Let's keep them in our prayers

[Ldub]

I'm with CYRK, with all the bad juju going on world wide, sometimes it seems like "the begining of the end". I'm ever hopeful that humanity in general will soon have the sence to take a step back, & a careful look at where we're headed.
I have "kinfolk" in LA. & my thoughts & prayers are with them all.
Ldub

[Lease-V-cross]

I believe in God.
I also believe that God maintains a balance to all things.
I believe that this country is being taught a lesson.
Last year Florida was pummeled, now New Orleans.

We have advertised ourselves long enough that "we are the greatest" and we will spread our views of freedom throughout the world. This is wrong of us to assume that every country feels the same. Sure, there is injustice everywhere. Poverty everywhere, even the poverty in the U.S. has risen since last year...now add all the people displaced because of Katrina.
Forecasters knew eventually a massive flood like this could happen. Plans were in the works for the levy to be strengthend and stabilized, but those plans were scrapped when Bush got into office.
What comes around goes around.
We destroyed Iraq. Yes, Saddam was a dictator, but there was a sense of order there. There were no WMDs, anyway. All lies to get us over there for the oil.
Corporate greed has destroyed this country. "The American Dream"...guess what..it was just that...."a dream".

[VehiX]

Although I feel for everyone down there.....

I am absolutely DISGUSTED at the visions I'm seeing on TV! I guess something like this is god and or natures way of "Thinning Out The Heard"!!!

I can't even imagine what people in other countries think of us "Americans" as they watch this mayhem continue! I'd even venture to say that some are LAUGHING at us right now!

Riots, Rape, looting, crime, cops turning in thier badges and joining in, dead bodies robbed, rescuers trying to HELP getting shot at! .... THE LIST GOES ON!

If you are trying to "survive" down there, may peace be with you!

For those taking advantage and for those who partake in these criminal acts.....Your time will come soon enough and I hope it's slow and painful!

I sincerely appologize if this post offends anyone but words cannot describe the disgust I feel as I watch this unfold. This is HORRIBLE!!! :nor:

[dutchie]

I feel for everyone involved, the world is up side down, tsunami here, typhoon and hurricane there...what's going on?
I was surprised to see the looting, I always thought that people were at their best in times of dispair...but I guess I was wrong.... it reminded me a bit of the LA riots, why oh why.

[Lease-V-cross]

There are many different reasons that chaos always develops.
First, all of those residents were warned to leave, many did not take it seriously enough, many could NOT leave due to sick loved ones or did not have the means (a car, trapped in their own home, etc.) Once the reality and weight of their situation hit them, then the panic started. Plus the fact that they were told to wade through all that disgusting water and try to make it to the Superdome for assistance...once they got there, there was none. They sat and waited in that huge cooking pot and the conditions only got worse.
As far as the "looting" goes....I can understand taking food and water, maybe even clothes...but the TV's and other such $ items does not make sense. You have no home to store all these stolen goods and you're going to be evacuated anyway, so what's the point? Bush says "zero tolerance for looters"...PLEASE....If he was down there, he'd be the first to cry and steal a row boat! The retail bastard Walmart will survive...trust me...it's the little mom & pop stores that will be forced to close due to the looting and flooding.

[MSHardeman]

I totally understand everyone's frustration with the deterioration of society in New Orleans right now, but as someone said in a post above, most of these people left behind where either too sick or poor to leave. They are down there with no food, water, or way to find out that the rest of the country knows their plight and is on the way to help. Yes, it has taken our government an awful long time to get down there, but help is finally on the way. These people are starving and scared, so I understand their frustration.

I, also, totally agree that looting a store for the basics (food and water) is justified, but stealing electronics, jewelry, furs, etc. is completely uncalled for. Those people should be taken out of the gene pool in a slow and painful manner.

I have family down in New Orleans, and luckily they where able to get out on Friday and Saturday. My parents live in Baton Rouge, and where among the lucky ones there in that they still have power and no real damage to their house.

I know that everyone is angry with all of the bad things going on in New Orleans right now, but I think that we need to focus all of our prayers and positive energy on the situation. I'm lucky because my family is safe, but they may not have anything to return to once the flood waters recede. The same goes for some of the people in our little VX community. We can't take care of, or save, everyone so we need to focus on what we can do. It may seem a little silly, given the massive scale of the destruction, but we need to see if we can help out our fellow VXers. I'm sure that there where a couple down in New Orleans, as well as, the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast. Is there a way for us to find where they are and see if they need our help? Anyone?

I've been continually amazed at the people on this forum and their willingness to help out on even the most mundane of issues. Let's see what we can do now.

Thanks.

[WyrreJ]

Don't forget that evil sells - the news networks will hype the bad and trivialize the good. Clearly there is bad sh|t going down, but I don't think it is all that it has been cracked up to be.

To add to the part about looting - food, clothes, shoes, tools, medicine, guns, small childrens toys, radios, even small tvs are all "valid" lootable items because they all are survival tools (yes even the toys, keeping the kids pacified/occupied is big time important).

While it doesn't help the people any to say this today, but I believe the main problem is a failure of management. Both in preparing the city for storms and in the recovery efforts.

[Marcusholm]

There are many different reasons that chaos always develops.
First, all of those residents were warned to leave, many did not take it seriously enough, many could NOT leave due to sick loved ones or did not have the means (a car, trapped in their own home, etc.) Once the reality and weight of their situation hit them, then the panic started. Plus the fact that they were told to wade through all that disgusting water and try to make it to the Superdome for assistance...once they got there, there was none. They sat and waited in that huge cooking pot and the conditions only got worse.
As far as the "looting" goes....I can understand taking food and water, maybe even clothes...but the TV's and other such $ items does not make sense. You have no home to store all these stolen goods and you're going to be evacuated anyway, so what's the point? Bush says "zero tolerance for looters"...PLEASE....If he was down there, he'd be the first to cry and steal a row boat! The retail bastard Walmart will survive...trust me...it's the little mom & pop stores that will be forced to close due to the looting and flooding.

This is just another excuse for all the "lefties" to turn a terrible "act of nature" into a political "sour grapes" speech. I'm sure John Kerry would have been able to divert the storm back to sea.

This whole thing is sad, but no one's fault. Anyone who tries to blame anyone is just plain ignorant.

But, having said that, I'm not surprised. The left will stretch and reach for any excuse to try and make themselves look and feel better. Good try, but this country for the most part is smarter than that.

[tomdietrying]

Is it true that our President, the day after the hurricane, flew out west to play golf??? WTF???

Is that the way a President is supposed to act after a NATIONAL crisis???

Tom