New Orleans Mayor-Out of Line?

[Scooby4]

I am not sure of the New Orleans mayor, but I have a feeling what is going on with his city does reflect his "attitude". There are little reports of looting and violance in other areas effected by the storm. They are the ones crying and complaining about the help the MOST. The mayor's statements are completely out of line and somewhat "inflamatory". For the public to hear such a "high up" official yell angrily on national radio isn't professional. Also to exagerate the possible number of dead based on STATISTICAL likely hood other than TRUE reports is completely out of the realm of sanity.
The mayor is reporting his "death toll" based on the number of residents and how many they evacuated. He said there was 500,000 residents and 80% of those were evacuated. That means 20% are either stranded, need rescued, or are staying put. That means 100,000 possible people are still in New Orleans. Out of those people, what could be the number of dead? I don't think it is the thousands he is estimating. Considering the other areas that took a direct hit like Biloxi has only reported 126 people died so far. Their populations was in the hundreds of thousands as well. The damage was greater with NO structures left standing versus structures standing with flooding.
I am NOT trying to "downplay" this tragedy. However, I am also trying to put in a bit of "REALITY" to the situation. An Official such as the Mayor of New Orleans is to "Represent" their people and their needs. That is why they were elected. I feel that this mayor is doing just that and it isn't healthy. His attitude of complaining and impatience isn't going to get help there any faster or it be "safe" when it does arrive. His job should be to calm his people down and give them "reassurance" that things are getting done ASAP. The city will survive and rebuild. The other mayor's and governor's are of that mindset about their towns. They are also share the same mindset about New Orleans being able to "survive/rebuild".
I reckon there are some leaders like Mayor Guilani who can rise above a situation and give people peace in an unpeaceful situation. Then there are leaders like the mayor of New Orleans who lets anger and frustration creep in. This isn't what America is all about. We are about helping our own and being there for each other in crisis. Not placing blame and acting like greedy children with our hands out for government cheese!!!

[kuhio98]

I have been troubled by his attitude. I don't have cable TV so I haven't seen a lot of coverage but his "ranting" leave me with the impression that he is not a leader that I would follow. It sounds to me like he was waiting for "the Government" to do something. I felt like saying, "Look in the mirror. You are the Government. What are you going to do?"

Katrina was such an awful tragedy. We've never had a hurricane that caused so much damage before. The local government failed to implement any kind of plan except to point fingers at others about what was not being done. But, really. How could anyone have a plan to deal with such devastation? What were they expecting?

My impression was that a lot of the victims we saw on TV were more comfortable with being taken care of my some sort of government assistance. It simply never occured to them that they could reponsible for taking some action instead of sitting around and waiting for someone to rescue them.

I predict this guy will win his next election by a landslide because he'll play up the "victim" angle. I also thought of Guilani during all of this. I wondered what would have happened to New York if instead of implementing disaster evacuation plans, he had held press conferences asking the Government what they were going to do about it.

[Soledad]

I don't think you can compare this to NYC during 9-11.

Also, you are looking at a situation where there is no real refuge. In NYC, Guiliani at least had his nice home to go to and electricity and running water to assist him. He worked his butt off, for sure, but I really don't think this is comparable.

What also needs to be taken into account is that a lot of the people who stayed, did so because they had no choice. Remember that this hit at the end of the month, which is an extremely hard time financially for people who live paycheck to paycheck. Add that to the fact that many did not have cars.

It's really easy to judge while we sit in our cool, dry, electricity flowing homes, but we don't have a clue what it's like to be in the middle of that and what sort of things that does to a person.

[Scooby4]

The mayor of New Orleans did not leave the city that is correct. He happens to be staying down town in the Hyatt Hotel on a higher floor. Funny how he's not staying with the people in the Superdome?
As for the "conditions"... The other mayor's don't have electricity, running water, or possible homes to live in as well. So what makes the New Orleans mayor soo special? I see the other officials actually living or working in the shelters. They give interviews addressing they need help BUT also give credit where it is due.
There was a reference today that the Mississippi people are getting angry at the people in New Orleans because they are getting more attention and help than they are. I also just saw that the NACP wants a fund set up similar to the 9-11 compensation fund!!! Aparently, the mayor of New Orleans has already contacted them for a complaint. People are still on roof tops!!! And they want FUNDING? What kind of leader is that?

[Soledad]

I'm very confused. You think it's a failure of leadership to want funding to help victims of natural disasters?

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by Scooby4
However, I am also trying to put in a bit of "REALITY" to the situation.

You're not there. You're giving us your take on reality while you sit in your air conditioning talking to your friends on your computer after having finished a nice meal and something fresh to drink.

Where exactly do you get reality?

It's amazing to me how easily people are willing to sit back in their comfy chairs and criticize everything other people are trying to do. Could you do better given the circumstances?

[LoudLou]

ABSOULUTELY NOT!

[dukedogsmom]

I can't believe the NAACP has requested their own fund! Can you imagine if any other race did that? Talk about riots. That's unfair to the others living there. I think this whole thing has been handled poorly. From the president on down. I don't think there's any one certain person to blame. Speaking of our illustrious president, he's the one that put Michael Brown in charge of FEMA. A man with no experience at all in this type of thing. He was in charge of keeping the judges in line for the Arab association for nine years and that wasn't even put in his resume. What a disgrace.

[Soledad]

They're a national association for African Americans, do you think they should do nothing for the very people their organization is based upon serving? Do you have any knowledge about what other funds they've set up in the past? The majority of those suffering in New Orleans are poor, black people. It would be criminal if a group based on serving the black community failed to act and get money to these people so they can help build their lives.

[Scooby4]

I am tired of hearing about how the poor black people should get the funding because they are poor and minority. Hello!!! I am a poor white girl with no job myself. How am I supposed to get funding? Should I setup a group of poor white women and claim we are a minority and need special funding for us to "survive"? I am an unemployed white woman who instead of being able to get "assistance" is told to get a husband!!!
You know I am quite sick of hearing that excuse. That is what it is. You give a million dollars to a rich person and a million to a poor person. A year later the rich person will still be rich and the poor person will be broke and asking for a hand for help. Claiming I was a minority and wasn't educated like the rich man was. BS!!! If you want money, you go and get money!!! If you can't handle money, you lose money. End of story!!!
Our society tells us that poor people always need help and to take away things from the rich. What if that just isn't true? What if society has it wrong? I say the assistance they get should be in the form of giving low rate loans and supplying food. There is no reason why the reconstruction of the homes/businesses can't be handled by the victims themselves. Why do we the tax payers need to pay someone else to rebuild homes? There are soo many people displaced but it does NOT make them helpless. We are getting to the point in this disaster that these people are no longer victims but SURVIVORS. Let's us start treating them that way!!! No matter what color or type of pay they ever received!!!!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

One thing that is bothering me is CNN has been saying a lot about the saving of people being based on race. I don't think that is true.
I think if anything, it's based on class. I will admit when the people from the "projects" came to that bridge and were left there for days with no food or water and police cars and national guard trucks just passing them by, it reminded me of the Titanic where the poor lower class was ignored to save the rich.
The lower class in this case just happened to be mostly African American.

Being poor or of another race is not a crime and should not be treated that way! Poverty is not contageous but stupidity sure seems to be. I wish CNN had waited until they are SURE there is a race discrimination factor before they stir everything up.

[kuhio98]

I was disappointed by the Mayor turning this into a racial issue. It appears that this thread is turning into a racial issue too. This isn't a racial issue at all. This was a catastrophic event in which no amount of pre-planning could have possibly prepared the inhabitants of the Gulf Coast. (Have people forgotten that New Orleans wasn't the only city devastated?) For the Mayor to insinuate that help was slow in coming because the American People/ Government did not care about our African American citizens is akin to shouting "FIRE" in a crowded room. I can understand his feelings of helplessness and panic and frustration, but a leader should (in my opinion) release those emotions privately. Not on a radio station rant.

As an American with mixed heritage, I disappointed that the "race card" is constantly played. The American People/Government did not delay rescue anymore than Katrina purposely made up her "mind" to land near a large African American population. People seem to think there has to be someone to blame for these things. There is no bad guy. The hurricane caused this distruction. Be mad and angry at it, not the people who are trying to help.

It was painful to hear on the news last night that 200 New Orleans police officers have walked off the job and that 2 have reported to have committed suicide. Katrina's devastation continues.

[Scooby4]

I agree with the post about it NOT being a "race issue" and it isn't fair that "card" was played up by the mayor and the news media. I am NOT seeing black or white people in this disaster anymore. I am seeing people in need of help. But those people involved with presenting the disaster to the rest of the world are doing a poor job of it NOT the relief workers or the victims.
The issue with the police officers is another example of the mayor's feeding frenzy of invoking more despair and hopelessness for attention. Did you know he is asking that the police officers be sent to Las Vegas???? He claims it is because they have the "most hotel rooms". He is asking the FEDERAL government to send these police officers to VEGAS!!! That is utterly ridicolous!!! Some of the police officers were caught on tape looting themselves!!! The biggest complaint on TV was how the police had allowed "crimes" to occur and did NOT attempt to stop it!!!
So the mayor is asking the Government to take the police officers out of the city and let the National guard take over!!! How insanely stupid and disgraceful is that?!!! Police officers are PAID and DO the job because it is to " Protect and To SERVE" their communities. Ask ANY cop, fireman, or rescue worker and they will tell you they don't do the job for the money. They do it because it helps people and their community. In this time of this disaster, is when these PROUD civil servants get to do their job BEST and become hero's. Why take them away when they are needed the most? Maybe we should have sent all the emergency officials in New York to Atlantic City cause they were involved in 9-11?
As for the 200 police officers that quit and the 2 that committed suicide. I would quit too if I had that kind of "leadership" behind me. There is soo much crap to take in the job and when your being overrun by criminals... I'd quit too!!! The suicides we don't know the entire situation. Those cops could have been on the "edge" already. Maybe they saw a family member die and could't take it. We don't know but their suicides shouldn't be used as another "publicity" stunt for more "relief". For the mayor to have stated this to the public soo soon, is another reason this man should NOT be considered a "good" leader.

[dukedogsmom]

Very well said, kuhio98 and Scooby4. I don't see color on the victims either and that was why I said what I said.

[mugsy]

I don't think that race should play any part in this tragedy, however, it seems to have reared its ugly head again....I don't think it will ever get better until people realize that it doesn't matter if you're white, black, or green with pink stripes....it's people in need.

Also, you must keep in mind that people say and do things that they wouldn't normally do in an emergency situation. The man was frustrated and pained to see "his" city in shambles. I refuse to judge the man when he is there and I am home in Indiana where we got virtually nothing from this storm. Frustration and fear affect everyone differently.

Personally, I think the "celebrities" are the people who irritate me the most. They sit in their beautiful unaffected lives with their millions of dollars and tell us that we should send more money....how about donating a couple of their millions to help these people.

I admire the people who are leaving paying jobs to go down to the affected areas to help in any capacity that they can. I know that I am not strong enough physically or emotionally to hand it. I wish I could be there to help the animals.....