Plans for New Orleans
Jun 18, 2008 Political
I have a post up comparing the response of citizens in Iowa to those of New Orleans and in it I make a comparison of the cultural differences that left those in New Orleans in dire straights, pointing their fingers at the federal government and crying racism to the Iowans, who are having problems such as looting, and how they reacted to the crisis there.
I was flamed by a bunch of people who live in New Orleans and who blame the entire issue on the federal government and the Corps of Engineers who built the levees poorly and caused the whole issue. Not one of the commenters defending New Orleans could find one issue that lays some of the blame on the corrupt government pervasive in Louisiana and particularly present in New Orleans. New Orleans was not that bad. It could not have been if William Jefferson had time to take military vehicles and soldiers away from rescue mission in order to go check on his house and remove the bribe money he had in his freezer. He had time to do all that and then leave without checking on the people affected by the flood. Ray Nagin stayed in a hotel in the fetal position and Governor Blanco cried on TV. Neither of them was on the ground in NO directing things.
Things could not have been that bad since all the cops stopped what they were doing and helped the looters and then left town. Certainly things could not be too bad if the cops could leave. Let’s fault everyone else for not getting there immediately and helping out when those sworn to stay and help, left.
Of course, what happened there was a tragedy. It was caused by many things and there is plenty of blame to go around. I know it sucks but I did not do it, I did not cause it, I did not abandon anyone and I did not commit crimes after it. Even though I had nothing to do with it happening my tax dollars have been sent there to fix it (not only mine but a lot of people’s). I said at the time they needed to watch every penny like a hawk because it would be spent on non flood related items. Mary Landreau submitted a 400+ page request that had us paying for alligator farms in areas NOT affected by the storm. I guess she figured she could use the tragedy and our generosity to gussy up the place. When your major concern after such an incident is having Mardi Gras, you have priority issues.
I felt sorry for the people when this happened but to tell the truth I am tired of hearing all the whining about it from those living there. They have enough time to type on their computers perhaps they should spend it working. I know 90% of the people got out and did what is right and it might seem unfair for me to paint with a broad brush based on the 10% who did not. However, a lot of people certainly painted the government with a broad brush based on the failure of about 10% of the people. No other state affected by Katrina is getting rebuilt any faster and I don’t hear them crying. I did not hear them then.
Here is my plan for New Orleans. Bulldoze the place in. Fill it wil concrete or dirt. It would be best if they dug a ditch across the southern border and pushed all the dirt into New Orleans and let the water back fill the ditch. Fill the ditch with alligators and that will keep the ILLEGAL immigrants down. Filling in New Orleans will keep it from getting flooded again. Then, they can build a city inland where it is above sea level.
Other than that, I don’t want to hear about all their problems. I did not cause them and about now I don’t care about them.
The victim mentality…
Tags: corruption, crime, floods, katrina, new orleans, seal level, whining, william jefferson
Why No Katrina Stories From Iowa?
Jun 13, 2008 Political
There is terrible flooding in Cedar Rapids Iowa and Des Moines is under a voluntary evacuation order as rivers swell and rise to the tops of levees. Cedar Rapids is under water and 15 people have died as a result of the flooding. Of course this story has been in the news but I can’t help but wondering where all the network trailers are. I can’t help wondering where FEMA is and where are all the protesters demonstrating against perceived government inaction on this one?
Also, where are all the dead bodies floating around while hoodlums roam the streets shooting at people and looting stores?
What is it about this storm that is at least as bad, if not worse, than Katrina that has left us without stories of devastation caused by the government’s failure to swoop in and help people? Why don’t we have music stars on TV holding a telethon to raise money while they proclaim that George Bush hates white people?
Why is it that teen aged boys, members of the Boy Scouts, were able to respond immediately to render first aid to the injured and dig out those trapped in the rubble when adults in New Orleans seemed incapable of helping themselves?
Perhaps this goes back to the thoughts I had about dependence on government. Those in New Orleans have ridden the back of government programs for so long they did not know how to care for themselves. The leadership they needed from state and local politicians was non existent with the governor crying and the mayor lying in the fetal position sucking his thumb on the upper floors of a hotel. The people were ill prepared because their leadership was ill prepared.
Certainly there was blame at the federal level and things could have run more smoothly but there is no battalion of federal employees traipsing around Iowa and they seem to be surviving.
It all comes down to people taking responsibility for one’s own life and helping others in need.
My prayers are with those folks in Iowa affected by this terrible storm. Thanks goodness they had the ability to fend for themselves or the death toll could have been much higher.
Tags: cedar rapids, fema, floods, iowa, katrina, new orleans