Hurricane Katrina

this whole hurricane situation frustrates the hell out of me, during a newscast tonight, they were showing many people just ranting who were stuck in new orleans. a few of them made some great points, that the U.S. has been dropping supplies in Iraq to foreigners in need during the war, but haven't done anything to bring supplies like that to our own citizens. our leaders are relying on large businesses and average joe people to supply help to the poor people who were abandoned by this disaster, and they are instead helping people in other countries.

i went to a local drop off station the other day to take some stuff like a case of water, toilet paper, etc. and they wouldn't accept it. they only wanted cash. i wanted to say "FU" so bad.

 

Just caught a CNN live report...

Apparently buses that just arrived at the Houston Astrodome (which have been on the road for 12 hours) are being turned away. They're no longer accepting survivors at the Astrodome, but the reporter was not told where these folks were supposed to go instead. The response to Katrina is really turning into a travesty...Red Cross was reporting earlier that they'd prepared for thousands more to arrive at the Astrodome tomorrow, but now local police are turning them away????

 

The local police are quitting, the mayor is out of town, the governor has expended all resources. The only one that can help is the president.

This is terrible. The USA has sunk to an all time low!

 

The National Guard now has authorization to shoot to kill. That should have been granted several days ago. People breaking into stores for food is not looting, but that's not what's happening.

The situation that exists today was predicted, known and published several years ago, no-one wanted to believe it. In fact it seems that increasing the heights of the levees contributed to erosion and interfered with natural systems of drainage.

To even think of building again on a site that was bad to begin with [300 years ago] and continually sinks lower is insane.

 

That's rediculous!

I remember that people, shortly after the tsunami in Asia, collected all sorts of goods , received and accepted it gladly within hours after the hit. - And it helped.

Imagine so many lost everthing and then suddenly get something personal (whether it was food, water, clothes and even teddy-bears for the kids)- what a motivation.

 

Not sure if this link has been posted but it is an amazing one.

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0410/feature5/

 

It was a disaster waiting to happen, exacerbated by a self-serving, corrupt local government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effect_of_Hurricane_Katrina_on_New_Orleans

 

I went ahead and donated to the red cross, seemed the best course considering noone around here wants anything besides money either. I can kind of understand though, these folks can buy 8 times the amount of food, water, or supplies needed with your same money then you can, they buy in massive quantities so they get huge discounts.

 

The problem with donating money instead of goods is that you'll get osme sick ***** who will set up scams and prey on people's good intentions.

 

Unfortunately you get the same things with goods...There have been countless stories in the past of people working the collection points bringing a lot of the stuff home.

Its got to be one of the lowest things you can do

 

The Red Cross has been around since pre 1900, I think my donation is pretty safe....

**Edit**

I am not discounting what Relixx said I am just saying be careful who you donate to and you should be okay. We gave to two charities The Red Cross and The United States Human Society Disaster Relief Fund, we are animal lovers, both of these charities are legit. But yes there are some evil peoples out there who will steal from you and refugees.

 

Yeah, it's normally best if you stick to donating stuff to reputable orgs like the Red Cross

 

True dat, I've done the same thing.

Here's a couple of links for places to donate cash online:

http://www.redcross.org/
http://national.unitedway.org/
http://www.networkforgood.org/

 

i totally agree with you guys about watching for scams, but i was just on my way home from the grocery store and thought i'd drop off stuff i just bought for myself. the drop off was at a local television station, so i knew it was reputible, i was very frustrated that they wouldn't take it, and i felt totally helpless at that moment.

 

In all fairness, a TV station in Illinios probably doesn't have the resources available to get it down there. They can get the money to the people who can nearly instantly.

Not saying I know the situation but there may be another side to it.

Either way is was very kind of you to help those in need

 

yeah, i understand what you mean....now....but at that moment, it was so disappointing

 

If you want to send goods, I know a girl who has a few displaced families living with her in Kentucky. She's looking for clothing and whatever else you can send.

(Actually many of her neighbors have let families into their homes as well)

PM me if you would like her address.

 

Btw, in case anyone is looking to mail packages via USPS to the affected area, Kim at cre8asiteforums made a related entry: http://cre8asiteforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=27326 listing zip codes where the USPS service is temporarily suspended.