I am so Angry

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tybee204

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I am so angry that Homeland Security blocked the Red Cross from feeding people, delivering medicine and food to Hospitals and setting up any form of relief within New Orleans to sustain life untill evacuations could be organized. Since when is the Red Cross not allowed to enter a disaster area to offer life saving services?

http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,...24,00.html#4524

Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?


Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.
 
tybee204 said:
I am so angry that Homeland Security blocked the Red Cross from feeding people, delivering medicine and food to Hospitals and setting up any form of relief within New Orleans to sustain life untill evacuations could be organized. Since when is the Red Cross not allowed to enter a disaster area to offer life saving services?

http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,...24,00.html#4524

Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?


Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.


This whole thing is just unbelievable. It just makes me sick. Who the hell does Homeland Security think they are anyway. It didn't bother them that people are dying and have been since day one? It doesn't bother them that the people at the Convention Center listened to what they were told to do and told to go and that they ended up in hell? No food, water, diapers for the babies, elderly and babies dying from dehydration...no bathrooms..my God
we live in the richest country in the world and this is how our people are treated.

Any time a foreign country is in need we are right there. But when it comes to taking care of our own...forget it. I am just so angry I can hardly stand it.
It has been asked if these people have been neglected because most of them are black and poor. It darn well better not be the reason.

I've listened over and over to the pleas from the mayor of New Orleans trying to get help for his people. This is a disgrace that won't be forgotten for centurys. Today President Bush finally returns from his vacation and takes a little time to stroll into New Orleans and pat a few babies on the head. I'm so ticked at him that it is a good thing he can't run for President again. I've heard politicians say that they had no idea that things were so bad in New Orleans....I call . Every news station has covered this disaster since day one. I'm really proud of the newscasters who have said it like it is. Some of them aren't holding back at all. I listened to Joe Scarbrough...probably spelled that wrong...last night and he spoke his piece. Our government failed these people. There was no plan for a disaster like this even though the big wigs knew it was coming.

Right now I am ashamed of my government. I'm ashamed of these politicians
who have shown that they don't care. These politicians who set in their big expensive homes...warm and safe with frigs full of food and cold water. They have 5 bathrooms for 2-3 people...clean clothes, etc. They make me sick.

I feel better now. This whole thing is just so heartbreaking. There are still people stranded in their attics and dead bodies laying in streets. It is like a nightmare but it is real.

I sent a email to "Feed The Children" asking them if they are going to go in with food and water for the people in New Orleans. Their advertisements say how many people/children that they help. I got an answer...Normally they don't help in the USA. And their thing is to help children adjust to their new way of life. Well good for them. If children don't have water to drink and food to eat...the basics...then how are they supposed to adjust to the changes in their lives. They said they have been in contact with the decision makers and were just waiting to get the word and they were going to pitch in and help.
Big of them. Just sit there until you hear from the politicians and you might sit there forever. I will never send them money because I believe in taking care of our own first and the good Lord knows that there are always people in need in the good ole USA.

I know that I'm not the only person who is severly disappointed in our government right now. We really can't depend on politicians in a time of need.
A sad day in America.
 
Why didn't they just hold the redcross til they knew where people were evacuating to like those impromptu areas on the bridge and take care of those at the dome?
 
What kills me is that Homeland Security claims they didn't know about people at the convention center, when the news media had been reporting on it all along. I saw one female CNN anchor grilling the top Homeland guy, asking him why CNN's intelligence was better than his. It has truly been a disgrace. And I think we are only beginning to hear the horror stories of what these people had to endure. It took 5 days to get minimal relief???????? Come on!
 
This is like your worst nightmare? Were they set up for terrorism and not natural disaster. I have no idea.

I can't imagine what has caused this total breakdown of communication and planning, but I hope they get to the bottom of it and there will be h___ to pay for years.

Feeling safe, anyone?
 
Didn't they say it wasn't safe for them to go in? There was no communication with the NO police. The governor really screwed up. The mayor screwed up when he let those people at the W go first. He should have allowed elderly and sick first. I guess it is easy for me to be a Monday morning quarterback.
 
bulletgirl2002 said:
Didn't they say it wasn't safe for them to go in? There was no communication with the NO police. The governor really screwed up. The mayor screwed up when he let those people at the W go first. He should have allowed elderly and sick first. I guess it is easy for me to be a Monday morning quarterback.


Their safety could very well be (and should be) part of the equation. Same as in certain types of police calls, where firefighters and medics are called - depending on the type of call known, FF and medics don't go in until the police have secured the scene. Those can be tough, heartwrenching minutes, but it doesn't help to have rescue personnel downed either. Same with RedCross.

I have absolutely no idea why they've been told to stay out for now, and there's obviously more to the story, but just thought I'd throw in that the safety of the Red Cross teams does have to be considered. But it does frustrate me so, just like everyone else, that people in the Superdome and on many overpasses, etc. can't get basic food and water.
 
tybee204 said:
I am so angry that Homeland Security blocked the Red Cross from feeding people, delivering medicine and food to Hospitals and setting up any form of relief within New Orleans to sustain life untill evacuations could be organized. Since when is the Red Cross not allowed to enter a disaster area to offer life saving services?...
The Red Cross Director explained that it was deemed too dangerous for their volunteers to enter until areas were under control. They do not want to put the lives of the Red Cross volunteers in danger. Unfortunately, I agree with the decision. A few thugs make it hard on everyone. So, IMO, the blame should be placed on the thugs and the Louisiana's local government for not having a plan.

Of course, by reading many of the posts on this forum, I understand that my viewpoint is in the minority. :)
 
What's amazing is that once they knew (and I heard this as early as Tuesday) that it was too dangerous, why did it take days and days to make it safe enough for help to go in. There's a huge divide between expecting volunteers to go in and risk their lives and just saying, "Stand down" indefinitely while people die. We could have gotten control earlier. We could have gotten troops there earlier so aid could have been given safely. This is a travesty.
 
nanandjim said:
The Red Cross Director explained that it was deemed too dangerous for their volunteers to enter until areas were under control. They do not want to put the lives of the Red Cross volunteers in danger. Unfortunately, I agree with the decision. A few thugs make it hard on everyone. So, IMO, the blame should be placed on the thugs and the Louisiana's local government for not having a plan.

Of course, by reading many of the posts on this forum, I understand that my viewpoint is in the minority. :)


:rolleyes: <------- Me standing over there with Nan.
 
Why is homeland security even involved? this has nothing to do with terrorism it's a natural disaster :confused: do they think al qaeda is behind the levees breaking?:confused:
 
nanandjim said:
The Red Cross Director explained that it was deemed too dangerous for their volunteers to enter until areas were under control. They do not want to put the lives of the Red Cross volunteers in danger. Unfortunately, I agree with the decision. A few thugs make it hard on everyone. So, IMO, the blame should be placed on the thugs and the Louisiana's local government for not having a plan.

Of course, by reading many of the posts on this forum, I understand that my viewpoint is in the minority. :)
I believe there is plenty of blame to go around. Let's start with the local government of New Orleans. The city councilmen or aldermen/women or whatever they are called should have been in touch with their constituants and made sure those people knew the danger of staying behind. The police or whatever should have been in those low-lying neighborhoods with bullhorns telling those people they were in danger of drowning if they stayed behind.

Next, the mayor should have had a plan to evacuate those without cars. City busses and school busses could have been used to move those people out. There was no plan despite the governor's claim to the contrary.

Finally, the National Guard troops, FEMA, supplies, etc. should have been brought in to a staging area close enough to the region to be able to deliver help within hours - not days - after the storm ended.

The appalling nature of this is that everyone knew for days ahead that this was a vicious storm that had New Orleans and Mississippi in the cross-hairs. There was time to do something - unlike the earthquakes of California and the 9-11 disaster, where there was no advance warning.

This should be a wake-up call to all communities. There is simply no place that is safe from a possible disaster. Every city, county and state needs a disaster plan.
 
Casshew said:
Why is homeland security even involved? this has nothing to do with terrorism it's a natural disaster :confused: do they think al qaeda is behind the levees breaking?:confused:

It wouldn't surprise me if Homeland Security is desparately seeking a way to blame al-Qaeda for this.
 
Casshew said:
Why is homeland security even involved? this has nothing to do with terrorism it's a natural disaster :confused: do they think al qaeda is behind the levees breaking?:confused:
The Department of Homeland Security oversees FEMA.
 
Maral said:
The Department of Homeland Security oversees FEMA.
I thought the homeland security dept started up after 9/11 - who controlled FEMA prior to that?
 
Maral said:
The Department of Homeland Security oversees FEMA.
When DHS was formed, one of the strongest criticisms centered around the fact that perhaps it would be best if FEMA was kept as a small, independent mobile federal agency. The pathetic initial FEMA response to Hurricane Katrina shows that perhaps that criticism was valid.
 
Sniffy38 said:
:rolleyes: <-------- Me Three standing there with Nan and Less. Very well said!
:rolleyes: <------ Me Four standing with Nan and Less and Sniffy. There has never been a disaster in the U.S. where an entire city was submerged, no drinking water, no electricity, no communication. It's not gonna be solved in a day or two. And everyone who's complaining how the evacuees have been holed up with no food or water for SIX DAYS should remember there was running water until after the storm on Monday. Even an idiot should know to bring food, water and diapers for their babies. I think the victims should accept at least partial blame for their situation, but it's so much easier to blame the government.
 
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