Mayor of Biloxi MS calls Hurricane Katrina "our tsunami."

[Albin]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:17am

With all due respect sir, not even close. The tsunami killed a quarter of a million people. Wiped entire towns off the face of the earth. Your situation, while horrifying and tragic and devasting for your community doesn't begin to compare.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:26am

That's a bit harsh, Albin. I'm sure what he meant was that the lost of homes, businesses, roads, infrastructure, etc. has been catastrophic for the Gulf Coast. Parts of his town, as well as half of Gulfport have for all practical purposes been wipes out. The difference is that they have the wearwithall to rebuild.

This is personal for me. We learned late last night that my mother, who lives in Gulfport, lost everything (except her life!). Her car, house, the hospital were she works, her church, etc are all gone. Her street remains under 10 feet of water this morning with only refrigerators and bodies seen floating on the street from the helicopter fly-over. In their loss and despair, I think we can excuse a bit of hyperbole.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:27am

Thank you, Blue - and I'm glad at least your mother survived. What a test!

[Albin]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:30am

I don't mean to minimize what's happened down there. It's a horrible situation. His comment just rubbed me the wrong way.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:30am

I'm not surprised Moony's mom survived, as Moony herself is a pillar of strength. She'll deny it, and probably make a joke, but I have great admiration for her.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:31am

Albin, you're a bit too touchy.
Metaphor, hyperbole even...

Many people died, many more lost everything. This is not a time to be banging a drum of political correctness and spite.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:35am

Actually, I agree with Albin. I'm not outraged by the statement (and I don't think Albin is either) but I also don't think hyperbole or metaphor are appropriate right now when the basic truth is tragic enough.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:46am

In times of great stress it's easy to overstate or mis-state your reaction to a situation. I'm sure he's very tired as well as stressed out.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:51am

Ooo she took option 3: ignore.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:52am

Albin, the damage isn't over. The flooding has just begun. There is a second breach in the levee and the French Quarter, which is 5-10 feet highter than the rest of New Orleans, is beginnning to flood. A friend's email:

Tragically, that 17th street canal levee breach, which is approximately two blocks long, means that the bowl NO sits in will fill to the top, and that 20 feet or so of water won't go away for months. The pumps which keep that bowl from filling on a day to day basis, are now underwater and not functioning. There are whitecaps on Canal St, and the water is rising by an inch every five minutes. What this effectively means is that everyone who was able to evacuate is now homeless and jobless for the forseeable future. A great number of those who stayed are trapped in attics, with the water still rising. I wish it weren't so, but it looks like America has lost one of its greatest cities.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:57am

This was the Sadler Apartment building in Biloxi, destoyed along with about 100 other condominium buildings on the waterfront.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 11:06am

80% of New Orleans is under water. Jefferson Parish in under martial law. No one is being allowed into New Orleans.