Sympathy
I have all the sympathy in the world for the elderly, ill, and truly dependent people who were unable to move out of the way of Katrina. Theirs is a plight that is compounded by what is apparently a horrible reaction in terms of rescue and evacuation. Many have died that might not have otherwise.I have absolutely none for the welfare-queen denizens of the projects who couldn't be bothered to get out when they could. I have none for the crackheads who had better things to do than plan for their future (a recurring theme in their short lives I am sure). They had a chance to avoid the very situation they are now in, and chose not to take it.The thug subculture of dependence is rearing its very ugly head, and in plain view of the world. People who are used to getting handouts and taking from others by force if necessary are showing how they survive -- Law of the Jungle rules. Now we've heard that survivors are being flown and bussed here into Atlanta and many other southern cities. We are all going to have to support people who already weren't taking care of themselves in New Orleans.Even if one had a reason to stay despite repeated warnings to leave, there is a possibly valid moral argument for desperately looting survival items -- food, bottled water, emergency items, etc. Breaking into appliance stores to steal TV's, grabbing clothes by the armload, even Dyson vacuums (?) is evidence of animal behavior. This is compounded by the rationalizations of the Downtrodden Have-Nots, that "society has been holding us down so long, now it's our turn" arguments. The emboldening of this behavior by the lack of proper enforcement of order has encouraged more violent actions. We are now hearing reports that the armed gangs are ambushing weaker and more vulnerable survivors (who are just trying to survive and get out), that shots are being fired at police and guardsmen, that the rescue craft are being ambushed and shot at.Why bother with the inner flood zone? Get the survivors out who have made it to the gathering points, establish a perimeter of security, and wait. After a short while, arrest anyone who tries to leave -- eventually the thugs will run out of stuff to steal and consume and will try to split. Shoot the violent ones. They stopped contributing to society by choice.The majority of survivors do not appear to be violent and opportunistic bastards. They deserve our help, if not sympathy. The violent animals taking advantage of the situation and weak/vulnerable people deserve nothing.
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3 Old Comments:
I wonder what the role of ignorance is in this situation. This is essentially a mean spirited indictment of people for whom a culture of poverty has taken root and for whom the American Dream means nothing.
When there is nothing, there is nothing.
Foston
"I wonder what the role of ignorance is in this situation." Mine or theirs?
It may be mean-spirited but it is not unfair. The "culture of poverty" is not culture at all; it is a situation that some are born into but which is escapable by all.
The poverty-stricken are exactly what the American Dream is about: having the freedom and opportunity to lift oneself out of bad circumstances and succeed to provide a better life.
But this takes self-discipline, hard work, and a genuine desire to live a better life.
We have spent billions of dollars trying to teach people to finish school, to not have children outside of marriage, to provide additional educational and job service programs, to provide drug rehab services. If any adult is in poverty, it is because of the results of choices they have made. Additionally, some government programs actually encourage this behavior -- welfare, WIC, etc....having babies to collect their check.
I truly weep for children born into poverty. They did not do that to themselves, and it takes a long time before they can do anything about it. But eventually they can. They simply have to decide to do so. There are feel-good stories every day in local newscasts and Oprah-style shows about courageous women who decided at 30 to stop doing drugs or having bastard babies and went back to school or got 2nd and 3rd jobs.
It ain't easy, and I am truly grateful I never had to climb out of that deep of a pit. But I was born into lower-class circumstances and have done a very good job. One must *want* to win.
One must *want* to win.
Agreed. However - just because we spend billions does not mean that we do not need to continue to do so to slowly eliminate the culture of poverty.
Face the facts - the fact is that the gap between the people who have in this country and the people who do not has been growing since Reagan. Mind you that this has also included Clinton (a Dino). Business is all for this. To compete with China we need workers who will work for less, without benefits (which will soon cost more than salaries). We need cheap labor - and so buisness has no problem with the labor class.
The gap is what the American Dream is all about - getting laborers to do your work in a business that you start so that you can get rich and buy a Hummer, and Hot tub, a Hot Chick, and 5 hot dogs at a Houston Astros game.
The basic fact about poverty is that without child care (that costs money too BTW) there is no reason to go to work. NONE. Even for me - middle class - day care if F*ing expensive - 400/month. that is more than you can make at McDonalds. So cut cut cut?
Give me a break. You cut your own ability to get people back to work. Most people want to work, they just cant really make it happen when the transportation system, the edudcational system, the child care system, and the social services system are all cutting basic needs (including health care) from their budgets (and have been for the last 12 years)
There is nothing left to cut. We are barely providing MANDATED services.
Wanna cut? Cut Ted Stevens Pork ass barrel 60 Trillion dollar highway project and give people health care -
Health care alone keeps people on the system cause no one wants to die because they cant get health care, and McDonalds dont pay no bennies.
Foston
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