Hot Topic at the Barbershop...

[mark the shoeshine boy]

As you know the Barbershop is where everyone meets in town and talks about everything...

This morning is no exception....

What is going on is going in New Orleans ??? The relief seems to be too slow and the President just showed up, but what is the rest of the world doing ???

Laughing at us....Where are our Allies ??? Is America the only country that is suppose to come to the relief of others and when we get hit, everyone stands around and laughs ??? Newspapers and interviews across the globe are saying negative about our country...Britain, Germany, France....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050902/ts_nm/weather_katrina_reaction_dc

Someone said tht there was no looting after the sunami...heck there wan't anything left to steal off of that island ....

The barbershop is hot....let's hear from you...

Next....

mark tssb

 

[gage0921]

here is a good website to check out

www.nola.com

 

[AACJ]

As you know the Barbershop is where everyone meets in town and talks about everything...

This morning is no exception....

What is going on is going in New Orleans ??? The relief seems to be too slow and the President just showed up, but what is the rest of the world doing ???

Laughing at us....Where are our Allies ??? Is America the only country that is suppose to come to the relief of others and when we get hit, everyone stands around and laughs ??? Newspapers and interviews across the globe are saying negative about our country...Britain, Germany, France....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050902/ts_nm/weather_katrina_reaction_dc

Someone said tht there was no looting after the sunami...heck there wan't anything left to steal off of that island ....

The barbershop is hot....let's hear from you...

Next....

mark tssb

I am a little pissed that the same countries we offer to help with people and money are the same people that laugh at us when we are down (and want us dead). No offers of support or even much condolences on our loss.

But I find the majority of the US is extremely supportive and helpful to our own countrymen when it comes to a disaster of this magnitude or of September 11th. I don't necessarily blame looters, as long as its something they can eat, you can't eat a 45" flat screen TV.

But also keep in mind, if someone like Al Queda was going to strike, this is a perfect oppurtunity for them to, we still need to be vigilant!

My .02 cents.

 

[robofunk]

the current disarray of new orleans is what happens when you let the poor run rampant. it is a very, very sad showing of leadership on a local and federal level. one would expect aid and armed forces to arrive within 24-48 hours of such a tragedy, but they have really dropped the ball on this. my heart goes out to the people of N.O., they've been through so much...

people will have harsh comments because of the turn of events following katrina, but i feel that they are deserved. who shoots at a rescue helicopter? who in their right mind would try to shoot at a vehicle full of medical supplies? that's pretty classy. we have no control over natural disasters, but we do have control over how we react!

i'm watching on as convoys are finally pulling into the city. they are long, long overdue. it's no wonder people are killing each other to get a bottle of water.

 

[joel]

I would absolutly shoot someone over a bottle of water.... hell it is the American way

It is a little frustrating the world is so quick to insult us - but I guess that comes with the territory.

 

[Cliff]

the current disarray of new orleans is what happens when you let the poor run rampant. it is a very, very sad showing of leadership on a local and federal level. one would expect aid and armed forces to arrive within 24-48 hours of such a tragedy, but they have really dropped the ball on this. my heart goes out to the people of N.O., they've been through so much...

people will have harsh comments because of the turn of events following katrina, but i feel that they are deserved. who shoots at a rescue helicopter? who in their right mind would try to shoot at a vehicle full of medical supplies? that's pretty classy. we have no control over natural disasters, but we do have control over how we react!

i'm watching on as convoys are finally pulling into the city. they are long, long overdue. it's no wonder people are killing each other to get a bottle of water.

I was watching some news show (can't remember which one) and the manicured talking head was interviewing an (approx) 40ish black man who was stating how ashamed he was of 'his people' looting and shooting at potential rescuers. By the end of the interview, which was fairly brief, this guy was almost in tears stating that 'we are our own worst enemy' and such. I felt really bad for this gentleman it's always the minority that makes the majority look bad. As for the rest of the world, perhaps because of this disaster we will hold back support from some of these nations and use the $$$$ for NO.

 

[joel]

Fellas.... I say we do our part. Up in Arms! Grab out blades and badger brushes and lets start shavin' for charity!

Damn that would be fun eh? If it were legal - I'd do it in a heart beat.

 

[water]

It should be pointed out that Canada offered to help almost immediately.

CBC News Report Link

 

[Esoteric83]

Sri Lanka has pledged 25k to help out the recovery efforts...While this may not be a huge sum of money, it a noble pledge from a 3rd world country that is recovering from the devestation last December...Even though it is probably US money to begin with, I thought it made a positive statement and it just makes you think in shame of all the countries that have much more money at thier disposal and aren't doing a thing to help out, but will be the first to come crying with thier hands out if something evrn remotly the size of this disater were to happen on thier soil...

 

[JohnP]

Supposedly
FRANCE is sending help, as well. Maybe they aren't as bad as I had them made out to be...
People shooting each other for water? It was sent, by federal and private civilian agencies and groups. Trucks got hijacked by some of these same people, helicopters full of water and food got shot at.
As for federal aid only just now arriving, well I think it actually got there absolutely as fast as it could, contrary to what some of the talking heads would have you believe. People were told to leave DAYS in advance. The president declared the states disaster areas BEFORE the hurricane even arrived. Civilian aid, and then Military aid was sent. National Guardsmen are reservists. They have regular civilian jobs. They have to be called up. They were. They then have to be processed onto active duty. Supplies have to be sent TO the where the trucks are; the national guardsmen then show up, drive the trucks (remember WITHOUT road closings, floods, hijackings, and hurricanes it is a 2 day drive at least from most of the places the trucks are coming from) They are even sending people from out here in San Diego. With no traffic, they can make it from here to there in 3 days. Then they have to set up. Unless the governor of Louisiana decides Martial Law (whatever that is for that state) is declared, the troops are pretty restricted in what they can do. Which is why once helicopters with supplies got fired on, they just left.
I personally believe (I'm a bit biased) that they'd only have to return fire once or twice for supplies to start arriving without any problems. Unfortunately, that will never happen, (just imagine how the media would play it...."GOVERNMENT HELICOPTERS MACHINE-GUN CIVILIANS IN STREETS"... )so the rest of the people have to suffer because of the stupidity and greed of the few.
I'm rambling.
Strikes me as a lot like Somalia in the early 90's. gangs trying to run everything.
I think you guys know what I mean, anyway
John P.

 

[Austin]

My take on this whole mess is that even though people were told to evacuate prior to the hurricane, the majority of people were unable to do so. They were mainly poor people without the means or funds to evacuate.

There are a lot of poor folks in N.O. that mainly work in the service industry making minimum wages. I once got lost in N.O. and toured the slums by mistake in a rental. Very scary. Nevertheless, they are just people like everyone else trying to get by.

 

[p_man]

First, in the article linked to by Mark, the nagitive things are being said about our crap response, not about the American people, and are clearly not negative about the people hurt by Katrina.

Second, don't buy the BS about other countries not helping. From Reuters

The State Department said offers so far had come from Belgium, Canada, Russia, Japan, France, Germany, Britain, China, Australia, Jamaica, Honduras, Greece, Venezuela, the Organization of American States, NATO, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, South Korea, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

And don't forget that the Candians had one of their top rescue teams ready to go on Tuesday or so, but they couldn't do anything becuase the didn't get permission from DHS to come.

And don't buy the BS about people choosing to stay. Over 20% of NO residents live below the poverty line. Many don't have cars, and many survive on support checks that come on the first of the month and were out of money. Recall that on Sunday, people were explicitly directed to places like the Superdome, it's not like they just decided to show up there.

Dave C

 

[Austin]

Thanks Gramps! You are a true gentleman.

 

[guenron]

...SNIP...
Prayers go out to my US family....
I even tried to get "re-activated" yesterday... LOL they thanked me but said NO. typical.... it was okay during 9/11... I was in New York for 3 weeks. But I guess I am 4 years older?

God bless and God-speed.

- Gramps

Thanks Larry. That's the spirit that makes the difference.

 

[JohnP]

Its nice to know there are so many out there willing to help.
I just got put on 12 hour alert to go there myself, so....maybe...
anyway its awesome. And I'm sure those Canadian ships, especially the water purification guys, will be MORE than welcome.
John P.