Christmas in New Orleans

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• Reader Comments (10)

  Page 1 of 1 pages

  Thank you for keeping us aware of the Post-Katrina realities, even if these realities make us ashamed to be Americans.

  We are having a Post-Katrina Christmas dinner tomorrow and I have printed your article to share at the dinner where we will also be collecting money for New Orleans survivors.

  Posted by RebeccaAnn on Dec 24, 2005 at 3:44 PM

  Ashamed to be an American .... Is that what you think RebeccaAnn?  Ya, America is terrible, we are mean horrible people. 

  Well lets looks at some figures and see if your still ashamed.  But before I do that, I’ll offer this to you:  If America is so bad, then leave .. move to Canada. 

  These Katrina donation amounts are from SEPTEMBER 9TH, only 9 days after Katrina ... so you imagine how much more money has been given.  Also, these are just a few funds that are from a USAToday article on Sept 9.

  http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-09-09-katrinacharities_x.htm

  * Private gifts have soared to nearly $700 million (as of Sept 9)

  * The American Red Cross alone had received $503 million (as of Sept 9)

  * Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund collected $80 million (as of Sept 9)

  * Salvation Army has received $65 million (as of Sept 9)

  * America’s Second Harvest raised nearly $12 million (as of Sept 9)

  * Catholic Charities USA raised $7 million (as of Sept 9)

  Also, which states are the most charitable—RED or BLUE?

  The top 25 most charitable states are Red, that’s right ... Bush states. 

  This really doesn’t surprise me, liberals do a lot of yapping, whinning and complaining, but don’t take any action.

  Liberals are all talk.
  http://michellemalkin.com/archives/000839.htm

  So you can look at America as bad, evil and continue to look at the glass half emtpy ... And I will continue to look at the glass half full. 

  I use to hate liberals, but now I just feel sorry liberals ... and this is why.  What a horrible way to live, I can’t imagine being so bitter and angry everyday like a liberal.  Living in the best country in the world and being ashamed to be an American.

  I’ll keep you liberals in my prayers and hopefully someday you won’t be so bitter, angry and resentful.

  Posted by tina1 on Dec 26, 2005 at 4:50 PM

  tina 1;

  Welcome to the ITT online commentary universe. It’s good to hear such a sweet and innocent right-wing-nut perspective.  Our resident trolls are getting quite tame.

  I wonder if you could find a moment to consider this;

  http://blueworksbetter.com/CharitableGiving

  An admittedly ‘liberal’ comparison of the
  Catalog for Philanthropy Generosity Index touted by Ms. Malkin and a 48 page Boston College study available as a pdf file.  Don’t take my word for it.  Read both reports and make up your own mind which is the more credible. 

  Perhaps it is of some value to talk and think about things before acting without knowing what you’re doing or where you’re going or what you’re gonna do when you get there.

  Posted by luminous beauty on Dec 26, 2005 at 9:25 PM

  And tina,

  Thanx for your generous prayers.

  Namaste.

  Posted by luminous beauty on Dec 26, 2005 at 9:27 PM

  Lum,

  I really like that website ... blueworksbetter.  Nothing like a good anti-Bush, anti-GOP, anti-Corporation website.  Is that website funded by George Soros?  lol

  Now back to reality .... My main point is addressing the comment from RA, “ashamed to be an American” because New Orleans isn’t back to normal yet.  When you have a city in which 80% was underwater ... I don’t think all would be well in 4 months.

  And let me remind you of this, New Orleans survived the hurricane, the city seemed to dodge a bullet.  Then the levees broke a day after the hurricane and flooded the city, which caused the problem.  New Orleans was not ruined by the hurricane, New Orleans was ruined by the levees breaking after the hurricane.

  I like how the media and the liberals jumped on the bandwagon saying “it’s Bush’s fault” that the levees broke.  Bush has been in office 5 years, and New Orleans has been around 300 years.  5 years ... 300 years.  Also, you will see from my other post that the State of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans has been completely controlled by Democrats since the beginning of time.  After all, it was the French that started Louisiana ... no wonder the state is a disaster.  A receipt for disaster right from the beginning.  You would think that the Democratic/French leadership (or lack of) would of built better levees.  Maybe they would of thought this out little longer ... they only had 300 years. 

  Below are some excerpts to read.  The entire commentary can be found here: 

  http://new.neworleans.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2 201&Itemid=98

  ((  Most observers thought that Katrina’s destruction would cause legislators and the Blanco administration to offer sweeping changes in our political system, our government, our tax code, our business climate. Well, most observers were wrong because they didn’t realize the power of “politics as usual.” In Louisiana, old habits die hard, especially when you consider that we have been operating this way for 80+ years.  ))

  ((  Why is the state so gripped by this type of political mentality? For decades, many voters made rather careless decisions about elections and in some cases were downright lackadaisical. In fact, our state elected a known con man, Edwin Edwards, as Governor four times. We entrusted a crook to the highest office in the state, but we didn’t stop there. Louisiana has placed into office more politicians who have been investigated, indicted, and convicted than any state in the union.  ))

  ** Now why didn’t we hear any of this from the media?

  I have lived in New Orleans before so none of this was a suprise to me.  What was a suprise was see the media avoid this and focus on the FEMA and Bush. 

  Once again let me remind you of this ... New Orleans wasn’t ruined by the Hurricane itself, but by the levees breaking a day after the hurricane. 

  And which party has had complete control of the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana for the past 100 years?  THE DEMOCRATS !!!

  PS - How much Kool-Aid would someone have to drink to make them think that it’s Bush’s fault?

  Posted by tina1 on Dec 27, 2005 at 5:17 AM

  tina,

  Glad you enjoyed the blueworksbetter site.  Hope you took advantage of the opportunity to expand your knowledge and understanding.

  I think Bush was not being faulted for the failure of the levees, but for his administration’s failure to adequately prepare or respond in a prompt and effective fashion when the levees failed.

  There seems to be a lot to be desired in the follow up, as well.  I find your theory that the local authorities have the main burden of responsibility in a national emergency a hoot.  Thanks for the brain tickle.

  Loosyana pol’tics shore’s sumpin’ inn’t?  Politicians are either honest and dumb as a rock or clever and crooked as a dog’s hind leg.  It would be a national scandal if it wasn’t so much the norm for politicians from both parties.

  Put down the kool-aid and get abnormal, sweetie.

  Posted by luminous beauty on Dec 27, 2005 at 6:52 AM

  tina, I’m one of the 300 whining, yapping “liberals” that went to New Orleans to volunteer during Thanksgiving week. What have you done to help?
  As for the billions spent /dispersed so far, there are approximately 2,600 evacuee families in the Bay Area as well as thousands more throughout the country who will be facing evictions from the hotels on February 7th. Also, have you ever tried finding a place to live in the Bay Area with only $2,300? They didn’t ask for hotels, they need permanent housing. Most didn’t even ask to be sent way across the country. And most want to go back but can’t.
  I don’t care if it was the democrats or republicans who are at fault or both: The fact is that this administration knew that the levees could not withstand the force of a storm from the experiences of past hurricanes yet they cut $73 million from the budget that would have made the levees stronger. They had forewarning of this particular storm, yet Bush, as always prefers to reward his unqualified yet loyal subjects with lucrative posts, no bid contracts, etc. This is called, in any court of law, criminal negligience.
  It is a reasonable expectation of every tax payer to expect the government at all levels to protect them in the event of a natural disaster. As you have stated so eloquently, the storm did not cause the flooding, it was the levees.
  Ashamed to be an American? You bet!!! The media, for the first time in many years had the nerve to show the true face of this administration which left thousands on top of their rooftops and stranded on highways without food or water, to die. That image will not be erased by all your ranting.
  I met many people in New Orleans who felt betrayed by their own government, and some had voted for Bush.
  Meanwhile, his cronies are making billions in this disaster, and local landlords are evicting 100 families per day to accomodate the higher paying tenants: FEMA contractors!
  Open your eyes, woman! Your leader has failed miserably!

  Posted by elimilos on Dec 28, 2005 at 8:32 AM

  I’m not ashamed to be an “American”, i.e. a U.S. citizen. I’m not proud of it either. It was an accident of my birth and not an accomplishment.

  What has happened to New Orleans is a crying shame. The shame, IMO, is squarely in the administration’s court. Michael Brown should be charged with criminal negligence, and a few thousand counts of manslaughter, and whatever else may apply, IMO. Throw the book at the rat bastard and the rattier bastard that appointed him—-disaster relief is not a vanity job. People drowned while this prissy, useless pig lingered over lunch. And he’s still getting paid.

  Unbelievable.

  BTW, tina 1, I don’t know what society you live in, but citizens of the U.S. have the right to think whatever the hell they want about their government and to say as much. If you don’t like that then why don’t you leave?

  If you would like to live in a society in which criticising the government is cause for deportation, then I recommend that you look at countries that are admittedly totalitarian. The ‘stans’ would be a good start.

  Posted by wileywitch on Dec 29, 2005 at 7:56 AM

  wileywitch,

  Obviously you haven’t read the hurricane evacuation plans from the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana.  If you would of, then you would realize that the State and City didn’t do half of what they were suppose to .. according to their own plans.

  Well, I just happen to have the link for the State of Louisiania. 

  http://www.letxa.com/katrina/EOPSupplement1a.pdf

  **  pg 12 - item 3 / The state realized that water would overtop levees or levees may fail

  **  pg 12 - item 8 / The state realized that local shelters would flood, thus citizens would need to be evacuated outsite the area

  ** pg 13 - item 5 / Primary means of evacuation will be buses (school & city)

  ** pg 19 - item 3 / Have shelters set up with surrounding states (Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee)

  Question #1) Did the state use buse to evacuate the citizens before the hurricane hit?  NO

  Question #2)  Did the state have shelters set up outside of the local area?  NO —- (it clearly says that if the hurricane is a Cat 3 or greater the local shelters (Superdome) would probally flood, thus we would have shelters set up outside of the region)

  The State and City didn’t do any of this ... and this is their own plan.  We knew Katrina was a CAT 5 and headed directly at New Orleans, yet the State and City didn’t have any of this set up.

  IF YOU CAN’T SEE THAT THE BLAME REST ON THE STATE AND CITY ... THEN YOU ARE “STUCK ON STUPID”.

  If the State and City would of done what they were suppose to, then no one should of been at the Superdome or Convention Center.

  Here is their plan ... yet we have STUPID LIBERALS that are screaming “it’s Bush’s fault” ... “it’s Bush’s fault”. 

  One thing is for sure, you Liberals aren’t as smart as you think.  lol ...

  Yet another example of why “Liberalism is a Mental Disorder”

  http://www.letxa.com/katrina/EOPSupplement1a.pdf

  Posted by tina1 on Jan 3, 2006 at 1:53 PM

  Tina (stuck on stupid)1. What is FEMA responsible for?  Hmmm?

  I’m not screaming, “It’s Bush’s fault”. He’s on vacation. Or raising money for the GOP at events populated with people who have signed loyalty oaths. Or he’s taking his 2,000 + entourage to foreign nations where he is openly ridiculed. 

  Do you really think you are doing Republicans or Conservatives or Bush any favors? You’re so embarrasing.  I wouldn’t wish you on Republicans. The quality of discourse is poor enough.

  Posted by wileywitch on Jan 3, 2006 at 11:04 PM

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