Katrina Aftermath...a Different Perspective

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But Plonky, by the same token, Greed, Insensitivity and Self-Superiority and Importance are also by products of a ostensibly Capitalist system.

75% of the residents of New Orleans had already evacuated before the hurricane, and of the 300,000 or so who remained, a large number were from the city's public housing projects....reports from CNN and Fox...city had no plan forevacuating all of the prisoners in the city's jails...let many of them loose...no doubt a significant overlap between these two populations...a large number of people in the jails used to live in the housing projects, and vice versa.

Regardless of the fact that these people are from lower socio-economic strata's, does anybody actually not find it repugnent with it's subtle tones that this passage seems to validate the fact that these people were not rescued, and were left for days after the event with no food, water, supplies of any kind.

In any society, with a complete loss of authority and the scarceness of resources you are going to see people reverting to our basic animal instinct, Survival.

He compares a devastated city with no food, water, power or medical supplies, with convicted criminals released by the powers that be to a small, homely country town with a non-functioning traffic light? As if there is any parallel that can be drawn between them.

The US response to September 11? Bombard all western television with horrific images, similar to the kind of death that the US has been raining over other nations for 40 years. Then they turn around and murder hundred's of thousand of innocent people by similar means in the name of democracy and liberation? Tragically ironic or just tragic?

However, what I personally find most abhorrent and disgusting, yet at the same time it is actually, in my opinion, one of the major factors in the response by the US Governments (on all levels) is this quote:

But what about criminals and welfare parasites? Do they worry about saving their houses and property? They don't, because they don't own anything. Do they worry about what is going to happen to their businesses or how they are going to make a living?

What disturbs me about such a quote is that there is the belief in such a materialistic society that wealth and possesions are what makes the importance of a human. This, as we should all know can be no further from the truth however a morally bankrupt little man such as the kind who writes an imperious article like this is are often also those who hold positions of power.

I personally wonder how much time and effort will be put into protecting and rebuilding material assests, both of those of people and of large conglomerates in comparison to the effort to release these people from the festering hell hole that New Orleans has become.

I personally, can't comment on the US welfare system though I know it is much "harder" than what we have in Australia. The levels of support is far smaller in a nation where it costs alot more to live and also it is available for only a limited period.

I am sure such an article will go down well with White Anglo Saxon Protestant American as it features such patriotic rhetoric such as:

That is what has shocked so many people: they have been saying

that this is not what we expect from America.

and:

When confronted with a disaster, people usually rise to the occasion. They work together to rescue people in danger, and they spontaneously organize to keep order and solve problems. This is especially true in America. We are an enterprising people, used to relying on our own initiative rather than waiting around for the government to take care of us.

How homely and patriotic, unfortunately it also another twisted lie, but that's OK, because as long as the US Government and the media feed such propoganda to those that count (Must be those with money and stuff) then All is Well.

I really can't comment much more on this article because it has actually sickened me that somebody with such a callous disregard for human life, blaming people with little to no chance rather than cast an eye back over the corrupt system of greed and manipulation that he supports can call himself a 'journalist'.

Brendan.

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Sorry mate, you seemed depressed, so I thought I would try and bring you back!

[Blonk]

Damm that's the longest post ive seen

Rob...

Yep me too......

And if it wasn't about americans I would probably read a few lines.

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I have received a number of emails from friends of mine in Lousiana and Texas.  There was plenty of warning and even though they lost everything they still saved their lives.

I agree that the response was poor but I do believe that those that remained behind, that didn't leave or are running riot have to take some repsponsibility for their actions.

I think the responsibility needs to be shared...by those running the country and those that chose to live there!

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Although I pretty much agree with most of the opinions posted throughout this thread, this one just about sums it up for me. Why did they not get out?

On the flip side of course they may not have been able to, but I know I were in the same situation I would be doing anything I could to get out of the place knowing that almost the entire city is under sea level.

Trent.

[Shockwave-T]

Slightly OT but still about the politics involved.... Article in today's Herald Sun by Andrew Bolt.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/st...5E25717,00.html

[Romulus]

Slightly OT but still about the politics involved.... Article in today's Herald Sun by Andrew Bolt.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/st...5E25717,00.html

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Interesting article. My conclusion Andrew Bolt = George Bush and John Howard supporter.

This letter is a little funier to read:

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/...Date=2005-09-02

[plonky]

Slightly OT but still about the politics involved.... Article in today's Herald Sun by Andrew Bolt.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/st...5E25717,00.html

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Interesting article. My conclusion Andrew Bolt = George Bush and John Howard supporter.

This letter is a little funier to read:

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/...Date=2005-09-02

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I wouldn't even read anything that the Communist propogandist pig Michale Moore says......

He is an out and out liar!

[plonky]

Further it is downright offensive to even suggest that blacks are discriminated against by the US Govt.

The Secretary of State is a black woman...Condaleeza Rice. She was born and raised in Alabama.

Before that it was Colin Powell, another black man. He was also a celebrated General prior to being the Secretary of State.

The difference is that they got off their asses and did something with their lives...not wait around and expect people to do it for them. They took responsibility for themselves and MADE it happen. What makes their achievement even better was that they did all of this when blacks were segregated, blacks didn't go to the same schools as whites. Blacks didn;t have the access to education, money and resources like they do now.

If people like them could do it then, why can't blacks do it now!

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on all counts plonky!

[markxr6t]

Condoleeza Rice had quite a priviliged upbringing (daughter of a professor or something). Though I'm ultimately apolitical, I don't believe all poor people choose to be poor. To me, one of this article's central themes is that people can choose whether or not they want to be battlers.....

Mark

[Romulus]

Slightly OT but still about the politics involved.... Article in today's Herald Sun by Andrew Bolt.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/st...5E25717,00.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting article. My conclusion Andrew Bolt = George Bush and John Howard supporter.

This letter is a little funier to read:

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/...Date=2005-09-02

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I wouldn't even read anything that the Communist propogandist pig Michale Moore says......

He is an out and out liar!

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I know this is going a little off topic, but, remind me again, where were all those WMD's Iraq was supposed to have? Didn't the US present all this evidence to the UN? Wasn't that the reason Bush, Blair and Howard decided to invade that sovereign country? The end-justifies-the-means is not a sufficient reason to go to war.

Funny how former weapons inspector Hans Blix and ONA officer Andrew Wilkie, along with a string of other people have publicly stated that the world had been duped by Saddam, but there was no justification to go to war.

You talk about liars.... take a look at our own leader

Edited 09/09/05 10:35 PM by M6 XR6T