The gov could have done a world of things differently to help Katrina victims out in advance. They should have had a few hundred tanker trucks and at least several thousand small makeshift tents sitting somewhere outside of the state, filled with bleach-treated water ready to go in case of something like this. They should have had a sizeable stockpile of MRE's and contaminated-water treatment tablets to feed these people, also stored safely out of state. They should have had several crank-powered radios ready to give out to neighborhoods. FEMA officials should have had hundreds of satellite phones charged and ready to be used because there is no other phone service available now. Web sites could have been set up and sitting dormant in advance to help relatives look for lost family members as well as post notices about their own survival and whereabouts. Every family should have been given a an emergency supply of non-removable plastic wrist bands, each imprinted with a unique government-registered number unique to the person intended to wear it, which they could have put on themselves and their children when the storm first hit in case they were separated or killed. Kids who don't even know their parents are dead are wandering stunned into shelters all the time; no one has a clue who they are, where they are from, if they have any special medical needs or who the parents are. It's an insult that these people have to endure a natural catastrophe but a man made one now as well, especially when so little cost and forethought would have saved thousands already. And you really gotta love how the "president", in the face of this impending catastrophe, callously calls off his month-long vacation only *after* the devastation is apparent and not before. What an arrogant, unbelieveable fucking BASTARD that excuse of man is. Democrat or republican, there is no excuse for that, and it's not a political issue.......it's a human one.
True there are a few thousand people who are now housed in sports complexes in Louisiana who are going to be moved to the same Texas soon. But what no one wants to talk about is the millions upon millions who are not in such complexes, who are not going to stay put and who are going to stream any way they can into neighboring states (like Texas where I live) where the grass is a tad bit greener right now. We are in no way ready for them. Will our schools, food delivery, medical and law enforcement facilities be overloaded by this? I guess we'll find out in the coming weeks. The massive societal shock waves from this have not yet spread this far, but they will. Especially scary is that I live less than a block from Texas' longest, most major highway (I-35) which runs straight through the entire length of the state and at least three of our biggest cities and on into Oklahoma. Am I going to be out in my parking lot in two weeks time firing warning shots at broad-daylight looting, arsonist hurricane victims walking up that highway who haven't eaten in five days? Let's just say I am concerned.
I do feel for these people, I wish I could do more to help, but aside from sending a little money and praying, it's tough to feel anything right now would be of much good, especially when so little of the available help is even getting to where it's needed most. LA is not that far from where I live, only a 10 hour drivewhich in the greater scheme of things, is not that long. I've passed through there. I suppose I could offer a hand to the Salvation Army, if one is needed, if and when victims start really arriving here. I am outraged at our government's failings concerning this. Our president, as commander in chief, is to blame. He can try to pass the buck all he wants, but the unneeded deaths of those survivors are on his head alone. Of course most of the people in LA who need help the worst are black and poor (i.e *democrats*) who probably didn't vote for him, so why should he care, right?
True there are a few thousand people who are now housed in sports complexes in Louisiana who are going to be moved to the same Texas soon. But what no one wants to talk about is the millions upon millions who are not in such complexes, who are not going to stay put and who are going to stream any way they can into neighboring states (like Texas where I live) where the grass is a tad bit greener right now. We are in no way ready for them. Will our schools, food delivery, medical and law enforcement facilities be overloaded by this? I guess we'll find out in the coming weeks. The massive societal shock waves from this have not yet spread this far, but they will. Especially scary is that I live less than a block from Texas' longest, most major highway (I-35) which runs straight through the entire length of the state and at least three of our biggest cities and on into Oklahoma. Am I going to be out in my parking lot in two weeks time firing warning shots at broad-daylight looting, arsonist hurricane victims walking up that highway who haven't eaten in five days? Let's just say I am concerned.
I do feel for these people, I wish I could do more to help, but aside from sending a little money and praying, it's tough to feel anything right now would be of much good, especially when so little of the available help is even getting to where it's needed most. LA is not that far from where I live, only a 10 hour drivewhich in the greater scheme of things, is not that long. I've passed through there. I suppose I could offer a hand to the Salvation Army, if one is needed, if and when victims start really arriving here. I am outraged at our government's failings concerning this. Our president, as commander in chief, is to blame. He can try to pass the buck all he wants, but the unneeded deaths of those survivors are on his head alone. Of course most of the people in LA who need help the worst are black and poor (i.e *democrats*) who probably didn't vote for him, so why should he care, right?
* This post has been modified
: 19 years ago
