"This is America? This is an outrage."- Page 3

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 12:17am

Priest, you are a good man. I wish I could drop everything in my life right now and go home to help.

I finally heard from a friend of mine who lives about 15 miles outside of New Orleans. She and her family are fine, but the phone lines continue to be shaky and inconsistent. Even my parents, who live in the northern part of the state and got nothing but rain (and a knocked over pine tree in the backyard) can't call me as the phones are often dead...

[Greg-4now]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 12:54am

The following is from the Tulane U Website -


August 27, 2005 - 6 p.m.

The university is now closed due to the approach of Hurricane Katrina. University operations are expected to resume on Wednesday, August 31 and faculty and staff will return to work on that date. Students please note that classes will resume on Thursday, September 1.

Essential employees should remain in contact with their supervisors for their work schedules.

The university initiated its residential student evacuation plan this afternoon and is transporting those students remaining on campus to Jackson State University. There will be a final opportunity for students to be transported to Jackson State tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. Buses will leave from the Reily Center.

By Saturday, Tulane was empty. They had a plan and executed it. The Tulane website lists their response to the hurricane day by day. Its interesting to read.

Every city, county and State is required to have an emergency management plan. I don't know if any local, county or state government could have prepared for this.

I've read some posts that some have claimed that there is a lack of leadership; and how "great Rudy Giuliani was on 9/11" and that there is no "Rudy" on the scene in New Orleans. While I would never minimize 9/11 - Rudy's main concerns were focused in a 6 to 8 block radius, at least from a "disaster" standpoint; the focus on the areas effected by the hurricane, and just the most devastated areas, we are talking about at least 300,000 to 400,000 homes, many many square miles of devastation, and not just in New Orleans proper.

We all can sit and point fingers at who's to blame for this...but I am not convinced that there was a way to prepare for this kind of devastation.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 12:58am

Rudy Giuliani is an actor, and a good one when it counts. There was so much wrong with the entire 9/11 thing - they were so far from prepared and much scrambling ensued. It was all a big facade and the rest of the nation bought it.

[Greg-4now]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:01am

they were so far from prepared and much scrambling ensued.

OK..maybe you're right. So is it too far of a stretch to think that there was no possible way to prepare for this amount of devastation?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:03am

Well NYC was supposed to be prepared for a terrorist attack. If everything was in place that was supposed to be, supposedly we would have been. I certainly don't know if that's possible.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:05am

Oh, you're still posting here, Greg you big drag queen? Well, let me fill you in before you just repeat the f-in' BS that Condi "Shoes" Rice tried to sell about 9/11, you remember, "Nobody could have imagined planes flying into skyscrapers. No one could have imagined that Al Quaida would strike within the US...." Well, what was the name of the security brief, Ms. Rice? "I believe the title was Bin Laden Determined to Strike Within the US."

Let me tell you who anticipated it. Clinton and his FEMA. That's why he committed megadollars to shore up the levees, to reinforce them with concrete. Unfortunately, Bush called that project off and plundered the cash to pay for the war in Iraq. Before restructuring FEMA. Two years ago the New Orleans Times Picayune did a five part series that detailed EXACTLY what happened this week as an inevitability. And the governor of La. has been trying to get people to pay attention and get some funding. ALL D-FIN-NIED.

The people who have been campaigning to restore the wetlands to the gulf shore because every two miles of wetland protects a half mile in, they certainly could imagine it. But the Bush administration moved to allow DEVELOPMENT.

Scientific American did a cover story about hurricanes one year ago and focussed on New Orleans. THEY imagined it. But Bush doesn't read and he CERTAINLY doesn't like science.

There is PLENTY of blame, and what has happened was COMPLETELY imagineable and in fact accurately predicted.

You can repeat the same crap, but this time it isn't going to fly, Greg. And the thing is, you can see it in Bush's eyes. He knows it too.

The moral outrage now is that NOBODY in the Federal Government, not George "Golfing in Phoenix on Tuesday" W. Bush, nor the Republican majority Congress moved with anywhere NEED the speed they did for Terry Shiavo.

The Culture of Life my ass.

Updated On: 9/2/05 at 01:05 AM

[Plum]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:08am

Someone way back at the start of the thread (DG?) mentioned that while the U.S. helps out with disasters all over the world, other countries aren't really in the habit of helping us with ours. For the most part, that imbalance is true, but Canada offered help this time. I'm pretty sure I read a story that a rescue team they tried to send was turned away at the airport for security reasons.

[Greg-4now]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:10am

Yeah, but everyone admitted that no one ever expected a plane to be used for that purpose.

I have no doubt that they could have managed the effects of this storm if they didn't have to deal with incredible number of poeple that stayed behind. ....

I am listening to the news and they are talking about 6 murders, 4 rapes, 1 suicide last night in the superdome...holy smoke... I can't believe this...its sickening.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:11am

"Yeah, but everyone admitted that no one ever expected a plane to be used for that purpose."

John LeCarre imagined it in a novel. So shut the hell up Greg, just shut the HELL UP.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:14am

"if they didn't have to deal with incredible number of poeple that stayed behind. ...."

HAVE TO DEAL??
SAVING THESE PEOPLE IS A HASSLE THAT HAS TO BE F**KING DEALT WITH TO YOU??
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT AFFORD TO LEAVE AND DID NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO GET OUT, ASSHOLE!!


DAMN THEM FOR BEING A HASSLE THAT HAS TO BE "DEALT WITH"!
THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS!

Some people.
I mean SERIOUSLY...

Updated On: 9/2/05 at 01:14 AM

[Plum]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:16am

Also, that guy...who was that author? Some aspiring KKK grand Wizard. Anyway, he wrote a book where a plane got crashed into the White House. Tom Clancy did something along those lines, too.

ETA- Nice to see Christian charity is alive and well. God bless America, as they say.
Updated On: 9/2/05 at 01:16 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:16am

I love the idea that people "stayed behind." LIKE IT WAS A CHOICE FOR A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE.

Not everybody had personal transportation. Not everybody has credit cards. Not everybody had the physical capability to leave.

Telling people to leave is very very different from helping people to leave.

PS Sam "Assassins" Byk was clearly able to imagine using a jet as a weapon. Isn't that right, DICK?

Updated On: 9/2/05 at 01:16 AM

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:18am

"I think there ought to be zero tolerance of people breaking the law during an emergency such as this — whether it be looting, or price gouging at the gasoline pump, or taking advantage of charitable giving or insurance fraud," Bush said.

Bush had the f***ing gall to talk about price gouging at the pumps??
Pardon me; I have to go outside and scream bloody murder now...

[Yawper]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:21am

that's not true of all of them Priest. many just chose to ride it out because they have in the past.

the real obstacle is mother nature reclaiming her space.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:21am

I just saw the clip on ABC. The question Diane Sawyer asked was something along the lines are, "There are people who need shoes for their feet after walking on shards of glass, there are people who need food and water, is it right to characterize what they're doing as 'looting?'"

THAT was what brought up the zero tolerance quote.

Inside I too am screaming bloody murder.

Where's that xanax I have tucked away for an emergency?

[Greg-4now]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:25am

Hey...its my pal Namo.

What's your deal Namo? Maybe you have a crush on me? Its amazing how you post immediately after me, every chance you get. Well, I'm flattered. Maybe we can meet up somewhere...I have a lot I want to tell you to your face.

I am not going down that political road with you again. You're an idiot and don't know your a$$ from a hole in the ground.

Wait for the public hearing on Able Danger - Why do you think the Democrats put Jamie Gorelick on the 9/11 Commission? Clinton's people knew that Atta was here...organizing...and they DID NOTHING. Wait for the hearings.

The rest of what you have to say...is pure nonsense...but I am getting a kick out of how much I am actually irritating you.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:27am

The hell with the Xanax. This is a Vicodin situation.

[Greg-4now]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:33am

HAVE TO DEAL??
SAVING THESE PEOPLE IS A HASSLE THAT HAS TO BE F**KING DEALT WITH TO YOU??
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT AFFORD TO LEAVE AND DID NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO GET OUT, ASSHOLE!!


DAMN THEM FOR BEING A HASSLE THAT HAS TO BE "DEALT WITH"!
THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS!

Chill the f*&k out Priest...you're taking it out of context.

Who said it was a hassle????

For the initial group of rescuers, it was too overwhelming. There were just too many people that needed saving. They could land helicopters because hundreds of people would rush toward the chopper...A private chopper went in with medical supplies and had to abort the landing because they rushed him and SHOT at him.

Too many people stayed behind...these people are the poorest of the poor. They had no where else to go..they couldn't afford to leave.

[Greg-4now]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:34am

Where's that xanax I have tucked away for an emergency?

Good coping skills there Namo - take two...believe me, you need it.
Updated On: 9/2/05 at 01:34 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:36am

You're not irritating me. You obviously think you can get away with the same old BS "nobody could have imagined" and I supplied you with a list refuting what you wrote. You were wrong.

Clinton had plenty to say about Al Quaida, Clinton's administration foiled the millennium bombings. Alas, the Republicans were so damn busy focussing on impeaching him about a blow job that when he ALMOST took out Bin Laden, your "team" yelled "wag the dog."

Perhaps you don't remember that because you were so busy.

As for following you, don't flatter your big gay self.

I started this thread, I obviously have an interest in the topic. And you're just gonna pull the same old "nobody could have known" crap and I am going to call you on it. Do it again, I'll do it again, Berniece.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:37am

Someone way back at the start of the thread (DG?) mentioned that while the U.S. helps out with disasters all over the world, other countries aren't really in the habit of helping us with ours. For the most part, that imbalance is true, but Canada offered help this time. I'm pretty sure I read a story that a rescue team they tried to send was turned away at the airport for security reasons.

Yes, Canada currently has troops ready and waiting for the go-ahead from Washington. CNN has also reported that 26 other countries have offered support. Someone in another thread mentioned, though, that it'll be cold day in hell before the White House asks for help from another country.

It's not quite true that other countries aren't in the habit of helping the U.S. -- remember that during 9/11, medical supplies and especially blood was being offered up by many countries around the world. But as the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, the U.S. is expected to be able to take care of itself.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:39am

We can only spend a billion dollars a day IN IRAQ.

But help will make it to New Orleans, you know. EVENTUALLY.

Untenable. Unforgiveable.

Updated On: 9/2/05 at 01:39 AM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:41am

Nice to see Christian charity is alive and well. God bless America, as they say.
I was reading the Times yesterday and they had a list of all the charity organizations you could donate to help the relief efforts. The vast majority of them were Christian/church-based organizations. I didn't see any Atheist charities sending help.

This is a Vicodin situation.
Thanks for the suggestion.

ETA: Namo, I was being sarcastic.

Updated On: 9/2/05 at 01:41 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:43am

"I didn't see any Atheist charities sending help."

Do not be THAT stupid.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 9/2/05 at 1:44am

CNN is reporting that the White House is "worried" about how the Katrina disaster will cost FEMA aproximately half a billion dollars a day. Yet they mind spending twice that amount on the war.