Michel Holder wrote:
> Bravo Mike !!!!!

> Mike Roeser wrote:
>> What is appalling to me is the people you mention are shooting the
>> people that are trying to rescue them then stealing their boats so they
>> can rob other people stranded on rooftops. That type of behavior is
>> hindering all of the rescue efforts at this point.

I have been too busy since the Katrina disaster, first trying to actually help
people in need, and then trying to get caught up on work here, to comment on
this topic until now.  However, let me now offer a couple of links that folks
might find thought-provoking with regard to the root cause of the
still-unfolding tragedy in New Orleans.  Those of you whose course content lends
itself to class discussion of such issues might find these articles of
particular interest, whether or not you personally agree with the authors.

http://tiadaily.com/php-bin/news/showArticle.php?id=1026

http://www.fff.org/comment/com0509a.asp

I can say that my perception, based on first-hand observation, of the reaction
of the residents of rural south Mississippi (many of them just as poor and just
as hard hit by the storm as the folks in New Orleans), was quite different than
what has been seen in the "big city."  By and large, the "country folks" took
care of themselves rather than waiting for the government to come in and take
care of them.  Those who were too elderly or infirm to take care of themselves,
or who had small children, or who had simply lost everything, were taken care of
by their neighbors in classic small-town American fashion.  In most cases things
were more or less under control by the time we arrived with supplies later in
the week ... and, virtually to a man (and woman), people accepted only the aid
for which they genuinely had a need.

When a large segment of any population becomes used to "big brother" taking care
of everything, and then suddenly (but inevitably, regardless of which political
party is in power) "big brother" falls down on the job ... then people are truly
left helpless and hopeless.  I agree with the authors above ... *dependency*
itself is the biggest problem in American society today, and the root cause of
this particular disaster as it unfolded in New Orleans.

Agree, disagree .... food for thought, anyway.

>> What appalls me even more is how quickly folks are using this disaster
>> for future advancement of their political careers. This is not the time
>> for politicians to behave in this manner. I am ashamed of all of them
>> and the media for purposely trying to make matters worse by selectively
>> focusing on one or two areas and stirring people up.
>> I keep seeing references made as to why the Bush administration did fix
>> the levees in New Orleans. If memory serves, Bill Clinton served the
>> country for eight years before Bush did. Why did President Clinton not
>> fix the levees? This is not even an issue at this point.
>> This was a massive disaster that I do not believe anyone in the White
>> House could have handled any faster or any better.
>> Let us drop politics and help these folks out to the best of our
>> abilities.

>> Maggie McMahon wrote:
>>> It is a public relations nightmare. And a disgrace that citizens that
>>> "just happen" to be poor and mostly black are literally abandoned at the
>>> place they were told to go.  I thought the sports arena was isolated by
>>> miles of deep water - BUT in fact,  it is possible to drive right up to
>>> the center. My GOD! People are miserable, sick and some are dieing. What
>>> would it take to get a Krystal's truck full of food and water to those
>>> stranded people? I am so ashamed for our country. And  am totally
>>> frustrated by the juxtaposition of want and waste. mm.

--
"One man with courage is a majority." -- Thomas Jefferson