www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Katrina and the U.S.

DJS

I'm a firm believer in the concept of Rugged Individualism. To me it means being totally self reliant and assisting my neighbors when they're in dire need.

Alex, Alex, Alex

i think you sometimes write these things to agitate people.

First, I think FEMA did an excellent job cleaning up. Clean up does not happen over night.
I speak from experience. Being in Florida last year after Jean hit I bless FEMA every day. WE were on our way down and spent an additional 2 nights in So Carolina because we did not want to be in the mist of a hurriance in our brick house.
In order to get to our home the detours because of downed trees, power line etc increased our time. To get to our house we had to move branches etc. But FEMA was there making its way down the road picking up the debris. I was truly impressed. If you pulled it out to the road they picked it up.

2/ There must be millions of very rich black and minority people to send all that money, supplies down there. Since racist whites didn't send a penny. And if they did they clearly designated not to give it to black or other minorities. I wrote several checks to Catholic Charties, Red Cross to use where needed?

3/ How much did you Alex send? Did you go down to help your black brothers ?

4/ Some people chose to stay there.
Yes some couldn't leave because they did not have the means and here the city and state failed. I believe the mayor of New Orleans is black.

i think it is a terrible misjustice to call this racist.

Alex, Do you believe everything the media reports?
The media sounds disappointed that they are not finding 10,000 dead. If one death that could have been avoided is too much.

How about the racist whites opening their homes to the displaced?

How about the racist whites risking thier lives to rescue blacks. Giving of their time.

Yes, America needs to improve. But when there is trouble America comes to front to help people. American and non Americans

I just tired of everyone bashing the US.

may God continue to bless America and help stay the course

Daniel, the problem of handing over drugs is that hospital pharmacies are locked. If the pharmacist is not about, you'd have to hack down first the pharmacy door, then blow the narcotics safe. THEN you could hand over the drugs to satisfy the first , and I do mean the FIRST group of looters. THEN you would have to fend off all the other junkies in withdrawal who were half-crazed to start with, and won't believe that all the drugs are gone. THEN you'll deal with the looters who want water and food.

And, stealing guns, TVs, etc. willlikely still be considered a sin by the Catholic Church, although I suspect (and hope) that no one will be blamed or charged for taking needed food and water.

As to the hospital story...I suspect it is true. We've hit that kind of low. However, I refuse to think that compassion was the motivating factor. Compassion follows the hospital's emergency evacuation plans days in advance. (Witness that nursing home that did not evacuate...they never called the ambulance service or did anything else that the emergency plans mandate). I try not to be judgmental, but compassion involves the care of those around you that are more helpless than you are, and protection of those in need. I read a quote from the daughter of a paralytic man who died in the nursing home because they did not evacuate...he was aware the storm was coming, and was repeatedly begging his daughter to come get him...she was unable to put him in her car due to the paralysis, and had to keep reassuring him that her brothers had spoken to the staff, who assured them of ambulances and evacuation plans.

I can only imagine the pain she and her family were feeling, but it does not begin to compare to the terror that poor man must have felt, thinking he'd been abandoned by his family, and by those who were supposed to care for him.

May the Lord have mercy on all involved, as there is no way that this disaster has not harmed the souls of all of us, as we read, and argue, and judge.


Gaudior, in prayer for the victims....all of us, all over the world.

What does that mean, Lawerence? I suspect that anyone who is totally self-reliant cannot be of much material help to neighbors in need - dire or otherwise.

More satire, Rose, [I hope]?

Dear Little Green Coat,

I did NOT intend this as a way to bash the U.S. - unless you maintain the U.S. isn't a democracy where any questions that are asked are seen as a form of treason.

I've given several hundred dollars by way of relief to an organization helping the victims of Katrina - but that is between God and myself.

The Sunday before Katrina struck, I hung my flag of New Orleans out at my in-laws' cottage and spent the day under it in prayer, feeling a good deal of internal pain, for the people there.

I have continued with that prayer and that pain.

I did not go down to help in person as my circumstances won't allow it. I'm also not all that well physically for it.

These questions are being asked and they will continue to be asked in the near future - the President has already accepted responsibility for whatever went wrong.

If he admits there was a problem, I'm sure he's not engaging in "U.S.-bashing."

Alex

Dear Friends,

If I have in any way given offense to you here by this thread, then I apologise and wish to withdraw it.

Alex

Dear Alex:

No offense seen as your quotation was just an imaginary caricature of American government and society! :p

Many among us have not considered, or fail to consider, the limitations to "govern," from the Federal level to the State and municipal levels. And politics is just one of the more colorful and more evident "constraints" against responding seasonably to natural disasters and their after-effects or to catastrophic events like 9/11.

The real face of American society, as nurtured by our democratic principles, is borne by the unsung heroes, ordinary citizens all, who relentlessly came and are still coming to the aid of those displaced by Katrina along the gulf States!

My immigrant family and I would prefer no other!

Dear Amado,

Neither would mine . . .

(Wasn't the Administrator's "to the rescue" post great? Who else that you know can write like that?)

Alex

You!

Amado

Alex, Alex, Alex. Don't you know that the USA is a religion? That we Americans are a Sorta Chosen People, that we have a destiny to bring the world Freedom and Democracy and Always Low Prices whether they want it or not, with liberty and justice for all world without end amen?
If I raised the question you did I would be considered a heretic. You, as a foreigner, are only an infidel. However you are not one of those Scary Foreigners, you are a Canadian, that is, almost an American, a citizen of that harmless frozen joke to the north. In fact, if you want to become an American it's easy, as your many transplanted singers actors and other celebrities have shown. If you move to California and start paying taxes we even forget that you were ever a foreigner; sort of the political equivalent of reception by chrismation.
Someone with your impeccable ecumenical credentials should be more sensitive to the religious sensibilities of others. I mean you do it for Hussites and Anglicans. Surely you can do it for the Americanists.
Daniel

Dear Daniel,

Without saying I agree with you or not - you are one heck of a man and I hope we could get together for a beer one day!

Alex

Dear Amado,

May we meet in a renewed New Orleans on the feast of Our Lady of Prompt Succor!

Alex

Indeed, Alex, I suspect we would have an uproarious good time! I hope you like hearty ales, not those thin sour German brews...
peace, Daniel