And remember Bush's response when Cuba offered to send over 1600 doctors and 83 tons of medical supplies? While our own citizens were lying dead or injured on top of roofs and in the streets, while they were starving and in need of water, the president of the United States said, "No."
Every generation has their so-called Christians who put their faith (politics) before the welfare of mankind.
I realize Katrina in no way compares to the devastation in Haiti. I just thank God we have a president who cares instead of one who was cold and indifferent.
Bush's blowing off of Cuba was just the beginning.
ReplyDeleteSweden offered to send two or three rescue choppers, with crews that included doctors, nurses and rescue specialists.
In Florida, a group of 43 or 45 owners of flat-bottom, fan-driven swamp buggies organized a search-and-rescue party. They loaded up with first-aid supplies, lights and other stuff and were prepared to cross the Gulf of Mexico to help in the New Orleans rescue effort, all at their own expense. They contacted the authorities, which ignored them for two or three days before telling them their help wasn't needed and they wouldn't be allowed into New Orleans.
There's more, but those are the ones that stand out in my memory. Incompetence like nothing I had ever seen in my life, at least in America.
For a few days New Orleans was cut off, but yet, while FEMA couldn't, all the TV crews were able to fly in to film floating bodies, which shocked us and the world. But good old "Brownie" was doing a great job. I will not forget that.
ReplyDeleteIt's all so mind-boggling and now Obama is being criticized for raising and providing U.S. dollars by the cold religious righties. I hope other people comment and share what they remember.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
I'm dumbfounded. I had NO idea that Castro offered aid during the Katrina disaster! Where the hell was I? My head must've been up my butt. And NO, I don't like the view!
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me why Castro's offer was denied? I realize we have an embargo with Cuba, but help is help, isn't it? Or is my thinking like way...up my butt?
I need to go do some serious research, excuse me while I remove my head.
Regarding Katrina, I remember a little boy screaming in unbearable agony and pain and loss as his beloved little dog was ripped from his arms as he and his family were being rescued. The policy was, no pets allowed.
ReplyDeleteI'll never forget.
NEVER.
I remember Katrina....I had two employees who went down to New Orleans as part of a bachelor Party and I remember getting a call one morning asking me what I thought they should do....
ReplyDeleteI said GET OUT! They did but it wasn't easy and to sit and watch the television knowing that I knew people who were part of that...
Watching as Americans struggled and died....
Now I realize that we can get established in Haiti faster than we could in New Orleans...
Incompetence is one thing....Katrina was just absolute negligence of duty...
Well, Pam - I'm sorry you don't like the view up there, so you better get out! ; ) I remember hearing about it at the time, so to verify, I googled "bush katrina cuba." It was because of the embargo, a pathetic excuse considering the calamity.
ReplyDeleteHill: Your story breaks my heart. Fortunately, that policy was changed. Animal handlers from all over volunteered to rescue animals and take them to shelters elsewhere. A surprising number of owners were found. Let's hope that poor little boy was reunited with his dog.
TAOS: It was indeed absolute negligence - starting back with the government ignoring the recommendations of the Corps of Engineers - and ending with ALL government officials.
My uncle lived in New Orleans until his death a year before Katrina. I went down there every chance I had. He was crippled and blind for several years before he died. That didn't stop him from flying down those uneven sidewalks in his electric wheelchair, forcing people to jump aside. He lived in the Quarter and all the waitresses and waiters would flock around him for a history lesson. He knew his wine and loved good food. Frankly, I was glad he had died before Katrina. He never would have made it out and what a horrible death it would have been.
I drove truck and we took loads of food, water and other supplies down. We were told to wait in Northern LA, MS and GA until it was safe.. Finally we were offloaded by FEMA into storage facilities.. some were sent back North to other places and then redirected back to the South.. One driver I knew made 4 complete rounds between St. Paul, MN and Baton Rouge, LA. Everytime he got to one of the other he was turned around with his load of bottled water and MRE's.. Finally he was off loaded at St. Paul and thanked for his time... He got paid but no one got the supplies they so desperately needed.
ReplyDeleteTrailer loads of ice were left to melt, because no one would put fuel in the reefers.... they wouldn't take them to the people who needed them, we were told to drop them in a yard and leave them... then we would go back about a week later and pick up the empty trailer... when the doors were opened we cleaned the plastic bags out and threw them away.
Just waste... hundreds of thousands of dollars.... all because no one knew what the heck they were doing.
Annette: How absolutely awful. I think some allowance can be made for the mass confusion at the time but this is unbelievable. Think how many people this could have helped - how many didn't get food, water and supplies because of someone's stupidity. Hopefully we'll never again have such a disaster, but if we do I pray that recovery efforts will be better planned and directed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting.
Unbelievable stories! Such incompetence I hope we never have to experience again, not ever..
ReplyDeleteI remember Castro offering to send medical teams, and being rebuffed. I remember thinking "damnit, take the help, obviously we need it!"
ReplyDeleteAt the time, it was a slap in the face for a lot of people. Bush's approval ratings plummeted as people on that side of the aisle watched people crying for help from the Superdome, bodies in the streets, people trapped on their rooftops for days in heat and pestilence and dirty water. I think that was a point where a lot of even republicans began to say to themselves "if that happened here, we're shit up the creek without a paddle, and no one to help, or even care". Because the Bush Administration did not care - they made that perfectly clear when it took them 3 days to even realize there was a disaster in New Orleans, even though the rest of us were watching Anderson Cooper within 24 hours literally screaming into the camera for help for the people trapped in that city. The 20%'ers, those who thought bush was doing a good job when he left office, are the ones who think that american shouldn't be helping because like Rush said, "it's called income taxes" whatever the heck that is supposed to mean. So far, I've been quite pleased with the Obama administration's fast response to Haiti - and it makes me think that if my city were devastated by some man-made or natural disaster, we might not have to bake on rooftops or die in the SuperDome again. Of course, if the republicans manage to weasel their way back into office, any disaster will be met with "well, why didn't you just load up your SUV with your Evian water and hightail it to your summer home?" again.