during and after
I read a bit more about the New Orleans situation today, nothing quite gave me the understanding until i read this blog from inside New Orleans.
There is going to be a lot more fall out from this than I think anyones really saying right now.
The race issue is going to come up.
Some facts I find odd or disturbing, the US first delivered supplies to Banda Aceh within 2 days, parts of New Orleans (the civic centre - approx 10,000 people) received their first food last night, nearly 5 days after the disaster. why?
The presidents remarks of zero tolerance to looting, seem to be drastically out of line with any sane human being. If you need food, water and medicine and no-one is there to help you for 5 days, I don’t think you should be shot on sight.
Looting for profit… yes, shoot the bastards.
The way that civilized society descended into anarchy so quickly is terrifying. Think about it, this could of been any city in the world.
I saw the UN secretary for disaster relief being persecuted by a CNN reporter who lacked listening skills, she kept asking why the Un wasn’t helping… that americans felt abandoned by the international community and that no one cared… completely missing the point that the guy was repeatedly telling her saying: look, we’ve offered logistics, supplies, specialist teams and everything we have but the US hasn’t asked for any help.
The UN guy was quite clearly frustrated that the interviewer wasn’t listening to him, he had help to give but wouldn’t go in to a location without a request for assistance.
hmmmm, sobering stuff.
