OT: Tribute to New Orleans

[Pilotasso]

Even if this thread is to be locked soon 1 should be coherent considering the fact recently we left words of support to other countries facing disaster the past year.

 

I was particulary alert to hurricane Catrina as my brother is in AF training in Laughlin, texas. when they categorized it as a class 4 I thought everybody over there were in the clear.

 

To my utter surprise as much as 4 days later, only now slowly we get the big picture of whats realy going down there. And it shocks me. According to reports victims could number by the thousands. Satelite pictures are circling around the media, and to me they are very similar to those of the Tsunami in asia.

 

I realy hope the US authorities get their act together and give urgent aid, its starting to look surreal the aparent apathy of logistics. And phew...only 10 million dollars for aid... o_O

 

I wanted to express my simpathies and would like to give some words of encouragement eventualy to anyone here that lives there.

 

[355th_Paulie]

.

[Pilotasso]

Just 1 question to any americans here: the area has been hit by class 4 hurricanes many times before, why all this destruction now? o_O

[S77th-GOYA]

New Orleans is a major metropolitan area that is under sea level, for the most part.

[Jester_159th]

.

[Pilotasso]

Just a small correction here: the aid by US authorities is 10 billion not "million" local news agencies misstranslated. They should go back to school. :p

[Mike Cinch Perry]

The US Goverment Is doing all it can.

 

Do everyone concerned with the New Orleans Desaster,

 

First off the US goverment is doing everything they can to help the people of New Orleans, I used to live down there and I know and Understand,

 

#1 The way the citizens fell about them not gettting help fast enough.

#2 The Mayor of New Orleans and his fight for try his best to get the recovery started fast.

 

But now when it comes down to the question "Why didnt the US goverment get their faster?"

 

They were there right after the storm, US Navy Sea Bees were clearing roads and trying to recover the roads so help could get to them, Flooding was still going on at this time in New Orleans. The only way the city can be accessed it by foot or by Helo. 85 Percent of the locals live of the public transportation there in the area flooded, they have only 2 options to get places walking or takin taixs, buses, trollys. They could not get out of New Orleans for several reasons, Lower income, and no where to go, The people that live in the flooded area have been there for years and years, and then their children stay there for years and years. The houses there have been there for over 50 60+ years, and a good amount of them have been there over 80 years, The city is a great city I loved every min of it, but they way some of the citizens are acting with the looting and everything, looting of food and water so fourth, to stay living is ok, but when people loot clothes, TV's, Car jackings and murder is not right. The people that are causing this are locals from surrounding areas with in 20,30 miles came down to cause havac just because they still have their home and cars and everything. So when you here that the recovery is slow, dam right its slow what are we to do clap our hands and everything go back to normal? NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Are we to risk the saftey of people to the extend that saftey personal are killed in the process? NO NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Are we to let people say the our federal goverment is acting slow to this just because of Color, and income level. NO IT'S NOT A RACE THING.

 

I welcome anyone that has not been to New Orleans to visit when the city get back to geather in 10 to 20 years down the road, Visit the French Quatr, Visit Jax Brewery, Visit all the fun things to do, but also drive thru the places that are in the flood zone now and the Jefferson Projects and so fourth and just see how you are treated as a visitor in the areas away from the police eye, you'll be suprised, and I will if you walk out with everything you have. If you stay where the vistors to the great city of New Orleans your ok but if you get in a bad area your going to have problems, Now I didnt say this to cause a flaming post or start a deal about the goverment, I give these as facts that the people of New Orleans, esp the ones that are now causing all this with the fires and shootings, these are the same people the are causing the BS of its a race thing, and the general public here this and say the same thing, Yes it does have something to do with money, people with cars and everything are out of there and gone, but the ones that choose not to work and panhandle the vistors and do the dealings they do in their day to day life, are the one that are fighting the national guard, shooting people and stuff, it is All for on out there no one is looking out for one another, God Bless them all but the BS that is going on the media and the BS about its a RACE thing is BS and thats my point.

 

Attached to this is a SAT image( http://www.atlantaphotographic.com/screenshots/new_orleans_msi_aug31_2005_dg%20copy.jpg )of the affected area, and markings that I place on there for some of my family members could see where things we wrong and where I used to live in New Orleans, My old house never recieved any flooding, but little damage, Hope you all take this post as information and not a post of racial properties, I'am Prying and my heart goes out to every last person there in New Orleans and I know they will all get the help they need in a timely fashion.

[S77th-RYKE]

Our thoughts are with them , we have a member that lost his house 2 miles from that levy break , thank god nobody in his family was hurt.

[Mike Cinch Perry]

Just 1 question to any americans here: the area has been hit by class 4 hurricanes many times before, why all this destruction now? o_O

 

 

Never, they have been hit by Class 2 & 3 but never a 4 till now, they have had Class 4 close but not as close as this one.

[Mike Cinch Perry]

Our thoughts are with them , we have a member that lost his house 2 miles from that levy break , thank god nobody in his family was hurt.

 

Bless his heart and his family, Wish him the best for me and if anyhting is needed, I'am in the Atlanta Area, and I have lots of clothes that are going to red crosss here in the next couple of days, but if he can use them I'll be more than happy to make sure he get's them!

[S77th-RYKE]

Bless his heart and his family, Wish him the best for me and if anyhting is needed, I'am in the Atlanta Area, and I have lots of clothes that are going to red crosss here in the next couple of days, but if he can use them I'll be more than happy to make sure he get's them!

 

Thanks man , this is so thoughtfull of you , we had just 1 e-mail from S77th-shoegoo so far , he evacuated to Tuscaloosa... can't wait to hear more .

Be sure I will convey your best intentions when we finally reach him .

 

Thanks again

[Cosmonaut]

Very tragic events.. The day after Katrina hit I thought the reports were saying that the destruction wasn't that bad but by the following day the true nature of the devastation was now comming to light... Man I just heard that it maybe as much as 10 000 people dead.. my thoughts go out to all those affected.

[Olgerd]

Nothing to say. Really terrible news. Tribute to New Orleans... :frown:

[GGTharos]

My worked at the charity hospital there. Luckily she got out and she's here now.

[Hellcat61]

The levy holding Lake Pontchartrain broke, had this happened in any of the other hurricanes New Orleans suffered, the results would have been the same. Its just that this was the straw that broke the camels back. The results are unfortunate.

 

I appreaciate the thread Pilotasso.

[Outlaw24]

I disagree with Mr. Perry facts/opinion, the goverment response time was extremely slow, and lacking. The Home Land Security Office and FEMA had ample time to prepare for this incident. I would hate to think of their response to a spontaneous national disaster, in short I guess it come down to the people to have and the one who don't. I'm also for New Orleans!

[Mike Cinch Perry]

Hmm beg to differ!!

 

Outlaw,

 

My brother is with the Sea Bee unit that was there right after it was all said and done, there are only 3 major way to get in to New Orleans #1 Over the lake, #2 from the east thru Biloxi and from the west, all 3 way were covered with debri and could not be passed, you ask how I know, myself and 2 friends are AP photographers and saw it first hand right after the storm, Sea Bee Units were there moving debri from the road way so they could get it, Now when it came down to getting in to Downtown New Orleans, there were only 2 ways, swim or boat. Dewartering had to take place in specific areas for it to be safe for people to travel, Help was there just not in the reach of the storm. Our Atlanta Redcross and FEMA offices were already "boxed" up and ready to go. and were down there I would say within 10 hours after the storm, Supplies just dont carry themself to their dest. They have to be drivin and all that was going on throughout the nation, C-130's from Dobbins AFB here in atlanta, Tinker AFB was a second that was helping plus several more were moving, as for the Navy Ship , Ship dont start like cars #1 and dont move like a race car #2, They have to have everyone on the ship before it moves, if they have half a crew the only half the job is done, And you say that the goverment knew about the storm, yes they did. But the People that live there also knew about the storm as well and did nothing but stay there knowing that the part of the city they live in is below sea level. and the leves can only hold up to and I say again UP TO a class 3 storm. so you tell me. who was not prepaired for this storm? Dont get me wrong but My heart goes out to everyone that is caught up in the mess, be them Black, White, Mexcan, Chineese, so on so fourth, and bless their hearts, but there is no reason for people to blame the goverment when they have no clue to what is going on!!! Everyone is out to make our goverment look like crap for no reason.

 

Mike Cinch Perry

[suntrace1]

First - 30% in New Orleans live below poverty - this is a disgrace for US. How can this be ?

 

Second - if they are so poor, i am really not surprised that they didn't leave the city. Where could they possibly go? Goverment should really be prepared for this much better then it was/is.

 

Facts are facts and they were not dealt with in apropriate time.

 

It's horrible...

[Outlaw24]

Mr. Perry you are entitled to your opinion as I'm, and this is not the proper form for this debate. The Goverment reponse after the fact was lacking and unacceptable for a country with so many resources! I'll wait on the after action reports, debriefing, and other hearings that will be sure to come. I wish all the victims well, final words.

[Jester_159th]

This always amazes me. Whatever the cause of the tragedy, be it terrorism or natural disaster, if someone starts a thread as a medium for us to send our best wishes and support to those effected, within two pages the political opinions and agendas start popping up.

 

I thought we were supposed to be a mature community?

 

You are of course entitled to your opinions, but that entitlement carries a resposibility with it. That being the resposibility to know when and where to state those opinions. It boils down to simple consideration for other people. I was taught this principle when I was at school. It appears to me that this lesson has been dropped from the curiculum.

 

It doesn't matter in the slightest who's "right" or who's "wrong," especially in the case of corrupting a thread such as this (or the thread sending best wishes to those effected by the London bombings).

 

Think before you post.

 

If you can't think: Don't post.

[Wags]

Too bad some of you had to use a tragic event to spout your political bent. This thread is done.