Earth to Omar: Thoughts and Stories on New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Thoughts and Stories on New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina

I really don’t know where to start writing about this. But I thought I would collect some of the stories, news, and my thoughts and share them with you.

If you are not aware of what the situation is like in New Orleans, I suggest you turn to a news station and watch. New Orleans a city that is below sea level, has been hit by one of the biggest hurricanes ever. The city has now turned into a pond. Thousands are trapped there, with no food, water, or medical care. The water will most likely stay in the city for weeks; there is no short term solution in sight.

Roughly 20,000 people are trapped in the Superdome, the city’s biggest stadium. Before getting the order to get those people evacuated, the situation in the Superdome resembled a jungle more than anything else. People were breaking down. The lack of sanitation, food and water , combined with the extreme heat frustration pushed some people to start fighting, killing and even raping one another. In one incident a man killed his sister over a bag of ice. The stores in the city are being looted, by some in need, and others in greed. Random shooting around the city against police, and medical services have also occurred. Even rescue helicopters were fired at while trying to take the sick away from the effected area. The civil unrest has called the mayor to issue a “Desperate SOS.”

Troops are preparing to enter the city, in hopes of calming the situation down, and in an attempt to help the already outstretched police force. In the midst of all this, some positive stories come to light. A elderly couple saved from their water surrounded car, circled by alligators. A one day old baby found and reunited with his parents. Buses arriving to the Superdome carrying the survivors out of the city.

So how can this type of mess happen? How was the preparation for it? Everyone knew New Orleans was below sea level, and located in a hurricane prone area, why weren’t they prepared? Why is it taking so long for the army to enter the city? Are only some of the questions on my mind and many others’.

It turns out in 2001, a scientist published a report/study about the vulnerability of New Orleans, and an initial effort was undergone in order to solve some of the issues. The cost to protect New Orleans was 14 billion, more than the state could afford. At the same time, the Bush government, decided to cut spending on such issues. To know that they had a 4 year warning, and did nothing about it, should be a question that all Americans must ponder. I find it quite ironic how quickly troops were mobilized for the Iraq war, to fight the threat of Saddam, and meanwhile, there were larger threats in on US soil not even thought about.

I was watching Anderson Cooper a few hours ago, and he was talking to a Lousiana politician, who kept praising the fact that congress cut their vacations short, and that Bush Senior and Clinton are getting involved, as if they’re doing something heroic. I’m so sick of those bastards pretend they are doing all they can to ‘help’. The true heroes are not the politicians, who cut their vacations short, but rather the doctors and nurses in the hospitals doing all they can to treat patients and the police men and women who are trying their best to keep everything in order. In one hospital, the nurses are pumping air into and out patients lungs using hand-operated devices. It really frustrates me when a certain him or her in the government take up media time to praise themselves.