Have you watched WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE? Did you see

[texpatriot2004]

it? I'm finally watching When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in 4 Acts. I have had it on TIVO since it debuted on HBO. It takes courage to watch. So many behind the scenes glimpses of the people who were there. It takes me back to August of 2005. I remember it was a few days before payday when Katrina hit. It was so horrible to watch powerless as the Federal Government of the United States of America did nothing! The Canadians sent people to help us and Hugo Chavez offered help (I don't know if he was allowed to). How is that the US Government could not get basic supplies to these American citizens.

And then there's that bridge situation where Gretna turned people away at gunpoint. Pathetic. Not as pathetic as leaving elderly Americans to die in the streets of New Orleans but absolutely pathetic.

My grandmother grew up in New Orleans and I have ancestors buried there. I wonder if they still are?

I will never forget that day that the Mayor spoke up. I was at the hospital my SO was having heart surgery the news was on in the waiting room. When I heard the Mayor shouting I was so relieved it was the first sane voice I had heard that week.

For the record, IMHO the "looting" and "criminal behavior" would never had happened if the US Government had provided basic needs for the people there.

And that whole hurricane PAM thing, meaning that they knew EXACTLY what would happen with this sort of storm which is completely unfathomable. This administration cannot protect Americans from a tremendous danger that COMES WITH A WARNING.

And it takes 4 days for the US Government to find New Orleans.

[texpatriot2004]

1. Condasleeza buying shoes and going to the theater and playing

tennis...

[EFerrari]

8. Bush eating cake with McCain. Cheney shopping for real estate

and Brownie claiming that he didn't know there were people in that stadium days after it was all over CNN. :mad:

[texpatriot2004]

2. It wan't the Mayor's fault, or the Governor's fault it was the US

Government's fault.

[Kerrytravelers]

3. We saw it when it premiered.

Talk about devastating. We literally cried.

We honeymooned in New Orleans. We had planned on returning. Now, the place will never be the same.

[texpatriot2004]

5. What year was your honeymoon? nm

[Kerrytravelers]

9. Summer of 2003.

[texpatriot2004]

11. Happy belated anniversary nm

[Kerrytravelers]

12. Thanks!

:rofl:

[BattyDem]

4. The government called it "looting" and "criminal behavior" ...

Most rational people called it "survival."

I watched it. It made me so sad to see the suffering ... and so furious to know that our government did NOTHING! :grr:

[texpatriot2004]

6. Me too.

:grr: :grr:

[Feron]

44. Not in my neighborhood

unless you consider jewelry, liquor, and guns staples for survival. The looters had transportation and money, but chose to use the disaster as an opportunity to score free stuff.

While a minority looted to survive, most did it because they could. For example, the CD section in a New Orleans Wal-Mart was looted of all non-country CDs. Last I checked, you can't eat a CD. I know someone who's house flooded on the first floor and the second floor was dry. However looters came in by boat and relieved her of all her valuables on the second floor.

If you had to coexist with the looting scum after Katrina, then you wouldn't romanticize what they did.

The goverment's response is and was abysmal. The take home message is that you are on your own.

Anyhow "When the Levees Broke" is an excellent documentary.

[uppityperson]

45. most "looting" was for staples, some was for stealing stuff

Of course some people used this as an excuse to steal stuff, and got media coverage, but the majority of people were taking stuff they needed.

[texpatriot2004]

47. That's the way I saw it too. Most of it was for survival not

the picture that some tried to paint.

[uppityperson]

48. but which got the news coverage? Here's a book about NOLA

http://www.chrisrosebooks.com/aboutbook.htm
1 Dead in Attic. It is a compilation of Chris Rose's columns before and in the aftermath of Katrina. Very interesting look at the emotional state of residents.

[texpatriot2004]

49. Hmm, I didn't know about the book. Thanks. I will check it out. nt

[EFerrari]

7. I've watched it several times all the way through.

So much to sink in.

And Greg Palast's reporting has also been very very good.

We can't EVER forget what these people did to the Gulf Coast, what they are STILL today doing to it with their foot dragging and their no bid contracts and their turning away of poor homeless people and their reneging on promises of timely services to homeowners.

:mad:

[texpatriot2004]

13. Remember Katrina nm

[texpatriot2004]

10. God Bless General Honore nm

[texpatriot2004]

14. And the US Coast Guard nm

[texpatriot2004]

15. And the Cajun Navy nm

[texpatriot2004]

22. And LT Christian nm

[kdmorris]

16. I had to watch it in 2 parts

I watched the First and Second Acts and I was crying so hard that I had to take a break.

Despite everything that has happened to these people, despite being ignored by their government and STILL not having their houses rebuilt, they are still determined. I ADMIRE them more than I can ever say in words.

I think people should definitely watch it, but be prepared to be taken right back to August-September, 2005. You will be angry and sad all over again.

[Gormy Cuss]

17. I thought that nothing could make me any angrier about the Katrina response

then Spike Lee came along with that documentary....

[texpatriot2004]

19. Yeah, I can relate to that nm

[EFerrari]

25. Did you see Greg Palast's piece? Man, that was ENFURIATING.

Here's a Democracy Now! link to some of the stuff he found -- like the contractor in charge of a disaster plan for the area couldn't PRODUCE A FRICKIN' DISASTER PLAN!

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/08/28/1342209&mode=thread&tid=25

[Gormy Cuss]

27. I never wanted to use this term before Katrina:

Clusterfuck. eom.

[texpatriot2004]

31. I hate that term but it is fitting for the Government's performance

regarding Katrina

[texpatriot2004]

18. And more than 1 yr later they still don't have housing there

according to a new NYT article.

[texpatriot2004]

20. And they just shipped people off to whereever they wanted

splitting up families

[texpatriot2004]

21. The SHAME OF A NATION nm

[Crim_n al]

23. I believe the whole thing was simply an excercise.

The government was trying their hand at utterly destroying a part of America,
just to make sure they knew how to do it.

[texpatriot2004]

24. Hot 8 Brass Band :-) nm

[Supply Side Jesus]

39. Had a dream about them the other night.

Saw them playing in the grand central station in my dream. Dont ask why, just a random dream, thinking about them I suppose.

[texpatriot2004]

41. How interesting. They're a very good band. nm

[texpatriot2004]

26. Kanye West was "blisteringly brilliant" nm

[texpatriot2004]

28. 5 damn days in this mf attic, try to use the cell phone keep gettin'

[texpatriot2004]

29. "Refugees" my ass, what did the "storm blow away our

citizenship too?"

[texpatriot2004]

30. and that Silver Headed Lizard's comment about how "things

are working out quite well for them"

[dancingme]

32. Barbara Bush, here's my number

I love that woman telling Barbara Bush to call her and say that being displaced (and hungry and sick) is working out well for the poor black people of NO.

[texpatriot2004]

33. I liked that too nm

[texpatriot2004]

34. Phyllis Montana LeBlanc that's was her name nm

[texpatriot2004]

40. "...and my being together broke when I fell apart..." nm

[texpatriot2004]

35. "Nothing cancels Mardi Gras Nothing" nm

[Stardust]

36. If a flood forced me and my family from our home and I had no money,

you bet your ass I'd loot to have something to barter with. My god, why can't people empathize with desperation? It's so easy to sit on a comfy couch in front of the teevee and judge. It's sickening. Frankly, I couldn't get through the entire program...I really applaud Spike Lee's effort to bring to light the shame brought on by the Katrina incompetence, but I just couldn't watch it. Just too hurtful.

[upi402]

37. Republicans and their media have all the compassion and empathy of

the Manson family.

When they villainies the people victimized by Republican greed and neglect it really pissed me off ...well... even more.

[Stardust]

42. Ain't that the truth. I HATE them.

[uppityperson]

38. DVD due out December 19.

http://www.amazon.com/When-Levees-Broke-Spike-Lee/dp/B000J10F14
http://store.hbo.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2512106&cp=1885676&parentPage=family

I haven't seen it, am looking forward to the DVD being out. Amazing, simply amazing, the whole ongoing ball of wax.

[texpatriot2004]

43. Irish Trojan Blog with Katrina link from the blog

http://irishtrojan.com/

[earth mom]

46. I'm first on the waiting list for it at the library.

I also just checked out a DVD by National Geographic on Hurricane Katrina, don't know if it's accurate or not yet.

I will never forget Katrina!

[texpatriot2004]

50. Good for you, 1st in line :-) and yes, Remember Katrina nm

[texpatriot2004]

51. ComicRelief 2006 on now to raise funds for Katrina Victims nt

[frustrated_lefty]

52. I walked my children, ages 5, 9, and 13 out of there.

The movie/documentary does a good job of capturing the desolation, the desperation. New Orleanians can handle the loss, can lift themselves up and start over. The sense of abandonment and betrayal is hard to get past, though.