Whizkid Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Utah's Evacuees. Another perspective from a relief worker in Utah. Let me tell you a few things about the wonderful group of evacuees we received here in Utah. The first plane arrived with 152 passengers. Of the 152, 10 were children. 3 of these children had been separated or abandoned by their parents. As these passengers attempted to board the plane, the National Guard removed from their person; 43 handguns (it is Illegal to own a handgun In New Orleans ), 20 knives, one man had 100,000 dollars in cash, 20 pounds of Marijuana, 10 pounds of Crack, 15 pounds of Methamphetamines, 10 pounds of various other controlled substances including Heroin. Upon their arrival here in SLC, two people immediately deplaned and lit up a joint. During the course of medical evaluations, it was discovered that parents were using their kids to carry loads of looted jewelry (price tag still on), and other items. One third of the people who got off the plane were angry that they didn't get to go to Houston, San Antonio or Las Vegas. Over the course of the next 36 hours we received an additional 430 evacuees. Most of these, like their predecessors had to be relieved of illegal items. Additionally, most of them, were the owners of exceptionally prolific criminal records, just like those in the first flight. By the second night in the shelter, there was one attempted rape of a relief worker, sales of drugs on going and a gang had begun to rebuild. When the people arrived at the shelter, they were given the opportunity to dig through piles of donated clothes from local church groups. Many complained that they were second hand clothes. The state set up a reception center with relocation assistance, Medicaid and workforce services among many assistance groups. This past Saturday, workforce services held a job fair. 85 of the 582 evacuees attended. 44 were hired on the spot. 24 were asked back for a second interview. Guess the others had no desire to work. Yesterday we began relocating evacuees to be with family or friends who had agreed to take them in as well as three to the county jail. Now in the health arena; 4 with Aids, 15% of those 582 had some form of STD, one case of TB, 2 Heroin withdrawals, 15 mental health admissions, one brain tumor and 15 nursing home patients. Like everyone in this nation, I watched as the news media blasted FEMA and President Bush for the "poor response". While everyone on TV saw nothing but people being let down by government, I saw people letting down people. Who would have ever thought that we would reach a point in time that US citizens would lie around in piles of trash complaining that no one had come to pick ! them up out of it. What ever happened to people pulling together to make their circumstance better? Why couldn't they get up and move on their own or at least just clean up the area where they had to wait for evacuation? Why did they feel the need to take a crap in the aisle of the super dome? FEMA did not fail them. FEMA is not a response agency. State and local government is responsible for the first 72 hours. But more important, we all have a responsibility to help ourselves and neighbors. Poverty is not an excuse to behave like animals. The rest of the Gulf Coast did not have problems like this! Difficult situations are not an excuse to loot your neighbor 24 hours before the storm even hits. I have always said New Orleans was a toilet! Now everyone has proof that not only was it a ! toilet, but a toilet long overdue for a flush. (Unfortunately it got flushed on the rest of the country) Matthew Anderson Salt Lake City , Utah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JClark Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Whiz, believe the email. Every word of it. Every decent person of ANY color moved out of the core city 20 years ago, and gave it to the dregs of society. Only the business district and French Quarter were kept "clean". And do you want to know how it got that way? Kindly read this article: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/01/16/D8F65JUG5.html And in case the link goes down: Mayor Ray Nagin suggested Monday that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and other storms were a sign that "God is mad at America" and at black communities, too, for tearing themselves apart with violence and political infighting. "Surely God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it's destroyed and put stress on this country," Nagin, who is black, said as he and other city leaders marked Martin Luther King Day. "Surely he doesn't approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses. But surely he is upset at black America also. We're not taking care of ourselves." Nagin also promised that New Orleans will be a "chocolate" city again. Many of the city's black neighborhoods were heavily damaged by Katrina. "It's time for us to come together. It's time for us to rebuild New Orleans _ the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans," the mayor said. "This city will be a majority African American city. It's the way God wants it to be. You can't have New Orleans no other way. It wouldn't be New Orleans." Nagin described an imaginary conversation with King, the late civil rights leader. "I said, `What is it going to take for us to move on and live your dream and make it a reality?' He said, `I don't think that we need to pay attention any more as much about other folks and racists on the other side.' He said, `The thing we need to focus on as a community _ black folks I'm talking about _ is ourselves.'" Nagin said he also asked: "Why is black-on-black crime such an issue? Why do our young men hate each other so much that they look their brother in the face and they will take a gun and kill him in cold blood?" The reply, Nagin said, was: "We as a people need to fix ourselves first." Nagin also said King would have been dismayed with black leaders who are "most of the time tearing each other down publicly for the delight of many." A day earlier, gunfire erupted at a parade to commemorate King's birthday. Three people were wounded in the daylight shooting amid a throng of mostly black spectators, but police said there were no immediate suspects or witnesses. Now ain't that something? On the birthday of the most admired man in the minority community, in broad daylight, and during the parade to honor the memory of Dr. King, this kind of lawlessness breaks out. Oh, yeah, Mayor Nagin needs all those people to come back, and make it a "chocolate" city...but one problem: with all those people, the kind that arrived in SLC, just what kind of tax base is the city going to have to keep things working? I'd say what needs to happen to the city of my birth, where all my ancestors are buried, going back to the 18th century, but I'd get in trouble big time. I'll give you a hint though: I'm thinking biblical. No smilies on this post, I just ain't in the mood for it. Boats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stans Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Someone needs to give Nagin a major dose of STFU, but it ain't gonna happen because he is the media's new darling. Cindy Sheehan is out (loser), Ray Nagin is in (just another loser, but being given way more than 15 minutes of fame). Now I can go on about the social agenda that is going to be pushed by the media propelled Nagin, but then that would likely be my last post here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baltar Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Nagin sure is tight with God ain't he? Wonder why if he knows what God is thinking he didn't tell him to fire up those school buses. I can't beleive the guy still has a job. He said this "Why do our young men hate each other so much that they look their brother in the face and they will take a gun and kill him in cold blood?" It isn't about hate, it's about total lack of ability to understand the value of anything, life included. These guys are animals. You get in the way, you get shot. He's right about the cold blood bit though. I think it is selfishness not hate though that motivates most of that crime. I'll stop there before I go too far too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donster Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 just what kind of tax base is the city going to have to keep things working? Federal handouts my friend...federal handouts. He is banking on that the Republicans loose the White House in the next Presidential Election, and that what ever Democrat moves in will reflood NO with free money. That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JClark Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I agree, Donny. I just know I don't plan to go back to New Orleans any time soon. The one fly in Nagins ointment, are the business people who provide the vast bulk of Nagins tax revenue. They're the people who will ultimately call the tune. As much as Nagin would like to think so, it's not the French Quarter that produces most of the tax base and revenue. It's all those big corporations in the business district on the other side of Canal St. that pump the money into town. Boats, who's stomach churns every time he thinks of this sh!t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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