posted 09-14-2005 12:39 PM         

In 1927, a major unnamed hurricane struck the city of New Orleans.
It was actually more powerful than Katrina. The scope of damage was much more severe because this particular hurricane actually hit the city. Katrina missed it by 25 miles.
The interesting difference is the response the government gave in 1927 to those hurricane refugees, compared to the refugees of Katrina, err- I meant "survivors" ---(sorry Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson). How much aid did the government dispense at that time? Zero, nada, not one dime. And you know how much aid the army offered? The only aid from the army came in the form of loaning the city of New Orleans tents and camp stoves. Ironically, later, the army sued the city for reimbursement. So what was the big difference here?
It was the attitude the people had towards the government at that time, compared to the attitude that Katrina's victims have. The 1927 "survivors" expected nothing from the government. 80 years ago, people understood that the government was there to "protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Today, Americans expect the government to "provide life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." That's a major difference. And now, a week later, when the government failed on all three levels of local, state, and federal to provide for their needs, Americans were sorely disappointed.

Reverend Jackson and reverend Sharpton spend their opportunities arguing about semantics."They shouldn't be called refugees, they should be called survivors" Unfortunately, they missed the boat. It was a perfect opportunity to deliver a very basic message to their people.

Fact, if you are poor and uneducated in America, this is what happens. Fact, if you depend on the government, you will be sorely disappointed. Fact, if you are poor in America, there is no reason for you to be uneducated. Its free! 12 grades. And if you really apply yourself, there is enough grants and assistance out there for higher education, which will raise you above the poverty level. And no longer will you depend on the government and be disappointed. Its unfortunate that this lesson will be missed by most of the "survivors".

A couple of other points should be brought to light. G. W. has asked the congress for 50 billion dollars worth of aid for the "survivors" and clean up of the city. Interesting isn't it? one million people displaced and out of work in that city, sitting all day in shelters, waiting for the next handout. Of course, the thought never occured to anyone that just maybe, "hey, we should give all these folks jobs filling sand bags to plug the levees and clearing trees." (Wonder how many of them would want government aid if they had to work for it?)

And finally, they haven't hardly begun the task of picking up dead bodies, and already the finger pointing has started. The congressional hearings and probes will go forever. Millions will be spent on a wasted diatribe of a bipartisan "witch hunting expedition"- all of which will be nonsense. If you're a democrat, you are going to blame the president. If you are a republican, you are going to blame the mayor and the governor. This is another case in point of how the government will once again fail its people, they could have spent the millions educating the poor and misplaced citizens of New Orleans so that they could go out and get a new and better life, instead of wasting it on useless blame investigations.

posted 09-14-2005 08:31 PM         

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posted 09-14-2005 09:13 PM         

Did you do any homework? Flood, maybe, but no hurricane...nice try, though...before you start posting crap that somebody made up on a neo-con website, you should at least take the time to find out if it's true.

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How much aid did the government dispense at that time? Zero, nada, not one dime.

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Do you even know what happened to the people who were in government after the flood? Do you know what the Flood Act of 1928 was all about? Have you ever heard of "The New Deal"?

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The 1927 "survivors" expected nothing from the government.

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Let's check our facts - In the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 the Mississippi River broke out of its levee system in 145 places and flooded 27,000 square miles. Some areas were up to a depth of 30 feet. The flood caused over $400 million in damages and killed 246 people in seven states.

As the flood approached New Orleans, local leaders appealed to the federal government to essentially sacrifice the poorer parishes by blowing up a levee and diverting the water to marshland. They promised restitution to people who would lose their homes. Government officials, including Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, signed off....the government never kept it's promise...

330,000 African-Americans who consisted of 40% of the population, were moved to 154 relief camps. Over 13,000 'survivors' near Greenville, Mississippi were gathered from area farms and evacuated to the crest of an unbroken levee, and stranded there for days without food or clean water, while boats arrived to evacuate white women and children. Many African-Americans were detained and forced to labor at gunpoint during flood relief efforts....

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Of course, the thought never occured to anyone that just maybe, "hey, we should give all these folks jobs filling sand bags to plug the levees and clearing trees."

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Nope, least of all by our no-bid government, who awarded the rebuilding of New Orleans to Halliburton (Cheney's buddies), who, coincedentally, just achieved yet another big gain, a 52 week high for them, in the value of their stocks...

In a happier side note, Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie's "When the Levee Breaks" which was about the flood of 1927, was reworked by Led Zeppelin, and became one of Robert Plant and the boys' most famous songs.

The Texas stuff is a sad reminder of the situation that HAS been created by our various governments, and "people" being rewarded for non-performance, stupidity & and acting as baby factories. The "hey you got more of a hand-out than me" should irk EVERY taxpaer in America -- it does me.

posted 09-15-2005 05:54 PM         

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They weren't given names in the US back then by the national weather service so what's your problem with that Bro?
Thanks for making my point that the flood act of 1928 was after the hurricane of 1927.

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There was NO hurricane that hit New Orleans in 1927. That was the point...in fact, the only hurricane that came close to hitting the US was downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it hit land...and it hit South Carolina - not even close to New Orleans.

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seems like you're very selective with your gripes--BRO.

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No, I'm not selective, I'm simply bothered by hypocracy and the neo-cons (me being an old school republican - back when being conservative meant something) constant attempts at trying to rewrite history to serve their purposes....

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Of course, being white, I'll never feel the "black rage" that you seem tuned into.

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It's not black rage - its just general disguist with all levels of government these days...

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Want to take the corruption out of governent? Go ahead, you lead the charge. I'm right behind you BRO.

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Thanks, it's too bad you don't live in Minnesota....I'm trying to lead the charge in the 2006 Senate race...

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looking at the black youth in the TX schools starting fights with the displaced Louisiana kids

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There it is again, every news report I either read or saw stated that the TEXANS started the fight by throwing pop cans at the displaced kids...

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My point is the uneducated and the educated will be looking for a hand out.

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It's fine to be angry about that, but what about the oil companies who just got all sorts of tax breaks? Considering the most profitable companies in operation in the US was big oil last year...Exxon posted profits of $10 billion dollars! Why are we giving them tax breaks? Let them fund their own research and development...

move out of town....watch the leaves turn color, the trees move gently in the wind and the waves splash on the shore.....

human beings are the worst thing that ever happened to the planet....

the proof is right in front of us everyday....

treasure what is good, ignore what is bad and live a happy life...

posted 09-15-2005 10:40 PM         

Futility of Pointing Fingers

If you want someone to blame for the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, here's a list:

- Blame all the mayors of New Orleans for the past 40 years because the city was not prepared to deal with this hurricane.
- Blame all Louisiana governors for not leading this state to better hurricane prepardness.
- Blame decades of state legislators for being more concerned with lining their own pockets rather than doing what's right for this state.
- Blame all the past U.S. senators of this state for not fighting to strengthen the levees of New Orleans. And blame all the congressmen, too.
- Then blame all the presidents for the past 40 years. For those of you who hate President Bush and Republicans so much that you automatically blame them, remember: Most of Louisiana's and New Orleans' leaders have been Democrats.

This tragedy isn't about one party or one president. Stop being Monday-morning quarterbacks. It's easy to second-guess after the fact but very hard to make decisions during. Stop trying to assign blame and focus on what you can do to help.

Donate to the Red Cross and other agencies. Donate blood. Designate your donations to the Hurrican Katrina relief.

posted 09-16-2005 01:03 AM         

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polioboy ...hypocrite.

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What?

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how much help have you given?

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That's between my family, and my tax guy.

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how would you like to be paying $7.00 a gallon of gas...

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Doesn't bother me - I don't drive much anyways, I'm healthy, still have two working legs...I can pedal a bike....I'm fortunate to live close to work.

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lets not give the oil guys any bread ok ye right what ever go feed the your dog man and have a look at the real world dude and maybe your coffee will be cold when you wake up after you have taken a look around

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What the crap are you talking about?

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sorry your world isn't that big is it

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Is that a question?...Or a statement?

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I am sorry for the sarcasm but on the Monday after the storm the only thing I could say was" I wonder who is going to get sued"

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What, did somebody else get burned when spilling McDonalds coffee on their way out of New Orleans?...I'm not sure where you're going with this...

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.. Make you think doesn't it

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Mostly it just made my head swim....