That's actually something that seems unique to the US in this time of national disaster. It was mentioned on the BBC Call in show, that in Grenada (predominantly blacks of african descent, and a large percentage of them poor btw) there was no widescale looting, not because there was not the intent, but because AS SOON as the storm past, the Army responded in FORCE in the downtown districts and made their presence felt.
The destruction of Greneda was 80% of homes destroyed. There was widespread flooding on a NATION WIDE scale where that island was concerned.Similarly in India with their most recent flooding, similarly in Indonesia. And that's how you deal with it. You put your military on the ground, or in the air, or in the water and you ENFORCE the law.That is what you do. That is what the Prime Minister of Grenada did, he ordered it immediately as soon as they realised what was happening, which took about an hour! The US Federal government did not respond for DAYS. And even now there is still talk about 'getting together' and 'sending in'. Not SENT...not THERE...but 'sending'. And this is what officials in the ground in New Orleans are breaking down in tears over on your country's National Television and major US news stations. Breaking down in tears because they aren't getting the help they so desperately need, when they KNOW the resources in the richest country in the world are AVAILABLE. EVERYWHERE in the world there will be looting, EVERYWHERE there will be gunfights if your citizens have ready access to such weapons, AND more so if you are dealing with those living beneath the poverty line who were previously living day to day in gangs! A Government must know and recognise this, and deal with it. Smaller countries, less equipped countries deal with it, and they do so immediately. Not in three days, or four days. Also, all this talk of 'shooting' etc.. The shooters are in a stark minority! One would think there are Highly trained sharpshooters living in the squalor of New Orleans shooting and killing people, sniping at helicopters and taking out the pilots from the ground! BS! And that is *NOT* an excuse for a poor response! Where's the fabled US Army? Where are the Apache helicopters? Where are the Cobra gunships to start doing patrol laps and escorting Coast Guard choppers? Where are your Amphibious Response units?! Why haven't the areas where shots have been fired, where fighting has occurred been locked down? Why are some people still using this as some excuse over a week after the disaster has occurred? The US is trying to lock down with a fair degree of success,and control an entire country miles away and you are telling me that some poor, uneducated drug addicts and gang members cannot be controlled? B. S. . Anyone who believes that is not thinking clearly *At all*. What you have is Gang battles going on in the streets, and drug addicts running around without a fix. If all you see in New Orleans is people shooting each other you need to really get your head out of the morass of US News and look at the disaster from a world view, you will see MUCH MUCH more than gunfights in the streets,if any of those! The population of New Orleans according to the 2000 Census was 484674. It has been said that 1/4 of the population lives below the poverty line so that is about 121,170 people. So let's just deal with those living under the poverty line who couldn't afford 20US to get them out of the city, many of whom were begging from their more well off citizens who WERE able to get out of the city, Begging for help to leave. Where was the Federal Government then? Where were the officials of New Orleans then? One class of people was paid attention to, the other class then, as now, were abandoned. And it's not race, 67% of New Orleans is Black (Does anyone know that btw?), and only 25% live beneath the poverty line...so it's not Race. It is Class. 20,000 of those made it to the Superdome, so that leaves 101,168 people in various locations around the city, the *Drowning* city! And someone says only about 200 people have died? BS! The FEMA spokeswoman said that they had rescued 11,000 people over the last few days. 11,000. Out of how many poor that weren't able to get out? These are very broad, general and approximate figures, but they do give you an idea of the sheer enormity of this disaster. It is an utter tragedy..a total and complete tragedy. What you have is a large portion of the population of New Orleans that were *NOT* properly taken care of. What you have is thousands upon thousands of Americans that were not properly cared for by their Country.And Americans quite rightly want an answer as to *Why not* ! Billions upon Billions of taxpayer's dollars have been diverted and appropriated supposedly for emergency preparedness and disasters just like this one! Amercans damned well have a right to ask for and demand answers, and DEMAND accountability from the man they put in charge of running their country, and the Government that supports him in that task! Those are the facts, spin it anywhich way you want, it doesn't change those facts. And thats what Americans are angry about, that's what the World is shocked at. From India to Switzerland, to Grenada, To France, to Russia...people are SHOCKED and Horrified, and very very sad. Someone is responsible, and the man at the top holds ultimate responsibility. The Government holds ultimate responsibility. Spin it anywhich way you want, but in any country of the world in a National Disaster those are the facts. The Government is supposed to come to the aid of the people in times of National Crisis, whether terrorist threat or natural disaster. Whether it is the Democrats, the REpublican, the bloody green party the Responsibility is in their hands. Local, Federal...The Government. Those responsible for the People! On 9/5/05, Nick McClure <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Bush did appoint the director of FEMA, however FEMA is not a first > response unit. > > FEMA assumes that people took some steps to ensure they were prepared > for a disaster, like having a couple days supply of food and water. They > also assume they won't be shot at when they get there. > > I'm really pretty upset with the officials of Louisiana and New Orleans, > they seem like they were so ill-prepared for anything like this. From > what I remember on Monday they were all saying it wasn't as bad as they > thought it would be. And about that time things started to get worse. > > Right now FEMA is dealing with active disasters in 15 different states. > They help people re-establish their homes and their communities. > > 9/11 was a federal problem, federal security standards were low, and the > entire country was attacked. Bush had to do something. > > I don't recall people shooting firefighters in the streets of NY after > the towers fell. I recall people coming together to help. All I've seen > in New Orleans is people taking over the streets using violence. > Shooting and Helicopters trying to evacuate people, shooting a medical > convoys trying to get people to working hospitals. Gun fights in the > streets, where police and national guard troops are coming under fire. > > People looting things like TVs and shoes, leaving items like candy bars > and blankets behind. > > How do expect Bush to fix this problem. If people didn't take advantage > of the situation, then I think things would be a lot smoother. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Purchase Flash MX Pro from House of Fusion, a Macromedia Authorized Affiliate and support the CF community. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=57 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:172645 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
