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The richest nation in the world has an area the size of the UK in ruins and they can do nothing to save the starving dying black people of the Gulf coast.
I know why, it's the wrong Gulf and not as much immediate need as securing the oil fields of Iraq. But right now, I'm sure some of those people would rather be in the current dregs of Iraq than be abandoned by their government in their own country.
There have been no food drops, no water drops and even a limited number of army reinforcements to protect desperate and innocent people from themselves killing each other and looting. I'm loving the spin by the media on looters, by the way. The true disgusting people in this situation are the media who are using fuel and valuable life-saving transport such as helicopters to take videos of people crying for help, they should put those helicopters to better use and realise that all the looters want is a bottle of water or juice and a pack of crisps or a Mars bar.
But the creme de la creme of all American arrogance came from a Louisianna politician who was quoted as saying "This is only what I can imaging Hiroshima was like after the bomb". I hate this from Americans. How can the innocent deaths of people at the hands of mother nature be compared to the Americans dropping nuclear weapons on a condensed area built up with wooden houses and the poorest of the poor in 1940's Japan.
Many of those people would still be alive today if it was not for the American government. Many of the dying today would be alive in 50 years time, if it wasn't for the arrogence of the American government, that's the only link and it's disgusting.
Maybe now America will take their elected officials and elections seriously and not as some big popularity contest, too many lives depend on it.
I know why, it's the wrong Gulf and not as much immediate need as securing the oil fields of Iraq. But right now, I'm sure some of those people would rather be in the current dregs of Iraq than be abandoned by their government in their own country.
There have been no food drops, no water drops and even a limited number of army reinforcements to protect desperate and innocent people from themselves killing each other and looting. I'm loving the spin by the media on looters, by the way. The true disgusting people in this situation are the media who are using fuel and valuable life-saving transport such as helicopters to take videos of people crying for help, they should put those helicopters to better use and realise that all the looters want is a bottle of water or juice and a pack of crisps or a Mars bar.
But the creme de la creme of all American arrogance came from a Louisianna politician who was quoted as saying "This is only what I can imaging Hiroshima was like after the bomb". I hate this from Americans. How can the innocent deaths of people at the hands of mother nature be compared to the Americans dropping nuclear weapons on a condensed area built up with wooden houses and the poorest of the poor in 1940's Japan.
Many of those people would still be alive today if it was not for the American government. Many of the dying today would be alive in 50 years time, if it wasn't for the arrogence of the American government, that's the only link and it's disgusting.
Maybe now America will take their elected officials and elections seriously and not as some big popularity contest, too many lives depend on it.
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Yeah, it was a bit of a rant :D.
I just saw red when i heard that link to Hiroshima by an elected US official.
Stupid, stupid person.
I just saw red when i heard that link to Hiroshima by an elected US official.
Stupid, stupid person.
On the point of the armed national guards, the reports I've heard have suggested some wider problems of disorder from the lack of police presence, including non-survival theft and even rape.
That's got to take a pretty warped mind:
"Hey, the whole city has been destroyed, everyones' dying and there's no functional governmental infrastructure. What a perfect opportunity to go rape people."
However, that said there did seem to be all too much talk of the national guard shooting looters too. The american armed forces have a reputation for killing innocent civilians without even trying. When they have an excuse it could get nasty.
On a lighter note, if you just consider the property damage, it looks absolutely incredible. I mean, this is the kind of stuff people spend millions of dollars recreating in movies - stricken wasted cities, streets submerged in water, buildings leveled, roads torn up, bridges shattered and warped. Casino boats beached on top of a hotels (well, one).
Just to see a city in that condition is something else.
Obviously the human cost is terrible, but the property damage is still a sight!
Apparantly you can go on a holiday tour to chernobyl, and it's like a ghost town, with wild dogs and barren shells of buildings.
That's got to take a pretty warped mind:
"Hey, the whole city has been destroyed, everyones' dying and there's no functional governmental infrastructure. What a perfect opportunity to go rape people."
However, that said there did seem to be all too much talk of the national guard shooting looters too. The american armed forces have a reputation for killing innocent civilians without even trying. When they have an excuse it could get nasty.
On a lighter note, if you just consider the property damage, it looks absolutely incredible. I mean, this is the kind of stuff people spend millions of dollars recreating in movies - stricken wasted cities, streets submerged in water, buildings leveled, roads torn up, bridges shattered and warped. Casino boats beached on top of a hotels (well, one).
Just to see a city in that condition is something else.
Obviously the human cost is terrible, but the property damage is still a sight!
Apparantly you can go on a holiday tour to chernobyl, and it's like a ghost town, with wild dogs and barren shells of buildings.
My favourite item so far has been Bush's refusal to consider assistance from the UN.
They had the Undersecretary being interviewed on CNN today and he said they were only to glad to send whatever help they could do, but so far they had been refused. And the reporter said Bush "visibly blanched" at the idea.
And you know exactly why that is.
Bush rubbished the UN, called them a neutered concept and belittled them in the build-up to the invasion of Iraq. There's no way in hell he's going to agree to let them help. In the meantime, as stated below, the governor has issued shoot-to-kill orders to the National Guard & Army trying to "keep order".
Even the media, usually sycophantic, are questioning Bush's actions and interest so far.
And yes, tragedy and loss of life etc etc blah blah, but there is a twisted irony in seeing a country that has demolished Iraq and Afghanistan reduced by rubble by nothing more than wind.
*shrugs*
I'll be interested to see how those hardline Christians that proclaim Jesus loves them explain this one. Cos to me, it looks like Jesus is smiting them pretty hard right about now.
They had the Undersecretary being interviewed on CNN today and he said they were only to glad to send whatever help they could do, but so far they had been refused. And the reporter said Bush "visibly blanched" at the idea.
And you know exactly why that is.
Bush rubbished the UN, called them a neutered concept and belittled them in the build-up to the invasion of Iraq. There's no way in hell he's going to agree to let them help. In the meantime, as stated below, the governor has issued shoot-to-kill orders to the National Guard & Army trying to "keep order".
Even the media, usually sycophantic, are questioning Bush's actions and interest so far.
And yes, tragedy and loss of life etc etc blah blah, but there is a twisted irony in seeing a country that has demolished Iraq and Afghanistan reduced by rubble by nothing more than wind.
*shrugs*
I'll be interested to see how those hardline Christians that proclaim Jesus loves them explain this one. Cos to me, it looks like Jesus is smiting them pretty hard right about now.
The thing about Hiroshima is that they wanted to drop the bomb to see what effect it would have but of course it's not like they didnt offer peace, though I still think they were far too quick to use it. So instead of 1000s of american soldiers dying, 100,000+ mainly women and children (because of the war) had to die instead.
I've been pretty disgusted at Bush about this. Speaking of zero tolerance on crime and shoot-to-kill when thousands are dying...
What's more important, people scavenging (for survival or not) or getting people out of the area to safety? Hey, here's a revelation, if these people were evacuated, they couldn't be looting the area could they? But no, Bush seems ready to try and take the moral high ground saying how it's disgusting people are looting at a time of national disaster... I've not been there and seen for myself, but I'd suspect most are only looting food, water, etc. I'm sure others are looking to make a profit from this disaster in one way or another, but maybe we should wait and see which of GW's mates in the construction industry he gives the (very profitable I'd imagine) task of rebuilding the city.
It seems a ridiculous case of holier-than-thou attitude. How is it wrong to 'steal' something necessary for survival? Especially in a situation such as this where the sellers of the goods have abandoned them and they will undoubtedly rot otherwise. Even stealing items other than food that may be intended for profiting... It's not particularly 'good' but I fail to see what all the fuss is about. Most of the things being stolen are probably water damaged, or left by people who fled and have probably resigned to the fact that whatever possessions they left are gone anyway. It's not a great situation to have, but I fail to see why such importance is being put on looting.
Bah. There obviously is a need for some form of order, but efforts should be concentrated on getting people out to safety, or at least getting supplies to them. As it is, they're going to inflame the situation further with a shoot-to-kill policy on people who are most likely just trying to survive.
What's more important, people scavenging (for survival or not) or getting people out of the area to safety? Hey, here's a revelation, if these people were evacuated, they couldn't be looting the area could they? But no, Bush seems ready to try and take the moral high ground saying how it's disgusting people are looting at a time of national disaster... I've not been there and seen for myself, but I'd suspect most are only looting food, water, etc. I'm sure others are looking to make a profit from this disaster in one way or another, but maybe we should wait and see which of GW's mates in the construction industry he gives the (very profitable I'd imagine) task of rebuilding the city.
It seems a ridiculous case of holier-than-thou attitude. How is it wrong to 'steal' something necessary for survival? Especially in a situation such as this where the sellers of the goods have abandoned them and they will undoubtedly rot otherwise. Even stealing items other than food that may be intended for profiting... It's not particularly 'good' but I fail to see what all the fuss is about. Most of the things being stolen are probably water damaged, or left by people who fled and have probably resigned to the fact that whatever possessions they left are gone anyway. It's not a great situation to have, but I fail to see why such importance is being put on looting.
Bah. There obviously is a need for some form of order, but efforts should be concentrated on getting people out to safety, or at least getting supplies to them. As it is, they're going to inflame the situation further with a shoot-to-kill policy on people who are most likely just trying to survive.
The A-bombs weren't just to end the war.They were to show the USSR who's boss.From what I've learn't in school the Americans could have ended the war at about the same time without having to use the A-bombs.
Slightly off topic but with the talk of Hiroshima I thought it was relevant.
Slightly off topic but with the talk of Hiroshima I thought it was relevant.
The "funniest" (for want of a better word) thing I've seen so far was a guy carrying a TV.
I don't know whether it was his, or he'd looted it, but still...
You've got no electricity, mate - what do you intend to do with it?
I don't know whether it was his, or he'd looted it, but still...
You've got no electricity, mate - what do you intend to do with it?
Sibs wrote:
> It seems a ridiculous case of holier-than-thou attitude. How is it
> wrong to 'steal' something necessary for survival? Especially in a
> situation such as this where the sellers of the goods have abandoned
> them and they will undoubtedly rot otherwise.
> ....
> It's not a great
> situation to have, but I fail to see why such importance is being put
> on looting.
Very good point. My feelings are that it all comes down to who is the 'bad guy'.
When bad things happen people seem to need someone to blame, or at least someone to hate - an outlet for all the anger and negativity.
And because the national response, under Bush's responsibility, has been so inept, he has to pass the buck to try to save face.
Part of that is directing blame for the response at the state level autorities, but another line of defence is simply marking someone else - the looters - out as the bad guys, the figureheads for criticism and the scapegoats for everyones' anger.
Similarly, despite what sounds like a pretty feeble reaction to warnings in the 24 hours before Katrina hit, the Mayor of N.O. is very firmly channeling criticism off his back and towards Bush.
Not merely passing the buck, but passing the spotlight of negativity.
> It seems a ridiculous case of holier-than-thou attitude. How is it
> wrong to 'steal' something necessary for survival? Especially in a
> situation such as this where the sellers of the goods have abandoned
> them and they will undoubtedly rot otherwise.
> ....
> It's not a great
> situation to have, but I fail to see why such importance is being put
> on looting.
Very good point. My feelings are that it all comes down to who is the 'bad guy'.
When bad things happen people seem to need someone to blame, or at least someone to hate - an outlet for all the anger and negativity.
And because the national response, under Bush's responsibility, has been so inept, he has to pass the buck to try to save face.
Part of that is directing blame for the response at the state level autorities, but another line of defence is simply marking someone else - the looters - out as the bad guys, the figureheads for criticism and the scapegoats for everyones' anger.
Similarly, despite what sounds like a pretty feeble reaction to warnings in the 24 hours before Katrina hit, the Mayor of N.O. is very firmly channeling criticism off his back and towards Bush.
Not merely passing the buck, but passing the spotlight of negativity.
WòókieeMøn§†€® wrote:
> You've got no electricity, mate - what do you intend to do with it?
Sell it.
Obviously in these circumstances he's really got no one to sell it to, but the chances are he's living in his car and he's taking stuff for the sake of it.
It's like a child in a sweet shop, horrific as it may seem due to the events of the disaster, seeing a load of expensive electrical goods for free (as such) is just too much of a temptation to resist.
EDIT: Imagine if you just saw a whole load of PSP's sitting in the shop, no one around, you've got a box of food in one hand, who's going to know if you just slip one in the pocket aye? etc..
> You've got no electricity, mate - what do you intend to do with it?
Sell it.
Obviously in these circumstances he's really got no one to sell it to, but the chances are he's living in his car and he's taking stuff for the sake of it.
It's like a child in a sweet shop, horrific as it may seem due to the events of the disaster, seeing a load of expensive electrical goods for free (as such) is just too much of a temptation to resist.
EDIT: Imagine if you just saw a whole load of PSP's sitting in the shop, no one around, you've got a box of food in one hand, who's going to know if you just slip one in the pocket aye? etc..
I take issue with the idea that resources and energy being used to subdue the looters could be used better to provide aid. Regardless of whether looting is justified or not...
when law and order breaks down, the capitalist idea that possessions are the path to heaven will reign. This is especially true of America. But seriously look at the damage already done. Id be surprised if looting was really so bad that any person would spend more effort crushing rebellion than helping the sick and needy.
Yet another example of a government that treasures control of its people more than their well being.
when law and order breaks down, the capitalist idea that possessions are the path to heaven will reign. This is especially true of America. But seriously look at the damage already done. Id be surprised if looting was really so bad that any person would spend more effort crushing rebellion than helping the sick and needy.
Yet another example of a government that treasures control of its people more than their well being.
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