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[WebmasterAlex]

Folks this is a very emotional issue. A lot of people are very upset and with good reason. Attacking each other is not going to solve a thing and if it continues you will be invited to post elsewhere.

From what I am reading this has broken down into 2 basic camps. Those who believe the government should do whatever they can to save lives no matter what and those who believe that even in a crisis the law has to be followed.
(read that as blame the republican president vs. blame the democratic mayor and governor)
Posting hysterically over and over like a broken record is not going to convince anyone you are right. It mostly just irritates everyone.
For those who feel their comments are witty and insightful..they aren't.
I have seen more threads drug off topic just to try to get in another jab that it has gotten to the point where nobody can bring up ANY topic without it immediately becoming someone's fault.
It's going to stop. If that means closing a bunch of threads to the point where we can't talk about who did what when I am more than ready to do that.
If it means removing some posters I have no issue with that either.
Before someone decides I mean them..or someone else there is WAY more than 1 person
Thank you for your cooperation.

 

[Pete's Mom]

Thanks Alex!

 

[totalia]

Thank you Alex. Very very much.

 

[luvthatduke]

You're doing a good, but tough job, Alex. Thank you.

 

[Bunch24]

We all have passionate opinions and nobody likes being told their opinion is wrong. I think sometimes, people (myself included) lose sight of that in an argument.

Thanks Alex and Kathy and everyone else that moderates. It's a tough job, but you're doing a great job.

 

[Nancy]

Thanks Alex.

 

[Southern4sure]

Thanks Alex!

 

[WDWBetsy]

From what I am reading this has broken down into 2 basic camps. Those who believe the government should do whatever they can to save lives no matter what and those who believe that even in a crisis the law has to be followed.
(read that as blame the republican president vs. blame the democratic mayor and governor)

Alex, I think we should also break it into a 3rd camp - those who, regardless of their political beliefs, just want to ensure that those in charge (federal, state, and local) are capable and qualified to do their job to the best of their ability. That doesn't make us Bush-haters or Republican-haters, or even Democrat-haters. We don't have to make this into a political fight.

Hurricane season isn't over and terrorist attacks are not out of the question, and if the same inadequate leaders are running the show, I fear lacking results.

Personal attacks should not be tolerated on either side. It's all about respect.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Honestly, I don't mean to contradict you but, you blamed the police and felt that it was innappropriate for them to abandon their jobs. So everyone is involved in the blame game.

I feel that a lot of the police officers have lost homes and are just overwhelmed with the issues that they are forced to deal with.

So this type of dialog continues to confuse me. Is it okay for some people to caste blame, but not others?

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I said personal attacks will stop. And I said people need to stop dragging threads off topic to support their personal views.
I didn't personally attack anyone on these boards and I posted the Police Officer thread as a free standing thread.
I never said that we couldn't find fault with anything it's how people are going about it

 

[kejoda]

Honestly, I don't mean to contradict you but, you blamed the police and felt that it was innappropriate for them to abandon their jobs. So everyone is involved in the blame game.

I feel that a lot of the police officers have lost homes and are just overwhelmed with the issues that they are forced to deal with.

So this type of dialog continues to confuse me. Is it okay for some people to caste blame, but not others?

I think what Alex is trying to say that it is ok to post that diser A can start a thread about how s/he thinks the government are idiots but diser B who disagrees can't say diser A is an idiot for saying that.

If you disagree with someone and they are driving you nuts use the ignore button. Makes dis life much more calm(that is if you can refrain from looking anyway)

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Well, as long as we are still allowed to disagree with you!

So, it's okay to blame the top of the food chain, I mean beurocracy, as opposed to the middle or lower end?

It's okay to still see the way things unfolded as "racist"?

 

[WebmasterAlex]

It's ok to mention it, it's not ok to pound people to death and hijack every thread......

 

[Geoff_M]

I'm done with the "blame" threads here...

It's interesting that many people appear to think that their "camp" is the only honest debaters, free of personal bias or political motive, here on the boards. Those that disagree are thought to be only doing so reflexively to defend their obvious political worldview.

One thing has become abundantely obvious here.... There needs to be a national dialog about what the roles should be for local, state, and national response agencies in situations like Katrina or other disasters. Because there is clearly a disconnect in the minds of many of the public and national media over this issue. A "disaster expert" on NPR said the same thing effectively this morning. He said we have the current "local... then state... then national" system in place because that's what America's mayors, governors, and federal governemt have agreed to and wanted. Perhaps we need to revisit that arrangement.

The bottom line is, despite what Newsweek's cover story claims.... we don't "Know what happened..." There's too much information, misinformation (like "Did the NOPD fade away, or didn't it?"), and third party anecdotes floating around to get anything like a clear picture of what did or didn't work. Until then it doesn't make sense to place final blame or start calling for "show firings".

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I agree Geoff and the problem is some people think they "prove" their point of view by posting the same thing over and over and looking for any little point they can possible score.

 

[Pete's Mom]

It's ok to mention it, it's not ok to pound people to death and hijack every thread......

That's the 4th group, Alex.

 

[JimMIA]

I agree Geoff and the problem is some people think they "prove" their point of view by posting the same thing over and over and looking for any little point they can possible score.

I see SO many more "air balls" than scores!

 

[eeyore45]

Thank you Alex,

Believe it or not, I may open a thread, with a thought, but cant get into a "debate" so I just leave... I wanted you to know I'm one of those "dis'ers" that needed a place to "hang out" in this catastrophe... the original reason for starting a place... I understand there is a need for a "debate" board, but after reading a few threads, I understand why this is not possible here... at least ...

anyway,, thank you for stepping up and trying.

 

[Pete's Mom]

I agree Geoff and the problem is some people think they "prove" their point of view by posting the same thing over and over and looking for any little point they can possible score.

That's the key Alex, just post your "please read, be nice threads" about 14 more times and that should do the trick.

Oh, and don't forget this guy.

Hoping it works this time.

 

[JimMIA]

Just bumping -- something we all should read and heed.

Alex, you need to make this a sticky.