[Wordsmyth]

No suitable drinking water, little food, inadequate medical care. Is this a commercial for the Christians Children's fund for kids in Africa? No.

Armed bandits, looting, rioting, rape, people being terrorized and burning buildings. Is this Iraq? No.

These are the current conditions in New Orleans. A city normally associated with partying, Super Bowls, Mardi Gras, and having a good time.

Since hurricane Katrina hit, things in New Orleans have just gotten worse and worse. Bodies are lying in the open, some left by the floods, some left there because the shelters where they died have nothing else to do with them, some left there by the people that killed them.

Looting and general lawlessness is the order of the day there. People who are desperate to save their families are taking food, water, and necessary supplies. Others are stealing TV's, stereos, video games, and bags full of Nikes and other clothes. I understand the first group. Taking what you need to survive is foraging and is acceptable in the eyes of most. Taking what you want because you can is stealing and is criminal. People are preying on the innocent robbing, raping and killing.

I have a question. Where is the National Guard? Where is the government assistance? I know that there are some guard units there and I know FEMA is there, but what they have sent is totally inadequate. We can (attempt to) keep peace in Iraq. We can go to Somalia and Bosnia on peacekeeping missions, but we can't help the remainder of the 450 Thousand residents of one American city.

I was in New Orleans 1 Month ago on vacation. It was a place I probably would have enjoyed a lot more had I been there when I was in my early twenties and in partying mode, but it just wasn't the greatest place at this stage in my life.

I took my family, wife daughter, son and my sister-in-law came along with her family. It wasn't the best vacation. The city was dirty, trash on the streets and smelly. My son and nephew informed me they were talking with a guy in ragged clothes that took out what appeared to be a crack pipe (possibly Pot who knows) and lit it right there in front of them and just kept talking like it was absolutely normal. The whole time I was there I saw three police cars in the downtown / French Quarter area. Sounds like a bad place, huh?

Let me give you a few more details. The atmosphere there was spectacular. The buildings and architecture were amazing and you could almost feel the history of this city in the air. My wife, daughter and I visited a nice museum on the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812 that had some wonderful displays of actual uniforms, sabers, cannon balls, iron balls from rifles, along with numerous paintings of soldiers and actual letters written by soldiers on the battlefield. I wonder if any of these survived. I'm sure they did, precautions were probably taken when the hurricane was forecasted, but what about all of the history that couldn't be moved.

We enjoyed walking by Jackson Park with all of the street vendors and musicians out front and my daughter had the privilege to have her Tarot cards read by an absolutely outstanding old man there. He was amazing. I'm a skeptic my self, not totally skeptical about that type of thing but more about the people who do it, but this guy was so accurate in describing my daughter and things that were going on in her life currently that we couldn't help to believe his telling of her future. He told us he had been doing this for over 50 years. I hope he was able to make it through the storm and the aftermath.

I've heard many things since this tragedy happened but the thing that I heard that disgusted the most was the person on the radio I heard say; "Just break the rest of the levees and flood the whole city, we don't need it anyway". This is a city that was just one week ago a living, thriving, happy place where people lived, worked, and entertained many. A historically important city, not only for the role it played in the building of a country but culturly as well. A city that generally credited as the birthplace of Jazz and the Blues, forerunners of Rock-n-roll, R&B and Rap. This is not a city that needs to be flushed and forgotten.


I guess I've ranted long enough. Let me finish up by saying that the government needs to step up and get on the ball. Get the National Guard and relief moving. Get the people taken care of. Save as much of the history of this city as they can. We need to rebuild this city and rebuild the lives of its residents. Notice I said "WE" not just the government but anyone willing and able to help. I know many people have started but keep it going don't forget and don't stop until whomever and whatever can be saved is saved

[Lubesh]

Good going mww......and our hearts go out to all there.

[RENA HANDS]

I so agree with the much stated facts in this story. I would hate to see the most renowned city of Anne Rice wash away into the ocean.

The first sentence is a fragment and the second also. They seem poetic though.

"Taking what you need to survive is foraging and acceptable in the eyes of most." You don't need the second "is."

"Taking what you want because you can is stealing and criminal." Again, you don't need the "is."

"The whole time I was there, I saw three police cars in the downtown/French Quarter area."

The word is culturally and not culturly.

[Timmay]

i agree with all of this, and in no way do i support frma, bush, etc. but ask yourself this
would you have been able to act?