Biting the hand that feeds you?

Question

Why would Hurricane Katrina evacuees gut and trash the trailers provided for them to live in? Am I wrong to be angry over these people taking advantage of FEMA and the handouts they STILL receive almost two years after the hurricane? It lends to the opinion that some of these individuals do not want to find jobs and reestablish themselves. It lends to the opinion that these individuals wish to live off of government handouts and blame Bush and anyone else who supposedly conjured this hurricane. Nevermind that millions were affected, and the vast majority have found jobs and reestablished themselves elsewhere. These are MY tax dollars, too. I want to help, but I feel taken advantage of! How do you feel?

Check out the story on cnn.com or read Anderson Cooper's blog on the subject at http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2007/06/fema-finds-trailers-trashed.html

For the record, I am not juding or "broadstroking" them. This is a news report I was shocked to read this morning. These are my tax dollars, too. These trailers are no longer usable, or must have more tax dollars put into them to make them usable in the future. Of course I care where my government spends my tax dollars, and you should to.

I love how people are pointing their finger at me, as if I am stereotyping. This was a news report. Pay attention to what category you are answering this question in - CURRENT EVENTS.

This happened. I am not be prejudice. I am not saying folks did something they didn't do. There is nothing unfair about this. The destruction of FEMA property is a documented FACT. Before you blame me for global warming, or the hurricanes, for that matter...READ what I wrote. LOOK at my sources. Those who say this isn't FAIR obviously feel these individuals (notice, no specification as to who they are) are justified to destroy - and essentially throw away our tax dollars. I suppose I should aim this question to those of us who pay taxes...not those who live off of the government. I have not accused anyone of doing anything. I want to know if our taxpayers are angry that they are being taken advantage of. I don't care if you think it is fair to you. That wasn't the question.

Answer 1

The welfare mentality of NOLA is telling.

Not to lump all together but a large number of the slugs that sucked off NOLA and LA gooberment before raped the US gooberment post Katrina. I personally believe that the bill needs to be sent to the state for damages not caused by the storm.

Mississippi residents as hard hit as Louisiana didn't have to deal with the welfare mentality. It is a difference in the type of people and the history of self awareness.

NOLA and Louisiana has been a corrupt democrapic state for nearly 150 years. From Huey Long, to Mary Landrieu (and her daddy) and William Jefferson the politicians have made corruption the norm.

I feel pity for people, but people need to assume responsibility for their own housing, I am tired of my tax dollars going to subsidize people too damned lazy to get a job.

When I hear how much money goes out of the federal tax dollars to fund more government dependency I want to scream outloud.

Our forefathers rebelled against britain when the tax on tea raised from 2% to 3%, 40% of our citizens are somehow subsidized by money I pay in taxes.

Government grows based on power it derives from the people, when the people are taxpayers they have less control. When the people are dependent government has more control.

In my view, Jefferson's suggestion is long over due.

--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. —

Answer 2

I was a military dependent during the Cold War born in a military hospital. In those days, if you lived in Base Housing you could literally live and never leave the Base. We shopped at the Commissary and Exchange went the the Base Bowling Alley, Theater and Chapel. In the summer we swam at any number of Base Pools and there were other Rec-Centers, clubs and activities available to fill every need a service member or his/her family could ever want. If you got sick, you went to the Dispensary and were taken care of and there were very few forms to fill out and no co-pays: medical care on demand for free stateside and this included eyeglasses and dental overseas! On some Bases you could even be buried on base. As an astute child I had the impertinence to ask a similar question: "OK, we're 'Better dead than Red' but aren't we living in a Socialist Paradise? Isn't this what we should be fighting for?!" Needless to say, I didn't get an answer. The first thing that you have to understand is that as members of the Armed Forces we are, and must be, apolitical. The DOD has very specific policies on this issue. Historically, the military has overwhelmingly supported the Republican Party since Lincoln! It's not hypocrisy, it's willful delusion......

Answer 3

I moved from Texas to Louisiana in January 2005 and left in August 2005 , 5 days before the hurricane hit so I can speak from experience. People were told almost 3 wks in advance to EVACUATE.( but somehow it's everyone elses' fault that they stayed ?) There was plenty of notice given, we were told it was a grade 5, the worst ever. I have never understood why people didn't leave then. There were hundreds of buses sent down, hotels in Shreveport,Bossier,Alexandria,Lafayette offered their services to people without other means of housing.Help was offered in immense measure, money , clothing,food,etc.. Unless you have lived there, you cannot imagine how corrupt the government is there. It is so poor that the welfare system is "capped out". The only state in the union that can say that. There were 12 homicides in the first 3 mos of the year.It was a horrible modern day Soddom and Gommorha. People looted T.V's and stereos, name brand shoes and clothes, even stole money off of corpses and furniture out of the homes that were marked as inhabitants dead . How low can people get ? So, do I believe that low life people that were too lazy to help themselves will destroy a FEMA trailer given to them ? Yes. What I couldn't and still can't believe is how it's Bush's fault or anyone elses. You choose to live below sea level in in wretched poverty but somehow , we are to blame for not coddling these people. It' been 2 yrs. Our house caught on fire 7 yrs ago and we lost everything. I didn't expect the government to fix that and it damn sure didn't take me 2 yrs to get it together.Since when is it the governments's place to take care of able bodied individuals ?Hand up, not hand out.

ADDENDUM: I agree partially w/ Skip. Louisiana was not the only state hit by KAtrina, but it's all your hear about.And the politicians are SOOOOO corrupt in Louisiana. I am not even political and I absolutely could not believe the evil there.

Answer 4

I agree with you my dad went do to LA to help after the hurricane and he saw people spend the money on very expensive material things other then food & cothes. There should be a limit to how long they can live off the government and 2 years a very long time. I understand what happened was horriable. The aftermath of Katrina ruined a lot of lives even ones of people that didn't live there. Right now where I live the housing department still wont even take applications because they are full & have a waiting list of 2 years! They said that they still have lots of refugees living in the government housing.

Answer 5

Its a matter of respect - and a whole lot of folks in Nawlins have none for anyone or anything. I was forced out of New Orleans for the storm and moved on.

There is a large portion of the populace who have come to believe they have a God-given right to be compensated when the weather causes their below-sea-level homes to flood. It is unfortunate that someone would sink so much money into such a risky proposition with no back-up plans in case of tragedy.

One note - this is not isolated to New Orleans. Every time a river floods a town (tornadoes, earthquakes, whatever) in the US people are lining up to get monies from government.

Myself - I buy insurance, private insurance. I save. I bought a house on higher ground. I have no expectation of any govenmental agency helping me to start over. My taxes are supposed to pay for services not for funding stupid people making stupid choices.


To Bee-Zee: Just something to chew on.... it was the the Mayor's responsibility to have an evacuation plan and the equipment/personnel to put that plan into action. At the Mayor's failure it was the Governor's job to step in with National Guard support in the form of trucks and people. After those plans failed the feds did indeed come in. If it makes you sleep better at night keep blaming Bush, but when the next floods come you can thank yourself for still having Nagin - who has yet to create a workable evacuation plan......

Answer 6

I feel the same as you. It seems that the people down there are a little too eager to play the race card instead of working on improving their situation through their own hard work and dedication. It doesn't help Jesse Jackson is down there either.

Some family friends I had in Florida who had their house basically destroyed by a hurricane never complained once, just rolled on with it.

Answer 7

kenneths37 makes a good point! It is disgusting that people act this way. It's about time this city stands on their own feet and stop living off support and help from FEMA. As long as people and the gov't keeps helping them, what motivation do they have to help themselves.

Answer 8

I am from New Orleans and your statement is NOT fair. On the news, we seem to focus on the negative. Sure, some people took advantage of Fema- thats life- but why dont we hear about the ones who didnt?? Why are you classifying and stereotyping the evacuees as a bunch of freeloaders? More of the evacuees are doing something usefull then those who arent- and people taking advantage of the government is normal, it may not be right, but lets not act as though the Katrina Victims were the first to discover the art of conning and minipulation...and yes, honey Bush was wrong. Less then a day after the Tsunami hit we had troops sent out (TO ANOTHER COUNTRY -TO RESCUE THEM) And it took Bush and his people 3 DAMN DAYS to send out help to the people on Bridges and stuck on roofs....and PS- the government isnt forking out what you think...half of the money spent of Katrina went to dirty white house politicians and it is now coming out...that is why some people still dont have homes...2 years after the fact. You act like those people wanted to be in this situation- and you dont know too much about the topic so I suggest you become a little more informed and less self righteous...

Answer 9

I am sure if you could check on most of these people you will find most of them where already on some kind of aid before Katrina. I am from New orleans and know a few people who have passed up good jobs just to keep milking the system.

Answer 10

There are those few who never appreciate anything. In low income housing, there are those who appreciate and take care of their apartments, and there are those who tear holes in the walls and trash the apartments because "it's not mine so who cares?" I'm sure that there were Katrina victims who had the same attitude, but I doubt that they were the majority. There are always selfish idiots who appreciate nothing.