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Originally Posted by Chris F.
I know the press is not anything special  but looking at the main page of CNN for the past few days there has been the story of this family who almost drowned in the waters of Katrina. They put this HUGE headline on the main page linking to a fairly long story about what they went through, how the grandmother died, etc.
I am extremely sympathetic to their situation -- I obviously hope that I never have to go through such a catastrophic event in my life.
However, CNN continues to emphasize that "NO ONE CAME TO SAVE THEM", and that "THEY WERE LEFT TO DIE".... well you know what? Take your damn belongings and LEAVE! They live in a house, they obviously have a car....leave! They give their reasoning in the story for not leaving because they did not want to leave behind their pets....I can certainly relate to that, pets are part of the family. But why not put the darn animals in a car and GO?!
I guess I am frustrated with the fact that the media continues to point fingers (as does the gov't) yet a lot of the folks down there could have easily prevented a life threatening situation from unfolding in front of them by EVACUATING. I realize with pets it's harder, but keep driving until you find a hotel that will take them. Man, I made it from MA to FL in 20 hours, just continue to drive until you find a place to get some shelter.
I am not talking about the gov't response to this situation...thats a whole other discussion...but I am talking about people bitching about almost dieing, yet they could have easily taken themselves out of harms way by leaving.
Does anyone agree? I know it's not as simple as packing your bags, put the cat and dog in the car and leaving, but man, I think some people TOTALLY underestimated this storm....if I knew a hurricane was coming, or even POTENTIALLY coming...I would have rented a UHaul and packed up the most valuable stuff and left town.
I am not trying to make light of peoples stories and situations...it is a horrible situation and one that I hope I never have to live through. But to point fingers and complain about response when you could have left town....I don't know, I just feel there is something wrong with that.
Chris |
If you truly believe what your saying then read this.
SISTER DENSON SHARES HER EXPERIENCES OF HURRICANE KATRINA:
I would first like to thank all concerned about us in New Orleans, Louisiana. I am a rescued flood victim. I have been placed with a friend of my deceased husband who died on August 8, 2005.
On the day of the storm Katrina, I had to return back to New Orleans after getting out of harms way to make sure that my step son was not stranded at the International Airport in New Orleans after receiving a desperate called from him within the airport that all airport attendees had indeed abandoned them to flee for their own safety. My stepson and I tried to get on the Interstate to leave the city only to be told by authorities that they would not be taking on any more vehicles and that we should prepare to seek safety and prepare for the storm. Our relatives who lived near the Lake Ponchartrain in New Orleans were more than happy to let us stay with them. Several hours later, the storm approached and changed our lives forever.
That night their lovely home filled with water rapidly and we could do nothing but sit and try to figure out what would happen to us next. We then began to take whatever perishable was available and move to the upper floor of the house where we anchored down for the night. Doing the night, we heard cries of people wanting so desperately, like us, to be rescued but there was nothing that we could do for them. The cries continued through the night until you could no longer hear them any more. The next morning we discovered that our neighbor had been covered by water and drowned because of the burglar bars on the windows. Our neighbor across the street took it upon himself to rescue a woman and her kids whose front door blew in from the water rushing in. He was able to save her son and as he returned to the water to help the others, he went under and drowned. Later that morning his body became part of the debris left from Hurricane Katrina. By that afternoon, all of us who were survivors were using whatever means necessary to signal for help and all they did was pass by us not knowing what to do. There was just too many to save. All we had left was to form a prayer circle and ask the Lord for favor and He answered. Within a half hour after fervent prayer, the Lord sent the NOPD (New Orleans Police Department) boat to rescue us. The officer said the US Coast Guard spotted us on the 2nd floor and told them not to pick any one else up but us.
We were then taken to I-610 and St. Bernard Avenue Bridge and slept on that bridge for two (2) days. We watched as Black Hawk Military helicopters landed and took only the special needs persons, medically ill, senior citizens and children. Later that evening they explained to us that helicopters do not fly at night and we would have to stay until the morning when trucks would come and/or buses, but they never came.
People began to panic, they believed that at this point that no one cared, that they would be left to die, and then the worst began to happen, folks turned on each other. Our lives were in jeopardy and it was no longer safe for us to stay on this bridge, we had once again returned to the filthy waters of New Orleans. Some of my family that was with us could not swim and was afraid of the water. So, we paid a man who had a little boat but the boat would only hold two.
My Stepson and I decided to let the non-swimmers go on in the boat and he and I would take to the water. We all made it to the other side of the bridge to another piece of the Interstate, which was high and dry only to be discovered by other boats in the distant that rescued all of us. The next boat took us to I-10 and Causeway where there were others who had been rescued, waiting to be taken to shelters. We did not know where we were going and we did not care. I did not have a bath, cold water to drink or food to eat for five days. I was taken to Nicholls State University in Thibdaux, Louisiana where somehow our family members and friends found us and took us to their home in Lafayette, Louisiana.
As for my stepson he walked over (10) Ten Miles to the airport in New Orleans from Interstate 10 and Causeway on the day we were left under another over path. Delta Airlines and United Airlines gave evacuees free Phone Cards so that they may call their families and let them know that they had been through a horrific ordeal but they were all right. It was my son's first time in New Orleans because he decided that he should stay with me after his father's funeral since I did not have any children. My son made it back home to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and I have been relocated to Washington, DC with a lovely friend of my husband's.
I have been through a horrific ordeal but it has made me a better person for doing so. I am a lot stronger and more humble. God really knows how to get your attention when you realize all you have is God!
__________________
"What you hear in a great jazz band is the sound of democracy. “The jazz band works best when participation is shaped by intelligent communication.”
Harmony happens whenever different parts get to form a whole by means of congruity, concord, symetry, consistency, conformity, correspondence, agreement, accord, unity, consonance…….
