SOMEBODY needs to get some information to those poor people on CNN

[frankly_fedup2]

that are holding up signs "help us" and in those buildings throwing white sheets out their windows. If they knew that "someone" was eventually going to come and help give them water, food, whatever, then maybe they would not feel so panicked.

I'm sitting here watching this feeling like I'm looking at a car wreck about to happen and I cannot do a damn thing to stop it. It's so frustrating to watch these people and the news mostly showing the looters.

Those that are looting and/or breaking the law stealing and shooting guns or hurting people just because they feel they can get away with it, in other ways better settle their butts down because they do not want the military to come in there. They would much prefer it be civil authorities to get the peace under control. They are so overwhelmed though with people actually breaking windows of people's homes and stealing. Don't they know they may be dead in a day or two due to the dead bodies, filthy water, etc. I do not understand threatening others just to threaten others during such a tragedy.

I just cannot take it anymore. Where are the churches? Falwell has that big Liberty University and church with over 10,000 members. Bob Jones University. Pat Robertson, Rob Parsley, many, many more that are on the boob tube everyday, where the hell are they with help.

Has not one other country offered to help with the law and order. Hasn't another country, our neighbors in Canada, offered to send a couple of their war ships to hold people.

Those huge cruise ships seem to have a problem going there. I think the problem is the customers won't be paying.

This is just like 9/11 to a certain extent; however, there was help for all of those there immediately. This is the second day and people do not even have a clue as to what is going on.

This tells us just how well our Homeland Security Department has us protected and how they are so prepared for a catastrophic attack against the U.S. Well we have had an attack, it wasn't human but it attacked and it has kicked our butts. They don't have a clue. It makes me sick to my stomach.

[blossomstar]

1. also sick in NC

it is a nightmare.

[intheflow]

2. I'm also annoyed with the lack of church response.

I'm a minister and my own denomination's website says to donate to the Red Cross. Nothing about refugee camps, nothing about volunteering on the ground.

Tried to volunteer to work the Astrodome or any other refugee shelter and was told by my local Red Cross chaptr that they're only taking people who already have RC disaster training and they have no plans to offer any crash courses in disaster relief. Cannot get through the Houston RC at all--perpetual busy signal.

Very frustrating!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. My denomination is coordinating with the local dioceses

but the Red Cross are the experienced first responders.

The church groups will move in after the first flush of publicity to do rebuilding work in the months to come.

By the way, Canada HAS offered help. There was an item in LBN about it.

[frankly_fedup2]

14. Well that is good to know. I have looked at a lot of foreign news

papers and sites and the death in New Orleans as well as Mississippi may come in 2nd after the Iraqi people getting trampled (horrible tragedy as well).

However, this is like the tsunami to me. I know there were hundreds of thousands killed; however, that is all I can think of is the way the whole WORLD got ready to move in there to help as much as possible. I'm probably wrong for feeling this way due to the difference in the catastrophic difference in lives lost, but it's just so hard to sit and do nothing but donate money.

I have no disaster training and would not be able to get it due to being disabled; however, after seeing what has happened to NO and it being due to lack of funds to complete the levies to what the engineers felt they should be, I think there should be blame on both the right and the left. After all, they all vote for funding of whatever, right?

Our Government continues to fail us all AND there is nothing we can do about it . . . nothing, nothing, nothing.

I really don't know what to say anymore about anything.

[Orrex]

3. I have a weird but serious suggestion

This will sound flippant, but could a sky-writer be used to put a message--albeit brief--where pretty much everyone can see it?

I don't know what it would say, but is it even feasible?

[Liberal Dose]

5. Not weird at all. I was thinking that a banner would be good. n/t

[AlGore-08.com]

10. The only issue might be gasoline - - whether there is enough for a chopper

which is "only" relaying a message, rather than actively involved in search and rescue. It might be more practical to have a sound loop of "The water is receding, rescue boats should be here in two hours" (or whenever is reasonable for an area) blasting from the search vehicles.

[Orrex]

13. That's a good idea, too!

Now that I think about it, a banner is obviously a much better suggestion than mine, but you raise a good point as well.

At the moment, are they using "spotter" planes at all, or is everything being conducted via helicopter? I mean, if a spotter plane is flying around anyway, it might make sense to tack a banner on it.

But the loud-speaker idea is good, even if it only helps the survivors to feel that they're still in contact with the outside world.

[AlGore-08.com]

20. I think it's all being done by chopper at this point

Since they just got part of the airport cleared - - choppers are the only vehicle which the could be using. I'm not sure it would be safe to fly a banner behind a chopper - - both because it might get caught in the tail blades and because they can fly low & slow enough to get the banner tangled in something.

[frankly_fedup2]

16. Hey, anybody trying to come up with a solution is doing something

and nothing sounds silly at this point. I think the airports are open and can planes can land and take off, right? Not a bad idea. At least the people would have a clue they are not being left there to die.

I don't know why those news helicopters that are so able to get in and take the pictures are not able to use a bullhorn and shout what is going on as far as help for them. Are they not aware if anyone is bringing water, food, medication? Or are the news helicopters just there to take the pictures so maybe their station will get the best ratings? I think the latter is all they are told to do. I don't blame the reporters. I think they have been numbed to any kind of tragedies anymore.

I think it's a good idea and I'm not laughing. At least you are thinking of some way to help. You ought to email that in to the right authorities. I would think Red Cross before anyone else.

[graywarrior]

6. These poor people have a huge abandonment issue right now.

Message from the US government: You are on your own.

[Generator]

15. I think you precisely concisely named everyone's feelings

And those of us, safe and warm, have no right to them-but there you are. On your own. I've felt this way for a long time, since I started questioning the war, then 9/11, the media, and now everything. For some that now just having to live it in the most horrible way-it's unbelievably heart breaking.

[lpbk2713]

7. Vicente Fox could send up some Coca-Cola.

:sarcasm:


Not really as sarcastic as it sounds. Point is, Mexico is right there on the Gulf of Mexico and they could reciprocate for some of the help the US has given them.

[jpak]

8. All those mega-churches would make fine refugee shelters

Except that those refugees aren't "their people"...

[AlGore-08.com]

9. They don't have phones or electricity

So the only way to tell them that "someone is coming to rescue you" is to go there physically by helicopter or boat, and the only people who can get in by boat are busy rescuing people.

It's very frustrating to watch, but the various military and civilian rescue organizations are first searching for folks by helicopter, and then sending in boats to rescue them. They are trying to search first where the water is rising fastest.

It appears that the media is doing a fairly good job of relaying information to the authorities about where there are trapped people. However, you might want to email CNN (or whichever news org is showing that footage) and suggest that, if they aren't doing this already, their choppers should signal stranded folks in some way that they have been spotted: by bullhorn or lights or something.

[RandiFan1290]

11. Are they dropping water?

I have not heard if they are doing something to at least get water to these poor people. The news choppers should be loaded up with some water and give some of these people a chance to survive long enough to be rescued.

[CrispyQ]

12. And where are the corporations,

especially the ones making billions off of war profiteering in Iraq, with the help of our National Gaurd.

And the ones gouging the American public for $3 a gallon gas while buying off our legislators to give them tax breaks, all the while reporting record profits of BILLIONS for one quarter.

And those that are supporting foreign economies by by shipping American jobs overseas so their bottom lines can justify huge bonuses for the officers.

And the ones who chintz out on their employees by paying sub-standard wages with no benefits so the management of the company can enjoy inflated standards of living.


Arghh!!!!! The whole system is so fucking corrupt I'm coming to believe that regime change will not make much of a difference. REVOLUTION is what is needed.

[frankly_fedup2]

18. Yeah, aren't there portions of HALLIBURTON, KELLOGG, CARLYLE GROUP . . ..

that help during natural disasters? Aren't they the ones delivery the army meals and water to those in Iraq who didn't have any for weeks, months . . . still doing it? Haven't they taken BILLIONS of our dollars? Surely they have divisions, or can set up one to help out with this kind of thing?

When the news showed Bush flying over, he was checking out the oil facilities. Now isn't that typical.

He's suppose to come on any minute now. CSPAN.

[VolcanoJen]

17. We're pretty good at dropping leaflets.

Sure, a lot of them will end up in the water, but a news sheet dropped from airplanes is still going to get collected, and news will spread rapidly from person to person.

[frankly_fedup2]

19. You're right about that; however, does our government only do that

with propaganda leaflets OR will they actually drop ones that are true?

Sorry to sound so pessimistic, but since Bush has been President, I do not believe anything they say.