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Blaming local politicians because relief isn’t available to respond to a disaster beyond anyone’s imagination is a cheap shot. Having said that, New Orleans is a community where the people have bought into graft and corruption as being the norm. Their politicians are no doubt a reflection of their constituency. That’s the way it usually is. You reap what you sow.

Nobody asked looters to go wild. Nobody planning for this sort of thing would plan for people shooting at rescue helicopters. Violence is not what you expect from people needing to be rescued.

I have said for years that we have nurtured a sub culture that would become predatory when supplies get short. The political left with their socialist bent has taught them that they are entitled. Like spoiled children when they don’t get what they think they are entitled to they will take it, using force if it isn’t handed over.

We will experience the consequences of this entitlement culture every time we have shortages. Expect it. It is now a reality.

Now why would anyone want to shoot at a helicopter thats coming to resuce you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-5 :-5 :-5

Damn, I hate to agree with you on this one, Clint. I was disgusted when a reporter stopped a looter to ask if he felt bad about doing this. The looter said that it's not wrong because the police were not arresting anyone. There's your situational ethics, people. If you don't get smacked for it, it must be okay. That's why people are raping, looting (not the food; don't start on that), and shooting at choppers.

Your very right AC. It's a sad state of affairs when people such as that looter can lower themselves to that kind of level. And the excuse he gives is even more pathetic.

Accountable wrote: Damn, I hate to agree with you on this one, Clint. I was disgusted when a reporter stopped a looter to ask if he felt bad about doing this. The looter said that it's not wrong because the police were not arresting anyone. There's your situational ethics, people. If you don't get smacked for it, it must be okay. That's why people are raping, looting (not the food; don't start on that), and shooting at choppers.
We need to turn this train around and we need to do it fast. It will destroy us.

Clint wrote: Blaming local politicians because relief isn’t available to respond to a disaster beyond anyone’s imagination is a cheap shot. Having said that, New Orleans is a community where the people have bought into graft and corruption as being the norm. Their politicians are no doubt a reflection of their constituency. That’s the way it usually is. You reap what you sow.

Nobody asked looters to go wild. Nobody planning for this sort of thing would plan for people shooting at rescue helicopters. Violence is not what you expect from people needing to be rescued.

I have said for years that we have nurtured a sub culture that would become predatory when supplies get short. The political left with their socialist bent has taught them that they are entitled. Like spoiled children when they don’t get what they think they are entitled to they will take it, using force if it isn’t handed over.

We will experience the consequences of this entitlement culture every time we have shortages. Expect it. It is now a reality.


Bravo Clint! I think this is a great social analysis. You've hit the nail on the head.

Tombstone wrote: Bravo Clint! I think this is a great social analysis. You've hit the nail on the head.
Thank you.

They shot at a Coast Guard helicopter, one of the first rescue vehicles in the area. Don't you touch my Coasties!

That one rang my bell too. I spent the first five of my twenty three years in the Navy, then retired from the Coast Guard. Those rescue helicopters are only a threat to the most evil of society.

Bless you Clint, my husband just retired from the Coast Guard-they are the bravest souls I have ever had the privalege to know.

I wonder if this state will rally support again for a Republican candidate in the next presidential election

chonsigirl wrote: Bless you Clint, my husband just retired from the Coast Guard-they are the bravest souls I have ever had the privalege to know.


Semper Paratus.

I wish I hadn't retired when I did. I'd love to be helping with katrina.

"It was the best of times..................it was the worst of times......."

Scrat wrote: Any group of animals when put in a stressful situation become predatory, violent.


Your entire argument fails on this premise alone. It does explain why you and I disagree so much though. You see us humans as having the same instincts and reactions as animals. I view humankind entirely different. We can and do rise above animal instincts. We organize massive efforts to save even those who refuse to do what they should to save themselves. We often hear accounts of honorable people giving their lives to save the life of another.

You go ahead. Think of yourself as a morally vacant animal. Just don’t think of me in the same terms.

BTW, I don’t live in California and you don’t know me… I’m a human being.

Clint wrote: We need to turn this train around and we need to do it fast. It will destroy us.


Clint and all,

here is a article that just may explain what the thinking is in their minds and how a welfare state of mind might think it is OK.

I hope everyone reads and sees how this is a good possibility of what we are REALLY up against here.









An Unnatural Disaster: A Hurricane Exposes the Man-Made Disaster of the Welfare State



by Robert Tracinski

Sep 02, 2005 by Robert Tracinski



It took four long days for state and federal officials to figure out how to deal with the disaster in New Orleans. I can't blame them, because it also took me four long days to figure out what was going on there. The reason is that the events there make no sense if you think that we are confronting a natural disaster.



If this is just a natural disaster, the response for public officials is obvious: you bring in food, water, and doctors; you send transportation to evacuate refugees to temporary shelters; you send engineers to stop the flooding and rebuild the city's infrastructure. For journalists, natural disasters also have a familiar pattern: the heroism of ordinary people pulling together to survive; the hard work and dedication of doctors, nurses, and rescue workers; the steps being taken to clean up and rebuild.



Public officials did not expect that the first thing they would have to do is to send thousands of armed troops in armored vehicle, as if they are suppressing an enemy insurgency. And journalists”myself included”did not expect that the story would not be about rain, wind, and flooding, but about rape, murder, and looting.



But this is not a natural disaster. It is a man-made disaster.

The man-made disaster is not an inadequate or incompetent response by federal relief agencies, and it was not directly caused by Hurricane Katrina. This is where just about every newspaper and television channel has gotten the story wrong.



The man-made disaster we are now witnessing in New Orleans did not happen over four days last week. It happened over the past four decades. Hurricane Katrina merely exposed it to public view.

The man-made disaster is the welfare state.



FULL STORY HERE:

Do you think there would be any looting if there was a recognized policy of shooting looters on sight? It's done because they fully expect to get away with it. I'm afraid I take a hard stance on looting of any kind, and that even includes food. People may go hungry but will not die of starvation in three days.

BTS wrote: Clint and all,

here is a article that just may explain what the thinking is in their minds and how a welfare state of mind might think it is OK.

I hope everyone reads and sees how this is a good possibility of what we are REALLY up against here.









An Unnatural Disaster: A Hurricane Exposes the Man-Made Disaster of the Welfare State



by Robert Tracinski

Sep 02, 2005 by Robert Tracinski



It took four long days for state and federal officials to figure out how to deal with the disaster in New Orleans. I can't blame them, because it also took me four long days to figure out what was going on there. The reason is that the events there make no sense if you think that we are confronting a natural disaster.



If this is just a natural disaster, the response for public officials is obvious: you bring in food, water, and doctors; you send transportation to evacuate refugees to temporary shelters; you send engineers to stop the flooding and rebuild the city's infrastructure. For journalists, natural disasters also have a familiar pattern: the heroism of ordinary people pulling together to survive; the hard work and dedication of doctors, nurses, and rescue workers; the steps being taken to clean up and rebuild.



Public officials did not expect that the first thing they would have to do is to send thousands of armed troops in armored vehicle, as if they are suppressing an enemy insurgency. And journalists”myself included”did not expect that the story would not be about rain, wind, and flooding, but about rape, murder, and looting.



But this is not a natural disaster. It is a man-made disaster.

The man-made disaster is not an inadequate or incompetent response by federal relief agencies, and it was not directly caused by Hurricane Katrina. This is where just about every newspaper and television channel has gotten the story wrong.



The man-made disaster we are now witnessing in New Orleans did not happen over four days last week. It happened over the past four decades. Hurricane Katrina merely exposed it to public view.

The man-made disaster is the welfare state.



FULL STORY HERE:


Yup. We have met the enemy and the enemy is us.

:-1 Everyone has such valid reasons for this and reasons for that. I agree Katrina fully exposed a extremely poor WELFARE STATE up close and personel for all of us. We created this poverty, and I hope we can change it. If we don't turn this train wreck around as Clint said, or it will grow larger in every state, and the gap between the rich and the poor with be even more evident.

I'm ashamed as I look at the TV and the conditions these people lived in before KATRINA. They have been pushed aside and ignored period. The glaring fact is we don't take care for our poor, sick, and elderly in this country we just don't.

Equal rights, turn your TV on, if that doesn't tell you there is no such thing as equal rights in this country I don't know what will. There but for the grace of god I could be among them, anyone of us could be among them all it takes is on event from mother nature, a serious illness you name it.

If we don't wake you and smell the coffee our grand children will have a very tough life to lead in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. We must start taking care of our citizens first, and then take care of the other countries. Poverty is growing at alarming rate right here in the USA. How long can you survive without a paycheck? How much reserve money do you have in the bank? I know for me it is become a paycheck to paycheck life, and you.?????

As I listened to the stranded talk all I could think of is what have we done to this country..??

The article points out what John Stossel calls the law of unintended consequences. We really need to be careful with these broadbrush national programs. They're too easy to take advantage of, and they encourage sloth.

So true Accountable, what are the alternatives??? I hate to say it but some of these people know no other existence, they can't move forward we have taken that away from them. Their lack of education, resources, and help has made them dependent period, hand to mouth existence. Hopefully we can help some of the youth receive an education and opportunities that they will want to achieve everyone has to have a dream..:-1

The article points out what John Stossel calls the law of unintended consequences. We really need to be careful with these broadbrush national programs. They're too easy to take advantage of, and they encourage sloth.

Yes, Carla. It's the same as what the gov't did to the American Indians, I believe. But eventually somebody there thought of casinos as a way toward self-determination. I'm sure we'll figure it out.

Once again so true. The Indians have made the best of a bad situation and now they are for the most part doing well. :-6

Your so correct self determination is paramount.

Scrat wrote: Really now Clint and BTS, put your money in your mouths and come up with a way to solve this problem.
OK I will start er off........

I am in one of the QUICKEST growing communities in the USA.....Albuquerque NM (Check it out if you don't believe me) and I am in the construction of NEW homes. We are lacking on Plumbers, Electricians, Carpenters, Concrete workers. The list goes on and on. We need workers as does Las Vegas NV. and numerous other desert communities.

They (the homeless displaced people from the hit areas) need jobs and homes. Most are from a city built below sea level that won't have homes for months or even years.

What say, we get them out here working until they have a home to go home to?

Just a thought...............

Excellent idea. I'll bet the larger builders might kick in for relocation expenses for the right exposure.

Accountable wrote: Excellent idea. I'll bet the larger builders might kick in for relocation expenses for the right exposure.


You know I have a little pull and am set for a meeting with the owner later this week for something else but I will try to get this point accross as we are the biggest builder in area (and a home grown owner to Albuquerquere too).

Here are a few of our HOME BUILDING SITES:

http://www.rayleehomes.com/story.asp

http://www.rayleecustom.com/

http://www.vantagebuilt.com/HomeBuilder/

Scrat wrote: I disagree. I pay taxes, my pockets are rifled biweekly and I dare not object to the way it is spent by not paying them. I am entitled to some form of compensation for the taxes I pay or it is simply theft. I expect politicians to do their jobs correctly.




I agree with Scrat. Nagin made some mistakes but at least he tried to do something, it was just too little too late. OTOH, Gov Blanco has been the poster girl for indecision. The federal government doesn't have the constitutional authority to just come in an take over. Blanco has refused to relinquish control and command to the feds, Bush has had to cajole her into asking for the right things, and when he suggests a certain action she responds that she needs 24 hours to mull it over. Meanwhile, people were starving and dying and living in squalor. It certainly is no cheap shot to hold Blanco accountable for failing the citizens of her state.

I'm ashamed as I look at the TV and the conditions these people lived in before KATRINA. They have been pushed aside and ignored period. The glaring fact is we don't take care for our poor, sick, and elderly in this country we just don't.


Again, this can be laid at the doorstep of the politically corrupt in Louisiana. We are famous for our populist governors, from Huey Long to Edwin Edwards, yet they mostly lined their pockets and built their corrupt political machines on the backs of the LA poor. Having been born and raised in this state, it is one of the reasons I am a conservative.

We dont look so good from over here, let me tell you!:mad:

I can't believe the mayor is accepting no responsibility whatsoever. :-5

And just exactly WHEN did the govenor decide to declare a state of emergency? Did she EVER?

I cannot believe this video has been all over the net, and noone has posted it here. Check out these cops looting!

http://zippyvideos.com/8911023771013466 ... in-walmart

Also, the kid pushing out the toy jeep. #1. Where is he going to ride it? #2. What kind of parent would let him take it?

So thats where the NOPD went!!!:-3

Raven wrote: So thats where the NOPD went!!!:-3


Did you hear a bunch of them are being sent to Las Vegas for R&R?

New York Police officers they are NOT

Click for story

BTS wrote: Did you hear a bunch of them are being sent to Las Vegas for R&R?

New York Police officers they are NOT

Click for story


That's not a fair statement or comparison.

Abandoning their posts is NOT cool!

So, what we have heard about the decadence of N O that was legalized by the State of LA was an indicator of the State’s lack of moral character. The character train is going down the wrong track in America. If the train is going to be turned around it has to begin with a lack of tolerance for social, moral decay.

Raven wrote: Abandoning their posts is NOT cool!


The police were being shot at by the very people they were trying to help. These same police officers were doing this in spite of having also lost their homes and possibly family members. I hate to admit it, but if it were me in the same situation, I'd probably say "to hell with it all" and get out of there. The ones doing the shooting are not worth my life.

Kathy wrote: The police were being shot at by the very people they were trying to help. These same police officers were doing this in spite of having also lost their homes and possibly family members. I hate to admit it, but if it were me in the same situation, I'd probably say "to hell with it all" and get out of there. The ones doing the shooting are not worth my life.
Oath of office be damned?