Annoying Katrina interview

[shortbun]

The theme of this thread bugs me. Who are we to judge them? We are no one. We sit, fat in our dry air conditioned homes whining about how THEY have taken advantage and how THEY are not grateful. Hogwash. I won't judge them but I will judge those who do. I think it's a shame some of us have nothing to do but sit around looking for something to complain about. The gulf coast victims of a year long crisis and catastrophe will be suffering for a long time. If you're so bored, send them so more help. They need it.

 

[Charade]

The theme of this thread bugs me. Who are we to judge them? We are no one. We sit, fat in our dry air conditioned homes whining about how THEY have taken advantage and how THEY are not grateful. Hogwash. I won't judge them but I will judge those who do. I think it's a shame some of us have nothing to do but sit around looking for something to complain about. The gulf coast victims of a year long crisis and catastrophe will be suffering for a long time. If you're so bored, send them so more help. They need it.

Funny, you won't judge those that take advantage of the good will and extreme generosity of strangers who just want to help. No one is really asking for a thank you. If it comes, great but it's not necessary but you WILL judge those that complain about the abuses of such generous and kind support of people they don't even know or will ever know. I guess that makes it easier for people to abuse the kindness of others. They will never have to look at them in the eye and see the disappointment that some have because they thought their help was truly needed. I have no doubt that in spite of the abuses and mistrust from those abuses many people will continue to send help despite them being "bored". But you'd be foolish to think that some people who have already donated (especially those that can least afford it) or were thinking about donating, might rethink sending any (more) help. That would be the sad part because as you said, "they need it".

 

[airhead]

I think its pretty harsh to pass judgement on the people that lived through Katrina.They lost EVERYTHING! Try to remember the horrors of the Superdome they endured for a weeK!!! All they had left was each other.Please put yourself in their shoes. I would not want to separate my family either!

 

[Charade]

I think its pretty harsh to pass judgment on the people that lived through Katrina.They lost EVERYTHING! Try to remember the horrors of the Superdome they endured for a week!!! All they had left was each other.Please put yourself in their shoes. I would not want to separate my family either!

How do I judge those people? You mean the ones that scammed the goodness of strangers while others suffered because of their greediness??

Easy. What they did was wrong. Wouldn't you agree?

If isn't clear by now, let me say that we (those that are "judging") aren't including all Katrina victims. Just the ones that scammed the system. But feel free to join the chorus of those that are critical of us that "judge".

 

[lucas]

They have been thru a year of hardships and HELL. Try living one day of what they have been thru before you get mad about a few things that you heard in some interview.

 

[Charade]

They have been thru a year of hardships and HELL. Try living one day of what they have been thru before you get mad about a few things that you heard in some interview.

So you're justifying their actions?

I can see breaking into a grocery store to get some food. That would be justified.

Taking money from kind hearted strangers and spending it on some of the things mentioned is not IMO. Feel free (obviously) to think differently.

And btw, I'm not mad, I'm disappointed in some of my fellow Americans for believing they can do what they did with a clear conscious.

 

[airhead]

Reread it please.

 

[lucas]

So you're justifying their actions?

I can see breaking into a grocery store to get some food. That would be justified.

Taking money from kind hearted strangers and spending it on some of the things mentioned is not IMO. Feel free (obviously) to think differently.

And btw, I'm not mad, I'm disappointed in some of my fellow Americans for believing they can do what they did with a clear conscious.

I'm not justifying any actions. Again, a few bad apples...

I don't know what you have heard in PA but my friends and family live in New Orleans - it is my home. I have seen them have water up to their roofs, lose everything they own, their jobs, etc., and have to start a new life. My uncle who is 80+ - his house in Slidell totally blew away and he is VERY grateful to be living in a 1 room trailer.

 

[markandtrish]

The bottom line for me is....I help people who are in need because it is the right thing to do. I dont expect ANYTHING in return. I dont even need a thank you. Im not helping for that reason. Im doing it because I can and it is RIGHT. If you are doing it because you are expecting something, even a verbal something, then maybe you are doing it for the wrong reasons to begin with.

 

[Tiggeroo]

If you can see from my posts I don't expect a thank you. I'm not bothered if a minority takes advantage as that happens all the time. I was unhappy at the looting but didn't make a big deal about it. Things were stressful. I was bothered by the people not evacuating when they should and ending up in terrible locations or requiring others to risk their lives to get them out but thought, ok they have little resources. I ignored some of the remarks I heard early on thinking well they're under stress, etc.
But a year later to hear the things I heard in these interviews was upsetting and it was just wrong. They claimed the administration doesn't care about black people and mentioned the Kanye West comments to agree with them. OK, that's political, let it slide. But when they were upset because they had to split their families up, when kind people were offering to take whatever the amount they could fit in their homes in, and are still upset about this a year later, it's just wrong.
If a year has passed and you are still dependent on others, there is no income source in your area, and you still don't have the money to rebuild your home you probably need to re-evaluate the choices you are making. When a disaster strikes your whole town and almost nobody was prepared and you were forced to place your children, individually in others' homes, etc. and then you say you will never save a dime again something is wrong.
I would have hated to split my family up. I would have shed tears every night they were away from me. But I would have moved to whereever I had to, stayed wherever I had to, and me and dh would have each worked three jobs to put our family back together. And when we were finally able to all be together I would have saved every dime if need be so that I never had to do something like that again. I'm saying my brush with poverty made me a saver. It made me still to this day when we make quite a bit more then the national average, still have that fear of scraping pennies to buy bread. These things are terrible but you learn.
Our government and our citizens should and I believe will always be willing to open our hearts and wallets to those in trouble. But we should make sure it's money well spent.
What an opportunity for somebody from these neighborhoods to rise up and be a leader. To stir the town into action creating plans and self-help programs so that there is never another disaster like this and by that I mean the after math not a hurricane.

 

[LuvDuke]

I believe I would have to live through a similar experience and be a member of that particular minority group before I felt like I could pass judgement on those remarks. Since I haven't, and I'm not, I won't.

ITA!

Gee, whatta a shame, people who've lost everything, have seen their families separated, and have no idea when life may even get back to semi-normal, just didn't mouth the correct feel-good words.

 

[meloneyb21]

Wow.....this is deep, but it seems like there is no getting through to Charade....There is ALWAYS going people who scam the system, no matter what happens and how dire the situation is. That's a part of life. Some people are scammers, some people are honest. What can you do about it? Don't dwell on those who DO scam the system because that takes the attention away from those who really need it. If there are 6,000 people who are really genuine and 60 people who are liars, you mean to tell me that those 60 people are the ones you are worried about?

Some things you just can't change in ANY situation, and that includes dishonesty...but don't let those few "bad apples" deflect your attention away from the still sad situation at hand. That defeats the whole purpose.

 

[mickeyfan2]

One needs to evaluate their situation and do what is best for their family. For example: If you had a low income job and rented a home or apartment it is very possible that the landlord may not rent to you again when they rebuilt. They may build a more upscale place that they can rent for far more money than you could pay. You may not get your job back. One needs to realize that their life is so different and see what they can keep from the past and what they will never get back and make the best of it.

If I was in an area that flooded due to the levee failures, I would not even consider moving back until all the levees were 100% completed.

I may not live in the NO area but I do have extensive knowledge of the damage that a flood can cause. What I learned from them was that you need to help yourself, the goverments (fed, state and local) can only do so much and another disaster is always around the corner. The new disaster that will need the federal and charities help that will be then be diverted from your area.

 

[Tiggeroo]

I feel really misunderstood in this thread. I"m not criticizing the honest people. I'm not even saying we should stop the aid because of a few bad apples. i'm merely saying I heard this interview and found it upsetting. I was more upset by the fact that so many people were assenting to these points rather then saying, hey I politely disagree. Now from listening to the replies here most of you, if you had been in the audience would have said ah yes I understand and respect your feelings and still love ya.

 

[meloneyb21]

On the other hand, I DO agree with Tiggeroo.....it IS time to step it up. After so much complaining about what the government did or didn't do, and actually seeing it, there is now the reality that you can't depend on no one but yourself. So you HAVE to pick yourself up and do what you gotta do to get out of this tremendous rutt. It may take months or years, but now is not the time to give up, if anything, you gotta work HARDER. I know that people are still reeling from what happened, but at some point you gotta say "I won't be a victim any longer." There is no better time than right now. In all essence, you're starting from scratch, so you have another chance to get your S*IT together.

 

[lulu71]

I would have hated to split my family up. I would have shed tears every night they were away from me. But I would have moved to whereever I had to, stayed wherever I had to, and me and dh would have each worked three jobs to put our family back together. And when we were finally able to all be together I would have saved every dime if need be so that I never had to do something like that again. I'm saying my brush with poverty made me a saver. It made me still to this day when we make quite a bit more then the national average, still have that fear of scraping pennies to buy bread. These things are terrible but you learn.

I agree with you on this. You do what you have to do. I am speaking from the perspective of someone who lost everything, but had the means to live comfortably since this happened. I feel very blessed for that, and have no idea what we would have done if we wouldn't have been able to get ourselves into a temporary house, together. My family members also lost their homes so we couldn't have just lived with family. But I do know I could not have sent my DD to live elsewhere, I'll tell you that, no way.

 

[Charade]

I do "get it" but I guess I wasn't able to make my point clear enough.

 

[Jeafl]

I am sure that the vast majority of people are grateful, it is just the bad ones that are ruining it for everyone.

However, I was watching Good Morning America this morning and they had a story about all the people that scammed FEMA out of billions of dollars. One woman in particular owned nothing but an empty lot, but managed to collect tens of thousands of dollars using 30 different addresses and various spellings of her name. Another woman collected a ton of money by saying she lost everything, including 2 young daughters who were swept away in the flood. It turns out that she had lived in Belleville, IL and never even had any children!

There were many similar stories of fraud against our government which just sickened me. FEMA is just now starting to catch up with some of those people.

 

[noodleknitter]

The theme of this thread bugs me. Who are we to judge them? We are no one. We sit, fat in our dry air conditioned homes whining about how THEY have taken advantage and how THEY are not grateful. Hogwash. I won't judge them but I will judge those who do. I think it's a shame some of us have nothing to do but sit around looking for something to complain about. The gulf coast victims of a year long crisis and catastrophe will be suffering for a long time. If you're so bored, send them so more help. They need it.

We have lost everything twice. Once in a flood, and once in a fire. We were extremely grateful for the minimal help (in comparison) that we received during these times. So, yes they have had a rough year, but been there, done that, and to be ungrateful, is truly sad. They are not the only victims in this world. Just ask the fire, flood and tornado victims. No less trauma, one hell of a lot less publicity, and help.

 

[DaisyD]

I guess my real feeling about this whole thing is that we let this happen. It was more convenient for us - and by us I mean American society in general - to let a group of mostly poor, mostly black people live in poverty in New Orleans. More conveient than educating them, more convenient than requiring them to hold jobs, more convenient than providing them with social programs and structured opportunities to climb out of that life of only knowing how "to get', but not how "to earn." So it seems a little disingenuious to me at this stage to start expecting them to follow those rules.

It also seems to me that if I were poor and somebody gave me a card with two thousand dollars on it, and I didn't have much education or really know where I was going to go, and all I knew was that somebody had always given me housing and food before, that I might very well spend it on a **** job, or something equally ridiculous-sounding to most people, instead of funding a Roth IRA.

Anyway, I can certainly understand why people are frustrated with some of the stories they hear. But really, I think it's unrealistic to expect anything else. You can't expect an outpouring of material goods to solve a problem that society has been grappling with for decades.

You have to be joking! We didn't let anything happen. These people sound like ingrates. We gave thousands of dollars to help them. We would have housed them if we had the room. By the chips on their shoulders now it is easy to see why they were poor in the first place. These types always feel that they are owed something and are the most ungrateful when they receive it!