Pippo,

I agree with everything you've said. And as much as I love this country, it's sad to think that there are citizens who break into children hospital's to steal drugs.

Yeah, we have a problem here. But to challenge this problem would be political suicide for any leader. If this country is to gain back it's soul, there are going to have to be a lot of changes in the way we do things here. The old status quo methods of fostering poverty has brought us to this point.

Chica,

I, who rarely see eye-to-eye with your posts, find all your posts on this thread are exemplary and good-natured and not open to criticism from any point of view. I wish I had your discipline and could ignore or not indulge in political criticism, but then I wouldn't be Gazpacho.

I guess one might see Europe as a source of many evils during the 20th century, but the reasons are many and as complex as the problems here in the U.S. I certainly don't feel that way. And the criticism seem rather heavy-handed after the way in which you are trying to be helpful.

Yes, Chica, I did read the whole thread and the second post is you "restraining yourself" from saying anything political about the N.O. crisis.

My response to you stands and I said nothing that was untrue.

Your first post implied that you had something anti-American to say concerning the New Orleans tragedy and I say to you, if you can't take it, don't dish it out.

Your smug little "I love the world" speech changes
nothing.

Enough said......

This is the last post I will make on this thread as it just gets me too worked up to read. I really have a hard time understanding how people can still be so focused on the politics when so many people are living this reality. Not to say things didnt go wrong, etc, but really thats not the point right now. I for one am very anti-isolation, i dont think thats ever the answer. But right now these people dont care where the help is coming from or the politics involved in how it got there, they just need help, be it from europe, the usa, or regular old citizens. My family is lucky, they have the money to get to illinois buy the essentials, food, socks underwear, supplies etc. Others are not so fortunate and are still struggling to get even the basics like food and fresh clothing.
Last night they put out a call for 100 more volunteers at the Austin convention center as they were flying in another group of evacuees. I went down there, and the response was overwhelming... there were over 1,000 people there trying to help!! Most of us got sent home. It was amazing. Perhaps the most touching though was this little girl in front of me, about 7yrs old, dressed in her beauty and and the beast pjs, and she had a bag of her own stuffed animals that she wanted to hand out to the children at the shelter. It was so innocent and genuine. Lets all just focus on what we can do to help the people affected at this point and leave politics and finger pointing out of it.
Chica, thanks for your post.

I lived down on the Gulf Coast for a few years....a beautiful part of the country, but unfortunately inhabitated by many undesirables (both black and white). I was surprised to read the reports of people shooting at rescue helicopters and people shooting and murdering each other. But then I remembered that we are talking about New Orleans, a city with the highest murder rate in the Nation and one of the highest percentage of African-Americans at about 65%. And the city has a high proportion of people that are unemployed and a high rate of poverty as well. Are all these factors coincidental? I think not.

I just wanted to pop in and thank all those here in Spain and in Europe who are keeping us Americans informed about what type of aid other countries are willing to provide. I had heard which countried had extended help, but not in what way or if it had been accepted. One would almost be willing to assume that the American media is attempting to fuel some fires of Americans against other countries, no? I guess I won't go there. Thanks for the info!

As far as the shootings in New Orleans goes, I guess it just doesn't surprise me. I live not far from Los Angeles, and during the riots of 1992, firemen and postal workers were being shot at during that time. Yes, it was horrifying to see and difficult to understand - if at all. But it is important to understand that it is not everyone who is shooting, it is a minority of people. And these types of situations always bring out the very worst in people who were not so very nice to begin with.

My only regret right now is that I'm leaving to go on vacation in a week and a half. The trip is already pretty much paid for, money is in the bank, and there are other people who really need it. Just feeling so very selfish right now for still going instead of cancelling and giving the money to a better cause.

It just breaks one's heart.

Go on your trip and enjoy it. When you come back and after this disaster is off the front page of news, you can write letters to your congressman and senators asking them what long term help are this people are receiving. Have people in charge been held accountable for the decision or lack of decisions?

I am absolutely convince from what I read and from listening to the talk shows, this country is not even prepared even for another terrorist attack. And that is definitely coming too!

Bill

What do mean it could get political? It is politcal! I heard today that "Laura Bush" made the statement that the people refugeed in the Astrodome are "not so bad off because most of them are "underprivelidged anyway" remind anyone of Marie ANtoinette,. And it cracks me up all the patriotic americans saying we don't need help,"speak for yourself"!. Now it's said that thousands of bodys are being collected but New Orleans will be rebuilt. Yeah for who? Bush is on Tv saying "We're gonna rebuild and within a year we gonna be drinking a "mint julep" on Senator Trent Lotts front porch"(a right wing nut!)It's more like "We gonna rebuild New Orleans alright after we bulldoze all those shacks that "those" people live in and with the help of the "Del Webb Corp." we gonna build a new city and name it "Chen-Bush Valhalla", senior executive class only ya'll.

I think re-building New Orleans by bulldozing all the shacks of "those people" is a great idea! American citizens should not be living in shacks in New Orleans! If after a generation or two, your family still can not get it together and be a productive citizen somewhere, then maybe you should excuse yourself and go live somewhere else. Just a thought!

Alando:Your a tuff man. They say that I am the bad boy of this site. On a more serious note, I wish that the finger pointing and bickering that has gone on during the past week had been put into rendering aid.

Fulano,

One word.....Halliburton.