Oh, Fortuna! Look how low the wheel has spun!
Chief Justice Renquist has died.
With all of the needless death this week in Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we could have done without the death of a Supreme Court Justice who so obviously did not wish to have his successor appointed by George W. Bush. I will take this opportunity to predict that the city of New Orleans and the surrounding metro area will recover faster from Katrina than the U.S will recover from the damage GWB appointees will do to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness over the next two to three decades.
My sincere condolences to the Renquist family. Justice Requist’s tenacity and determination to outlive the Bush Presidency is not unappreciated.
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Nagin for President! FREE OUR PEOPLE!!!!!
I am here in Houston. We are glad to receive those displaced from their homes in New Orleans (did not say refugees). I am particularly alarmed at the spin that has taken place and continues still, about the people caught in this terrible tragedy. Some here, think that most of these people are criminals (in the Astrodome). I guess the children, the women, the sick, and the elderly must not comprise a siginificant number for this to be true. It totally defies logic.
All of this has been fed by the media’s account of looting which took place due to the lack of aid and security. The few that chose this opportunity to behave as hoodlums and thugs were doing similar things long before this. Importantly, the overwhelming majority of folks were considerably well behaved in spite of their condition. The media failed to mention this in the early going and it fed into the relief efforts. This delay and fear mongering directly led to some not being spared and the unnecessary suffering for those that remained.
It is amazing, that in this year 2005, we still have those that wish to play games involving racial fears and myths. It is clear that many decades have gone by and the persistent fears that many whites have toward blacks are still here. They are just tucked further back into the receses of their minds. This tragedy shows what people are really like when the stuff hits the fan.
The deflection of responsibilty will fall on blacks (too ignorant to leave), the mayor (black and ill-prepared), as well as the govenor (female and not up to the job). The media, FEMA, the Dpt. of Homeland Security, and the President will all rise above this, virtually unscathed.
I, at this moment, could not be more disgraced to be an American. I am black and it has truly sobered me. I know that America sees me as less, as negative, and unfortunately not as American.
But as disgusted as I am, I will go help my fellow Americans by volunteering tomorrow.
God bless all those that are suffering and my prayers go out for those that are still clinging to life in New Orleans.
I am from IL, and we are setting up a drop off site at a friends business for food, water, toothbrushs, toothpaste, coloring books, markers and anything else that may be of some help. My friends and I are planning to drive a truck and trailer full of stuff down by the middle of this week. We know it won’t be nearly enough but we hope it helps a little. Our hearts and our prayers are with all. I can’t begin to imagine the hurt and confusion they all must feel.
I two am very disappointed in the way our country is handling this. I can’t believe and I truly mean can’t believe that we as a country have not dropped everything we are doing to run to our fellow people and help them. Why haven’t we gotten them out of their? Why is there still people living in filth? Why are babies and kids still hungry? We are a very rich country, we have a hundred planes taking people to Hawaii for vacation right now as I type and yet we have people sleeping on the side of a road waiting for food and water and just a little compasion and help. So I also am ashamed to say I am an american. I am white and I don’t know when we became so racial. I have always taught my kids that a color of the skin has nothing to do with anything. We are to help each other, be there for each other and most of all love each other.
So I truly hope this country that we are supposed to be so proud to live in starts doing like they should have been doing 5 days ago. Again, My heart is with all of you (black, white, tan, green or purple). With any luck they won’t stop us and we will be bringing a little help by the middle to end of the week.
Some random thoughts…
As a US citizen currently in Italy, I’m truly concerned about just what the truth is. I only know what is going on, by what I am able to read and listen to from the various news sources. I know it is bad there. I know there have been horrors experienced that are unimagineable. My question is to ask just what angle is the media taking in all of this? Are they truly providing honest accounts with all sides taken into consideration? Is it worse than they are stating? What are the attitudes of those whom are currently there helping? What is the general feeling of those whom have been displaced? It is so scary for me to think of so many of these children going through what they have gone through. It makes me sick, and it makes me mad.
What would be the most help that a person, who is not there, do RIGHT NOW? I mean, what is the biggest need? AND, how are the people actually going to get that help. In years past with the uncoverings of what happened with the various charities, and just where the money raised was going, I want to make SURE that my money, or time, or whatever, is going directly to benefit those in need.
As a side note: My neighbors, the people I meet on the street, and the general ‘talk’ that has been going on in my community has leaned towards wanting to help. I haven’t heard too much about the other aspects of this that people have mentioned eg..”America is _____ or I can’t believe that so and so didn’t do _____” The people here seem to be horrified that it has even happened, and just seem to want to help. Granted, I can’t, nor won’t, even try to speak for everyone, those are just the views I’ve heard so far.
Thanks for reading,
Lucinda
Hi, I live in South Carolina with my wife and 2 of my Sons, Knowing first hand what these days are like for the disaster victims, and especialy the one who lost loved ones , I survived “Hugo” and after that lost our youngest child and all our belongings and home to a terrible fire. My message is this ! Hang On and Lean On Your Faith in God. and If a small family needs a place to stay for a while I will share our apartment and food ( skin color is not a factor, we all all children of God) please email if you need us.casscastonsc@yahoo.com
I bet Mr Bush would have acted quicker if his daughters were in college at Tulane!!!
Great Britain shows this ex-colony how it should be done:
Regarding the Russian submarine snarled in underwater cables a couple of weeks ago…….By the time we cleared all the bureaucratic “B.S.” and got started, Great Britain had arrived, completed the rescue of the seven men trapped in the submarine, and were cleaning up.
England’s Prime Minister Blair made a national speech yesterday in which he more or less said he didn’t give a damn what color you were, what religion you practiced, or how long you’d been in England … anyone stirring the S**T was OUT …. DEPORTED …. GONE! We’re having a hell of a time keeping men, women and children from crossing the borders illegally, we support them when
they get here, and put people in jail for reporting them.
Within days of the terrorist attacks in England, Scotland Yard had accounted for every man involved. We’re still looking for 9/11 terrorists, can’t find Bin Laden, and are now trying to get “permission” to search people who might have bombs. While the rest of the world is dealing with major problems, we’ve got the whole damn Congress fighting over appointment of one Judge, and now Chief Justice Rehnquist and whether or not the Atlanta Braves can keep their mascot.
Are you folks REALLY not understanding why the assistance was so slow getting to the hurricane victims??
We’ve become so politically correct we look like idiots to the rest of the world.
Oh gee folks, look at all of the transportation your precious ‘Nagin’ just couldn’t get it together to use for rescue. Bus after bus just blocks away from the good citizens who chose to go to the dome.
http://junkyardblog.net/archives/week_2005_08_28.html#004752
For those trying to blame Bush, your rhetoric and your politics are as toxic as your miserable sunken city. The underbelly of New Orleans represents the heart of your weak and sniveling political creeds. America should look closely at the tribes of lesser beings swimming in the toxins of New Orleans and other major cities and recognize the progeny of the political left. Elect a whore like Hillary in ‘08 and you can count on the entire country sinking as low as New Orleans. That is all the Dims can embrace are the weak and crippled. They need them for political capital. New Orleans has just given them a huge infusion of ‘capital’. Yup- they’ll be dancing on New Orlean’s grave all the way to the political bank. It will give them a break from dancing on the graves of good American soldiers.The dung killing fellow citizens and destroying property in New Orleans is exactly what the Dims have wrought and all you sniveling bleeding heart tools and pawns for the left deserve to reap from your ignorance. The rest of the citizenry, however, does not.
How many people will be housed at THE WHITE HOUSE?
I actually think Justice Rehnquist’s death might have been contributed to by Hurricane Katrina.
It is quite clear that stress can increase the body’s stress and decrease immune response to cancer or increase metastasis.
He seemed to me to be someone trying to joke sometimes, trying to do what he thought was right constitutionally or otherwise, and work hard. Stress can probably increase cancer problems. I honestly wanted him to retire and rest with his family. I am a workaholic, I think because of need to make money. He was a hard worker, because of his own reasons.
On a similar note, I wrote an unpublished article called “Difficult Life Circumstances, Discrimination and Confusing Stories as the Result and Cause of Mental Illness.” Think about what will happen to the PTSD (Post traumatic Stress Disorder), distress, fatigue, depression, and sadness rates among victims of Katrina. Depression will probably happen to a similar number of people affected by the water rising. Good counselors will be needed..psychologists, psychiatrists who care and understand stress induced depression and not just dispense medications.
It was really gratifying to see an ABC news reporter help out with a rescue in New Orleans today. Good work!!!
We could probably still rescue people.
Good job by our National Guard troops and service people rescuing people. Your work is appreciated.
For what is worth, it is Labor Day weekend.
There will be more hurricanes in September and October. Many sources say that.
I know this sounds strange, but I actually thought that a small number of people accused of looting might actually have been trying to protect their property or keep property from floodwaters. I am sorry if that is an inappropriate thing to say.
KGC– you’re comments on racism in this country are right on. White people here have “solved” the racism problem by ignoring it, thinking that if we try hard enough to pretend we aren’t racist maybe we won’t be. I’m a white woman who grew up in a neighborhood where I was the minority and I know that it has given me a very different perspective from most of the people I know on race in America today.
Even more appalling– those who claim the problems in New Orleans are class issues and not racism. In this country you cannot separate class and race. Take a good hard look at the poorest areas of this country if you doubt it.
As I set here i think back to what 9/11 brought and how this now is so much like it it has taken lives and homes from alot of ppl what is there to do it wasnt Bushs fault this happen nor was it anyone eles fault it was Mother Nature we cant keep her from doing anything, I remember the day the the trade towers went down i couldnt do anything but cry and think about what i have and they dont My heart goes out to everyone in the south.
2 days ago while my mother and her parents were at a local Walmart my grandfather seen a member of the National Guard he stoped and asked him why there were so many of them the man looked at my grandfather and said ” sir im 61 years old and fly a helicoper i have been drafted so myself and my men are doing the best we can to take as much stuff down to the ppl that need it most.” As there were standing there watching these men taking as much as they can in there hands and loading it into thier trucks there were men that were spending thier own money to bring children blow pops the man walked out with 3000 of them to share with the children then there was another man taking out a case of Beef Jerky his leader looked at him and said “son you cant eat all that you need more than that to live on while you are down there” the youger man looked at him and said “no sir its not for me its for all of those who dont have anything im spending as much as i can to give what i dont need to them.”
Its not about what you have its what you can give to the ppl in need. My faimly is heading there for 2 weeks this comming week to see what they can do they need all the help they can get. I know that this wont bring world peace but at least there are ppl out there that really care and want to help, we set here and watch everything that happens around the world and go wow hope that they can do something about it but when it comes to our Nation stand up and give your hand out to someone that can take it we need all the help we can right now …
Thank god for all those who have brought ppl into thier homes and please pray for the ones that have lost thier family… because one day it might just be you that needs a helping hand or needs a place to stay.
My heart goes out you all of you. May God be with you.
Let me start out by saying that I’m incredibly sorry for the people of New Orleans and wish there was more I could do to help. Unfortunately, we are stuck with an administration that really couldn’t give a shit whether any of us live or die, unless of course we happen to be part of the nation’s wealthiest 10%. Nothing the government has done surprises me, and they’ll keep doing a whole lot of nothing as long as we have this incompetent warlord in office. I think it may be almost completely up to the people of the country to help ease the suffering caused by Katrina, with donations and hospitality, as well as by sending a strong message to this administration come election day. Bottom line; this is not going to be the last storm, although I hope it will be the last to be dealt with by the Bush Administration. We need to make sure that we have a competent leader for the next disaster. Meanwhile, our current government lied to start a war, then ignored the suffering going on at home. All Bush can say for himself are that his own actions are unacceptable. Can’t we impeach this whole goddamn administration and replace them with… Um, Clinton?
Why is anyone even considering that this hurricane had ANYTHING to do with the death of Rehnquist? The man had cancer, far more spread out than the world knew. When Day O’Conner decided to quit, Rehnquist knew just what a battle it would be for that seat, so instead of having 2 seats up for grabs at the same time, he tried to hang on. I don’t believe that he was political in any way with his position being what it was. The Supreme Court is the ONE court in this nation that is required to “uphold the constitution” to the exact letter of the law. Now before you all get yourselves in an uproar, the original Constitution and PEOPLE’S BILL OF RIGHTS was never meant to be used for political advantage or as a bartering item. Abortion should NEVER have been brought into the equation, as it is a MORAL issue, not a right. I do not care whether the appointee is either a conservative or a liberal. I just want them to uphold the ORIGINAL INTENT of our founding fathers and not try to dissect or interpret anything. It is not a hard document to understand and is pretty forthright in its language. The Bill of Rights are the most important part of that document and those are being eroded by both sides of the aisle. The USA is THE ONLY COUNTRY with a bill of people’s rights attached to its Constitution. So children, let us worry more about losing our rights, start being nicer to people around you, and keep an ever watchful eye on your congress. They are the ones that hold your fate in their slippery hands. The Pres., no matter who he is, is just a figure head. He has limited powers. That is in the Constitution. I suggest that everyone take the time and read this wonderful document. End of sermon.
It’s only been a week since the hurricane people are still dying in the streets not of just New Orleans but all along the Mississippi.People are still without food,water,shelter,gas,family and friends and it seemed to take no time at all for people to start turning on eachother.
The blame of what was or wasn’t done is not laid at one man’s feet and I don’t think having an all democrat government in place would have made this all magically work better.The ball was dropped long before it reached the President.
As a resident in a flood zone that has been hit several times from levees failing I understand that the first level of defense comes from local government.The question that I have not seen anyone ask is after hurricane Ivan when they knew there were thousands of people who could not get out of the area why was there no evacuation plan organized by the local government? Why did the police in New Orleans not have one boat between them? Because the local government failed them,that’s why.Whether intentionally or not.
I am frustrated to of the late response as well but part of the problem is just as people could not get out rescuers could not get in.Partly because of the damage partly in the case of New Orleans because they were being shot and shot at.Of course the majority of people in New Orleans are not criminals everyone understands that and no one blames people for breaking into stores for food,water,basic nessecities,or even clothes.But a few bad apples can seriously hamper rescues.
On a final note I want to send my thoughts and prayers out to those who have suffered and are still suffering.The best thing any one of us can do right now is to send money to those organizations which are helping the victims of the hurricane.They desperately need the help of poeple like you and me to support their relief efforts for the people of this tragedy.
God bless
I think it is possible that Justice Rehnquist actually died a day or two earlier, but the announcement was only made once the situation in New Orleans had reached full catastrophe proportions. This then paves the way for a (possibly) faster selection of yet another conservative Justice. People will be so distracted and busy trying to deal with what the Feds did NOT do (emergency relief, housing, etc.) they will have little time and energy to focus on the Supreme Court. Oh yeah, and what happened to the Rove scandal? I have seen this incompetent government quite capable of organizing quickly when they choose to (witness the first and second stolen elections). I don’t buy it that this mess was just incompetency and bureaucracy. At all.
for those that would like a better picture of what is going on as far as relief efforts go, you may listen to ACTUAL radio transmissions, LIVE, made by recuers at http://stfunoob.com/nola/scanner.pls
As someone who grew up poor and WHITE, I’d like to make comments on the whole racial issue. Yes, there IS racism in America today. Those who don’t believe that are just ignorant. BUT to say that the slow hurricane relief is based on race is just as ignorant.
Yes, I believe Bush has some blame. So do alot of other people all across the board. BUT during Hurricane Andrew, the govt was criticized for responding slowly, and Homestead has a higher degree of middle class residents than NOLA.
However, its still sad that we must talk about this. Truth is no one was adequately prepared. No one will take responsibility, either. I would like to say that those who are bitter and full of blame should go out and help. Case in point, Macy Gray is volunteering at the Astrodome. I don’t see any of these critics doing that.
For now, let’s be Americans and help each other out. it may be hard to do, but we should do it. Then we can blame whoever the heck we want. Hurricane relief is not something we need to argue about it but DO something about.
And to the comment that this thread is supposed to be about. Those who say that Rehnquist was trying to outlive W need to realize that he is extremely conservative and has stood against most issues for the Left. Shut up about him and let’s get to work on helping. Then we can help the poor of NOLA so the hurricane tragedy will never happen again.
Why was the Federal Gov’t so slow in responding? I’ll tell you why…THEY ARE NOT THE FIRST RESPONDERS….the Mayor,city council and Chief of Police in N.O. should all be shot. The city gov’t had no plan for anything. NO emergancy food stores in the Dome or Convention center…no evacuation plan…no emergancy generators…nothing. Everybody sees the picture of all those buses parked just blocks away from the Dome. Why on earth weren’t they used to get folks out of town BEFOREHAND. I know it’s popular to bash Bush right now(he does deserve some of it) but….come on the local and state gov’t is responsible for most of this tradgedy for their ineptness and lack of planning.
“New Orleans mayor fears CIA to take him out”
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46134
With an idiot like that for Mayor ….
Frankly, it would be no loss if they did “take him out”.
“…there are two passions which have a powerful influence on the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice; the love of power, and the love of money. Separately each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but when united in view of the same object, they have in many minds the most violent effects. Place before the eyes of such men, a post of honor that shall be at the same time a place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it.”
-Benjamin Franklin in a speech during the Constitutional Convention, opposing executive salaries 1787
**************************************************
Need more be said? Have we not seen this in action?
This quote and the campaign slogan “Remember Katrina” should be imbedded in everyone’s minds on not only the next election day, but on election days to come. We need to get these greedy, self-serving
individuals out of office and strip them of the power they have to manipulate our lives as citizens.
If nothing else is ever done, this message needs to be kept alive so that one day we might have a decent country to leave to our grandchildren.
There is a saying that if America needs an enema, New Orleans is where to stick it, so yeah, I’ll remember Katrina as the enema that flushed the human scum out of Dying Orleans for the rest of the damn country to contend with. By scum I mean the thugs and rapists and the asshole liberals who defend them. The more I hear you whiners the more I’m thinking that there needs to be an offensive mounted against all attempts to steal money from the rest of America to pay for your damn enema.
What evidence can you offer that the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist “so obviously did not wish to have his successor appointed by” Bush?
JH, Hmmm? on the Tulane comment. Too bad it has to be so close to home before we treat it like home.
ZBella, How do you sleep at night?
KGC–Since you, in particular, disgusted me, it is to you I will respond. I am white. You think racism is a one way street? I am offended by almost every word you wrote. You just have to blame someone else.
So you will go volunteer. Bully for you. My neighbor just traveled several hours to Houston to pick up 10 refugees. Yes I said it on purpose because of my disgust of people nitpicking words. I hate to give you the bad news, my neighbor is white. They are black. So you tell me, between you and my neighbor, who exactly is the racist? Why don’t you open your eyes and look around you at those “whities” working their butts off?
What you are actually implying is that our government does not care about these people. You list the line of personal responsibility and end your tirade against the president. I think the only way this makes sense is to imply the government made these folks poor. Fine. Now you tell me, how many of these folks are going to go back and vote exactly the same way they have for generations? I say that you are to blame. Not them. You. If you are smart enough to get yourself out of it, maybe you might give a clue to the rest that are still marching and following the likes of Rev Al and Rev Jackson. Why not lay some of this blame at those high paid rappers’ feet? How about the richest woman in America? No? I see thousands of black millionaires out there not lifting a finger to tell these poor people how to change their circumstances. It seems your solution is to vote for that Congressional Black Caucus. By the way, if a group only lets in blacks, are they racists?
Yes, you set me off. I will not shut up when a black points their racist finger at me. No more. You started it. When I look at all the people working in New Orleans, am I seeing all black faces? You count. What color were those faces riding those buckets down, loading people off roofs? All black? When you pat yourself on the back for volunteering, look around you. Are they all black doing the work to shelter these survivors? You just had to point your finger and accuse the rest of us of racism, even at this time. Mayor is black? Fine. Does that excuse him from using all those buses about a mile down the road to drive those people out of there? Or did they sit on their butts, 75 miles up the road, scream, cry, moan, finger point but making sure they kept state control? You think about it. Seventy-Five (75), hour and a half from the control of that state’s government. State troopers?
Honey, I am old enough to remember marching for civil rights and as a woman, having very few rights. I doubt if you are. Yes, several on this thread have offended my delicate sensibilities. You might keep this in mind. I am certainly not a rich white person. I was slinging hamburgers at age 12 and barely able to see over the window edge. Having worked mostly 12 hour days all my life, having marched for civil rights, you and today’s black leaders have offended me. You do your cause injury. I actually saw a woman at the Dome standing in misery and screaming against George. The insanity of it. What you want to bet she will go to the voting booth and vote exactly the same way she has voted her entire life? Since you not only want to make it racial, but also political. So be it. Oh yes, I am a Texan. One of those evil cowgirls. Oh excuse me, Ms Sheila Jackson Lee. I bet you single handedly brought all those people into your city, fed and sheltered them singlehandedly. With your trustly sidekick, KGC.
Disgusted– So there with you. As a fellow white Texan I agree with you.
Does anyone notice that there are more than just blacks in the crowds being rescued? I’ve seen Hispanic, Asian, White, and Black, and many more.
NOLA has a mayor that sat on his ass and did nothing but wait to the last minute to order a mandatory evacuation. Everyone in the media knows that. Yes, FEMA screwed up! So did Blanco, who, BTW, has yet to release state control of this situation! Instead, she’s called in a Clinton crony. Funny thing is, Witt is taking Bush’s side and so is Clinton! HA!
But anyway, back to the point that Disgusted raised. I am white and I grew up very poor. I remember waiting in the welfare lines with people of all backgrounds. I am the first in my family (both sides) to go to college and I didn’t have to join the military to do it! I worked through college and will graduate with a Master’s. I remember dressing in hand-me-downs. I remember my grandmother telling me of her and my grandfather’s days working with the poor blacks on many farms around home. The saddest thing was I once remember going with my grandmother and mother to get clothes from the dumpster of the Goodwill in town. We couldn’t even afford Goodwill.
So the blacks who are blaming white America can just sit down and be quiet. Yes, the govt was slow but when TD Jakes defends Bush, I think you need to listen. He’s a true preacher, not Jesse or Al. If you really want to end racism, remember this, the hand you use to point a finger at us has 4 more pointing right back at you!
I copied and pasted an article I read online and I would like to share it with you all. After reading it I am sure some of you may be as disgusted in our President as I do….Bush had raised eyebrows on his first trip by, among other things, picking Sen. Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record), R-Miss.