Hurricane Katrina , what was the reason for the hold up?

Question

Im watching a documentry about Hurricane Katrina and what those people had to go through a FIRST WORLD country , and how they are still suffering due to the lack of responce from the US Government. I beleive that the govt did that because there was no monetary gain in to helping these people where unemployement was so high. So it like they werent contributing to the American economy. Is that right to keep human beings in those conditions becasue of money. You think this is was way for the Govt to get back at them ?
One thing too, the media did a horrible job of show the black people there as vicious criminal monsters rather an desperate people in need of help. What do you think ?

Answer 1

There were many things that contributed to the lack of help. Mayor Nagin did nothing to help evacuate his city, Bush was on vacation when it happened also. Fema's directer had a slow response, and most of troops were in Iraq. It was slow because of all these things combined. It just shows that we as a country are not prepared for disasters.

Answer 2

I am sorry you feel that way about the reaction to Katrina. Remember this, we live in a Republic in which the State and local governments are the ones with the power and responsibility to take action. They can request assistance from the federal governement.

Notice how many states request the federal government label areas disasters? Thats so they can get loans and other assistance from the federal government, but it is up to the local populations and leaders to take action.

Mayor Nagin is on a "5-7 year plan" meaning he wants to get relected again in four years with the work still left undone.

Then there is Personal property rights. You can't just go into a persons yard and demolish their house. Property owners must do, or pay someone to clean up their property.

What Saddens me is the lack of response by the individuals in these areas. Personal responsibility is nearly forgotten in this country.

People should stop looking for hand outs, instead take hand UPS and rebuild their lives themselves.

Answer 3

I think it's a combination of things. One we weren't prepared for a major devastation such as Katrina. Another thing is that all those people ignored the mandatory evacuations. If my town was told to evacuate we would all be out the same day. The makeup of the town didn't help. A lot of these people were on public assistance, and there were a lot of criminals in that town too. I had family there and they haven't taken a penny from the government. They got the heck out of there, moved, and got new jobs. But these are college educated people who got an insurance check for their house so that's a big difference too. Lastly I think there is too many agencies involved with all the clean up. Billions of dollars have been spent and it still seems to be getting nowhere.

Answer 4

I am so sick of people like you that blame the Federal Government for everything. The local government had to be pleaded to BY the President BEFORE the storm him to force evacuations. The idiot Governor was the hold up on the FEMA and National Guard troops. When the President had had enough of those two boobs is when people got moving. At least these people aren't living in tent cities like they did after Andrew. They are correct in not rebuilding in most of New Orleans until they have a proper levy system that will sustain it. There will never be the low cost housing in that area that there used to be. New construction costs are too high. The media played this to the hilt, but the looters did not help anything. I can be honest and say most of us lost our sympathy when we saw big screens going down the streets instead of food, and needed items. So the criminals did it to themselves. No one to blame but them. Also note that more than half of the fatalities in this storm were white, so even that can't be used as an argument.

Answer 5

The Mayor and Governor did nothing, waiting for the feds to rescue them. They could not figure out to evacuate people, with no access to transportation, on school buses. They then did what they do best which is point fingers. The media went along for the ride.

Answer 6

#1 - The U.S. government has spent BILLIONS or dollars already, much of which has been wasted due to local corruption.

#2 - Residential New Orleans isn't worth saving anyway. It is sinking into the Gulf. Most residents don't even WANT to return.

#3 - Nearly all the people that I see cleaning and rebuilding are WHITE residents and volunteers from out of state, very few black people.

Answer 7

answerer #1 is stupid...
anyway i agree that there wasn't anyone running to save these people or help...But Black people(and poor people) use that excuse so much that it's like crying wolf....anytime our leaders are on tv there are always blaming the White man, government, amd saying how poor and impoverished and needy we are....while i don't doubt that there are poor blacks I get tired of us always begging the government to cover our needs and give us a "handout"....i think blacks should work together to LIFT ourselves out of poverty without the government.

Yes people died, yes more will die but the information was there...if you live in that area you should know you are at a great risk for inclement weather...maybe they didn;t knoew the severity but they know that hurricanes are prominent in that area

Answer 8

The money is there, they must match some funds. Funny how Mississippi has rebuilt and carried on. New Orleans is King State of the handouts. Making these prople get out on their own may be just what they needed.

Answer 9

I lived in Louisiana for 25 years and I am of the opinion that
Katrina was the best thing that ever happened to New Orleans..
If there ever was a city that needed FLUSHING, New Orleans was it......I am sorry to see the Federal Govt. wasting any money on rebuilding New Orleans...

Answer 10

well i think our goverment is just stupid..they sent some of those victims to michigan where the unemployment rate is high.do u think they would ignore michigan in a devistation.??white or black id be afraid of entering a place where they were shooting at the people who where trying too help.and i wouldnt wanted to be near the L.A. riot either..watch ur daily news..who's doing what,,whos most wanted in your lil city,,ok i sound like a racist,,,i do however like and trust the black people in my church,and my counselor she black i like her and trust her,,but i would say as a majority its the ones who keep bring up 200 yrs ago,,that think life owes them on a silver platter that i dont tust,,which by the way i was raped by knife point by a black guy 10yrs ago and he got away with it cuz he told the small town cops he was playing the race card,,,,guess what now im engaged to a man that is probably blacker than u from ghana,,hes sweet with a gold heart...american blacks are messed up cuz they been brain washed to hate whites