Escape from Hurricane Katrina + Live Blog from N.O. Hell
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was
Adventurer
-You know, watching all the footage and reading all the articles about New Orleans really instills a sense of despair. As was pointed out earlier, however, you also see some of the best in people. Sri Lanka, who was devastated by the tsunami, is just one of many countries offering the U.S. aid. Additionally, despite past differences, Secretary General of the U.N., Kofi Annan, has called upon the body for support, stating that the U.S. has always helped others.
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billd91
Not your screen monkey (he/him) 🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️⚧️
It's a pretty mindbogglingly difficult situation, to be sure. But don't get too hard on all of the cops and all of the looters.
The cops are badly overstrained. According to the mayor of NO in an interview this morning, it was only last night that the whole force was put on civil control rather than rescuing people. That's a pretty nasty Sophie-esque choice. Do you rescue people in desperate need because of the flood, or do you try to assert public order (which is, in a way, another version of saving people but from a different problem)?
And with the looters, there have been plenty of reports of people looting for necessities as well as the more opportunistic ones just stealing stuff. Some of the people brandishing guns at the security forces have been demanding that they go and rescue their families. Some people are doing it out of desperation, absolute desperation and they aren't thinking straight.
There's also a lot of conflicting reports about how widespread the looting and rioting is. NBC was a bit dismissive of it because their news people have been able to get around the city without any personnel difficulties. They've been reporting that some of the evacuation and supply vehicles had been holding back out of fear of being attacked by looters, perhaps in overreaction. So I'm not really sure about the magnitude of that problem in general. Chances are it's a set of highly localized issue or randomly roving and thus not pervasive.
What I worry about most is all of the small children. Babies dehydrate like crazy because they have fast metabolisms and they sweat a lot (especially in NO weather). Maybe it's because I'm a father myself (kids are 7 and 1) but this sort of thing affects me a LOT. Hell, my heart still goes out the families of the kids taken hostage (and many killed) in Beslan a year ago. There are just too many bad things in this world, both man-caused and natural, that make me want board up the house and not let the kids out of my sight. But I know that odds are on their side and they'll probably do just fine... I just wish the kids of NO were as lucky. I hope most of them turn out to be so.
The cops are badly overstrained. According to the mayor of NO in an interview this morning, it was only last night that the whole force was put on civil control rather than rescuing people. That's a pretty nasty Sophie-esque choice. Do you rescue people in desperate need because of the flood, or do you try to assert public order (which is, in a way, another version of saving people but from a different problem)?
And with the looters, there have been plenty of reports of people looting for necessities as well as the more opportunistic ones just stealing stuff. Some of the people brandishing guns at the security forces have been demanding that they go and rescue their families. Some people are doing it out of desperation, absolute desperation and they aren't thinking straight.
There's also a lot of conflicting reports about how widespread the looting and rioting is. NBC was a bit dismissive of it because their news people have been able to get around the city without any personnel difficulties. They've been reporting that some of the evacuation and supply vehicles had been holding back out of fear of being attacked by looters, perhaps in overreaction. So I'm not really sure about the magnitude of that problem in general. Chances are it's a set of highly localized issue or randomly roving and thus not pervasive.
What I worry about most is all of the small children. Babies dehydrate like crazy because they have fast metabolisms and they sweat a lot (especially in NO weather). Maybe it's because I'm a father myself (kids are 7 and 1) but this sort of thing affects me a LOT. Hell, my heart still goes out the families of the kids taken hostage (and many killed) in Beslan a year ago. There are just too many bad things in this world, both man-caused and natural, that make me want board up the house and not let the kids out of my sight. But I know that odds are on their side and they'll probably do just fine... I just wish the kids of NO were as lucky. I hope most of them turn out to be so.
Kanegrundar
Explorer
Nearly a third of the NOPD left their posts. Some turned to stealing SUV's and looting while other realized that they had become targets and hid. IMO, the complete lack of civil duty on part of many of the police officers was the first step in this situation going from bad to worse.
As for NO getting rebuilt, it will. The French Quarter is ingrained in Americana. It will be restored to it's former glory. It's likely that many housing projects and other neighborhoods won't be rebuilt if for nothing else that survivors not wanting to live there anymore. I could see a lot of the displaced settling in the towns where they have been taken in by family and even total strangers. Make no doubt that NO will come back.
Kane
As for NO getting rebuilt, it will. The French Quarter is ingrained in Americana. It will be restored to it's former glory. It's likely that many housing projects and other neighborhoods won't be rebuilt if for nothing else that survivors not wanting to live there anymore. I could see a lot of the displaced settling in the towns where they have been taken in by family and even total strangers. Make no doubt that NO will come back.
Kane
jgbrowning
Hero
Kanegrundar said:
How much explosives would it take to break open one of those concrete wall levees? I wonder what it would be like if it happened when the city was full of people?
I think that's one more reason not to rebuild a city that's probably oh, 5 pounds away from a massive crisis that would make the current one look piddly.
joe b.
Barendd Nobeard
Explorer
Don't watch the news about it.Rel said:
A Dr. Raison (from Emery U., I think) was on the news recently. He mentioned a study found that the long-term negative reactions were worse for people who watched the 9/11 events on television than those people who were actually at the scene.
I watch a little bit about Katrina's aftermath, and then switch channels. I want to be informed, but I also find it too depressing to watch for very long.
Bryon_Soulweaver
First Post
Sorry, didnt read through the posts but I would like to post a like to something.
http://www.filecabi.net/host/file/hurricane-katrina-police-loot/wmv
http://www.filecabi.net/host/file/hurricane-katrina-police-loot/wmv
Truth Seeker
Adventurer
Bryon_Soulweaver said:
It is okay...just more examples of when the civil system gives way to chaos.
Bryon_Soulweaver
First Post
True, its the impulses of human nature to revert to chaos every once in a while. But then in this kind of situation its not chaos, its the will to survive.
caudor
Adventurer
Queen_Dopplepopolis said:
Try not to be so hard on folks that avoid the news. Since I'm still on medication for depression, I purposely avoid focusing on or dwelling on tragic news. That's not to say I ignore what others are going through---I just can't handle a constant dose of it right now.
I've sent in a donation, but I turn the channel sooner rather than later. Just reading this thread is not really easy.
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