aricadavidson

You have my prayers *hugs*

Hopefully she'll blow herself out. I've seen a cat 5 go to a cat 1 in a few hours (see Lili a couple years ago, almost hit us). I'll be praying.

Red Cross says La. officials declined aid
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20050909/a_katbriefs09.art.htm

Louisiana officials told the American Red Cross not to plan to go into New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit to provide relief to residents at the Superdome — and also refused help from the organization before the storm hit.

As its workers evacuated the city before the storm, the Red Cross offered to drop off food, water, cots and other emergency supplies to the Superdome, but officials declined the supplies, Red Cross spokeswoman Carol Miller said Thursday. The Red Cross was aware that the Superdome was a refuge of last resort for people who couldn't evacuate New Orleans.

Red Cross President Marty Evans said that officials for Louisiana's homeland security department told the relief agency not to drop off the supplies, Miller said. She didn't name the officials.

In the days after Katrina hit, television broadcasts from the Superdome showed thousands of people there complaining about the lack of food and water. Miller said the Red Cross didn't offer its own shelter in downtown New Orleans because it is the agency's policy to “not shelter in unsafe areas.”

Sure, most of the people who were left in New Orleans were African-American. This is a fact. But crews got in there as soon as the storm lifted to rescue those left in NOLA. Now, they were just able to get into St. Bernard Parish yesterday. And most of that parish is white.

The race card is a nasty one to play, especially at a time like this. I'm not saying racism doesn't exist, because it does. But it was NOT a factor in rescue efforts.

And for the record, you're talking to a Louisiana native here. I do know something about my state.

And by the way, it really wasn't Bush's fault. Nope. If you're going to blame someone, look at our governor -- who has hampered rescue efforts and the National Guard since day 1. Look at the citizens of Louisiana. We ALL knew this was coming... We had an in depth discussion of this very scenario in a class I took a few years back and the professor just had a book published discussing this very situation. We all knew it was going to happen. And the people and the government CHOSE not to rebuild the levees and reinforce them. Key word -- CHOSE. We weren't denied funding for them.

OH NO HE ISN'T!