Mostly just links, because I’m too depressed and horrified to do anything more.
Hell on Earth
- It’s really bad in the Superdome.
- Much worse than they dare show on TV (OK, how much spine do you expect them to grow in a week?)
- Life is even tough at the Ritz
The situation is so bad that the Press has grown a spine, however temporary:
- On NPR: Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff wasn’t aware there were people in the Superdome without food or water.
- I heard a similar thing on NBC-TV (which can be heard on the radio in Miami): First they summarized a Chertoff statement saying that the administration would be stepping up efforts to evacuate everyone from the Superdome, but these efforts were being hampered by more people turning up. It would be better, he said, if people would go to the many other areas in the city where food and water were being provided. Then NBC went to its man on the ground, who said, (1) that there were no communications in N.O. so that no one would get any of the messages from Chertoff or Bush or anyone else; (2) there were no public officials telling anyone anything; (3) he’d driven “all over town” and he hadn’t seen any sign of any attempt to communicate to the public what it should do, and (4) on those drives all day he had not seen any sign of a single of Chertoff’s supposed areas where people should go, nor of the food and water. If they were there — and it was pretty clear he didn’t believe a word of it — they were not visible to anyone.
- CNN has a spine — see the video in which Sen. Landrieu mouths platitudes and gets clobbered for it by a reporter who’s just seen reality.
- My brother has had a spine for some time, but it’s nice to see that recognized.
FEMA follies
- FEMA web site suggests best place charity money should go is … Pat Robertson.
- FEMA brass not picked for what they knew, but rather who
- They were simply unprepared. And the diversion of resources to the Iraq war is a substantial part of the story.
Ugly talk by people who should know better
- Shoot on sight
- Bush administration tries out a blaming the victims meme
People who do know better
- Don’t shoot on sight
- Eric Muller
- A suggestion that we adopt the ‘Dunkirk Model’
- First thoughts on the economic costs: we’re poorer now (The actual broadcast version was better than this blogged version)
The root cause of the problem
In my humble opinion the inaction of FEEMA and other public organizations is simply another component of Bush et al.’s determination to disassemble the public sector so that we can all rely on the munificance of volunteerism. That, of course, leaves everyone to the tender mercies of Pat Robertson and rich people. If we ‘make nice’ they will take care of us — according to their timetable. The Lord will provide! This tragedy in New Orleans is disgusting and comes close to genocide. The US and its ‘rich conributers’ have nothing to be proud of. I refer anyone interested to read ‘A Critical Look at American Charity — What’s Love Got To Do With It? by David Wagner. What is needed is a public sector that is responsive and concerned for the entire population — not just Bushies. We need a new FDR.
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Should we perhaps suggest to the President,the Secretary of Defense, the head of Homeland Security, the head of FEMA, and anybody within our Federal and state Governments that has the resources needed in the wake of this Disaster that it is now their top #1 priority, their #2 priority, and their #3 priority.
And that their continued failure to meaningfully act with due speed to help the citizens of New Orleans, et al, will be regarded as Crimes Against Humanity. With Nuremberg-style trials, and Nuremberg-style penalties.
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