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| Thread: Hurricane Katrina topic |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 · «PREV / NEXT» |
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Conan
Responsible
Supreme Hero
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posted September 02, 2005 06:59 PM |
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Edited By: Conan on 2 Sep 2005
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Quote:
New Orleans is mainly a black city, but there are whites. And i don't think its a race issue, but more of an ego issue. Bush has too much pride to accept aid from other countries.
Then Bush's pride will cause alot of agony and cost alot of lives.
I still can't beleive he is doing this... actually, NOT doing this....
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Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service.... us. - Star Trek TNG
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2XtremeToTake
Promising
Supreme Hero
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posted September 02, 2005 07:01 PM |
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Yes i've gotten lucky the last two times.
Ivan hit florida hard
Katrina hit Louisiana/Mississippi
Im like right in the middle. Its all my fault. [/sarcasm]
Edit: Anyone else notice the irony, that one of the main forces in creating life, water, is also one of the main forces that can destroy it. We've seen twice the deadly power of water in the last year.
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I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.
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draco
Promising
Famous Hero
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posted September 02, 2005 07:39 PM |
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Quote:
One that blows my mind is Bush saying no to internationnal help, while people in parts of his country are living in anarchy. Canada, like Germany has also offered it's help, and Bush declined. You US citizens accept this without saying anything?
Has he just said no to physical aid? or financial as well, because the company I work for (arctic glacier) just donated 10,000$ and taking donations from staff, to the aid relief fund and if they aren't accepting it, where is that money going?.
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Jebus
Promising
Supreme Hero
TheJester akaJeebs akaJebfoo
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posted September 02, 2005 07:52 PM |
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(hmmm... what's this? ooh a leter from artic glacier... let's take a look.... HOLY $$$$! )
oops... sorry what were we talking about??
oh yeah ... Where IS that money going?
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"You went over my helmet??"
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Conan
Responsible
Supreme Hero
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posted September 02, 2005 07:52 PM |
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Edited By: Conan on 2 Sep 2005
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Well, it seems he finally changed his mind. Funny how there is no more trace of the fact that he said openly yesterday that this was an "internal matter" and that "america would deal with it's own problems"... I swear, I saw it on TV yesterday.
ahhh here it is, I knew I'd find it somewhere... 
Quote:
Why Europe Hasn't Jumped to Help Katrina's Victims
By Jody K. Biehl in Berlin
When a tsunami hit South Asia in December, the world mobilized to help and aid poured in. Now that parts of America are underwater, the US is handling the relief work virtually alone. What is going on?
DPA
New Orleans is littered with devastation. Here, a floating casino lists dangerously.
Virtually overnight, fun-loving New Orleans transformed from America's playground into a waterlogged wasteland. Photos of houses and highways underwater and reports of dead bodies floating in swampy debris and frightened refugees huddling for cover have left us mute. Hurricane Katrina turned out to be at least as violent as expected and will likely turn out to be among the biggest hurricanes of all time.
Yet, in Europe, the Web sites of major aid organizations -- including international branches of the Red Cross in Germany, France, England etc. -- don't even mention its existence. Instead, they continue to highlight such worthy causes as hunger in Niger, ongoing aid for victims of December's South Asian tsunami and, in the French case, an airline crash in Venezuela. But the US Gulf Coast is nowhere to be found. It begs the question: Don't the desperate people of Lousiana and Mississippi need the world's help and attention?
Not necessarily, as it turns out. Unlike underdeveloped Third World nations, America has a well-honed and highly organized system of emergency aid distribution. So, when disaster hits, the nation -- and even individual states -- can readily help themselves. "If the American Red Cross asks us for help, we will be there directly," said Margitta Zimmermann, German Red Cross spokesperson. "But so far, there haven't been any calls for our services." And unless the German branch is directly involved in a rescue mission, they don't include disasters on their Web site, she said.
Kristina Decker, from Germany's Christian aid group Caritas, concurred, saying help from Germany might even cause more harm than good. "America has a strong army and are well equipped for disaster relief," she said. "It makes no sense for us to go in and try to help. What really would we do? They have enough personnel to handle the crisis alone. Our workers might just be in the way. Of course, if they asked us to come in, we would. But that is not the case so far."
REUTERS
A National Guardsman helps evacuate a five-month-old girl after her family's New Orleans home was flooded.
When hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and other natural disasters hit developing nations, residents in remote regions are often taken unawares, as was the case of the December tsunami. By contrast, meteorologists warned Gulf Coast states well in advance of Katrina's approach and by the time she hit on Monday, 80 percent of New Orleans' approximately 480,000 residents had heeded their mayor's call to evacuate the city. Plus, emergency facilities were already in place and workers ready to assist. US President George Bush broke off his month-long vacation two days early because of Katrina and declared a state of emergency on the Gulf Coast even before the storm hit, thus clearing the way for immediate federal aid. "When a catastrophe occurs in a Third World country, the dimension is totally different," Decker said. "That sort of immediate help is just not spontaneously there."
Although European agencies won't be sending relief workers, they will accept donations and pass them on to American aid groups. But for the moment, none are planning a large fundraising drive to help American victims. But, then again, they never do. The only exception came with Sept. 11, when both the German Red Cross and Caritas were swamped with calls from Germans wanting to donate. "We had so many people calling and asking to donate that we couldn't do anything but open up a bank account," Zimmermann said. "But that was a real exception." At Caritas, Decker said the the phones rang non-stop after the World Trade Center attacks and the group passed on over €100,000 to the American aid group Catholic Charities. "Some of that money ended up sitting in a bank because the need for it was not immediately there," she said. "But certainly there was the desire to give."
In the wake of Katrina, at least so far, she said, the phone lines have been relatively quiet. By 11 a.m. Tuesday, for instance, Caritas had only received one donation. That may change, however. "The first impressions were that the damage was under control," Decker said. "But if the media reports continue in the way they did yesterday (Monday), then I think the response will be much greater."
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Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service.... us. - Star Trek TNG
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Consis
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Of Ruby
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posted September 02, 2005 08:38 PM |
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Edited By: Consis on 2 Sep 2005
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It's There . . .
Where's my proof that my government isn't racist . . .
Where's my proof . . .
Where's my proof?!
Just listen to yourself. How can you write such things? Hmm, well let me think. It all started when the majority of slaves coming to America were "black". Most were from the Ivory coast of Africa but also from many other parts of the world. The catholic church, i.e. the Pope, was the first to declare that human slavery was immoral. And even though Quakers didn't like English catholics very much, they did actually agree that human slavery was wrong. But much of the southern 13 colonies' states' economies were heavily dependent on slave labor. And all throughout those times many people were against slavery but it was widely used regardless. Then came along President Abraham Lincoln who signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law. After that slaves were free in name only, but not really. Then we, as a country, went through a long period(about 100 years or so) of writing and re-writing what was called the "civil rights act". This bill was deeply flawed and had great opposition. Then came along Martin Luther King jr. He was an American through and through. He was no image of a perfect man in the slightest. He simply managed to do what others had tried but failed because of their use of violence. Then with Martin Luther King jr. at his side, President Lyndon Banes Johnson signed the last draft of the civil rights act on June 15th, 1964 and it was accepted by our congress on July 2nd. Since that time many people both in the government and local positions have worked very hard to uphold this piece of United States legislation. It is a bill of civil rights that we as a nation hold very dear to our core beliefs; that all men and women are created equal.
And you ask where is proof that my government isn't racist . . .
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Roses Are Red And So Am I
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Jebus
Promising
Supreme Hero
TheJester akaJeebs akaJebfoo
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posted September 02, 2005 08:53 PM |
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Quote:
Where's my proof that my government isn't racist . . .
Where's my proof . . .
Where's my proof?!
And you ask where is proof that my government isn't racist . . .
ok??
I guess I should have asked:
"where's any evidence that the members of your PRESENT
body of government are not racist?
how do YOU, Consis, know for sure that there is no HIDDEN agenda in the US in regards to race.
How can you know that president Bush (deep down inside his soul) doesn't have a burning hate for anything "non-white"?
What does the history of the USA have ANYTHING to do with the potential biais that your present leader may have against visible minorities??
(wow... nobody jumped down your throat when you asked for proof that the american government WAS racist...
you would expect to get the same common curdosy when the roles are reversed.)
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"You went over my helmet??"
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guitarguy
Responsible
Supreme Hero
Rockoon.
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posted September 02, 2005 09:07 PM |
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Quote:
"where's any evidence that the members of your PRESENT
body of government are not racist?
how do YOU, Consis, know for sure that there is no HIDDEN agenda in the US in regards to race.
How can you know that president Bush (deep down inside his soul) doesn't have a burning hate for anything "non-white"?
This is getting silly. How can one prove any of this?
I really hate bringing this up, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if people started accusing the President for summoning Katrina. The way I see things, it's all about discrediting the vastly unpopular guy.
-guitarguy
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Jebus
Promising
Supreme Hero
TheJester akaJeebs akaJebfoo
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posted September 02, 2005 09:22 PM |
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Quote:
This is getting silly. How can one prove any of this?
-guitarguy
that was my point!
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"You went over my helmet??"
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2XtremeToTake
Promising
Supreme Hero
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posted September 02, 2005 09:44 PM |
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I believe Consis is the reincarnation of Martin Luther King Jr.
Consis, your thinking way to far outside the box. I highly doubt its a race issue.
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I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.
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Jebus
Promising
Supreme Hero
TheJester akaJeebs akaJebfoo
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posted September 02, 2005 10:03 PM |
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Quote:
Consis, your thinking way to far outside the box. I highly doubt its a race issue.
unfortunetely for the USA there is no box, there's just..
the USA.
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"You went over my helmet??"
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privatehudson
Responsible
Legendary Hero
The Ultimate Badass
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posted September 03, 2005 12:43 AM |
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Quote:
You know, back during the tsunami America offered hundreds of millions of dollars in relief. I myself, donated 150 dollars. It'll be interesting to see if anyone returns the favor. Don't worry I'm not holding my breath.
Well according to the BBC both Sri Lanka and Indonesia have made offers. Sometimes the world suprises us huh?
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We're on an express elevator to Hell, goin' down!
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Consis
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Of Ruby
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posted September 03, 2005 04:55 AM |
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Ripple Effect
My wife came home from work today and practically ordered me to immediately take our van and fill it up with gas. It's strange that none of my neighbors are talking about the Gulf Coast crisis. It's as if they don't care because it doesn't affect them directly. It's eerie the way life seems to be going about as usual up here in this part of the country. I'm really quite a long distance from the Gulf Coast. And yet here I am afraid of a draft and the rising cost of gasoline. But what about my neighbors and their's? I'm not feeling much good about the intentions of my local fellow Americans right now.
What to do, what to do . . .
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Roses Are RedAnd So Am I
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Peacemaker
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Peacemaker = double entendre
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posted September 06, 2005 06:27 PM |
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When I got back to town yesterday I had an e-mail from Wendell, my friend in New Orleans. I'm hoping this e-mail is authentic and it's really Wendell.
Here's the exchange.
Quote:
Peacemaker wrote:
Hi -- it's [Peace and Hubby] from Denver!
I'm watching with horror as you guys are about to get washed away. I hope you've gotten out on time.
I thought of sending you an e-mail earlier today then thought you were probably already in that stream of cars they've been showing on the highway on the news all day. Stupid me; no telling if you could access your e-mail from another location where you might already be.
Wendell, I'm worried. As soon as you can, send me an e-mail from wherever you're receiving this message and let us know you're okay. I foresee you guys in New Orleans losing pretty much everything and want to know if there's anything I can do.
I hope I'm wrong.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Peace.
----- Message -----
From: Wendell *******
Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 1:00 PM
Subject: Re: worried about you
I made it out of new orlean on Saturday that just passed. I am so lucky because time was definitely running out for me. I seen dead bodies all over the streets of New Orleans. Thank God that all my family members made it out alive. I am staying in a shelter in Nacogdoches, TX. Thanks for the concern. I am very broke and I have no money. My home is under water.
_____________________________________
Wendell --
Thank God you're alive. I'm so, so sorry about your home and things and your city. Where's the rest of your family? Are they there with you in Texas?
Believe it or not, I was railing at my husband Sunday night (BEFORE the hurricaine hit) about tens of thousands about to lose their lives, and and my vision of people being hacked out of the roofs of their houses. I watched the nightmare play out on the TV here, day and night, horrified you might be down there on the ground or in the water someplace and I couldn't do a thing but watch.
As soon as you can, respond to this e-mail and let us know what if any plans you have. If you tell me what your options are, if you have any, maybe we can help you get relocated. Did you want to return to New Orleans eventually? Or were you thinking of relocating? Are you alone, or do you have family with you that you want to keep together? I have lots of contacts for jobs and things here in Colorado, and I might be able to start networking to find resources, but it may be too far away for you.
Perhaps it is too early to think about these things.
Most important right now -- can you give us the address and a phone number where you are? How did you access your e-mail? I'm glad something still works.
If we can establish a communication line then maybe we can help you start working on a plan.
So let us know ASAP --
1) The address where you are
2) The phone number and best times to call
3) Most immediate emergency needs (we might be able to send supplies or other things depending on what they are)
4) Any plans where you want to go next, or whether you want to return to New Orleans eventually
5) Whether you're alone or how many of you there are.
I hope you get this and hope I hear from you soon. Once again Wendell, thank God you and your family all got out. We'll do whatever we can.
I am assuming/hoping this e-mail was really from Wendell and not a hacker. It has misspellings and oddities I haven't seen in his writing before, but he could have been very exhausted and sick from being in that water for six days.
An article about the refugees in Nacogdoches:
http://www.dailysentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/09/05/20050905NDSrefugees.html
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Jebus
Promising
Supreme Hero
TheJester akaJeebs akaJebfoo
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posted September 06, 2005 06:43 PM |
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I am assuming/hoping this e-mail was really from Wendell and not a hacker. It has misspellings and oddities I haven't seen in his writing before, but he could have been very exhausted and sick from being in that water for six days.
I would hope that a hacker would have more common sense and decency then to reply to such a serious issue...
im glad to hear your friend and his family are ok.
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"You went over my helmet??"
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Consis
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Of Ruby
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posted September 07, 2005 07:48 PM |
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The American People
I have only just now realized something that I hadn't thought of before. Many Americans are furious over that darned Iraq war. To this very day, we average folk have been unable to really be taken seriously in regards to the war. And so many of us have felt a bit helpless, having to sit by whilst a war is conducted without our full consent. After feeling as though we're being taken advantage of, many have now turned to the only conceivable way in which we might actually win an argument against this war and the President who has inescapably brought it upon us.
I'm hearing things such as:
1. "This hurricane is related to September 11th."
2. "The President failed us then and he failed us now."
3. "He is aloof and dangerous."
But we all know this isn't true. The root of the problem; the underlying cause; and the real reason why people are saying such things from imaginative conjurations is because many average people feel betrayed and lied to. Many people believe this President lied to us in order to conduct a war for his own personal motives. Many people also have tried many different ways to exact legal retribution. But all attempts and arguments have fallen on deaf ears. The President is a good man except for his pre-determined motives about going to war in Iraq. It is my opinion that no person has the right to abuse the powers given to them in the office of our nation's presidency. For the most part I'd say he's done a fine job with very little visionary goals. And now, in the wake of the country's most devastating hurricane, do we average folk finally feel as if we've found a chance for our voice to be heard.
It has occurred to me that this obvious act of force of nature may now be turned into the straw that broke the camel's back. The president, although wholly innocent of such a wrathful act of nature and God, may now indeed be in the most danger of being the recipient of the peoples' retribution. Had this hurricane not done what it did, his reign may have gone unchallenged much in the way that it was prior to it whilst our country bowed to his political might. May I simply say that there is a price for lying to the people you lead.
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Roses Are RedAnd So Am I
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Peacemaker
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Peacemaker = double entendre
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posted September 07, 2005 08:45 PM |
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I think there's something to be said for the message in your post, Consis. People are taking their anger and frustration out on Bush over Katrina because of the war. It's leading to some rather premature allegations in some ways, and causing people to cloud issues, like failing to distinguish between why this happened in the first place, how the administration reacted once it had happened and whether delays in the response time were reasonably expected or not.
Now for an update from Wendell. I spoke with him on the phone at length yesterday. Here are my phone notes of his incredible tale. Some people might find some of the descriptions in this post a little disturbing, so be forewarned.
("NO" stands for New Orleans)
_______________________________________________
UPDATE ON WENDELL
Wendell e-mailed me with his cell phone number Tuesday Sept. 6th during the mid a.m. Just got off the phone with him – we spoke over an hour. Verified. It’s Wendell --- he remembered both of us, asked how (my husband’s) eye was doing. He sounded weak, sick and hesitant when he first answered the phone. He was clearly relieved to be talking to someone from the outside world.
WHAT HAPPENED:
Sunday, August 28, 2005
He lives a few houses from Ponchetrain and the levee. Nice neighborhood, NO East. He recently bought this house. He was at home and gonna ride out the storm to try to protect his property.
At first it seemed okay. The storm came and went Sunday to Monday evenings.
Monday, August 29 – Tuesday, August 30, 2005
He was outside Monday evening, cleaning up around the house. Everything was fine all night and the next day. The people in the neighborhood thought they’d ridden it out.
The water did not start rising until Tuesday night. There had been no reports about the levee before then. Suddenly the water hit his porch and was eight feet deep in a matter of 15-20 minutes. Everything he owns was inside and submerged within a matter of minutes.
Wendell made it to the roof.
Tuesday, August 30 – Thursday, September 1, 2005
Wendell was stuck on the roof of his new house for two days with no food or water. He had retrieved a book bag with his insurance information, computer disks with a resume and some personal information, a flashlight and his credit card and other account numbers.
Helicopters were flying over but it seemed like they would pass him by and not stop.
A man in a boat came retrieved him Thursday night – Wendell flagged him down with the flashlight. The guy in the boat took him Uptown NO to his grandma’s house in Carrolton area closer to higher ground. The water was at the steps. He broke into her house and stayed there Thursday night. Saw all kinds of dead bodies floating in the water. Dead dogs and cats. He saw the looters – some looter shot another right in the water the night before – still floating in the water near his G Mom’s house.
Wendell reported that by that time it seemed like bands of marauding brigands had formed and had taken over the city. They had high-powered rifles and were shooting people, looting houses and businesses.
Wendell reported, sounding tearful, that it appeared to be the perfect time to get away with murder and it looks like people were taking the chance. The organized gangs had appeared to have taken over the city. Wendell reported that gangs of robbers were seen looting wealthy homes in or on St. Charles, taking jewelry and SUV’s and everything they could get their hands on. Wendell reported, again tearfully, that even average people started losing it, rebelling – getting angry and violent, raising hell – attitude - maybe they’ll start to notice us. He heard four men shot the police sheriff (to death?) when he was trying to help some people. He heard another report of a gang of men driving down the street with a military Hummer and apparently all its firepower in the hands of the gang.
At some point Wendell talked to a guy who knew one of the people sniping at the copters. Wendell asked why they did that and he said because they didn’t want to leave. Apparently the philosophy was, if they evacuate everyone then there will be no excuse to just bulldoze the City of New Orleans. Again, Wendell, sounding tearful, repeated that it’s like the criminals took over the city.
He spoke about the Convention Center, where thousands were trapped, some in water to their waists, without any relief for days and people dying from dehydration all around. He was shocked when I told him the outside world did not even know about the Convention crowd until Wednesday morning because communications were completely down and we only had aerial reports from the mass media then.
Friday, September 1, 2005
By Friday the water was overtaking his Grandma’s. He was with a lot of people he didn’t know in his grandmother’s neighborhood, helping each other out. Trying to survive. He was picking up a local radio station from his grandmother’s CD player, but the batteries eventually ran out. The local station was not helping at all. No reports of where to get food or water – how to escape – the group felt like they were treating it like a big joke.
The group found out about the buses by word of mouth. There was a lot of misinformation floating about and a lot of people got misguided into deadly situations.
They started wading in the water together up to their chests/necks, hoping reports of buses coming to the Causeway were accurate. Putrid, horrifying situation. Dead everywhere, sewage, debris. There were about 16 people who waded with him for about an hour through this water. I could tell he was very emotional again – talking fast, not able to finish sentences – his voice was breaking and he sounded traumatized. He kept making utterances like – just total anarchy, chaos. I could tell he was searching for a way to describe the complete disorientation of an Armageddon-type atmosphere.
The group approached the crossover between New Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. The National Guard was at the crossover point and would not let them through to Jefferson Parrish without proof of ID and residency in Jefferson Parrish. As this was their only route to the Causeway, they started begging the Guardsmen, who eventually verified the buses expected at the Causeway.
Then a woman pulled up in an Enterprise (factory like) truck, turned out to be stolen. She had stolen the truck and was taking people to the Causeway. She helped the Guard verify the Causeway bus evacuation plan. She drove Wendell’s group and some others to the Causeway. About 30 or 40 were bunched up on the truck. When she dropped them off they tried to discourage her from returning, but she went back for more evacuees.
When they arrived at the Causeway, thousands of people had amassed there and were waiting there for the buses. Conditions were horribly putrid and unsanitary. There was no food or water, and scant deliveries. Wendell had a little food there – the first in four days. One or two buses would come every few hours and cause small storms of desperate people. Hundreds of small children with no diapers or milk, everybody was in clothing with the dried floodwater full of stench and death.
Then on Friday around noon, three buses pulled up and Jesse Jackson got off. He spoke to the crowds on a bullhorn. He derided the authorities for the situation and promised to personally arrange for bus transportation to Texas as soon as possible. He calmed the crowd, everybody felt better after that. Jackson took several children/families on the buses and promised to return.
Wendell slept under the Causeway Bridge Friday night with the thousands. Porta potties had been delivered but they were overflowing and nobody there to attend to them. Trash and debris were the night’s bedding. Some people were dead and dying.
Saturday, September 2, 2005
Next morning 500 buses showed up on the Causeway. The evacuees believe Jackson sent these buses, and for good reason. The buses said on them “compliments of Jesse Jackson.”
It is not clear when Wendell left the Causeway on the bus. At one point he reported leaving Friday night around 7, but then described the scene when the Causeway thousands was the caravan of buses arriving. Everyone cheered and calmed. Loading was orderly and people behaved as though there were a light at the end of the tunnel. It is possible he got his days mixed up.
Wendell’s bus crossed the border into Texas on Saturday midmorning to crowds of people on the side of the road waving and cheering and offering water and food. The bus pulled over and they accepted the hospitality gratefully.
The bus arrived in Nacogdoches, Texas (small, segregated community just across the border from LA) on Saturday afternoon to more cheering crowds.
Wendell’s group was taken to Ferdonia Hill Baptist Church on South Street, where he’s been ever since with about 100 other people. He is in the Family Life Center, a big gym with cots that is well-organized and spread out. They immediately provided clean dry clothes and shower/disinfectant for the flood-soaked people. So far, Wendell and the others there at the Church appear to be showing no signs of water-borne sickness, which is rather remarkable under the circumstances.
Wendell reports excessive generosity and hospitality are the order of the day in Texas. He received fresh clothes, eats three times a day and feels comfortable. He got computer access and located his entire family on MSNBC.COM.
Wendell and I talked for a long time about the fascinating interactions going on and the situation with large numbers of Black people coming into this small Texas town. It was hysterical. [EDIT: Wendel is a large, rather imposing football-player-type built Black man.} The evacuees have shown only exhaustion and no aggression whatsoever. However, Texas law enforcement is present in numbers, armed and watching them like hawks. The people are bending over backwards to make the point they are “color-blind” yet it seems to be the only topic of conversation the locals are comfortable with. They’re getting a lot of funny comments: “We want you Colored people to know we’re color blind.” “You boys – I mean, you men…” The first several meals were only fried chicken. The locals can be overheard marveling at how polite and civilized these Coloreds are being.
Wendell was laughing at this and found it all very charming. He is cognizant of the fact that the community is unfamiliar with black people and just doesn’t know how to act or what to expect. We talked about the conservative talk shows focusing on how all the “black people in New Orleans have descended into chaos and are shooting each other.” (Wendell and I both heard this same, extremely racist Bill O’Reilly broadcast when he was saying this stuff). I pointed out that Texans make a regular diet of that sort of thing and they probably were fearful what they might be getting themselves into because of the perceptions that everyone in New Orleans was like that.
However, Wendell stressed over and over that for a community as nervous about Black people as this one appears to be, they are opening their town and bending over backwards to feed, house and take care of the evacuees. He’s greatly impressed and thinks he might have had misperceptions of his own about Texans, just like the Texans had misperceptions about the Blacks from New Orleans.
We had a big laugh about how the town basically set up an armed camp around them but are treating them like gold inside of it. He said the locals appear more relaxed than they did at first. Nocogdoches citizens are pouring to the shelter sites and cooking, bringing clothing and supplies, and volunteering. The young town girls are excessively friendly with the young black men and this is making Wendell very nervous. The guys standing around with the guns compel him to stay as far away from the young women as possible. Wendell reported the young men are not nearly as friendly as the young women. I told him they probably perceive him as competition.
STATUS
Wendell’s twenty three. He is not showing any signs of illness from his experience yet. He graduated with a BA in Communications in May. (Human Resources is his anticipated Master’s Degree) He was getting ready to get certified in Pharmaceutical Sales Representation and was being sponsored by Oschner and Brent House when the flood hit. The last time he called Brent House about his job they were still there (on dry ground – never did get flooded) and they said they’re holding his job. Wendell and the Brent House may both be being a bit too optimistic that this situation will not change. I pointed that out to him and he acknowledged it. But I figured it was too soon to press this issue with further discussion.
His cell phone service is still in operation – needs to call them to see if they can prolong his service until he can find a way to pay his bill. Wendell saved all his personal data in a book sack, and has a resume already posted on Monster.com as well as a copy on a disk in his bag.
He’s already contacted his credit card companies, his car and other obligations. He says everyone’s bending over backward, suspending due bills, etc. I told him to call here collect if he needs to and we’ll help him with whatever decision he makes.
First in order – Wendell has everything he needs but decent tennis shoes. He needs a twelve wide so I am going to get some for him and have them sent via internet. He also mentioned being broke, but then again reminded me that for now he is being provided with everything he needs.
PROSPECTS
Wendell now has three primary prospects: Dallas, Los Angeles, and Denver.
(Discussion eliminated here for privacy reasons)
I got the impression the reason he wanted to go back was because he’s anticipating his house will still be there. It was pretty clearly his new house that he was attached to. They had flood insurance. He thinks they will rebuild. I gently reminded him they are talking about bulldozing the city, and he may not have that house there anymore. That was when he started saying hell with it, it was only stuff. The important thing was that he was alive. He did sound tearful again at this point however.
He expressed interest in coming to Colorado without any prompting whatsoever, possibly at least temporarily if he can find work here, but is in thinking and regrouping mode. (I recall him expressing interest in Colorado when we were at the hotel). I get the impression he is afraid to impose or make us feel uncomfortable in asking point blank about staying with us at our house, and I did not state that outright yet. I did tell him I had access to networking resources and would be able to help him get settled if he wants that. I told him to start thinking about it when he was ready, and that whatever he decided to do we would do whatever we could to make it happen.
Wendell sounded remarkably better by the end of our conversation. His hearty booming voice and engaging laughter had returned. He sounded the way I remembered him.
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Peacemaker
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Peacemaker = double entendre
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posted September 09, 2005 12:19 AM |
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Consis
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Of Ruby
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posted September 09, 2005 06:34 AM |
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Exhausted Minds
All the bodies. All those people are dead. Oh God why? I can't think right now; I'm simply getting too depressed watching those . . . people floating and decaying in the streets.
A guy on the other forum says I should turn the t.v. off and not watch the news anymore. But the more I think about the bodies, the more I wonder what kind of people they were before they died. I wonder how this could happen to so many people. When I have no answer, I feel myself grow numb with confusion and frustration.
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Roses Are RedAnd So Am I
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TitaniumAlloy
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Professional
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posted September 09, 2005 01:41 PM |
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I don't want you to get the wrong idea, I think it's horrible what's happening and I've already given over 200 dollars to the cause (which is alot for me), but comparing it to the Indonesia in terms of need is not right.
Maybe the devastation is on the same level, maybe it isn't, but there's no denying that USA is a much more economically developed country. Even if the states are poor, the income tax has to go somewhere, and it's not like it has to stay in the state.
But this again, another gargantuan reminder of the ultimate power of nature.
I mean, these freak storms and natural disasters can't help but make you think if maybe mother nature is striking back for all the strife we've caused her.
Everyone knows of the environmental effects of Global Warming, the consequences of which includes natural disasters. I mean, George Bush didn't sign the Kyoto Protocol because it wasn't in the best interest of the American people. But hurricanes tearing down Florida and the devastation of Katrina does??
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John says to live above hell.
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