THE PACK Message Boards

Reilune wrote:Nice ta meetcha.

vrikasatma wrote: The Senate has okayed $10.5 billion in hurricane relief and the LA National Guard has landed with their M-16s locked and loaded and ready to cowboy up. Didn't we mention "sacrifice of the few for the needs of the many" elsewhere on this board? Personally I think the sunnamabitchkis got it comin' for shooting at a hospital in the midst of the worst natural disaster in the last hundred years. The LA governor has positively NO problem with the snipers getting a very special can of military instant karma opened up on them and hey, who am I to argue?

vrikasatma wrote:Do we have a wolfie for bonking herself on the head?

People are dying in New Orleans. I saw heartbreaking news on television this morning, about the thousands of people who are slowly dying at the convention center, led only by a brave, self-appointed civilian leader. Why can't our government get water, food and medicine to people faster? Why wasn't there at least one official aid worker at the convention center? Why are New Orleans residents telling reporter after reporter that they have been seeing more news persons than rescuers in the city? Babies are dying, diabetics are dying, old people are dying. Many babies have been given only water for several days, because there is no formula for them. The injured are bandaging their own wounds, wounds that have often been in contact with sewage-contaminated gasoline-laden floodwater. People in wheelchairs have been s*** where they sit because nobody has been helping them go to the bathroom, and often bathrooms are unavailable. People are promised buses out of the city, then left under highway overpasses, with more of them dying from heat exhaustion, dehydration and medical problems every day.
Why do I keep seeing the government admit that large groups of stranded refugees did not get food and water because nobody realized that these people existed? Aren't we the most powerful nation in the world? Shouldn't our rescue forces be able to realize it when thousands of people are gathered in one building, at least before people die of thirst? Why are so many people saying that they are getting no directions from authority figures about where to go and what to do, or that they are getting contradictory directions or wrong information? Why are people saying that the helicopters and rescue trucks have not been shouting out directions through loudspeakers, like they should? Why are so many exhausted, sick, dehydrated people walking out of the city because there are no buses for them?
There is no official body count yet. It is said that bodies are being tied to stop signs so that they can be found and counted later.
Why, why why?
I cry for these people. But most of us can't do anything except send our money. You aren't allowed into the city unless you are an authorized aid worker, governmental worker, or reporter. And, we can't make our government forces get there any faster. We can prod them by expressing our disapproval, but that is all we can do. So much is in the hands of other people, and every hour is critical. I'm sure that help will eventually arrive. I'm sure that America will eventually open her heart and donate so much money that we can rebuild New Orleans better than ever. But, now, people are dying. It is already too late for many of them. We will rebuild New Orleans on the bones of those who were too poor or too unlucky to get out. But, if we had been faster, I'm sure that half of those could have been saved.
Speculation is running wild about why we were so slow and disorganized. People cannot help but notice that most of those left behind were black as well as poor, so racism has entered the discussion about Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. It is hard to prove that this is true, but I can't help but think that help would have arrived sooner and been more organized if those stranded had been a bunch of rich white people. Now, some people are saying that the original reports of anarchy were exaggerated, simply because we as a culture still characterize poverty-stricken urban blacks as violent. These reports of anarchy were used as an excuse to not send in more aid workers when they were really needed. Thus, people died as a result of these reports, regardless of whether they were exaggerated or the unvarnished truth. We need to find out the truth.
What can we do? We can complain to the government and we can donate money. Here are some of the charity organizations that are helping or planning to help:
American Red Cross
FEMA
Salvation Army
Second Harvest
Humane Society (to help animals)

Scott Gardener wrote:Here is a blog that has gained a lot of attention lately.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

It's run by a web host troubleshooter who has military experience, who has been entrenched in the area. It's a pretty chilling account, but at times also very heart-warming, and a true testament to the human spirit, even as the surrounding events show a startling glimpse of our dark side.

vrikasatma wrote:
Hey, Fig, how about a jester wolf with his hat in Mardi Gras colours? (purple, green and gold)

Excelsia wrote:TRASHED A CHURCH. That's taking it a bit too far, IMO.

Scott Gardener wrote:That's the real dissapointment I have with the human reaction. Between the mob mentality and the highly aggressive individuals forming gangs, burning buildings, and killing innocent victims as well as their own rescuers, my faith in humanity under pressure is a bit hurt.