The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

[marrigotti]

Walk a day in our shoes in MS and then tell me that we don't deserve help as much as NO. There are no fun filled barbecues here Details all my food is rotting in the woods behind my house. We are eating MREs. Don't anyone dare say we don't deserve help, that we are not suffering. We have not shot at rescue workers.
We are just as devestated. Do we not rank with NO b/c we don't have as many dead, people are dying here daily. People have been found dead on the coast that have only been dead a few days, not the 10days ago that the storm hit. These people suffered misaerably and died a slow death. I welcome anyone to come spend a day on the MS gulf coast and tell me how good we have it. Don't go to NO though, you might get shot.

I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. I hope you get the assistance you need soon.

 

[Dara]

Sounds like a great idea. Part of the problem is we are covering so much that our links are getting lost. Would be great to look back at a narrower topic and be able to quickly locate them.

WSers are great at picking apart topics, so maybe as the rawness calms down some (big) topical threads will get started.

 

[2sisters]

I for one am glad they are clearing out NO. If people stay it will only mean a severe disease outbreak. BIloxi already has a dysetary outbreak and the water there isn't nearly as dirty. I think Ray Nagin and Kathleen Blanco have communtication issues and need to get on the same page.

 

[tybee204]

My husband just returned from Mississippi last night. He and his business partner collected and hauled a load of water, food and medical supplies down. He heard many stories and was distraught by the devastation. God bless you and yours and keep safe.

 

[bulletgirl2002]

I read somewhere that the Mississippi River is trying to change its course and the Corps of Engineers is dregging it to stop this change in course. I dont really understand this, but this sounds bad to try to fool with mother nature.

 

[lilpony]

I just have to tell you guys this information. I know you will be interested or maybe saddened, or for that matter mad!!
I know some of you know, as I have given this information before. My son is in the USCG, a crew member in the heli's, on the search and rescues. Well, some of the men and women went to the Astrodome, to help do what they could. They were shocked and saddened, by what they saw and heard. And how ungrateful, a lot of these people were. When they were getting off the busses, they would say..Too little Too late!! They were given water, they wanted to know where the Soda, and beer was, that was there request. Some local deli's have been donating food. Well, that wasn't good enough either, they wanted fast food...McDonald's!! But, they made sure they got in the line for their Welfare checks. NO ONE, was in line for so many jobs that were offered. A lot of companies were there, they had many jobs for these people. But no one wanted a job!! They were rude to these members of the USCG, why I don't know. These Men and Women, were shocked, and saddened, then they were pissed. They threw up their hands and walked out!! I felt so bad for my son, when he and his friends were there to help them. He is still angry about this. He understands there problems. But do not take it out on others who are helping them.

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

Lil,

I find that quite disturbing. Quite. More power to the CG personnel for what they tried to do.

 

[marrigotti]

I just have to tell you guys this information. I know you will be interested or maybe saddened, or for that matter mad!!
I know some of you know, as I have given this information before. My son is in the USCG, a crew member in the heli's, on the search and rescues. Well, some of the men and women went to the Astrodome, to help do what they could. They were shocked and saddened, by what they saw and heard. And how ungrateful, a lot of these people were. When they were getting off the busses, they would say..Too little Too late!! They were given water, they wanted to know where the Soda, and beer was, that was there request. Some local deli's have been donating food. Well, that wasn't good enough either, they wanted fast food...McDonald's!! But, they made sure they got in the line for their Welfare checks. NO ONE, was in line for so many jobs that were offered. A lot of companies were there, they had many jobs for these people. But no one wanted a job!! They were rude to these members of the USCG, why I don't know. These Men and Women, were shocked, and saddened, then they were pissed. They threw up their hands and walked out!! I felt so bad for my son, when he and his friends were there to help them. He is still angry about this. He understands there problems. But do not take it out on others who are helping them.

This is absolutely appalling. Thanks so much for bringing it to our attention. I am very sorry your son had such a horrible experience.

 

[JBean]

I was afraid of hearing stories like this. makes me mad and sick all at the same time

 

[SieSie]

Earlier, I thought about starting a whole thread about the levee problem. I mentioned it to another poster. It's such a complex issue, and it comes up and gets dropped and the links just get buried. But I don't think the topic specific threads get many responses. Or I'd be starting one for each major issue (Nagin/buses, who can do what, etc), because I am just that Type A.

I like to group things and have everything in its place. But it doesn't work in every setting, lol.

I'm with you Dara, I like to have things organized, too - it just makes it easier to discuss the various topics that arise. I guess that means I'm a "Type A" personality, too?? LOL. Maybe that's why we're so frustrated that nothing was organized - it's easier to get things done with organization (IMO).

 

[cynder]

"Ex-FEMA Chief Tied to Hurricane Relief Lobbying
And the website TalkingPointsMemo is reporting that the former head of FEMA, Joe Allbaugh, may stand to profit from the catastrophe in the Gulf region through his various lobbying efforts. President Bush tapped Allbaugh to head FEMA after he served as Bush's campaign manager during the 2000 election. He headed FEMA until March 2003 just as the U.S. was launching its invasion of Iraq. Then Allbaugh helped form a lobbying firm called New Bridge Strategies in order to help clients "take advantage of business opportunities in the Middle East following the conclusion of the U.S.-led war in Iraq." New Bridge Strategies was also formed by several top executives from the lobbying firm then known as Barbour Griffith & Rogers. The head of that firm was Haley Barbour who is now the Republican governor of Mississippi. Earlier this year Joe Allbaugh signed on as a lobbyist for Halliburton subsidiary KBR in order to "educate the congressional and executive branch on defense, disaster relief and homeland security issues." Just last week the federal government announced that Halliburton would be hired to repair the Gulf Coast military bases damaged by Katrina. And now the Washington Post is reporting that Allbaugh is also helping Louisiana "coordinate the private-sector response to the storm."
Read More at: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/07/1415218

 

[Seabiscuit]

I do understand the issue of concern for relatives, but I think the pictures should be taken. I am reminded of Matthew Brady's photos of the Civil War or the photographs of the Holocaust. I guess I feel like we need to have some small understand of the horror and suffering of our fellow men and women.


Seabiscuit

 

[Tom'sGirl]

Most of us have - but I know there are people who aren't paying attention, or are blinded and won't believe without pictures (I know a guy on another board who insists the death estimates are all politics, doesn't think even 1000 have died :slap: ).

A guy here on WS?

 

[vanillasky]

On Another Board

A guy here on WS?

 

[Tom'sGirl]

On Another Board

Oh whew, thanks!

 

[Details]

There are quite a few more nutjobs over there. One guy who wants to give everyone in New Orleans $100,000 checks; that guy; a person who thinks it's horrible her precious son at SDSU will have to be breathing the same air as 600 New Orleans refugees, since all of them are criminals and thugs...

 

[KrazyKollector]

More CYA from FEMA

"Forced to defend what some critics consider its slow and botched response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said on Tuesday it does not want the news media to take photographs of the dead as they are recovered from New Orleans.
Snip...
"We have requested that no photographs of the deceased be made by the media," the spokeswoman told Reuters via e-mail."

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001055768

Maybe, just maybe it's because the public broadcast of someone's loved one, in a diseased and decayed state is NOT the final image they need burned into their minds! They will picture many "images" of what they could and might have looked like, they don't need the visual affirmation!

Anyone who REALLY feels the need to look at the gore can always volunteer at the coroner's office or become an embalmer.
I've seen more dead bodies than I ever care to see. I don't need someone to have their heart ripped out just to satisfy a need for public voyeurism.

I can't believe anyone could/would even be so crass as to wonder about it.
I feel for the FEMA agent who had to explain something so simple to obvious idiots.

 

[KrazyKollector]

Like it or not - these dead people are the real "reality" TV. The truth hurts like hell, and it often isn't pretty either. Without the photos of Vietnam would we have known the "reality" of that war?
I understand respect, but where was the "respect" when these people were drowning in a flooded city, or dying in overcrowded, unsanitary shelters with no food, water or toilets? Is respect then found going without fanfare into an unmarked grave without a name?
If it was MY family member I would welcome the media photos. I would hope that at least the death of my loved one had meaning and would perhaps help save future victims from the same fate. Hiding them from public view makes their death meaningless in the big picture of what went wrong.
The pictures of dead bodies lined up like cord wood, left rotting in the water or abandoned in a gutter are just what people NEED to see, because they are the reality of Hurrican Katrina. We should be sickened and offended. We should be angry.

I am sickened and disgusted and VERY angry, but for a much different reason than you seem to be.

I could go on and try and show the utter banality of this "desire" to see rotted human flesh, but for the ones who see it, they don't need it and the ones who don't see it, never will.

 

[Dara]

Maybe it'll help to hear from another volunteer, then, to balance out the negative:

I took in everything for a few moments and then figured I was there to help, and the best way I could do that would be to connect with individual people somehow. So over and over I picked up flats of 24 water bottles and walked around and handed them out; many people were overjoyed by that one small thing. A few asked for food or clothes or blankets; there were apples and bananas available on the concourses, boxes of clothes being sorted by size at one end of the floor, and all blankets had been given out.

It was an amazing cross section of humanity...young, old, big, little, etc. Nearly all were black, and practically everyone appeared like they'd been through a war zone. Most seemed content with their lot at the moment; I saw no arguing or frustration...I think they were just glad to be inside and settled for a bit. About half were able to sleep amidst the chaos; the others were pretty quiet. Children were everywhere; I was amazed at their resilience...they seemed oblivious to the reality of things, and were just happy being kids. I gave out packs of gum I'd bought on the way to the Dome, and that made a few eyes light up. I told them to share. Some other sights which embedded themselves in my mind:

* The Bibles which I saw on several cots

* People sleeping and clutching their kids

* The number of people in wheel chairs

* A wooden leg with a shoe on it, detatched from its owner while they slept

* The instant smiles some people expressed when I handed them a COLD bottle of water

 

[SieSie]

Can Mayors and Governors be "fired", or would there be an impeachment hearing like with Presidents?? TIA.