US "civilian" response

[dzalphakilo]

Not sure on the title rant mode is on.

All I've been reading lately on Katrina is how unprepared we were as a nation.

What do people expect?

Look at where New Orleans (sp?) is built, what did you expect (yes a previous post here a while ago).

How many people did we lose in that storm?

America to some extent has become a bunch of "panzies". Some people were killed, but god, compared to what other countries have gone through in natural disasters, Katrina looks like a walk in the park.

Why does it seem that everyone is second guessing what the goverment has/is doing per this event (Katrina).

On top of that, the goverment has been criticized (sp?) because people lied to get money from the relief efforts. Ok, run a "check" on everyone, take too much time, get busted for that. Help people out quickly and get busted for not checking on everyones story. Dam if you do, dam if you don't.

Just like 9/11, what does it say about some of the people of this country who run scams to collect money from the goverment during a disaster?

Then you have people demanding that the goverment pay them for an act of god (Katrina).

People in this country can be very spoiled.

Ok, rant mode off.

Thank you.

 

[HGM]

Do you remember that storm hitting anyone other than New Orleans???? Tell the folks in Mobile, hell, the whole right side of the Gulf that New Orleaneans were the only ones effected.....Thats another topic, I should probably stay out of, but entlement comes to mind again.... Dont know about you guys, but I take responsability for my own actions...

 

[Doc]

And ....what about the thousands staying in hotels paid for by the government. They paid for these folks housing for close to 6 months now. They have been living rent free. They knew it had to end sometime, you'd think that would've given them time to get a job or plan to relocate where there was a job.

 

[HGM]

Most of the same people have been living many years on the governments dime, why should they stop now? The ones that were self sufficent before the storm are already on their way to recovery...

 

[Dargo]

And ....what about the thousands staying in hotels paid for by the government. They paid for these folks housing for close to 6 months now. They have been living rent free. They knew it had to end sometime, you'd think that would've given them time to get a job or plan to relocate where there was a job.

I had a site somewhere where it was proven that those hotel costs averaged $358 per day! The reason being was that since FEMA was responsible for the bills, those people charged all their meals to room service, used the hotel's laundry and dry cleaning service etc. and it was all billed to, and paid by, FEMA. WTF!!!! The same report said that over one third of those people were not even eligible or effected by Katrina at all to begin with. If you take those facts into consideration, not even going into the "trailer entitlement" program, most all of the FEMA and donated dollars have gone to fraud and corrupt people working the system and making the ACLU and bleeding heart people look like total morons!

I have a friend in New Orleans I spoke with today that said that FEMA is giving the people "displaced" from hotels a thousand dollars a week in cash for alternative living expenses! Granted, there are plenty of people who were devistated by Katrina, but the majority of the people complaining are simply moochers being professional leaches on our government. This situation simply makes me sick and I'm disgusted that I donated to this cause knowing that the odds are that my money went to some frickin' criminal just money grabbing or living the life of luxury in a hotel having their room cleaned daily, having room service provided for every meal, and having all of their laundry done on our tab. I'm sorry, but exactly what I was afraid of happening to all the tens of millions of dollars donated has happened. America has its share of low life scum that make it their profession to rip off the government and relief agencies.

 

[Glenn9643]

“Most of the same people have been living many years on the governments dime, why should they stop now? The ones that were self sufficent before the storm are already on their way to recovery...”

Amen.

There are thousands of families trying to rebuild that we don't hear from who were working and paying their way before the storms. They've been pretty much ignored while the media played on those who have been on the government “dime” for their whole lives.

There are many families in Mississippi and Louisiana living in tents with minimal or no assistance since the storm who have and will continue to make their own way and rebuild. Then there are the thousands who were depending upon what they could get from government relief programs prior to and after Katrina who have no desire to find any other means for survival.

This situation is not unique to the south. You've got the same sort in some of the northern cities I believe.

What's not fair about the whole thing is that it appears to me that the folks who have tried to make their own way in the past have been shorted in the deal, while the freeloaders have received much more than they're due.

There's plenty of blame to go round, from the mayor, governor, to the president in my opinion as far as the governmental actions following the storm.

And don't go racial on me now. There are white niggers too. Yes, the “N” word. It's not confined to one race with most of us in the south. What I'm aiming at are those who are intent on living off the work and efforts of others around them without any contribution on their part. Those people aren't due anything more than they were receiving prior to the hurricanes (in my opinion). Yet it seems that they are receiving the most attention and probably a higher percentage of the monies directed at relief.

I agree that we should try to help and prevent starvation and ensure survival of those who can't or won't work, but I believe we should do more for those who were employed, paying for homes, and trying to raise their families as best they could through their employment than we've apparently done. I don't give a damn about being politically correct, but I don't want to come across as a racist. I have dear friends ranging from black as the ace of spades to the whitest caucasian you ever saw and I believe their thoughts pretty much mirror mine.

I do however disagree with part of the quoted statement above:

“The ones that were self sufficent before the storm are already on their way to recovery...”

There are thousands who were self sufficient prior to the storm, raising their families, paying their taxes, etc., who are still living in tents with little or no governmental assistance since the storm. There are thousands of “camper” trailers in Arkansas that haven't been delivered and set up to house storm victims because landowners do not want the welfare scum housed in trailer parks near where they live.

Something needs to be done to allow a mobile home or “camper” trailer to be set up by a landowner on his property for temporary living quarters. That would allow many to return to their property and begin the rebuilding process. In most cases, if one could temporarily live in a mobile home on his property it would certainly enhance his rebuilding process and allow things to get back to normal quicker than if he was miles away.

I'm pretty well into the Dickel as I write this, and have done my inebriated best to be sure it's acceptable, but if you choose to delete the post I'll not be offended. I've only tried to provide my insight on the situation.

 

[beds]

A co-worker went to Mississippi with her church group a month ago. Amazing stories about the devastation. And this was Mississippi - not even LA. Entire houses sealed up that had to be stripped down to the studs. People's lives - photos, clothing, everything gone.

 

[dzalphakilo]

I guess what I'm asking myself is why would people want to rebuild there?

Early last year spent time in Mobile and the Gulf Shore area, and although the Gulf Shore area was nice, I couldn't help but think about the amount of money people were putting into homes/condos in an area that could be devastated by a storm.

I don't want to "rehash" the issue of rebuilding, but I try to put myself in those people shoes so to speak (which I realize that I could never totally understand), and I don't see how you can expext to rebuild and get compensated for it.

Interesting issues about level of income, dependency on the goverment before and after Katrina hit, which raises some other issues as well.

Don't flame me, but for rebuilding or relocation (as far as the expense of hotels), I wonder why no one looked at military housing (sp?) that may be available (relocation would be involved I realize due to the shear numbers of people). Sure you could save money going that route.

 

[beds]

I agree with the rebuilding just from a structural point of view. They're going to great extents to gut these shacks so they can slap on new drywall and have some beaten shack with new drywall. Seems that they could come in there with some well-engineered, inexpensive housing and just plunk it down instead of the years it will take to gut these places and then drywall them and whatever else needs to be done. Sometimes it's better to start from scratch, and I think this is one of the times. And then offer some relocation to some place that isn't going to blow away!