (america) is in need of some serious reforming, Whether it's in congress or the white house itself, b/c between gas prices and the whole NO situation, this country's "leaders" have seriously underpreformed and just makes the govt look like a fucking joke.

[Dkg]

Mega, the Mayor of the city can only do so much. He urged the people who could to get out of the city. He can only do so much as a mayor. He wanted the national/federal Govt to actually DO something to help his people but they were dragging their feet. Local Govt should never be blamed for something when Federal Govt has more resources and power to help.

[NickTheQuick]

...

[Quinn]

IF GULIANI WAS THE MAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS THINGS WOULD HAVE BBEEN DIFFERENT..........


Truer words were never spoken… In my opinion, state and local officials definitely bare the bulk of the responsibility for this tragedy becoming as immense as it did. That said, the President and FEMA could definitely have responded more forcefully when it became apparent that state and local officials were/are grossly incompetent – something anyone with the IQ of a house fly realized in about two seconds. Either way, with Giuliani in charge this would have never happened.

-Quinn

[Vicki Richter]

It's like Star Trek... The captain of the starship is infinitely responsible for the actions or his crew. So yes, the local government was largely responsible, but infinitely everything rests on the President.

So someone said the government needs reform... Do you have a plan for an alternate government? If you believe that enough then do something about it like run for an office or buy radio/TV time where your opinions can be heard. Otherwise I am not sure what complaining about it on a shemale board is going to do. Despite it's flaws, I think the government does a pretty good job considering the size of the business.

People are all talk and no do and then the idiots that do typically do so by committing terrorist acts like Tim McVey. I mean seriously, what ever happened to freedom of speech and getting people behind your cause the legal way that doesn't hurt people?

And what really confuses me is this. I think it is great that all these people are offering free stuff or door charges for disaster relief. I had considered doing something like a percentage of monthly site income... but then I realized that if I do something like that, there would be some degree of marketing and self grandeurizing involved. "Pat me on the back for being a good human being." I am not going to market it. Just like the millions of other thankless Americans I will donate privately with little fan fair. I mean the best thing people can do is directly donate to the Red Cross who in many ways is already a middle man. While I am sure that people will do the right thing if they get money donated to them I don't really understand the logic. Donate to me so I can donate to the people who need it. Why do people need something free in order to do the right thing? Like who was this guy who donated $500 to Hung Angels in order for them to redonate to the Red Cross. I guess I just don't understand that.

I guess I feel that way because I used to work for the Fraternal Order of Police as a kid doing phone sales. Only about 20% of a person's donation actually went to the cause it was intended for "the sickness and death benefit fund for police officers killed or maimed in the line of duty".

[geekmeat]

Depending upon whose statistics you listen to, anywhere from 33% to 44% of NOPD walked off of the job. Sounds terrible, but when you listen to some of the reports from officers who remained on duty, it all becomes a little more clear. Apparently, many of them were literally trapped in their precincts, unable to get a response from the mayor's office or the governor's office. In the words of one officer, "we were completely abandoned." They were completely unable to get any feedback – let alone assistance – from the city or state. Efforts to contact anyone at the federal level were not mentioned.

While this certainly does not constitute an acceptable excuse for abandoning your post, it does illustrate how inept the government’s initial response was at all levels.

-Quinn

This just isnt true.
Not at all.
The chief of police in New Orleans gave an emotional press conference and debunked this widely reported falsehood.

I urge all of you if you at all interested to go to WWL TV......its from Baton Rogue I believe and they are a tv newstation streaming from louisiana.
They have the FACTS.

Stop listening to heil hannity or bill o'reilly or douche limbaughm or michael(im a midget and have a small dick) savage.

There are press conferences by the PRINCIPALS involved.

The real tragedy is that it took 5 days for ANY federal help to BEGIN to get to New Orleans........the lost of human life,needlessly is the real tragedy.
The fact that levees broke caused MOST of the damage.......if the Bush regime had funded the levees the damage and lost of life wouldnt be anywhere as bad as what it is.
Its going to get worse and the white house is already spinning this story.
They are trying to pen the blame on the governor of louisiana.....
Just watch what those evil fuckers do.........
But I dont think it will work........even bush supporters are livid at him.......and what about ALL that money that was put into "Homeland defense"?
We are not safer now because of the patriot act or homeland defense OR the "war on terror".
The world is agahst at what happened.

[Quinn]

Depending upon whose statistics you listen to, anywhere from 33% to 44% of NOPD walked off of the job. Sounds terrible, but when you listen to some of the reports from officers who remained on duty, it all becomes a little more clear. Apparently, many of them were literally trapped in their precincts, unable to get a response from the mayor's office or the governor's office. In the words of one officer, "we were completely abandoned." They were completely unable to get any feedback – let alone assistance – from the city or state. Efforts to contact anyone at the federal level were not mentioned.

While this certainly does not constitute an acceptable excuse for abandoning your post, it does illustrate how inept the government’s initial response was at all levels.

-Quinn

This just isnt true.
Not at all.
The chief of police in New Orleans gave an emotional press conference and debunked this widely reported falsehood.


Based upon the ludicris nature of many of your previous statements, I have no interest in debating you as to the nature of your false reality. My information comes from someone in a position of import on the ground in NO, not from some agenda driven Liberal or Conservative media outlet.

-Quinn

[Nowhereboy]

Quinn,

Is everything that you disagree with the result of a political agenda? Is only your unnamed source an objective source? Perhaps, yet it seems strange that you feel qualified to judge someone that disagrees with you lives in a "false reality". Remember also, when you originally stated your 'facts' you stated; "Depending on whose statisitics you listen to...", that doesn't sound quite the same as "According to someone of import on the ground in NO." So unless you are prepared to identify your source so that we can all judge the impartiality of his or her information, why don't you just stick to offering your opinion and stop passing judgement on those that disagree with you.

[rick_932]

This just isnt true.
Not at all.
The chief of police in New Orleans gave an emotional press conference and debunked this widely reported falsehood.

I urge all of you if you at all interested to go to WWL TV......its from Baton Rogue I believe and they are a tv newstation streaming from louisiana.They have the FACTS.

Stop listening to heil hannity or bill o'reilly or douche limbaughm or michael(im a midget and have a small dick) savage.


cosign. WWL is actually the CBS affiliate in new orleans but theyre working with the CBS affiliate here in baton rouge to bring local news to southeast louisiana. most of what yall see on the big news stations are a lil generalized. ive seen a lot on local stations down here that the big news media outlets wont show. for example, some posters on here speak as if blacks are the only ones looting, raping and shooting in new orleans and thats not true. ive seen clips of police arrest a white male accused of rape and a latin man who was accused of shooting at random targets. lately, i havent even been watchin the national news because they blow some of the issues way out of proportion.

[hondarobot]

It's like Star Trek... The captain of the starship is infinitely responsible for the actions or his crew. So yes, the local government was largely responsible, but infinitely everything rests on the President.

So someone said the government needs reform... Do you have a plan for an alternate government? If you believe that enough then do something about it like run for an office or buy radio/TV time where your opinions can be heard. Otherwise I am not sure what complaining about it on a shemale board is going to do. Despite it's flaws, I think the government does a pretty good job considering the size of the business.

People are all talk and no do and then the idiots that do typically do so by committing terrorist acts like Tim McVey. I mean seriously, what ever happened to freedom of speech and getting people behind your cause the legal way that doesn't hurt people?

And what really confuses me is this. I think it is great that all these people are offering free stuff or door charges for disaster relief. I had considered doing something like a percentage of monthly site income... but then I realized that if I do something like that, there would be some degree of marketing and self grandeurizing involved. "Pat me on the back for being a good human being." I am not going to market it. Just like the millions of other thankless Americans I will donate privately with little fan fair. I mean the best thing people can do is directly donate to the Red Cross who in many ways is already a middle man. While I am sure that people will do the right thing if they get money donated to them I don't really understand the logic. Donate to me so I can donate to the people who need it. Why do people need something free in order to do the right thing? Like who was this guy who donated $500 to Hung Angels in order for them to redonate to the Red Cross. I guess I just don't understand that.

I guess I feel that way because I used to work for the Fraternal Order of Police as a kid doing phone sales. Only about 20% of a person's donation actually went to the cause it was intended for "the sickness and death benefit fund for police officers killed or maimed in the line of duty".

All very true. It is strange that this actually does seem like a good place to post things along these lines, there's a nice diverse collection of intelligent and varied opinions.

But correct, there are most likely better places to post or better mediums to have a persons views distributed. I hear Video Blogs are becomming increasingly popular, but I haven't actually checked any out yet. I'll have to look into that sort of thing. Blogging certainly caught on, maybe this will be the next big thing. Maybe.

[Quinn]

Nowhereboy,

The only person I have attacked for disagreeing with me is Geekmeat, who has in turn attacked just about everyone taking part in the discussion of this topic.

The source of whom I speak (a very close female friend) works for a well known non-partisan media outlet. The data she has seen, depending upon whom "she" chooses to believe ranges from a defection rate of 33% to 44% among members of the NOPD. This data comes from various local government sources and has, in turn, been cited by many other media outlets, which does not suit Geekmeat's own views or his political agenda -- which is to blame only Bush for this debacle.

My point is this: it shouldn't be about a narrow political agenda, it should be about getting results. Help first, then hold EVERYONE responsible who is responsible.

-Quinn

[Nowhereboy]

Quinn,

I agree that "it shouldn't be about a narrow political agenda, it should be getting results', could not agree more. I don't, however, agree that we should wait to hold people accountable. Now, when the spotlight is shining brightly on the situation and the American people are paying attention, now is when accountability must be demanded. Remember also, there is a very long way to go here, if we don't demand accountability now, we are allowing these same people to run the show for the rest of the time. It is my opinion that many of these people in leadership positions do not deserve that opportunity. Further, the good people of the Gulf Coast can not afford to allow it.

As to Geekmeat, I agree that he has gone entirely too far in his statements and I will never condone name-calling and ad-hominem attacks. In spite of agreeing with some of what he states, I can not align myself with his position because of his unnecessary and inappropriate remarks.

[Hugh Jarrod]

I agree with Megabody that there's no secret plan to eliminate blacks by Bush. However poor people do not pay for his campaign. It's just a matter of him having an agenda for the world, future oil supply in Iraq, future jobs providing Iraq's government with american companies to do contracts with, and future markest for American goods in Iraq. He works for companies, corprations, he's a tool. All politicians are (that's not a Bush attack) it's just reality.

[Quinn]

Nowhereboy,

I sympathize with and understand the desire to hold people accountable now. Like many others, I have relatives in NO, at least one of whom has lost everything to looters. The other two, who are married, unwisely went back into NO to check on their property and have not been heard from since. With that in mind, let me take a minute to give you a single example as to why I would choose to defer holding people accountable for their mistakes relating to this disaster.

Exhibit A: The Mayor of New Orleans, who, following Hurricane Ivan, worked with other city officials to develop a plan to evacuate 300,000 of NO's poorest citizens in the event of a disaster similar to Ivan. He chose to not even attempt implementation of this plan when he was informed that a Category 5 Hurricane was approaching his city???? The submerged buses that you continuously see shown on every news channel were an important part of this plan and weren’t even moved to higher ground. Reserve police units were not activated, and police stations weren’t even given adequate supplies to allow them to do their jobs independent of reinforcement. The latest reports regarding the failure to implement this plan for evacuation – which would have made state and federal efforts to save stranded citizens largely unnecessary – have been addressed by MSNBC, Fox, and especially CNN.

I would love to see the mayor removed for his incompetence; however, IMHO, replacing him this very moment would only add the chaos and further hurt recover operations. Additionally, there is the possibility that valid mitigating facts may yet emerge as to his failure to implement the plan.

As an aside, CNN has also begun to show interviews with NO police officers confirming the reports of large numbers of law enforcement officials walking off of the job – something that was previously disputed.

-Quinn

[kieron]

As an aside, CNN has also begun to show interviews with NO police officers confirming the reports of large numbers of law enforcement officials walking off of the job – something that was previously disputed.

...in NZ we saw this around 5 days ago, i personally hold Bush accountable for not moving fast enough but also the mayor of NO for (supposedly) not moving people out fast enough (those who didn't have transport) but he can only do so much when NO as such doesn't have the resources because Bush is spending too much on Iraq and his "war on Terror" - to the american people, the 'terrorist' is in your back yard...it's Bush! Iraq is an unjust war.

As for his visits to the area the first was just a photo op, the second pretty much also a photo op. - as someone said before he's a tool, a bloody dangerous one at that! IMPEACH BUSH!!!!!!!

[Eric420]

KNOCK KNOCK!! HELLO McFLY!!!

How could anyone possibly have any positive faith in BushCo et al.......

LOL!!!!!!!!

[tsluver247]

You are assuming there are available resources (buses and bus drivers). Did you factor in that maybe school bus drivers make good make and most likely evacuated? What would happen to your figures?


It's not the city of New Orleans mayor and administration for the things you mention.

The biggest source of fault of these people is the failure to utilize resources available such as public school buses which by my estimation could have been used to move as many as 10K-25K of the 100,000 that stayed behind.

If you accept the notion that the poor did not leave b4 the storm because they had no means too, than you must place much blame on the mayor of New Orleans for failing to evacute people that were well within his ability to do so.

To get that 10-25K number I am assuming 100-250 buses moving 2 loads
of people per day at 30 people per bus. The actual number that could have been used may be much higher.

The governor of Louisiana, the governors of other states, or the federal government could have provided emergency shelters in neighboring states to the north. I will note that somehow Missisippi managed to survive with relatively few deaths despite entire towns in that state being destroyed. Somehow they managed to evacuate their very poor while New Orleans did not.



tsluver247....I AGREE WITH YOU....ITS NOT BLACK OR WHITE LIKE THE PUBLIC IS CRYING, ITS ABOIUT INNOCENT PEOPLE OF ALL RACES LOSING EVERYTHING..........

LESS THE 24 HOURS LATER GEORGE STEINBRENNERS MONEY WAS GIVEN AS HELP....PUFFY DADDY AINT DONE SHIT YET ABND HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO HIM IS LIKE THROWING AWAY AN OLD PAIR OF HIS SNEAKERS.......NO RESPECT HERE.....YOU SELLIN BUT I AINT BUYIN...SORRY !!!!!!!

I can understand someone having a different viewpoint than me. I am not disrespected by your comments.

But I have a couple of questions for you, since I am trying to understand your viewpoint:

Do you think the response to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina could have been better prepared? If so, what or who do you think caused the lag in the response? Why do you think help from U.S. cities and different countries were turned down by FEMA or never contacted back? Who is at fault for the miscommunications that seem to have happened?

Personally, I do not care if so and so gave and so and so did not. I do not know their personal finances, so I can not comment why someone did and someone did not.

I do not see how it is New Orleans' government fault that 1/3 of their police and fire force did not show up to work after the Hurricane hit. I do not see how 2/3 of police and fire force did not show up to work after the first two days after the Hurricane hit. How is it the local government's fault that they could not maintain order if their local enforcement did not show up. This is behind the control of the New Orleans' government.

[tsluver247]

FEMA Chief Waited Until After Storm Hit (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/katrina_disaster_response)

This clown should step down or get fired. President Bush has once again appointed another ass clown. Brownie obviously has horrible crisis management skills, just like Donald Rumsfeld and his project management skills (Armor Humvees).

[tsluver247]

FACT....MAYOR GULIANI RAN THE SHOW CALLED THE SHOTS......

THE MAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS FUCKED UP......ITS NOT THE FED GOV , THAT DIDNT GET THE BUSES GOING AND KEPP THEM IN A SAFE AREA...EVERYONE NEW NEWOLEANS WAS GOING TO FLOOD.......WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW ORLEANS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN NYC....NYPD WOULDNT LET THE CITY RUN A MUCK EITHER.......LOCAL GOV IS ULTIMATLY TO BLAME.....THATS MY OPINION......WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN OPINIONS....SORRY THAT MINE DIFFERS.....AT LEAST I GOT THE BALLS TO SAY WHAT I BELEIVE EVEN THOUGH IM THE MINORITY....

Did you factor that New York whole city was not crippled and had lines of communications? Did you factor that 80% of New Orleans was crippled or flooded by the storm and most ways of communication were disrupted? Everyone seems to be assuming the mayor of New Orleans had the available resources, people, and lines of communication.

[rick_932]

You are assuming there are available resources (buses and bus drivers). Did you factor that the buses may have been damaged in the storm? Did you factor that a number of buses maybe be flooded? Did you factor in that maybe school bus drivers make good make and most likely evacuated? What would happen to your figures?


It's not the city of New Orleans mayor and administration for the things you mention.

The biggest source of fault of these people is the failure to utilize resources available such as public school buses which by my estimation could have been used to move as many as 10K-25K of the 100,000 that stayed behind.

If you accept the notion that the poor did not leave b4 the storm because they had no means too, than you must place much blame on the mayor of New Orleans for failing to evacute people that were well within his ability to do so.

To get that 10-25K number I am assuming 100-250 buses moving 2 loads
of people per day at 30 people per bus. The actual number that could have been used may be much higher.

The governor of Louisiana, the governors of other states, or the federal government could have provided emergency shelters in neighboring states to the north. I will note that somehow Missisippi managed to survive with relatively few deaths despite entire towns in that state being destroyed. Somehow they managed to evacuate their very poor while New Orleans did not.



tsluver247....I AGREE WITH YOU....ITS NOT BLACK OR WHITE LIKE THE PUBLIC IS CRYING, ITS ABOIUT INNOCENT PEOPLE OF ALL RACES LOSING EVERYTHING..........

LESS THE 24 HOURS LATER GEORGE STEINBRENNERS MONEY WAS GIVEN AS HELP....PUFFY DADDY AINT DONE SHIT YET ABND HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO HIM IS LIKE THROWING AWAY AN OLD PAIR OF HIS SNEAKERS.......NO RESPECT HERE.....YOU SELLIN BUT I AINT BUYIN...SORRY !!!!!!!

I can understand someone having a different viewpoint than me. I am not disrespected by your comments.

But I have a couple of questions for you, since I am trying to understand your viewpoint:

Do you think the response to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina could have been better prepared? If so, what or who do you think caused the lag in the response? Why do you think help from U.S. cities and different countries were turned down by FEMA or never contacted back? Who is at fault for the miscommunications that seem to have happened?

Personally, I do not care if so and so gave and so and so did not. I do not know their personal finances, so I can not comment why someone did and someone did not.

I do not see how it is New Orleans' government fault that 1/3 of their police and fire force did not show up to work after the Hurricane hit. I do not see how 2/3 of police and fire force did not show up to work after the first two days after the Hurricane hit. How is it the local government's fault that they could not maintain order if their local enforcement did not show up. This is behind the control of the New Orleans' government.

hes talking about preparations before the storm, not after. they mayor knows the parts of NO that flood easily and the parts that dont(most of jefferson parish and uptown near the garden district). he knows the area that would receive the most wind damage. scenarios were performed by the state in 1998 and 2004 after hurricanes george and ivan nearly hit NO. if most of those buses were moved to the safer areas and preparations were made to have drivers available, in the possibility that a hurricane did hit, then some of the evacuees couldve been taken out of the city faster. now, given all this, yea, maybe some of the buses couldve been damaged by the hurricane, but all 200+ of em? having some of them running and bringing people out of the city is better than having them all underwater as they are now. i reallydont know if the mayor even considered those scenarios.

[geekmeat]

This is the document from FEMA director Michael Brown that was sent to Homeland Security director Michael Chertoff

Office of the UnderSecretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472
k~~ .FEMA
August 29,2005
MEMORANDUM TO: Michael Chertoff
Secretary of Homeland Security
FROM: Michael D. Brown
Under Secretary
SUBJECT: DHS Response to Katrina
We are requesting your assistance to make available DHS employees willing to deploy as
soon as possible for a two-week minimum field assignment to serve in a variety of
positions. We anticipate needing at least 1000 additional DHS employees within 48 hours
and 2000 within 7 days. Attached is a list of requirements that employees will have to
meet before deploying.
It is beneficial to use DHS employees as it allows us to be more efficient responding to
the needs of this disaster and it reinforces the Department's All-Hazard's Capabilities.
Also, DHS employees already have background investigations, travel cards and badges,
all items that nonnally delay filling our surge workforce. FEMA Response and
Recovery operations are a top priority of the Department and as we know, one of yours.
Wewill alsowantto identifystaffwithspecializedskillssuchas bilingualcapabilities,
CommercialDriver's License(CDL),andlogisticscapabilities.
Thank you for your consideration in helping us meet our responsibilities in this near
,catastrophic event.
Attachment
cc: MichaelP. Jackson
DeputySecretary
JanetHale
UnderSecretaryfor Management
www.fema.gov

[geekmeat]

What caused MOST of the damage was the levess that broke.
As a matter of fact the levees DID survive the storm FOR A WHILE and then broke late monday night.
IF the bush regime had properly funded these projects we would not be having this conversation because the levees DID hold out for a while in the face of a category 5 hurricane.

[blckhaze]

Blame just goes all around. some people just dont see how their actions affect the future.

[Nowhereboy]

Megabody posted a long diatribe aimed primarily at blaming the people and officials of New Orleans and indirectly exonerating the Bush Administration from any responsibility for the disaster. He stated that he did not write it but that he agreed with it. Either way, he is responsible for its hateful words.

It would take too long to go through each statement and dispute it, so I will concentrate on one particular statement. He wrote;

"Our governor is a white grandmother from New Orleans with no top management experience. The congressman from this district is black and under FBI investigation for graft. The senator from this area is a young white girl with no job experience at all, but her dad was a local power broker."

Powerful stuff, eh? Obviously written from the point of view of a white male elitist point of view. "Our governor is a white Grandmother", funny, you don't hear Mississippi Senator Trent Lott described as a 'white Grandfather". The letter writer is clearly trying to create an image of a kindly old woman sitting in a rocking chair. Very sexist and elitist. Oh, and by the way, define lack of top management experience. Does this mean she did not run a large corporation? If that is what Megabody's friend is stating, then most politicians fail to qualify. If, however the letter is referring to public service, it is at best misleading and at worst, a flat out lie. Governor Blanco was a State Legislator, Chair of the Public Service Commission and served 2 terms as Lieutenant Governor before being elected as Governor. Not exactly the image of a white grandmother that the letter writer is trying to portray, is it?

"The congressman from this district is black and under FBI investigation for graft." Yes he is black, as though that matters. Apparently to this writer it does, if you doubt that it does, reread the post with an eye towards how many times athe word is used to describe something negative. As to the FBI investigation, his house and car were searched in regards to case of corruption involving his brother-in-law, a former judge. The FBI was investigating whether the judge had used his position to raise funds for the Congressman based on the relationship. The Congressman cooperated with the investigation. So, in todays America, does being investigated now equate to being guilty? Or does that work only for black democrats? (Paging Tom DeLay)

Finally, there is this. "The senator from this area is a young white girl with no job experience at all, but her dad was a local power broker." A young girl! How patronizing can we posssibly get? Now we are supposed to see a little girl in pig-tails playing with a toy her power broker daddy bought her. (Actually, if you think about it, minus the pig-tails, you have George W. Bush. But I digress.) Once again, the facts do not mesh with the image we are being sold here.She is 50 years old, so I won't argue the young point (I am 48, you figure it out). She served 8 years as a State Representative and 8 years as State Treasurer, in most cases that does qualify as job experience.

If the writer can lie about such information, so easily checked, what does that say about his or her credibility? You do the math.

Nowhereboy

[NickTheQuick]

...

[geekmeat]

"Remember the cry of the
>looters - I've got to get food furor my babies. Did you see any babies in
>the dome or any other shelter? People who cared about family and children
>and babies were all gone from the city before the storm in most cases. "

Maybe it's because I am safely hundreds of miles away from this disaster area but my tv works just fine. So either your friend(or friend of a friend) hasn't seen any coverage from NO where there is a ton of young children (including babies) being shown or he chose to ignore it to suit his point.

Uh listen german.......
You country and countrymen have NO business trying to criticize ANYONE.
Need I remind you of your countys charming activities in world war 2?

[NickTheQuick]

...