Katrina Victims Ungrateful

[Tiyospaye Yazzie]

Shesh.
Man o' man. They should at least be gratelful that they are still alive. Times can be horrible but times change, When I watch the news or read about in the papers o' on the web it seems like they are just selfish and ungrateful people. I read an article where one of the victims said they should burn the city (N.O.) to the ground. God, why would you say such things. Then the yelling the screaming, man these people. I say they should march out of there on foot! Dag Nabbit! They told us to do it centuries ago and we did it with sad hearts and flowing tears over many of hundreds of miles and in the worst of weather but we did it. Now I look at these people and say shesh.
They are getting the aid, slowly but surely. They should at least be grateful that it is coming. I donated money to the cause but now that I see all of this anger and hatred on TV I wish I hadn't. Never bite the hand that feeds you.

[p_town_mami]

Ummm...I think that yes, people should be grateful for what they have. However, don't you think their anger is just a tad bit justified? I have not been in this type of a situation, and I'm not sure if you have either. However, I think that if I went from what I have now, to ABSOLUTELY NOTHING....no money, no clothing, no food, no house, no ANYTHING, and got shoved into a broken down, leaking, sewage overflowing building with 50,000 other stinking, dying, filthy, sick people, that I might be just a little bit pi$$ed off too that the friggin government let me sit there for 4 days before doing anything. Don't take it personal that some people are mad. That money you sent in isn't going to that person directly...you might have gotten some food for a baby or some medicine for a sick elder.


(For those of you that want to hear Mayor Nagin on a radio interview, check this out. He is PI$$ED off!!! Oh i can't paste the link but go to cnn.com and click on the "watch" portion of his interview. He tells the feds to "get off their a$$es" and cusses up a good ol storm here. Go Nagin!!!).

[Ore2Roses]

Our "officials" had four days warning that this storm was going to hit this hard...and, where it was going to hit. There should have been rescue/relief/response mechanism put in place PRIOR to landfall. Our gov. can support/rescue/send relief to a nation half way around the world from us when they had their sunami, but, cant seem to take care of our own.
For those who could have gotten out and didnt, they took the risk...they, (unfortunately) learned a hard and possibly deadly lesson. For those who could not leave...well, that one is a no-brainer. Our gov. isnt taking care of our own..bottom line.
For those who stayed to try to take care of those who couldnt leave..for whatever reason...that shows a personal sacrifice that our gov., evidently, has no concept of or care for.

[chazziff]

sure they were given the word to evacuate but looks like alot of people didn't heed the warnings for reasons like stubborness (i can wait this storm out), misinformation (it can't be THAT BAD) or no way to leave (homeless or people without vehicles or money to evacuate). if it was more along the lines of people didn't have any money to leave there should have been busses/trains/planes to evacuate them inland instead of that stadium they sent them too....

i heard that there were people shooting at the aircraft in the skies trying to help them - and that's just plain wrong....kinda stupid now because weren't they given word this morning to return fire?

and the looting...where the hell are you gonna take 50 pair of jeans when you have no home? and no one else has any money because it was all washed away? stupid. then there are apparently some "robin hood" types out there breaking into grocery stores for baby formula, diapers and food/water and giving it all to the people...

it must be horrible there - rotting human bodies, raw sewage and just general garbage in the hot sun...saw where a woman died in her wheelchair and her family couldn't do anything with her but cover her with a blanket and leave her there against the wall...and all the items from the dock area like raw chickens were washed inland and is now rotting...those poor people and of course i would be pissed off i was more or less left in those conditions for days...with no word from the people in charge...

[saukpuppet]

Shesh.
Man o' man. They should at least be gratelful that they are still alive. Times can be horrible but times change, When I watch the news or read about in the papers o' on the web it seems like they are just selfish and ungrateful people. I read an article where one of the victims said they should burn the city (N.O.) to the ground. God, why would you say such things. Then the yelling the screaming, man these people. I say they should march out of there on foot! Dag Nabbit! They told us to do it centuries ago and we did it with sad hearts and flowing tears over many of hundreds of miles and in the worst of weather but we did it. Now I look at these people and say shesh.
They are getting the aid, slowly but surely. They should at least be grateful that it is coming. I donated money to the cause but now that I see all of this anger and hatred on TV I wish I hadn't. Never bite the hand that feeds you.

its easy for u to say....r u in that situation? no. media can only cover so much, what they want u to see. u dont know the truth of the real people that r grateful and r trying to do their best in this horrible situation.

[La + * Mom]

i heard that there were people shooting at the aircraft in the skies trying to help them - and that's just plain wrong....kinda stupid now because weren't they given word this morning to return fire? and the looting...
it must be horrible there - rotting human bodies, raw sewage and just general garbage in the hot sun...saw where a woman died in her wheelchair and her family couldn't do anything with her but cover her with a blanket and leave her there against the wall...and all the items from the dock area like raw chickens were washed inland and is now rotting....

Rescue attempts of dialysis people had to stop becuz of the shooting at the helicopter...and the looting...isn't it human nature to just survive? anyway-anyhow? the bad situation is just bringing the worst out in everybody...when I heard one reporter quite bluntly state that 'it was hot there, people keeling over dying - everything in just complete chaos and it just plain literally stinks...' well, that hits home too.

[Singing Eagle]

While I can understand the point the thread starter is making, I must agree with the other posters.

Yes they knew about it beforehand. Yes they could have made better plans. Yes the gov needs to hurry up and get the assistance to N.O. Yes the gov looks bad because Tim McGraw and Faith Hill can pull things together for a benefit faster!

As for the victims - yes thye are alive but they have experienced a huge trauma - imagine loosing everything - completely - it's almost the whole city gone - not just a few homes! That's what these people are dealing with.

People react differently to trauma - some will be in shock, others will act out irrationally (looters), some will get angry, beligerant and violent, some will give up and may not ever re-cover.

The areas hardest hit need the most resources - food, water and medical aid but also support workers that can help them through the emotional distress. So donate to red cross and say your prayers tonight - be grateful to have a roof, food and your loved ones safe and close by.

[Annie Fawn]

1st. response was too slow that is a fact. BUT, these people also had 4 days warning to leave and CHOOSE NOT to. The City had buses lined up to take the poor who had no cars and little money to safety. How many times before the hurricane hit did you see people on the news says we made it through Camile, this one can't be that bad, we're not leaving.
Now our paper is saying that people are claiming it a racial thing because so many of the victims are black.
I pity the children, the tiny infants who's parents refused to leave because they are the ones suffering the most.
Home can be rebuilt or repaired, material pocessions can be replaced, lives are gone forever.
The thefts, the shooting at rescuse helicopters in totally uncalled for! I'm not talking about people stealing food and water, or diapers, I'm talking about stealing beer, jewerly, big screen tv's. The main chopper ambulance company going in there has now stopped and refused to start back up because it is too dangerous for his pilots. A armed gang stopped and held up a rescuse supply truck taking much needed drugs and equipment to the one hospital that is still functioning some.
I think what has ticked me off the WORST today was when the Mayor of Atlanta said the goverment should ask if they want other cities to take in or help! HELP should have been offered with out having to be asked! Houston offered immediately, Birmingham offered immediately, but the largest city in the south wants to be asked! I live in Ga., near Atlanta and I'm embrassed that the Mayor of Atlanta would say something so stupid and wait to help.

[p_town_mami]

While I can understand the point the thread starter is making, I must agree with the other posters.

Yes they knew about it beforehand. Yes they could have made better plans. Yes the gov needs to hurry up and get the assistance to N.O. Yes the gov looks bad because Tim McGraw and Faith Hill can pull things together for a benefit faster!

As for the victims - yes thye are alive but they have experienced a huge trauma - imagine loosing everything - completely - it's almost the whole city gone - not just a few homes! That's what these people are dealing with.

People react differently to trauma - some will be in shock, others will act out irrationally (looters), some will get angry, beligerant and violent, some will give up and may not ever re-cover.

The areas hardest hit need the most resources - food, water and medical aid but also support workers that can help them through the emotional distress. So donate to red cross and say your prayers tonight - be grateful to have a roof, food and your loved ones safe and close by.

Well said!!!

As for other points...yes the looters stealing tv's and shoes are fools, and yes the people who stayed because they waited out storms before may have made a bad decision. However, I think that the majority of the people who are at the Superdome went there BEFORE the storm hit...that's as far as their resources would get them...remember that? A lot of them really didn't have a choice to leave town. And I don't recall any busses that were lined up to take them out of the town beforehand...

[kgirl7]

I don't think the people in N.O. are not grateful to be alive, on the contrary I think they value their life highly, which is why they are so angry, because with out food or water you can't LIVE!

Yes there were orders for evacuation but N.O. is a largely poor city and many people did not have cars to get out. You also have to look at the situation. First, people were evacuated to the Superdome. The waters rose around the Superdome so then the people were evacuated to the Convention center where they were told they would get food and supplies. Those people complied but were dropped off at the convention center and then abandoned, with no food, or water, or authority. They were simply dropped off and then left, to die i might add. Because what are they going to eat? These are not hoodlums, or thugs, these were people that followed the rules and complied with the authorities and the authorities failed them.

Now I agree, those people who were stealing tv's and electronics are just stupid and immoral. (Where are you gonna put a flatscreen tv if your house has blown away?) And the person who shot at a rescue chopper must have the I.Q. of a goldfish. But if I was in a place with no food or water, and i saw an abandoned grocery store, you'd better believe i'd be stuffing my pockets with bread. It's gonna spoil anyway! It's not like the store owners can resell it.

[chazziff]

sooo its in human nature to survive... any way/any how? what the hell does looting a big screen tv or a huge pile of designer clothes or shoes have to do with survival? you know these people are/were going to try to sell these things later but to who? the general public there have NOTHING now - no money/food, etc. they are just greedy and you know they'll try sell them when the city/they get back on track ... thats what i was talkin bout...

it would be more of a moral question if a person would loot .... what are you showing your children? sure you are hungry, cold, wet but to show your child it ok to steal - which is exactly what you are doing...i really don't know what i'd do in that situation...to loot food for my kids and let go of everything i've tried to teach them or let them be hungry more or less suffer and just wait for help...but i do know one thing for sure i sure the hell wouldn't go and steal any luxury items like tvs and crap...

[Tiyospaye Yazzie]

The areas hardest hit need the most resources - food, water and medical aid but also support workers that can help them through the emotional distress. So donate to red cross and say your prayers tonight - be grateful to have a roof, food and your loved ones safe and close by.

Sorry but I was just a little upset over the distinction of having life and losing the quality of life. Things will become better though, life finds a way to do that.

[Tiyospaye Yazzie]

Gonna get pounded for this but...

Notice how most of them people are african american. The looters, I mean. Very third world lookin', N.O. is.

[River Spirit]

its easy for u to say....r u in that situation? no. media can only cover so much, what they want u to see. u dont know the truth of the real people that r grateful and r trying to do their best in this horrible situation.

Ditto. Many of these folks have NOTHING left, not material stuff and no idea if family is alive or dead. Our government let the people of Louisiana and Mississippi down bigtime What if it had been another part of the country? Don't believe for a minute the response would've been any better. There but for the grace of God go I...................

[River Spirit]

Notice how most of them people are african american. The looters, I mean. Very third world lookin', N.O. is.

since you are expecting it, yes, your statement is racist and again shows your lack of understanding. According to stats, close to 200,000 people in New Orleans do not own wheels. How the hell are they supposed to get out of town when the going gets rough? When you look at who is living at or below the poverty level in this country it is Indians and Blacks. Well, the Blacks are the victims here because they populate New Orleans. There is always a minority segment of the population that is going to choose anarchy in these situations. Part of it is their stress response, part of it is being an oppressed people (like Indians) and the other part is the bad apples bob to the surface and that is what you are seeing. Focus on something else for God's sake. Something helpful and positive. Perhaps you could give the American Red Cross a call and donate a five or ten....