Superdome Hell

[SLO-BOB]

I can't believe what I'm hearing! Murders and rapes??? Beatings and mayhem??? WTF?? I was expecting to hear how we band together not attack each other when the chips are down. It's supposed to be a place to go for help-not get killed. The doctors have fled to save themselves. Yikes!!

Again-thoughts and prayers to the victims and the people who are there to help.

[on-ramp]

if it was Bush's oil buddies up there in the Superdome, help would've come a long time ago....rest assured. this is a national disgrace.

[s_wilwerding]

It's my belief that if you put people in a situation in which they are not accountable for their actions, there is no limit to their level of depravity.

[emcon5]

Originally posted by on-ramp
if it was Bush's oil buddies up there in the Superdome, help would've come a long time ago....rest assured. this is a national disgrace.

Of course "Bush's oil buddies" wouldn't go feral after missing 2 meals.

Then again, "Bush's oil buddies" all left when the evacuation order came.

Lots of things in motion to get them out (here is a partial list).

You were expecting President Bush to wiggle his nose and Miracle them out maybe?

Tom

[Por_sha911]

So much for the "goodness" of mankind and how much we don't need God.

[techweenie]

They were locked in, not permitted to leave. the a/c failed, the electricity failed and the water failed.

Yes, they could have all joined arms & sang, but chose to go barbaric. Not our best hour as a species.

[Jims5543]

Its truly not a proud moment for the most powerful country in the world. Why there is so much difficulty getting these people out of there is beyond me.

Hopefully tomarrow will be a better day.


Also, be stuffed into a building reeking of feces and urine and rotting corpses and dirty diapers that probably has an ambient temp of close too 100° with no where to go to the bathroom and little water or food and see how long before you snap.

I was loosing it after 3 days with no electricity in my own home and I had a genrator. I cannot even begin to comprehend the situation there. I can tell you I aviod shelters like the plague. I would never stay in one. Too many rules. No booze no razors the shave with once in there you cannot leave. Did you see all the National guard and fences there holding these people in there. They cannot say, Hey! I want out let me leave please. They are now prisoners being protected from themselves.

[skipdup]

I keep hearing people talk (or hint) about how desperate people got, thus the violence. I don't understand how no electricity, a/c or water leads people to stealing TV's, raping, looting homes, murder, shooting at helicopters evacuating the sick, sinking rescue boats, etc. I could understand fighting or killing for food & water to survive, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE! I just don't get it.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally posted by emcon5
Of course "Bush's oil buddies" wouldn't go feral after missing 2 meals.
Tom

LOL! Thanks! Some much needed levity in a difficult time.

Nope. I don't think we can blame this one on Ole GW.

I'm sure I wouldn't be on my best behavior right about now if I was up to my elbows in my neighbor's stink. With a little time to reflect, it's not like decent people went nuts and started raping and murdering-at least I hope that's not the case. As always, there's a few bad ones that make the news by just being themselves.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by skipdup
I keep hearing people talk (or hint) about how desperate people got, thus the violence. I don't understand how no electricity, a/c or water leads people to stealing TV's, raping, looting homes, murder, shooting at helicopters evacuating the sick, sinking rescue boats, etc. I could understand fighting or killing for food & water to survive, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE! I just don't get it. It's been eating at me all day.

Those are not the people in the Superdome. Those are the looters on the streets. Since they have gone unchecked they are getting bolder and it seems micht have the upper hand on the local police. I saw on the news the police have retreated back to their stations and have sharp shooters on the roofs waiting for the next attack.

A City under control? Where is the National Guard and why were they not there the minute the storm pulled away? They were guarding retirement communities here in Florida after the storms pulled away.

[flyenby]

Escape from New Orleans..... might be the new version of Escape from New york City,

[techweenie]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
Where is the National Guard and why were they not there the minute the storm pulled away? They were guarding retirement communities here in Florida after the storms pulled away.

Aren't about 60% of them in Iraq?

Can you imagine what it must feel like to be from the devastated area and serving in Iraq right now?

[skipdup]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
Those are not the people in the Superdome. Those are the looters on the streets. Since they have gone unchecked they are getting bolder and it seems micht have the upper hand on the local police. I saw on the news the police have retreated back to their stations and have sharp shooters on the roofs waiting for the next attack.

A City under control? Where is the National Guard and why were they not there the minute the storm pulled away? They were guarding retirement communities here in Florida after the storms pulled away.

Good point. But, the people making these excuses don't make that distinction at all. The say the violence is due to the people's desperation. The violence isn't due to desperation.

As for the NG not being there... After the storm pulled away everyone thought they had dodged a bullet. I saw a news cast from the quarter AFTER the storm and they were talking about the partying was about to start (the daiquiri hut was even open). Everyone thought it was over and it was no big deal. I don't think anyone knew the levy's were breaking until the water was was in the streets.

- Skip

[Aurel]

Now, I understand better the mess in Iraq, when I see than even at home, the gubmnt is not able to maintain order and safety.

Aurel

[SLO-BOB]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
Those are not the people in the Superdome.

I'm not so sure about that. On the news they were interviewing a doctor who I thought was helping the injured in the Superdome. He related the tales of violence. It got so bad that he and his staff fled.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by Sebring77
I'm not so sure about that. On the news they were interviewing a doctor who I thought was helping the injured in the Superdome. He related the tales of violence. It got so bad that he and his staff fled.

I heard that as well. But, as I understand it no one can leave the dome. The looers and shooters are out in the streets. No one in the Dome is armed.

Wait a couple more days its gonna get really ugly down there.

This is nuts.

[skipdup]

I posted earlier... My best friend's brother is a MD in NO. Hospitals are closing b/c they're not safe. Dr's are being robbed and beaten for narcotics. Patient evacuations are being shot at. Many of the doctor's are leaving out of very real safety concerns.

[speeder]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro


Wait a couple more days its gonna get really ugly down there.

This is nuts.

I actually think that it will be brought under control, they are mobilising thousands of NG troops to the area to shore up the local police.

The irony is that such a large percentage of NG troops are in Iraq where they are not really battle trained or suited for the duty, (and getting killed disproportionately to other soldiers), and the situation in N.O. is exactly what they are trained for and supposed to be used for.

[fintstone]

Of course the National Guardsmen in Iraq are trained...and well suited to duty.....and war is exactly what they are trained for...They are soldiers, not the red cross, security guards, or garbagemen. And the majority of the NG are here in the states...not Iraq.

Posted on Thu, Sep. 01, 2005

National Guard orders 4,200 military policemen to New Orleans

BY DREW BROWN

Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - The National Guard has ordered 4,200 military police officers to New Orleans to help overwhelmed civilian authorities in the swamped city restore order in the wake of deadly Hurricane Katrina, officials said Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Steven H. Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said 1,400 National Guard military police would arrive in New Orleans by Friday, followed by another 1,400 on Saturday and 1,400 more on Sunday.

"These are trained professionals," Blum said, speaking at a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and other federal officials. "They are military-police-trained, badge-carrying law enforcement officers."

Blum and other officials said the Guardsmen would operate under the direction of civilian law enforcement officials.

Blum didn't specify which states the Guardsmen would be coming from, but he said that National Guard relief efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi would eventually draw in citizen soldiers from nearly every state in the country.

"We will be there ... for as long as they need it," he said.

Jack Harrison, a spokesman for the National Guard Bureau in Washington, said that more than 13,000 National Guard troops were on duty in the Gulf states. That number was expected to top 30,000 "within the next couple of days," he said.

Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke said National Guard troops from West Virginia, Washington, D.C., Utah, New Mexico, Missouri, Oklahoma, Washington state, Indiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan and Arkansas have been sent to the stricken region or are awaiting deployment orders.

Louisiana and Mississippi each have about 3,000 National Guardsmen serving in Iraq, leaving shortages in troops and equipment. With the National Guard's commitment in Iraq at its highest point since the war began, there have been serious concerns that the Guard lacks sufficient troops or critical assets such as bulldozers, water purification equipment, cargo trucks and helicopters to handle the crisis. But Blum said earlier this week that the Guard could "clearly handle this situation" and the war at the same time.

More than 1,100 Guardsmen from Missouri, including military police units, reported deployment orders Thursday; 2,500 troops from the Pennsylvania National Guard were preparing to deploy; 300 had been called up from South Carolina. Kansas reported 120 Guardsmen would be sent. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said his state would send 500 Guard troops. The Texas National Guard said it had dispatched 1,000 soldiers and airmen to New Orleans and plans to send more in the coming days.

The National Guard and active-duty military have mounted a domestic rescue and relief effort unmatched in recent U.S. history.

Michael Kucahrek, a spokesman for U.S. Northern Command, which is spearheading the active-duty military's portion of relief efforts, said more than 7,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are taking part.

Most are sailors. The Navy said Thursday that the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was preparing to leave for the Gulf of Mexico to serve as a floating command center. The carrier will stop off in Jacksonville, Fla., to pick up helicopters for search-and-rescue missions and is expected to arrive off the Gulf Coast by Tuesday, said Lt. Herb Josey, a Navy spokesman. The carrier will be accompanied by the USS Whidbey, an amphibious landing ship.

Helicopters from the USS Bataan, an amphibious assault ship, were already flying search-and-rescue missions in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The Marines dispatched six CH-53 and two CH-46 helicopters from New River Air Station in North Carolina to assist in search-and-rescue operations, said Capt. Gabrielle Chapin, a Marine Corps spokeswoman. Four CH-53 aircraft have been dispatched from a Marine Corps Reserve unit at Willow Grove, Pa.; three UH-1 "Huey" helicopters and one AH-1 Cobra gunship had been sent from Marine reserve units in Marietta, Ga., and Belle Chase, La., Chapin said.

A Marine Corps Reserve unit from Jacksonville, Fla., had sent eight amphibious assault vehicles to Gulfport, Miss., Chapin said.

The Air Force said that about 100 combat engineers from Hurlburt Field in Florida were sent to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi to deliver supplies, remove debris and set up temporary shelters.

The 5th Combat Communications Group from Robins Air Force Base in Georgia departed to set up communications at Keesler and at a temporary hospital in New Orleans.

Two aeromedical evacuation teams from Scott Air Force Base in Illinois left Thursday for New Orleans.

A U-2 spy plane from Barksdale Air Force Base in California flew over the Gulf Coast Thursday, taking high-resolution photos to help determine the extent of the damage, the Air Force said. The 347th Rescue Wing from Moody Air Force Base in Georgia said its helicopters had rescued 211 people in Mississippi.

The Air Force airlifted 190 tons of supplies. Air Force crews had arrived at New Orleans International Airport and Lafayette Regional Airport to pave the way for C-17 and C-5 cargo jets to deliver more supplies.

[ZLP]

Originally posted by emcon5
Of course "Bush's oil buddies" wouldn't go feral after missing 2 meals.

Then again, "Bush's oil buddies" all left when the evacuation order came.

Lots of things in motion to get them out (here is a partial list).

You were expecting President Bush to wiggle his nose and Miracle them out maybe?

Tom

Finally a decent post on this subject...