My friend Sleepybomb over at the Wreckroom has some thoughts worth reading over at his blog. He's pissed off and so am I. Even before the levee broke, shouldn't there have been more security (and food and water) sent to the city as soon as the most crime-ridden area of the city (and one of the worst in the country - I love New Orleans, but it's true) became totally uninhabitable? With more National Guard downtown and throughout the city protecting the good people and property of New Orleans, the police could have been rescuing people.
Sure, hindsight is 20/20 and it's easy for me to sit here in my undamaged, air-conditioned house and over analyze what happened. But, think of your town. Imagine the worst neighborhood which is barely controlled in the best of times where good people live day in and day out in fear of their lives. Imagine this neighborhood being totally decimated sending all of the low-life thugs out into your city to have free reign. Kind of makes you want to do something about the crime problems of your less fortunate neighbors right now before it's too late doesn't it? Escape from New York is no longer just a movie folks. It can really happen. We're seeing it happen in New Orleans right now.
Some background on Sleepybomb: he and his family (famous Dixieland Jazz musicians) are originally from New Orleans. He lives in Reno right now and was in the process of buying a home in Metairie and moving back to New Orleans. That house is probably gone but, more importantly, he is in anguish over New Orleans and his family who is still there and feeling somewhat guilty about being high and dry in Reno.
7 comments:
There is a total vacuum of leadership at the local level. The mayor has to ask the governor to activate National Guard, the governor has to ask the Feds for Army troops, etc. There is a system in place to do this and I am wondering why people are blaming the president for everything when they don't know how to run their own town. The mayor of NOLA is, in my opinion a total failure - I don't know why he ran, or why he is in office (knowing louisiana politics, he ran for office to a. get rich, b. do his jail time, and c. retire)The mayor and the local LEPC are totally overwhelmed and the President actually should have congress declare martial law and take over (under Fed management) the whole deal. I think the mayor has been direlict in his duty and should even face some kind of board of inquiry and possibly criminal prosecution on this. He's sitting on his thumbs complaining and whining instead of leading! Now, I'll save my comments on the artificial gas gouging by the oil companies for another rant. Laurie, sorry to use your great blog to rant on these not so fun issues.
LG - I hear what you're saying. Who knows his city better than the mayor? Feel free to rant away.
Here I go again; I just heard on the radio a recording of the POS Mayor saying "...I don't want no mo %#(# press conferences." !!! If this is the best way he can express himself he needs to be put on the sidelines immediately. This is the worst and every city on the planet is going to have that lowlife criminal element but again, I compare NYC. Crime went DOWN to near nothing after 9-11 and it's all leadership. Of course, there was water to drink after 9-11. This mayor could have been on any morning tv show on the air right afterward urging the nation to quicken it's response. Corporations like WalMart would have had 18 wheelers full of water, diapers, canned food and everything else rolling on Monday afternoon from as close as Bentonville (I know you know where that is) for releif. But the guy can't think, he isn't a leader. He is just laying back waiting for someone to help him. Get him outta there - let a proactive person like Bobby Jindal at least, take full control of a Unified Command Post. Damn! This is frustrating.
LG
It is impossible to imagine how this could have rolled out so badly, and it's easy to see why people are so pissed off. I saw footage today that would have shocked me if it had been about the most underdeveloped country in the world. And the only thing that has taken the edge off a little is that Bush said that the results so far are unacceptable---but even that was just a negative. Where is the action? Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!
and you were very well-spoken in that article....
It's so sad and so real. We never think that such things can happen to us. The problem is so much bigger than one person, but the "one persons" in charge need to get off their butts."
I am so full of different emotions about what happened. I feel that the country has failed New Orleans. People had plans for this kind of catastrophe and they were shot down. People were told to evacuate but no provisions were made to evacuate the poor.
I know that now is a time for helping, not blaming, but I'm angry. After we help (and continue to help) the displaced people rebuild their cities and their lives, we need to get off of our self-centered butts, realize that we are one family and fix the things that need fixing.
I totally agree with everyone!
I am outraged at the behavior of the citizens who ARE stranded. I know some people could not leave--but look at the history of other disasters: like lg mentioned regarding 9-11. These people are shooting at the Paramedics and the people that are trying to come in and help. Helicopters couldn't land because they were being shot at or their presence was causing a riot. More than half of the police officers have quit and will not return because they have lost control of the city. Like lg said it's all about leadership...if Rudy was mayor of NOLA things would have been different.
A lot of people were upset that Bush wouldn't get out of his plane that he chose to look at everything within the comfort of his plane...I try not to get into politics because I don't feel I have the knowledege about the issues to make any decisions about politics. But come on! Bush isn't crazy...had he gotten off of that plane in New Orleans he would have been shot in the first 30 minutes.
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