Government over reaction or wise insite?

[Ross]

I don't see a need to lock this as of yet. It's still salvageable. We have to be able to disagree to a certain point without thread locking, it's just when it comes down to personal jabs, well that's when I start reconsidering.

 

[Superbob]

Meanwhile, out in the Atlantic, there is Hanna, which was a 40 mph tropical storm and disorganized for several days but which now has strengthened today into an 85 mph Cat 1 hurricane, and is growing. And it could hit Georgia/South Carolina or elsewhere along SE coast later this week.

All this has happened with very little attention from CNN, Fox, or anyone. But it's out there.

So we need to focus some thoughts and attention and prayers to folks in that area, too!

 

[geebee]

I apologize if my post was considered a personal jab but I take it personally when people take jabs at the US calling our leaders stupid and implying that we only care about ourselves. Granted it is not the perfect country but there is a great deal of good that happens here all the time and a great deal of interest and caring about the rest of the world (both now and in the past). In fact, the technology that allow most of us to be alive to post here came from the US.

I guess I will go back to lurking and stop posting for good (don't everyone cheer at once).

My best wishes for all those affected by Gustav.

 

[Bina]

Up here I watch the News broadcasts from Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto, there has been excellent coverage of Gustav and Hanna as well.
We are all too familiar with disasters, even though ours usually involve ice and snow.

 

[Cooker]

I apologize if my post was considered a personal jab but I take it personally when people take jabs at the US calling our leaders stupid and implying that we only care about ourselves. Granted it is not the perfect country but there is a great deal of good that happens here all the time and a great deal of interest and caring about the rest of the world (both now and in the past). In fact, the technology that allow most of us to be alive to post here came from the US.

I guess I will go back to lurking and stop posting for good (don't everyone cheer at once).

My best wishes for all those affected by Gustav.

Gina … I always enjoy your post … though lately few and far between they are insightful and passionate to the point … Where as I on the other hand seem to mostly babble at random … draw back of being a Chimp … I think many were in the background cheering when they read your post … you got moxie kid … don’t stay away

 

[Wise]

Gina ? I always enjoy your post ? though lately few and far between they are insightful and passionate to the point ? Where as I on the other hand I seem to mostly babble at random ? draw back of being a Chimp ? I think many were in the background cheering when they read your post ? you got moxie kid ? don?t stay away

I love Miss Moxie too!

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Bonzo - I could reply but I won't. I think your reply spoke for itself.

 

[Dennis S]

Wise "insite" sic.

Wise "insite" sic.

Would it be rude to comment from Europe on a tense New Orleans situation??

He felt the Gustav situation was being overhyped to create a sense of alarm, so government could react and cover itself in praise, thus erasing some ill feeling for Katrina.

I think opinions as to what is being done, and even whether it is wise or foolish are generally fair game. Whether they are "rude' is generally a matter of opinion. I think two general rules might apply: The more serious the situation the, the greater the potential for causing unintended harm. There are things you might say on the street that you wouldn't say at a funeral. Second, and speaking from personal experience, anytime you feel moved to start your remarks with "..."Would it be rude", "perhaps I shouldn't say this, etc"-you should probably trust the gut feeling that cautioned you in the first place.

But my most serious objection: As a minor league government official myself, my biggest beef is when people, assuming that they have somehow gotten inside my head, decide to enlighten the world on my motives--that is just unfair and unproductive. I recall a case where a politician had voted to appropriate money for a women's shelter, and his opponent dismissed this by saying the motive behind the appropriation was to hide the fact that the politician was opposed to equal rights for women. My point-if you are prepared to claim you went inside my head and can "explain" my motives to the rest of the world there is no way I can ever please you, and no possibility that we can have a productive discussion. And we need productive discussions now more than ever.

 

[Superbob]

I love Miss Moxie too!

Me three, Gina! Your posts are great.

 

[hensylee]

Hey Bonzo .. In light of the Katrina catastrophe and damages done in the states of Mississippi and Louisiana, the actions taken for Gustav were completely correct. That area needs to know it is not forgotten and will be taken care of as much as possible should we have any of the same things happen again.

I am a long time witness of hurricanes, what they can do, where they can go, how they can act. One thing that IS predictable about hurricanes is that hurricanes are UNpredictable. Katrina was not the first killer to hit that area and won't be the last. When there is even the smallest chance that any storm could deliver the sort of damage done by any of these storms, everything we have should be called out to save whatever can be saved should the need arise.

When there is a hurricane headed to the U.S. ALL OF US take note because of the unpredictability of the storm path. One Labor Day (like this one), there was a storm in the Gulf of Mexico that went north, back south, back north, back south, etc - just bounced around out there (I was working in our Court House in the Disaster Preparedness area the whole weekend to watch for our community) and we couldn't tell what in the world was going to happen. It ended up about a week later coming to the panhandle of Florida and destroying a lot of stuff in a community that seldom gets a storm. A month later, the same happened again and it hit the same area, and that area hasn't been directly hit since then.

We must never take lightly the likes of a hurricane. We have had too many that went where they were not predicted to go so we just get our ducks in a row, gather supplies we need, bring in stuff from the yard, protect our homes and properties, then hunker down inside our homes with hopes and prayers that it doesn't come to our house. When it's over, we either pray with thankfulness or cry with sadness. We all take a breath of relief. We are thankful this time that our troops are watching over us.

So, no I don't think it was government interference overmuch. Makes a good political football, tho. certainly a newsmaker all over the world, methinks.

Thanks for asking. You are apparently very interested in how the U.S. works and that's a real compliment to have someone asking. Glad to have some input here.

 

[Cooker]

I know of four people and their families who are not particularly concerned with this banter ? you can find their names listed at the bottom of today?s forum page.......

 

[Bonzo Dog]

I'm so glad that all of this was moved out of Philip's thread.

BTW, Bonzo, what was the name of the well-informed N.O. resident with British origins? I would love to follow his story.

Here is a link to the BBC piece on Gustav, it melds into a report from Bihar, India where 100s of thousands are homless due to flooding
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7591000/7591320.stm the guys name is Alan Pond

 

[Bonzo Dog]

For the last time I AM NOT ANTI AMERICAN,

Problem is some of you guys are so ultra sensitive to any criticism of Uncle Sam, be it real or imagined. Patriotism can be a great strength, also a major weakness.

Blind jingoism is IMHO a major weakness. Inability to self criticise also a weakness. I see both at work in some replies.

 

[catwoman]

The Weather Channel, CNN and Fox News have all stated that most deaths during a hurricane are from fresh-water drownings.

Would be difficult to determine how many people would have died due to a tree crashing down onto their home, or being electrocuted by a downed power line, or from drowning.

Waiting to evacuate until you're looking into the face of a hurricane's eye isn't prudent. Getting out ahead of an anticipated catastrophic storm is better than becoming a statistic.

Katrina is too fresh in everybody's grieving memory to thumb your nose and stay put. We must remember that much of New Orleans is below sea level.

It appears that officials -- U.S., state, parish/county, city, etc. -- now have a good plan in place for future hurricanes.

 

[skeptic49]

I am sympathetic to much of what Bonzo is saying. However, I have my own political blog where I blow off steam about things political. I also own and moderate a yahoogroups mailing list that is decidedly not political (it's for toy train collectors.) I believe that it's best to keep controversial topics to a minimum on venues not devoted to their discussion, because they tend to get in the way of the purpose of a group or forum. I think VR is a terriffic site for info and support. There are other venues where we can duke it out over politics, etc.

I'd like to think I can remain best friends with just about everyone I have met here on VR, our political, religious, or other differences notwithstanding.

In friendship,

Jim

 

[Bonzo Dog]

Is this typical for you, that when people misunderstand you, you shout? And then you go on to point out what you perceive to be their character flaws? I wonder what that is about. How does that work out for you, anyway?

I post a view aired on the BBC about government handling of a weather event in New Orleans and ask for opinions. Within a few posts I'm under attack for being a. political and b. anti American. It's enough to make a saint scream.

 

[Jackie]

Gina, don't quit, I enjoy your posts and usually agree with your point of view. They make since and come from the heart. Thank you for the knowledge I have gained form reading you posts. I also thought this not a political forum, why does BONZO think that it is a place to discuss politics?

 

[Dawn-Marie]

I think our government evacuated everyone to be on the safe side since last time they were criticized for not doing enough. They learned a lot from what they did wrong when Katrina hit. This time they let people bring their pets to the shelters too, since with Katrina they didn't and many people stayed in their homes because they didn't want to leave their pets behind (if i'd lived there i probably would have been one of them since i couldn't leave mine behind). I think our government did what they truly thought was best to save human lives. In the end, Gustav wasn't as bad as they thought, Thank God, but you never know. My friend lived in Florida when Hurricane Andrew struck. People were sent to the town where she lived since it was supposed to not be hit. Unfortunately, it changed course and it hit her town hard. You just never know and it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm just listening to the national news now and they said that a lot of looting was prevented by the National Guard because of the lessons they learned from Katrina, so people can thank the government for that. Our government is far from perfect sometimes, but in this case i truly think they were just truly trying to save lives since in looked at the time like it was going to hit New Orleans really hard. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Dennis S]

May I take a moment to point out the irony here?

May I take a moment to point out the irony here?

Bonzo quotes an individual who observes the conduct of government officials and then assigns to them the motive of scaring people so the officials look good later. Soon thereafter, Bonzo discovers that motives (enjoying poking the USA in the eye) have been assigned to him and he is duly offended. And in the meantime we quarrel with one another.

 

[CThrock]

Gina, don't get down off that soap box. We love you there!!!!!