Superdome Hell
 

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Finally a decent post on this subject...

Next you're going to say that Bush's oil buddies are encouraging the looters, robbers, murderers.

Why do people have such a problem taking responsibility for their actions? Why must you blame other people (Bush's oil buddies) for the violence and mayhem going on in NO right now?

There is a lot of evil in that city - it is rearing it's ugly head now. While I truly have sorrow for those people who have been displaced and have lost everything, it is a shame that there are so many who are resorting to violence to make sense of their situation.

Of note: when the September 11th attacks occured and lower Manhattan was devastated, I don't recall hearing of such wide spread violence and looting.

-Z-man.

Yep, so true.

Unfortunately, the dim-witted few are giving the rest of New Orleans a very bad name.

In Manhattan after 9/11, there was widespread fraud, with people claiming losses and trying to get relief and compensation money. But little or no violence.

But nobody was left for three days in a deteriorating situation without food or water after 9/11. 90+% of Manhattan was undamaged. You really cannot draw a parallel.

What BS. That's no excuse. BESIDES, that's not what's happening in NO. The violence started immediately. Not after days of suffering. The looting started after the storm, before the flood. The looting quickly (same day?) progressed to rape, murder, shooting at rescuers, etc.

I haven't actually been watching much of this on the news, but last night I saw a bit.

One family was on and was happy to have been moved from NOLA to Houston, they said that since they came to Houston they had food, cloths, a roof, and a shower. This family repeatedly said "thank you Houston". 2 min later they had some other woman on who had been moved to houston. She said she hadn't gotten food, a bath, cloths, and was standing in line. She was pissed because she hadn't been helped.

Too many people are unrealistic in their thoughts of how this sort of thing can/does proceed. Too many people prefer to ***** and be pessimistic.

Crap, 30,000 people being moved from NOLA to Houston needing food, clothing, showers, etc... That's not something that is generally planned for and is a huge ugly logistics nightmare. Not to mention that the priority is not the people who are walking and talking and *****ing, but are the people in need of medical care.

This sucks, people are working as hard as they can. Sheesh.

On a brighter note, the morning show from one of our stations here in Houston has been on the air (same 3 people) for about 48 hours straight. They've been doing "pay for play". You donate and they'll pay any song you want (Don Ho "Tiny Bubbles" was played). In the last 48 hours they've made over $300,000 and they are still going strong. Most of that money is from donations <$1000. All of the money is going to the Red Cross.

it is insane. if that happened here, i would kill to protect my love ones. the "mob mentality" has gotten out of hand. i watched an interview of some shrink. he said that the desparation, and the uncertian future is what sparked the violence. once started it simply snowballs. law abiding, god fearing folks are easily swayed to join the mob. i am truly scared for those people down there. i wished everyone left before the storm. i also wish our military wasnt busy, and could simply roll in there with all their might and expertise, and set up some effen system to get folks medicine, food, water. give some goddamn hope!

i have decided to be better prepared in case the big earthquake smashes us. sadly that includes buying more ammo. oh , and water.

I think your emotions are getting the better of you. Look in the other thread that touches on this to read what people who were in New York are saying about the days following 9/11... an d why it's no parallel. Same thing I said.

Wait. It seemed to me you were saying that the violence in NO is caused by "three days in a deteriorating situation without food or water" - which is BS for the reasons I gave above. That's what I was commenting on... Not a parallel with 9/11. If I misunderstood your meaning, apologies. But, I don't think I did.

I think my emotions are fine. Thank you for your concern. :rolleyes:

- Skip

Boy, what have I started here?

My point bringing up the 9/11 attack is this: it seems that there was a different attitude. People were scared, saddened, worried: looting wasn't on their list of things to do.

Granted, the two disasters are vastly apart in magnitude, cause, and effects. But where we heard stories of helping hands on 9-11 and no violence, we are hearing more and more stories of looting hands and violence coming out of NO.

-Z.

Guys if you think NO is the slightest bit different from any other large city, you are infiniely wrong. Remove the threat of law enforcement form LA, NY, Philly, Detroit, Boston, Chicago or any other major city & you'll see the same, maybe worse. The ghetto culture on display here and embraced by MTV & others is just a tick away from Mogadishu style warlord feudalim. Think I'm wrong, turn on your tv.

Tell you what. Imagine if you can that we had days of warning before 9/11; that the area affected was completely cut off from the unaffected areas, and for three days, area residents who were left behind (homeless and others who didn't 'get the word') had no indication of rescue or reliable source of food/water.

It's not just magnitude, cause and effect, it's also location, nature of population, etc.

I find it interesting some of the same people who decry the negative stories coming out of Iraq as unbalanced are readily embracing and embellishing stories of looting & shooting. I wonder what we'll find when the official report is done. How many shots were fired at authorities, etc.

You keep making the excuse that 3 days of suffering caused the violence. The violence started before the suffering.

I'm not excusing violence, but what violence was happening Monday? Tuesday? Are you considering property crimes to be violence?

The voilence started when law enforcement disappeared! What's hard to understand about that. Those kind folks in the Bronx would be singing cum by ya.

I don't think that it is worth arguing over exactly when "it" started/got worse/etc..., the bottom line is that the people in power should have seen this chaos coming in light of the types of people who did not leave N.O. (lots of criminals and lowlifes).

I also agree that there is absolutely no comparison w/ 9/11/01, really none. NYC was never abandoned by law enforcement, not for one minute. Life was strangely normal, (people going about their business at least), less than one mile from ground zero the next day.

N.O is a lot more like the '92 L.A. riots, if the city was underwater as well as burning. I was there for that one, when authority infrastructure collapses there is a class of people who will turn into animals regardless of the cause of said collapse. Simple as that, but someone should have seen this coming. It's not like N.O. is populated w/ Harvard professors.

Someone where? The NOPD kind of had their hands full. This required federal help and federal help was non-existant.

"It's not like N.O. is populated w/ Harvard professors."

What kind of arrogant ***** is that? So this is like it is because the city's residents are not smart, like you left coasters? Why didn't you all prepare for the riots? All that was over a verdict, no flood, no 130 mph winds. You mean with all that superior intellect you couldn't avert all that death & destruction? I guess LA isn't populated with Harvard professors either huh?

Everyone is concentration on Houston as being "relief central", when in fact Baton Rouge has more than twice what Houston has, scattered in different areas. Our large arena is housing a huge number of those thugs that came up form N.O. They have began to rob, loot, and as of this morning set fire to a historical building. We are have real problems as well with just the shear number of folks that have settled here that are not thugs. Our population more than doubled in 3 days. there is absolutely no rental property. The large newspaper in NO is moving to Baton Rouge, Times_Picayune. Along with their move that are one of many corporations that are buying up houses 30 to 40 at a time. House that have been on the market for months are selling site un seen. Our stores cannont keep up with deamnd for goods and services. Now we are having a tremendous rise in car jackings and robberies. Numerous reports of residents saying that the evacuees are knocking on their door demanding that they allow them to stay in their house and use their facilities. One of the Walmarts has mentioned closing due to the large number of blacks, over 500, wandering their store, harassing their customers in the parking lots. They said it would be cheaper to do that than to have to address the crime and law suit issues. This situation is only getting worse. The national guard has now been called into Baton Rouge to help the local police. Not being racist, but all of the evacuees we have are black.

One other thing...could someone PLEASE get jesse Jackson out of here!!! He's now creating more problems

C'mon guys...Mule is right. The most self-righteous thing I can muster is that I hope my town would not degenerate so quickly into chaos under those circumstances. But let's just say I wouldn't bet on it.

The Mayor speaks:

http://www.atypical.net/mm/nagin.mp3