Again - to those of you who seem resentful of the NO victims (that maybe too harsh, but I couldn't find a better word) - what is the solution to "the problem"?

Again - to those of you who seem resentful of the NO victims (that maybe too harsh, but I couldn't find a better word) - what is the solution to "the problem"?

I'm not sure of what you consider "the problem". But my solution would be Habitat for Humanity or something like it. Give them an incentive to rebuild their neighbors's houses.

This is a formula e-mail. It was sent out not long ago with some other event as the focus. Someone made it up to take a jab at the hurricane victims, and it keeps getting revived over and over.

 

To constantly compare every big wearther event to a disaster like Katrina is terribly disrespectful to those who lost everything in those days.

 

I just don't understand why people do this...:confused:

 

I agree. It was sent to me right after Katrina except it had South Dakota on there instead.

 

I'm every bit as disgusted by the actions of the residents of NO as BRJB is, but this is not comparable.

There are many points of the email...that the two events are comparable is not one of them.

Just talked to a couple of people from Fort Collins, Co on a business call this morning. Other than one of their relatives getting stuck at the Denver airport for a couple of days, they're doing fine. They said with all this snow they wish they had more time to ski.

Whatever the original intent of the original e-mail has been compromised because it's the same old stuff, sent everytime someone feels like plugging a new event into the original e-mail.

 

It's kind of like watching CNN 24/7, or SportsCenter 24/7. The message gets lost in the annoyance of receiving the same information yet again.

I agree that hearing the same message over and over again can be annoying. However, the number of times that you hear a message does not change the validity of the message, it changes only your reaction.

I agree that hearing the same message over and over again can be annoying. However, the number of times that you hear a message does not change the validity of the message, it changes only your reaction.

 

True. But, just like the example of CNN, the message is only as good as the spin of the messanger.

I'm not sure of what you consider "the problem". But my solution would be Habitat for Humanity or something like it. Give them an incentive to rebuild their neighbors's houses.

 

Let me go out on a limb here. I guess "the problem" stems from people that have lost everything that they have ever known - their home, their neighborhood, their jobs, their sense of security.

 

For your (anyone interested) reading list, I recommend "Understanding Poverty" by Ruby Payne. If you have never been in this situation, then you will get a better understanding of the mindset of someone who has only known poverty in their life. If you have been in poverty, you will find yourself saying "That is true! I didn't realize it at the time."

 

The book does not present an answer to how to provide the transition out of the poverty bracket. Nor does it make excuses or ask that you pity those that are poor. It simply provides a way for you to understand it better.

 

Additionally, I think that utlilizing Habitat for Humanity is a great step. However, much more has to be done.

Snow melts, their houses are still in standing, their places of employment are still standing, they have SUV's to get around in....none of these were true in New Orleands. Not even close.

Snow melts, their houses are still in standing, their places of employment are still standing, they have SUV's to get around in....none of these were true in New Orleands. Not even close.

And in Falmouth, cars were no longer usuable. Houses were GONE. Not flooded and then in need of clean out but some were GONE. All that was left was the foundation. Some businesses were gone and never reopened.

 

And Falmouth is rebuilding. It didn't happen overnight or within months. We lost our house in March and moved into another house of our own in September. In some cases, it has taken years to overcome and rebuild. Some moved out of the community and never returned.

 

Personally, I am still paying on loans that I had to take to recover from where I was left financially after the flood. And will be paying on those loans for several more years.

 

There is not a magic wand to wave over the situation and make everything hunkydory. It takes time IMO from experience.

I think at the end of the day, a lot of people's perception, whether right or wrong, is that the people of NO haven't done enough on their own to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. Admittedly the consequences of Katrina were more severe than what has happened in Colorado. To be fair, the folks in Colorado somewhat anticipate this type of event happening. Should the people and politicians have done more to prepare for events like Katrina? While the severity may have been unpredictable, my perception is that NO had done little if anything own their own to prepare: rather they felt that it was the fed. govt's job to do it for them. I also think it was a fair observation that other areas also terribly hit by Katrina do not seemed to have counted as much on the fed. govt to come to their aid. Unfortunately, most of our perceptions are based on what we are fed by the major media and we all know how misleading that can be. The major media seemed to relish blaming the fed. govt for the problems encountered in NO. The unexpected backlash of all that criticism of the fed. govt, evidenced by the emails making the circuit these days, is that a lot of people in this country now seem more upset with the people and politicians of NO for doing little on their own to save their own hide and property. While it is not present to the degree it once was, this country was founded with a large dose of self reliance and I think a large majority of people think that some people count way too much on the fed. govt system to bail them out every time they have a problem.

 

My guess, and of course its just a guess since I've not been to NO to evidence the rebuilding, is that the locals have done more on their own than these e mails give them credit for doing. On the other hand, the media interviews right after Katrina hit lent a lot of credibility to those who believe that the people of NO, the mayor and the governor had their heads in the sand before Katrina hit. I mean come on. When you think about it, you have a city that is below sea grade located close to the ocean that is "protected" by earthen levees, levees that even I could anticipate would be severely weakened by the significant rain that accompanies a hurricane. It should never have been a matter of if a Katrina type storm would hit, rather a matter of when it would hit, and I blame the mayor and the governor a lot for the problems NO encountered and the people themselves for not getting out of NO in advance. If they were poor and did not have the ability to get out, the mayor and governor should have known that and had a plan in place to get them out. If they voluntarily choose to remain in NO to protect their property they were foolish and responsible for their own safety and the mayor and governor did not do enough in advance to assure the people that their property would be safe from looting.

Snow melts, their houses are still in standing, their places of employment are still standing, they have SUV's to get around in....none of these were true in New Orleands. Not even close.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought more damage was caused by the flooding from breached levees than the hurricane.

My guess, and of course its just a guess since I've not been to NO to evidence the rebuilding, is that the locals have done more on their own than these e mails give them credit for doing. On the other hand, the media interviews right after Katrina hit lent a lot of credibility to those who believe that the people of NO, the mayor and the governor had their heads in the sand before Katrina hit. I mean come on. When you think about it, you have a city that is below sea grade located close to the ocean that is "protected" by earthen levees, levees that even I could anticipate would be severely weakened by the significant rain that accompanies a hurricane. It should never have been a matter of if a Katrina type storm would hit, rather a matter of when it would hit, and I blame the mayor and the governor a lot for the problems NO encountered and the people themselves for not getting out of NO in advance. If they were poor and did not have the ability to get out, the mayor and governor should have known that and had a plan in place to get them out. If they voluntarily choose to remain in NO to protect their property they were foolish and responsible for their own safety and the mayor and governor did not do enough in advance to assure the people that their property would be safe from looting.

Here's my image of their incompetence.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought more damage was caused by the flooding from breached levees than the hurricane.

 

Here's my image of their incompetence.

 

Don't think you can make that determination....the insurance companies sure can't.

Here's my image of their incompetence.

 

The people of New Orleans or the politicians? Now, I know someone will say that the people elect the politician, which is true. However, I believe that there is, in most cases, a difference between ignorance and incompetence.