On getting more background to understand the resentment, I understood somewhat already... here, it's very specific related to the post hurricane events resentment.
Panzade, there is always the possibility that the US of A will indeed do some soul-searching, perhaps even draft a mission statement, something along the line that the US of A is above all else, dedicated to humanity.
Exactly what I had in mind Set
Dys...what I love about you. It always comes down to humanity. Screw your anarchist mantle
Dys
dyslexia wrote:Panzade, there is always the possibility that the US of A will indeed do some soul-searching, perhaps even draft a mission statement, something along the line that the US of A is above all else, dedicated to humanity.
Dys, I hope all of us dreamers are not disappointed---again.
BBB
Setanta wrote:panzade wrote:One can argue that it's not our governments responsibility to maintain our citizens well being. But I think the message the world is getting is that the U.S. is in for some serious soul searching.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Adding to Set and, even though this line is not found in the constitution (it's in the declaration of independence) "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
maybe you guys could discuss this on thislink?? I it's very related and to the point?
link
a little more info on what caused the hold up of out of state NG...
news.yahoo.com
BBB
The responsiblity became federal as soon as New Orleans was declared a state of emergency; which was before the levee broke and New Orleans flooded.
it seems to be another case of "it's so simple, they had to make it hard", doesn't it ?
the spin is emerging that it hangs on the mayor and the governor of la. as far as i know, a mayor is not empowered to commandeer transportation. or to activate the ng.
what part of "we need help" did the feds not understand ? or did they understand and were not prepared to deal skillfully with it ? or was it that the best NGs are in iraq with the best of the equipment ?
when we had the l.a. riots, they had the guard from no. cal down here within 24 hours. you'd think that with the advanceed warning that an entire coastline was in danger of catastrophe, that they would have got things moving that direction before anything came down, even if it was held up at the state line, or on the runway or something. anything that would cut the time for deployment in a situation where you know that there's gonna be some bad stuff to deal with no matter where it hits.
It's an old, simple and essential military principle that when threatened from a particular direction, one positions one's forces in one or more central locations to move in response to the threat. It certainly seems pathetic that the Army National Guard units in the area were not at assembly points from which they could have been dispatched as need. Pretty damned incompetent . . .
Cowdoc-- Dys and I both understand what you are saying about neighbors helping each other. We both come from ranching, farming families and what you say is true. Help is given without being asked for--it is just the way people do things in those communities.
When that sense of community and helpfulness breaks down is when people are living lives quite similar to those in the most populous, poverty stricken, third world countries--except their lives are being lived in the inner cities of the USA.
After generations lacking the most basic necessities and the constant fear of authorites due corruption and racism on the part of law enforcement, there is little room left for the niceties of civilization.
Civilization has left the poor behind, far enough behind that they become invisible. No one, especially the middle and upper classes, wants to have to see the generational hopelessness of poverty and squalor or smell the odors associated with it; odors of unwashed bodies, urine, vomit, blood and fear.
Living lives of despair corrodes accepted morality, even among the strongest. Those who manage to make it out should be hailed as true heroes, but they shouldn't be held up as examples to the others who have descended to lives of crime with the expectation that those lives will change without extraordinary intervention.
It doesn't require funding that would dry up our basic budget to provide decent schools and housing. It would, in fact, raise the standard of living of all of us when self-respect becomes the norm instead of the numbing inhumanity of basic survival.
Yes, there are 'programs' in place for the poor, but political machinations make those programs unstable because of funding cuts every few years, depending on who is in office and who is beholden to rich, powerful corporations who insist on tax cuts.
We need to look beyond what we know and try to see clearly the reality in other parts of the country. You and I and Dys know about lending a helping hand whenever it is needed, but I don't think we can possibly know what it is like to live in a community whose long history consists of poverty, ignorance and scorn from the rest of society.
Criminals, robbers and rapists need to be prosecuted; but, in my opinion, those who are thrown into a situation where there is no opportunity for thoughtful consideration, who are insanely wild with fear for their very lives and the lives of their families need more compassion and sympathy rather than a mindless, all incompassing, shoot to kill threat.
I realize that it is sometimes impossible to know the difference in emergency situations, but there are other methods, even using stun guns, that would provide the time needed to determine who is the criminal and who is a mother or father or child insane with fear because their world has become a place of utter chaos.
Diane
Diane, darlin
BRAVO, sister!
BBB
Insane with fear...
I can't imagine what it must have been like for them.
Most of us will never know.
mysteryman wrote:DTOM said...
Quote:a mayor is not empowered to commandeer transportation.
okay. wasn't sure about that one, mystery. is the "la. disaster plan" supposed to be a link ?
if not, could you post one. i'd like to read it and see who did, or didn't do what. thnx.
Panz--
Quote:It's heartbreaking for Americans to be forced to see that the emperor has no clothes. That while we are nation building, here at home racism and poverty continue unabated. That the disparity between the haves and have nots is steadily increasing. That the new face of our middle class features rotting teeth. That the lack of medical insurance is swiftly decimating those too poor to maintain it.
Good post.
Diane--
Quote:Civilization has left the poor behind, far enough behind that they become invisible. No one, especially the middle and upper classes, wants to have to see the generational hopelessness of poverty and squalor or smell the odors associated with it; odors of unwashed bodies, urine, vomit, blood and fear.
Living lives of despair corrodes accepted morality, even among the strongest. Those who manage to make it out should be hailed as true heroes, but they shouldn't be held up as examples to the others who have descended to lives of crime with the expectation that those lives will change without extraordinary intervention.
I agree. Well put.
Osso--
I read a local news story this morning that while the local chapter of the Red Cross is sending volunteers south they will not be entering New Orleans because of the unsettled, violent conditions.
I also read that the National Guard was frisking the evacuees before allowing them on the buses out of town and confiscating any weapons.
I have not read of anyone shooting at the National Guard--complaints and raspberries, yes. Armed violence, no.
There were not enough police to stop the looting. Permitting the looting may have contributed to the Tipping Point that allowed other forms of violence to be acceptable to the members of the mob. I don't know.
We have a great deal to be embarrased about, not so much embarrased because of world public opinion but because of the thousands of impoverished people in our rich country.
