Save the sociology lessons. This disaster is horrific enough without getting political licks in. The PC BS has been undoing of our Party.

Looters are not the dispossessed, or members of an underserved class of people. They are thugs -white-black-brown-red-yellow-or pink in pigmentation - lock them up. If armed, shoot them.

The President this morning on GMA calls for 'Persoanl Responsibility' from the victims of this disaster.

I could not believe my ears

Re:

Save the sociology lessons. This disaster is horrific enough without getting political licks in.

This is truly defeatist. Why on God's green earth would any Democrat worth his salt NOT get political licks in NOW?

I will never forget the SwiftBoat Liars.

Never forget.

Never forgive.

Take every political advantage and give NO MERCY.

We Democrats should not make this a political issue, but this is another instance in which the Administration's national and homeland security policy has failed to provide national and homeland security. That is something we must hold the Administration accountable for.

I'm a New Yorker, and looking at the throngs of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina reminds me of the scene down the street from my apartment on the West Side of New York on September 11 - confused, displaced crowds wandering up away from ground zero with minimal emergency response infrastructure in place to accommodate them.

The key differences:

-9/11 was unforeseen, the path of Hurricane Katrina was predicted.
-this Administration has had almost 5 years (to the day) to develop the capacity to respond to large-scale emergencies, like a 9/11. We now have a Department of Homeland Security.
-on 9/11, the New York and Louisiana National Guard forces were largely in - you guessed it - New York and Louisiana; today, they are - you guessed it - in Iraq. Much of the heavy equipment that the National Guard forces could use is in Iraq as well... (See ABC News article "LA National Guard Wants Equipment to Come Back From Iraq", Yunji de Nies, August 1, 2005, 9:07 PM CDT).

This is not a political criticism, it’s a policy critique – one my by a Democrat of a Republican.

Being Black in America right now is like...a Shiite walking into a Sunni territory

Black People do not have the advatage of the world the way whites do

Lets not kid ourselves if they were white people who were sickly without transpotation - the Red Cross would had evaculate them weeks ago

Go ahead and make us look like savages talking only about looting - - they are not looting - they are desperate and hungry and shamed.

America don't give a damn about the poor underclass blacks and they showing it by focusing on the negative of this disaster

No Democrats stepped up to the plate and showed how the Repug cut this disaster bill for New Orlean, No national guards came through days before to help the helpless and elderly

So kiss my a$$! all you honkies who don't understand - - When God descend you will

I can't stand to see the victims of the hurricane waiting for help, food and water and rescue and not getting it. What is happening? How can we let this happen to our own people? Those people in the statium and the hospitals are in desperate need. How long can they wait? Please urge whoever is in charge to start saving these people?

Since I'm not running for office, I won't be politcally correct. I hear the harangues of the blacks and I see that, thanks to the civil rights movement and Democrats, thousands have achieved success. It is now time for blacks to help their own. Blacks can help themselves now in ways unthinkable 30 years ago. Seek the assistance of each other and watch a wonder take place.

Don't get me wrong, every American has an obligation to help, regardless of race, but this is an opportunity for Blacks to flex their muscles and exhibit the unity that can launch their cause further. I don't see there being much equality at this time. I'm not naive. New Orleans has its own particular issues with race. But step up, Black America, and show the world how wrong the racists are by managing your own recoveries and facing this disaster as a community that can care for itself.

I truly enjoy seeing the successful Black Americans in positions of power and prestige. It proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the racists were wrong. Prove them wrong again.

I see the confluence of Republican racial politics, social priorities, attitudes, and priorities coming together in a singularly abysmal failure.

The problem isn't looters, its those who use them as an excuse not to help the ones who need it.

SHAME is the watchward for Bush and Company. They cannot blame anyone but themselves for this horrible failure foisted on fellow Americans. There are no "liberals" left in power down there. It is their failure and theirs alone.

I hope America remembers this as a day when racial attitudes and policies fostered by the Republicans for the past 30 years are showcased in their full foulness.

"Looters are not the dispossessed, or members of an underserved class of people. They are thugs -white-black-brown-red-yellow-or pink in pigmentation - lock them up. If armed, shoot them."

What a nice, Republican, black-and-white statement. You must be a Bushie in disguise.

The so-called looters are, for the most part, "stealing" food, water and necessaries for survival.
If they are armed, so what? Better for them, that they can defend themselves. It's not like the police/govt can do it for them. It's time for this Party to learn that guns and their owners are not evil.

And the wonderful Gov of LA says what? "Pray" That's really friggen useful. We have an old saying - Pray in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up first.

Then she diverts the police from their rescue efforts to attempt to put down the looters. Brilliant use of scarce resources, doncha think?

This whole mess is one big circle-jerk, and the sad thing is, people are dying b/c of it.

If there is a time that this country needs coordinated and concerted leadership from the Democratic party it is now...

People are dying on the streets in New Orleans and nothing has reached them. Meanwhile oil companies stand to make the highest profits ever this year.

What is wrong with this picture ?

The outrage that this has been allowed to happen should be expressed for the American people to the administration that is responsible for this.

This country needs leadership and action not empty promises of help which sadly is already too late for some, and will be for more by the end of today.

"The so-called looters are, for the most part, "stealing" food, water and necessaries for survival.
If they are armed, so what? "
These thugs broke into Walmart and stole all of the guns. And you don't care if they are armed? How about the police that were shot at? How about the rescue helicopter that was shot at? How about the shooting inside the Superdome among rival gangs. Republicans did not cause this problem. Look no further than Johnson's Great Society. Zero personal accountability. People have children that they cannot support and expect the government to take care of their every need. I didn't sign up for that. I waited to have children until I could afford to provide adequately for them. Is that a Democrat or Republican thing? I don't think so. It is common sense and that is what is lacking on this board.

"These thugs broke into Walmart and stole all of the guns."
They wouldn't have had to steal them if they were allowed to buy them w/o hassles in the first place.

"And you don't care if they are armed?"
Not as long as I am as well.

"How about the police that were shot at?"
You weren't there. Maybe it was justified. NO police are notoriously corrupt...

"How about the rescue helicopter that was shot at?"
Typical. Lay the blame on all for the actions of a few.

"How about the shooting inside the Superdome among rival gangs."
They would have done it anyway, regardless of the circumstances.

"Republicans did not cause this problem."
No, both Republicrats and Demopublicans caused the problem. Both major parties are to blame for the absolute and utter lack of foresight, planning and common sense.

"Look no further than Johnson's Great Society. Zero personal accountability. People have children that they cannot support and expect the government to take care of their every need. I didn't sign up for that."
Nobody "signed up" for anything, bub. You don't like it - work to change it. Otherwise, stop bitching.

"I waited to have children until I could afford to provide adequately for them."
Hoo-friggen-ray for you.

"Is that a Democrat or Republican thing? I don't think so. It is common sense and that is what is lacking on this board."

And apparently, lacking in See_thru_the_BS as well....

I feel very badly that our commander in chief had to cut his vacation short. But I guess that his being on a month long vacation explains why he says that this catastrophe was not predictable - I guess he did not read any newspapers while relaxing.

And to Mr. Chertoff, who claims that people should have left when when the evacuation order was given, I would like to pose the following questions ...

My daughter was in New Orleans on the last leg of her honeymoon. On Saturday, before the evacuation order was given, we decided that she and her new husband needed to get out. Guess what? We could not charge a plane ticket for her - it is against Homeland Security rules. We worked thru that issue and booked them on a flight that was scheduled to depart on Sunday around 1 on Delta, which was the only airline that I could find that had any available seats. Around 6 pm on Saturday I called Delta to make sure everything was ok - I was informed that they cancelled the flights.

We called Amtrak and Greyhound, they had also cancelled all service out of New Orleans. This was on Saturday, before the mandatory evacuation order was even issued.

We did manage to get them out - but we are very, very lucky. We have the resources that allowed us to pay a very high price.

Mr. Chertoff, do you think that everybody has an extra thousand dollars (or more) that is readily accessible on a Sunday morning?

How, Mr. Chertoff, do you think that people could evacuate when buses, trains, planes were all cancelled BEFORE the evacuation order was issued?

Why Mr. Chertoff, are there absolutely inane Homeland Security policies that prevent assistance from families or friends of those lying in the path of a category 5 hurricane - maybe more citizens would have been able to get out had it been possible for families outside of the area to purchase tickets or rent cars.

Why Mr. Chertoff, were disaster recovery teams not prepared to move in as soon as the immediate danger of the hurricane had passed?

Why, Mr. Chertoff, in this wonderful country, with all of our wealth, technology, military might, have we failed to provide basic needs of food and water to those stranded in the Super Dome, Convention Center, and various other places within the city?

There is plenty of accountability to go around, but Mr. Chertoff, don't blame the victims.

The republican party is not the problem. King George is not the problem. All of those in New Orleans who depend on public transportation were stuck in that city. No matter how many times it is denied, money for the levies was cut. Blaming the refugees shows the whole world what the problem is: insensitive, selfish bastards.

Just one more note: All of those on this blog, in chatrooms, and on television who support Mr. Chertoffs position either did not do their homework or are selfish, insensitive, racist bastards themselves.

The money for the levees went to Iraq. Since when is a fact "political"?

If you think the Iraq invasion was necessary, there should be nothing to get mad about. If you think the Iraq invasion was NOT necessary, there is a lot to be mad about.

Please try to remember: the hurricane doesn't discriminate. Both black folks and white folks and all sorts of other folks -- even French folks, perhaps -- were affected by this. If you want to blame the president for deciding that Iraqi freedom was more important than Homeland Security funding that could help Americans recover from disaster, then that may be a valid criticism. Other wildly absurd assertions about racial discrimination by the president in this case are far-fetched. Emergency services are working to help everyone. And much more is on the way.

They are, huh, Alexander?

Then tell me:

Why are the MASH hospitals in Biloxi, but not also stationed at the Superdome?

Why have their been no airlifts of med supplies, food, sanitary supplies, etc to the Superdome or the Convention Center?

Ethiopia and Iraq get better, but you are damned if you are an American and poor.

It is so obvious and the absence of any airlift effort into the places that REALLY needs help says it all.

The hurricane didn't discriminate. Nope. You are right.

The administration and those in power did. And wholesale death is the result.

Reading the comments on this blog and many others today reminded me of why I am no longer a Democrat. I was a supporter of the Democratic Party for years, a reliable straight ticket voter. Not any more. I think the entire Party, or at least the people who are the driving force in the party at this point in time, have gone NUTS! I was a staunch Clinton supporter. Felt that impeachment was an abomination. However, I wouldn’t vote for a Democrat today if you put a gun to my head. While the Republican Party is far from perfect, the bottom line is they scare me a whole lot less than the modern Democratic Party does. If the modern patron saint of the Democratic Party, John Kennedy, ran for president in ’08 based on his record in political office I don’t know that he could get the nomination in the Democratic Party. He was a VERY hawkish anti-communist president. Supported the extensive use of U.S. military power in the world to protect our national interests. And recommended cutting taxes including the taxes on the highest income brackets. All of which are things, based on what I’ve read and heard, that are completely unacceptable with the people controlling the direction of the party. The way things are right now I cannot foresee a time where I would EVER support a Democratic candidate for ANYTHING, EVER AGAIN! I don’t care what they run for.

You shouldn't.

If those values you espouse were our values, then we would all be Republicans, wouldn't we?

I could care less for the whining of high income Americans. I'm way more concerned about equity in this country.

New Orleans is your Waterloo.

If ya vote stupid, ya get...

stupid!

Who are the people commenting on our web site?

I cried over watching my fellow American citizens die of dehydration as our incompetent government turned away diesel fuel and water and volunteer rescuers.

The handicapped, the poor, the old and the young needed help to get out. Where was it?!? If people did actually chose to stay they did not deserve to DIE for making the mistake of staying.

TO MARY IN DETROIT, I too have cried! I am ready to point fingers! This is a moment of satisfaction for me. The government says to not point fingers, but they also want to investigate them selves. I say point the finger and lay the blame! Make this a moment in time where we can hold those who have caused mass death accountable!The government does not want to play the blame game. Are they afraid of history?

By all means - lets make someone accountable! Let's point fingers, that'll solve everything. That'll help and get aid to the people who need it faster, of course, what was I thinking?! *eye roll*

Tell yourself what you need to feel better. Fling mud, throw dirt! Wallow it, after all, that's what makes pigs happy ... and if that's what you feel will HELP YOU get you through this horrible natural disaster and help those who were caught out in it, than so be it - you have that choice. After all, this country was built on freedom of choice, yes?! For those of us fortunate enough to be born and live in this country, we have the right to choose, correct?

Let’s see, who can we point the finger at … hum, well – there’s the Louisiana Governor, Kathleen Blanco, and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. Let’s start with them shall we, after all, they took the following actions:

Friday, August 26, 2005:
http://gov.louisiana.gov/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=973
Governor Blanco issues a state of emergency for the state Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina poses an imminent threat... The state of Louisiana's emergency response and recovery program is activated under the command of the director of the state office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to prepare for and provide emergency support services and/or to minimize the effects of the storm's damage.

Sunday, August 27, 2005:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1125213007249320.xml
Mayor Nagin has his legal staff look into whether he can order a mandatory evacuation of the city, a step he's been hesitant to do because of potential liability on the part of the city for closing hotels and other businesses … Nagin opens Superdome as a special-needs shelter and ADVISED ANYONE PLANNING TO STAY THERE TO BRING FOOD, DRINKS AND OTHER COMFORTS, SUCH AS FOLDING CHAIRS, AS IF PLANNING TO GO CAMPING …. Nagin stressed he does not want citizens to plan on staying in the Dome, they should make arrangements to leave the city if possible.

Something you have not heard on the news, is that New Orleans residents eye witnessed buses driving throughout the low-income residential communities using bullhorns urging people to board the buses and evacuate … BUT, many of the people did NOT get on the buses, why?! They made a choice not to leave.

Jordan Flaherty, a union organizer, would like you to buy into the idea that racism is to blame (http://www.alternet.org/story/24992/) because New Orleans has a 40% illiteracy rate, and over 50% of black 9th graders will not graduate in four years. Louisiana education spending comes to an average of $4,724 per child, and teacher salaries in the state rank 48th in the country. The equivalent of more than two classrooms of young people drop out of Louisiana schools every day and about 50,000 students are absent from school on any given day.

Yet under 35 years of monolithic Democratic-party rule, Detroit, MI has become the nation's poster child for urban decay. Liberal welfare reform has destroyed the black family, public schools have graduated an adult population with a 47% illiteracy rate, and poor city services and high taxes have chased businesses out of the city. (http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/payne200407260700.asp)

This data has been known for years, but I have yet to see black leaders help their own like Jesse Jackson. He is quick to chastise leadership, yet what has he or others done to draw attention / support to help to people? Oh! That’s right, Jesse is too busy running after any camera crew he can find like ambulance chasing lawyer to push his own agenda to line his own pockets. (http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/1/14/113342.shtml)

At the end of the day, what it boils down to is that people have choices. They have the freedom to go to school, get an education and help themselves. LORD knows there are enough bureaucratic assistance in place for people to take advantage of (www.firstgov.gov/). It’s not like these people don’t know this … after all they use/depend on these government programs every day with every child they bear! These people are responsible for themselves …. Local, state and federal government officials are not responsible for people’s bad judgment.

At the end of the day – nothing changes the fact that a horrific hurricane struck the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of people lost everything.

Thousands of people – rich and poor – took precautionary measures and evacuated all along the coast. But in the city of New Orleans as in all other locations, people were WARNED and WERE PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION to evacuate, but you won’t see that in the news, because it does mesh with what the media is trying to portray.

Many New Orleans residence eye witnessed the evacuation attempts of low-income families via bus! Attempts were made to get people out, but there’s little that can be down when people CHOSE TO STAY!

It boils down to is poor judgment all around. With choices comes repercussion. WHEN WILL PEOPLE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP FOR THEIR ACTIONS?! Oh, that’s right … they won’t and never will have to, so long as the government takes care of them off of the taxes they collect from my 40 hour a week paycheck. But I digress …

People planning to seek refuge at the Super Dome were told, “TO BRING FOOD, DRINKS AND OTHER COMFORTS." No one prepared or took heed of this. They all expected to return home the next day like so many times before.

This isn’t the first hurricane to hit New Orleans … where do you think the famous Pat O’Brian drink the, Hurricane, comes from?!

In 2004 New Orleans, with the help from disaster experts from FEMA ran emergency drills to prepare for a “big hurricane”, (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/02/national/nationalspecial/02response.html?fta=y&pagewanted=all) and no one expected the levees to break!

What more, funding requests for levee protection goes as far back to 1965 with the Johnson administration. New Orleans has had it’s funding requests reinstated and then cut by every administration for the past 40 years! But again, NO ONE EXPECTED the levees to break! Just like no one expected:
- Indian Ocean Earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004 that generated a tsunami that killed 170,000 to 250,000 people.
- Oakland Hills fires of 1991, dubbed the worst urban disaster in US history destroyed more than 3,200 homes and caused 25 deaths, burned over 1600 acres, and did an estimated $1.5 billion in damage.
- The Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 which caused at least 66 deaths and 3,757 injuries with an estimated $6 billion in property damage.

Unlike the cases above, the people along the Gulf knew a storm was coming and they were warned.
No – people did not ask to be hit by a hurricane.
No – people did not ask for the levees to break.
No – people did not ask to lose their houses.
No – people did not ask to lose their lives … BUT they did a choice to stay or go.

Without a doubt people caught out in this storm need help! Thousands of people lost EVERYTHING, including friends and family members, and pets!

Regardless of whether people stayed or left, are wealthy, middle class or poor, are chocolate, vanilla or strawberry – these families need help recovering and piecing what’s left of their lives back together again.

The media and the political parties are jockeying and leveraging everything possible to point fingers and paint and label people … because BY-GOD someone has to pay! It’s human nature to want answers and make someone accountable and demand retribution and payment for wrong doing. That’s why we have so many lawyers and why people have insurance!

But local, state and federal officials can’t be held accountable for the 50% of the residence in New Orleans who chose not to have flood insurance in a city that is 8 feet below sea level! That makes as little to no sense as living on a fault line and not having earthquake and/or fire insurance! It’s a gamble and choice people make … and many lost on this bet.

Nevertheless, those who chose to have no insurance are being put up in HUD homes, military base housing, and cruise ships located in the Gulf of Mexico – accommodations nicer than some of these people have probably ever had. People have been given free flights to a number of wonderful cities across the nation eager to welcome them with open arms, but are taking these flights. Most want to be near Louisiana, close to family / friends – which is understandable.

At the end of the day … People are getting help and assistance through multiple options being made available to them. And as horrible as it sounds, many of these people are going to benefit in the long run. New and better homes, roads, offices, hotels, buildings, schools, libraries, casinos, stadiums are going to be erected. People are going to start over … get new cars, boats, and jobs all along the coast! Now, whether people chose to embrace this in a positive or negative way is up to them.

People will either chose to get involved and become part of what is going to become one of the largest restoration, repair and rebuilding processes in U.S. history, or people are going to do as they did before, learned nothing from this experience, and continue to expect the government to provide and take care of them.

I just thank God everyday that I was born to the parents I have!

Signed,
Red Cross Relief Worker stationed in Houston, TX

In response to ( roozoo )......

"It boils down to is poor judgment all around. With choices comes repercussion. WHEN WILL PEOPLE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP FOR THEIR ACTIONS?! Oh, that’s right … they won’t and never will have to, so long as the government takes care of them off of the taxes they collect from my 40 hour a week paycheck. But I digress …"........

That's exactly why the educated folks from the Blue States fought so hard to keep that idiot son, Bush, Jr., and the rest of his cronies out of the White House. These bungling bozos are spending every dime you make to clean up the crap they create by their inaction and apathy....their utter failure to respond. We are now spending 55 billion a year to clean up the death trap known as the Iraq War....not to mention the casualties and deaths. Bush went after the very man who kept the terrorists and insurgents at bay, Saddam Hussein, believe it or not. No terrorists could survive in Iraq because Saddam was such an egomaniacal ruler. Now we have a cesspool of insurgents honing their skills and hatred in Iraq. Why? Bush and his Dad had a vendetta, pure and simple.
We had to spend tons of your money to clean up after 9/11 because of inaction and apathy by these misanthropes. Perhaps you've heard of the now famous PDB that Bush was given on Aug.6th, 2001 and then he went on vacation.....doing nothing! We all know what happened on the early morning of Sept. 11, 2001. So here we are a mere 4 years later and Bush is once again on vacation and does nothing for two days while the citizens of the Gulf Coast die. Failure to act!! That is the MO of your President. So, he comes back from vacation and asks the American people to bail him out of his inaction to the tune of 60 billion. Oh, and now most of this will most surely go to Cheney's cronies at Hallibuton and the workers will have to take a pay cut so they can get more than their fare share....why else would he show up in the Gulf Coast yesterday? What a pathetic example of a Vice President!! A phantom...never seen unless there's money to be made.
That's why the Blue states don't like the Red. Cause when you guys have the opportunity to screw up the lives and finances of the American people you surely go at it without shame. Fortunately these bozos are being revealed and America will recover financially when another Democrat gets in office and balances the books like Clinton had to do after the first idiot Bush.
Well, one thing is for sure. They sure showed ole Ross Perot. He made a pretty penny for overcharging Medicare all those years. Now these Texans are raping the American taxpayers for trillions. The Carlyle Group and Halliburton have had quite a roll. So, my point really is this inaction is all part of the plan. The more they wait, the more things fall apart and the more it cost to fix it.
Yep', that's why Republicans love wars and catastrophies...cause you'll have to foot the bill right into their good ole boy bank accounts.
Oh, and the fact is the Blue States pay far more in taxes than the Red. Yep, your choice sure has had some serious repercussions for the world this past 5 years. YIKES!!! What ignorance!!!

First in I want to respond to the following statement by septembereve.
"That's exactly why the educated folks from the Blue States fought so hard to keep that idiot son, Bush, Jr., and the rest of his cronies out of the White House."
I can tell by your thoroughly rational arguments, the way you have logically analyzed some of the events of the last four years that you must e one of those "educated" folks. Anyone who analyzes the events that transpired on the gulf coast before and after the hurricane, and isn't trying to prove their own preconceived notions, will find that there is plenty of blame to go around. That includes the mayor, the governor, the residents who chose to stay and yes the federal government.

Ours is a free nation, and with freedom comes responsibility. Roozoo was exactly right in saying "It boils down to is poor judgment all around. With choices comes repercussion. WHEN WILL PEOPLE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP FOR THEIR ACTIONS?!" I fear that as long as the following two related principles remain popular to many people won't take responsibility for their actions.

The first is the "cult of victomhood". This transfer of responsibility for one's actions or lot in life to someone or something else is like throwing your hands up. Saying that I am powerless to ever have a personal effect on how things transpire in my own life. I am no longer my responsible for my own actions or lot in life. It is ALWAYS someone else’s fault. I am an automaton. Someone else is always to blame. Never me. It is not possible that when something bad happens to be that I did it to my self. It is no fun to accept responsibility when thing don’t go well. Often it is pretty hard to admit you made the wrong choice. But that is what is required to have a free society. If we have gotten to the point where we are no longer responsible for our own choices then we are no longer free.

The second is people’s reliance on a nanny state government, a government that is always there to protect you from that evil bully of reality. Johnson’s “Great Society” welfare programs have destroyed the black family in the U.S. Fortunately Bill Clinton helped reform welfare in America. In many ways the promotion of “victomhood” by the “black leaders” and an over reliance on government have created a permanent underclass of poor and largely black Americans. Many democrats think that we should be more like Europe. Yet the economies of Germany and France are stagnate with devastatingly high unemployment levels, largely as a result of their welfare states. Many of the European economies are doing so badly that the evil heresy of a flat tax is sweeping the continent and there is even talk of welfare reform. The flat tax is even a campaign issue in Germany. Every place that has implemented it has benefited economically. Large government bureaucracies, oppressive government regulation, and punitive taxation hurt the economy and poor are the one’s who suffer disproportionately as a result. As a supporting argument to that here is the link to the 2005 economic freedom report http://www.cato.org/pubs/efw/