Presidential response to Gulf Coast tragedy

Magnetic Poles,

By the way, my one daughter is an American citizen,by choice, along with her husband, by birth, and their children and living in Florida...They faced four hurricanes last year in Tampa. We do know a little about such disasters and have a very personal interest.

Cheers,

Jim

 

The Canadian Red Cross is responding. Israel has offered medical personnel and supplies. Russia has offered assistance. (but was turned down by the State Department - this will be a bigger story in a few days, I expect) Others have offered, too. I started a thread last night in the News forum.

 

Lack of transportation may have been a problem in some cases, but not as much as you indicate. If you've never spent time in poor neighborhoods in the South, you may not realize that most of them do have cars. Money for fuel may have been a problem in some cases or just no other place to go.

But I believe a good many of them stayed there by choice. But you can expect a lot of those to deny it. Accepting personal responsibility does not seem to be a strength of many of the citizens of New Orleans.

 

The people of the state of Florida and it's Administration did an admirable job of handling the massive devastation there.

 

I agree with Capro about many in the poor neighborhoods having vehicles, and I might add that some of them are very nice.

I heard on one of the news channels (can't remember which one exactly as I have been flipping back and forth between three of them) last night that many of them had planned to stay and loot when the storm had passed.

They probably didn't realize the magnatude of the storm's destructive powers.

 

Lack of transportation may have been a problem in some cases, but not as much as you indicate. If you've never spent time in poor neighborhoods in the South, you may not realize that most of them do have cars. Money for fuel may have been a problem in some cases or just no other place to go.

But I believe a good many of them stayed there by choice. But you can expect a lot of those to deny it. Accepting personal responsibility does not seem to be a strength of many of the citizens of New Orleans. </font>[/QUOTE]You continue this "blame the victim" mentality. You also assume too much. I HAVE lived in the deep south and also have been to many poor neighborhoods there. Easy to point the finger of blame while you sit safely in your home or office surfing the internet. Sure there are those who chose to stay, there always are. But for many, it was not a choice. I suppose I am seeing more "compassionate conservatism" here, but little Christian love.

 

MP, I don't think he was "pointing the finger". He was just making an observation.

 

Critize, criticize, critze! Blame, blame, blame!

This was a natural disaster. Much was done in advance to warn and evacuate persons. Much has already been done to respond. People are working very hard to solve a whole lot of problems. Restoration of order is in progress. Stopping the flooding is a major undertaking commenced immediately. Evacuation to what was safe ground became unsafe after the initial disaster. Reaching the scene is now a major problem. Civilized conduct among some of those effected is a problem. Time is a problem. Mobilization of people, equipment, and supplies is a problem. Much more is already in motion. More beyond that remains to be done.

No matter how prepared you want to be, every emergency has its chaos and unexpected problems. Everyone - including those effected; the local, state, and national governments; the private organizations; the news media; and the rest of us - must work together. It is not the time to critize and blame. It is the time to join hands and contribute constructively.

Who among us can predict the next disaster? Who can have everything ready to response immediately to it? Who can do that even in thier own home or neighborhood much less a large city and much of the Gulf Coast?

 

The government has known for decades that this could happen if a category 4 or 5 hurricane hit New Orleans.

The government, on all levels, has no absolutely no excuse for not having taken action long ago to better protect that area from such a strong hurricane or for being better prepared to deal with the aftermath.

But this has grown to not just a southern Gulf coast disaster. This is now an American disaster.

 

Dragoon68, Thanks for the post and being a voice of reason. You are right. I only have one thing to add: it is also time to be in prayer for all those involved.

 

LorrieG, also if you don't like the wording of the preamble, take it up with these guys:

G . Washington--Presid .
and deputy from Virginia


New Hampshire John Langdon
Nicholas Gilman

Massachusetts Nathaniel Gorham
Rufus King

Connecticut Wm. Saml. Johnson
Roger Sherman
¡
New York Alexander Hamilton

New Jersey Wil: Livingston
David Brearley
Wm. Paterson
Jona: Dayton

Pennsylvania B Franklin
Thomas Mifflin
Robt Morris
Geo. Clymer
Thos. FitzSimons
Jared Ingersoll
James Wilson
Gouv Morris

Delaware Geo: Read
Gunning Bedford jun
John Dickinson
Richard Bassett
Jaco: Broom

Maryland James McHenry
Dan of St Thos. Jenifer
Danl Carroll

Virginia John Blair--
James Madison Jr.

North Carolina Wm. Blount
Richd. Dobbs Spaight
Hu Williamson

South Carolina J. Rutledge
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney
Pierce Butler
Georgia William Few
Abr Baldwin

Attest William Jackson Secretary

 

I think prayers have been going on by a lot of people. Even before this disaster.

 

Do many of them have cars?
SOME of them have cars. MANY DO NOT!

Would some of them have a problem buying gas?
YES

Would some of them have no other place to go?
YES

You've already conceded that some of them chose to stay.

Of course. What is your point?

It looks like the problem is yours. Not what I wrote.

You are not making sense with this one.

 

Here's the thread about international response:

http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/3882.html

 

We do need to be careful with this Blame the victim mentality. I have lived in the deep South all my life and Louisiana is one of the poorest states in the Union. Many black Americans do not own vehicles. They walk or take public transportation. Many of those trapped in New Orleans are patients in Hospitals. Most of those are not thugs but simply poor people.

It is true many used poor judgment BUT Federal officials know this is going to happen every time. The Fact is FEMA was not prepared. They knew New Orleans would not survive a category 5 Hurricane for years. Common sense is you prepare for the worse. It is inexcusable people dying of thirst on an Overpass in New Orleans and the Government not getting water to them. It is a disgrace and was shameful. Their inaction needs to be investigated. The only Federal agency that performed excellent was the US Coast Guard but President Bush and FEMA failed and it seems Federal help to Indonesia got there quicker than the Gulf Coast.

Perhaps if many Louisiana National Guard units were not deployed in a foreign war, they could be here to do the job of protecting the citizens of Louisiana.

 

Ken

Yes, this is an American Disaster.

Myself, I have gone through a BIG hurricane ...

I know that it was and this one is an act of God.

 

MP, Maybe you DO have a sense of humor!!!!!!! LOL