fighting terror makes us more vulnerable

[Irvine511]

okay, so i'm pissed. it's a slow day at work (people have already taken off for the weekend) and i've been watching CNN and feeling Jack Cafferty's (of all people) rage at the debacle in NOLA. he's right: it's fucking Thursday. where are the port-o-potties, the sandwiches, the bottled water for the people at the Superdome? why are thousands dead? why are we overwhelmed, stretched thin, and out of resources? why are those with the greatest needs the least likely to get it? remember: Congress was called to session, on a Sunday night, over TERRI FUCKING SCHIAVO. where are they now?

could it be that the US is not well enough prepared for natural disasters because much of the funding and attention has been shifted to preparing for a terrorist attack?

we can invade Iraq and Afghanistan, but we can't manage a disaster on the Gulf Coast?

i'm sensing a massive, revealing metaphor take shape ...

 

[deep]

It is a shame that there was not a "no-bid " contract made available to haliburton for 75 billion
to built a 25 billion levee system around New Orleans.


A bigger shame is that gasoline is selling in the US at up to 6 dollars a gallon without going through haliburton

When U S tax payers paid these prices in Iraq Haliburton got their cut of the profiteering

Heads will surely roll.

 

[Abomb-baby]

My question to you is what are YOU doing to help? It is an absolute logistical nightmare getting people into and out of New Orleans. Unless you are there, how can you make judgements? My question is why in the hell didn't the mayor of New Orleans get buses from outer lying areas to evac people before this thing hit?Why are thousands dead? Because many people CHOSE to stay, even though they were warned and told to get out. I have little sympathy for people who chose to stay that had the means to leave.

 

[Irvine511]

My question to you is what are YOU doing to help? It is an absolute logistical nightmare getting people into and out of New Orleans. Unless you are there, how can you make judgements? My question is why in the hell didn't the mayor of New Orleans get buses from outer lying areas to evac people before this thing hit?Why are thousands dead? Because many people CHOSE to stay, even though they were warned and told to get out. I have little sympathy for people who chose to stay that had the means to leave.

i donated to the Red Cross and will go to a fundraiser tonight.

what are you doing?

how can i make judgements?

do you own a television?

do you read newspapers?

do you have to have reason to feel sympathy for people who are suffering? (or is this one of those "deserving poor" views on the world)

 

[Abomb-baby]

Do you have to have a reason to feel sympathy? No, you don't. I guess I just don't think the media puts things into perspective. All they can do is say, why isn't this happening. There is more to the story. Like, Most of the Air support has been tied up getting people off of rooftops because they decided to stay home and protect their beany baby collection instead of getting out when they could. Yes, there were people who couldn't, but I guess my point is that you have thousand of people stranded all over the city, not just one area. Its not that easy. What am I doing to help? Well I donated to the Red Cross tuesday night and will be flying out in the next couple of days to deliver a FEMA team from the NW to Louisiana.

 

[U2democrat]

Irvine, it's too bad you're gay because I love you.

 

[Rono]

My thoughts go out to the people who are in New Orleans and trying to survive.


i hope the will ask to the government why they cut down the money for building Leves since 2001 with 50 % and laughed away the warnings they got from the experts that the dykes are to weak and had poor mantaince, in 2002.

 

[Irvine511]

I guess I just don't think the media puts things into perspective. All they can do is say, why isn't this happening. There is more to the story. Like, Most of the Air support has been tied up getting people off of rooftops because they decided to stay home and protect their beany baby collection instead of getting out when they could. Yes, there were people who couldn't, but I guess my point is that you have thousand of people stranded all over the city, not just one area.

firstly, i don't care why someone stayed behind -- if they are trapped now and hungry and need water, then they get my sympathy and are just as deserving as anyone else of medical care and attention. peolpe in need are people in need, and assigning blame to people in the face of a natural disaster is callous at best, and heartless at worst. beanie baby collection? or maybe it's because grandma is in a wheelchair, or they didn't have a car, or someone's husband has lung cancer and is hooked up to oxygen, or someone stays behind with an elederly, stubborn parent because the parent won't leave and the child can't convince him to leave so the child stays with the parent.

i know it's a complex job, but this is precisely what FEMA is for, and what the National Guard is for, it is NOT for occupying other countries.

and there has been a host of political inaction -- where blame lies with both parties -- that has ignored the levee situation. FEMA released a report in 2001 saying that three of the most likely natural disasters to strike the US would be a hurricane that destroys new orleans. in 2004 the city begged for $40m for the levees. nothing from the Bushies.

my only hope in complaining, in being angry, in making noise, is that we are better prepared in the future when an earthquake destroyes San Francisco or a massive tornado destroys Dallas.

on a softer note, thank you for your volunteer efforts.

 

[Irvine511]

Irvine, it's too bad you're gay because I love you.

that's very sweet, and you know i think you're a sweet heart.

but i'm too old for you anyway.

however, let's join forces and turn Virginia -- gun totin', gay hatin' Virginia -- a beautiful blue.

 

[U2democrat]

Sounds like fun! Any particular job you want to have on the campaign when I run for senate one day?

 

[dandy]

Irvine, it's too bad you're gay because I love you.

i don't know how you manage to articulate my thoughts so eloquently, but thank you for doing it.

spot on, as usual.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I'll just join the chorus...

Irvine, it's too bad you're gay because I love you.

. Excellent posts .

Angela

 

[A_Wanderer]

> Was the Clinton Adminstration ever presented with a plan to improve the flood defences?

> Would these millions of dollars in maintainence have prevented the flooding? By that I am asking would they have upgraded the system to deal with a category 4 hurricane?

 

[Jamila]

could it be that the US is not well enough prepared for natural disasters because much of the funding and attention has been shifted to preparing for a terrorist attack?

we can invade Iraq and Afghanistan, but we can't manage a disaster on the Gulf Coast?

-----------------------------------------------------------

No truer words have seldom been spoken in FYM.

I think we need to start a fan club for Irvine511.

EXCELLENT POST!