Would You Pay $50 For A Hurricane Relief Jersy?

Bill Bove · #1 09-02-2005, 05:44 AM

I was talking to some reps about doing a hurricane relief jersey last night, then I thought "I have too many jerseys, I don't need to get something for doing what I should do anyway" So I just tossed the 50 into the can at the bank.
1.800.HELP NOW

Tom · #2 09-02-2005, 06:15 AM

A local grocery store is matching up to a total of $50k and my company is doing a matching thing. I figure I'll hit the two of them and start there.

Climb01742 · #3 09-02-2005, 06:15 AM

isn't relief aid what we have a government for? isn't the national guards' true purpose to help provide domestic help in emergencies, not comprise 40% of an army? i never b*tch about my taxes because i believe, as a country, we need roads, schools, hospitals, and federal agencies to bring water, food, clothes and shelter to people in need. yes, private aid is great, but it shouldn't, IMO, be a substitute for governmental aid. in a civilized, humane society, isn't aiding the people one of the primary purposes of a government? what is happening in the aftermath of the hurricane is, i think, a manifestation of our skewed national priorities. and maybe i'm just a pinko cynic, but a skewed focus on the news about 1 or 2% of looters and thugs vs 98% of poor people suffering without aid is an attempt to change the subject, from a failure of government to aid mostly poor victims, to a story about a few criminal thugs.

Ray · #4 09-02-2005, 06:23 AM

I fully agree that private aid shouldn't be a substitute for government action. But every now and then a catastrophe hits that's so bad and so over the top that you need to attack it from EVERY conceivable angle. The government has a HUGE job to do on this one and history will judge how well it does it. But I think private aid is also going to be hugely important in getting the folks in NO and the other affected areas through this. From giving money for food and day to day stuff, to helping to organize local efforts, to putting evacuated families up in private homes, this is too big for any single approach to do the job.

And I think you're dead on about the press's emphasis on looters rather than the number of people who are suffering beyond belief.

-Ray

Tom · #5 09-02-2005, 06:24 AM

but you're absolutely right. Also, we don't do squat about anything until its a crisis. We've known for years (John McPhee, 1989, "The Control of Nature") what was coming but do we do anything? Heck, no. We've got better places to pork barrel our money than that.

TimB · #6 09-02-2005, 06:30 AM

Climb -

I'm also with you on this one. Our priorities are so out of whack.

Another example: Every year we get hit up by out local 'volunteer' fire company for donations. They want to buy a new truck, or just cover their operating budget - which the county pays only 50%. Now, we have a brand-new $100 MILLION concert hall built with county funds, but not enough money to fund the EXACT fire company that would respond if this facility caught fire? Go figure.

TB

BdaGhisallo · #7 09-02-2005, 06:40 AM

Climb,

The focus on the looting is important for a few reasons. For one, you must restore law and order so that relief efforts are not hampered, as they currently are, and that the innocent 98% of victims are not endangered even further. Secondly, it is important for future disasters. When the government, be it local, state or federal, invokes a mandatory evacuation order, there is an implicit compact that they will protect your property in your enforced absence. People can plainly see that this is not happening in NO at the moment. Granted, there are many more important things than the outright protection of property. The US has long valued life over property, and rightly so. But all of this plays in the mindset of folks that might arise in the future and citizens might be less willing to evacuate in future disasters, imperilling them further and leading to a greater possibility of mass deaths.

This is a mass catastrophe and the response so far could be much better, but let's not be too harsh on the government at this point. This disaster is truly unprecedented - not unanticipated mind you. People have been warning of just this scenario for years. The NO paper did a huge series of articles on this three years ago and issued doom-filled warnings. Unfortunately, as with everything in life, cost-benefit analysis is performed in regard to what to outright prepare and position for. Sadly, we can't position relief and forces for every storm. We don't have the resources and the cost would be absolutely debilitating. We play the odds as we do with all aspects of human existance, seen or unseen.

Having said all that, they had better get moving and start airlifting in supplies and water and getting those people some relief. If the situation hasn't changed much in the next two days, there will be hell to pay at all levels of government!

jpw · #8 09-02-2005, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Climb01742

isn't relief aid what we have a government for? isn't the national guards' true purpose to help provide domestic help in emergencies, not comprise 40% of an army? i never b*tch about my taxes because i believe, as a country, we need roads, schools, hospitals, and federal agencies to bring water, food, clothes and shelter to people in need. yes, private aid is great, but it shouldn't, IMO, be a substitute for governmental aid. in a civilized, human society, isn't aiding the people one of the primary purposes of a government? what is happening in the aftermath of the hurricane is, i think, a manifestation of our skewed national priorities. and maybe i'm just a pinko cynic, but a skewed focus on the news about 1 or 2% of looters and thugs vs 98% of poor people suffering without aid is an attempt to change the subject, from a failure of government to aid mostly poor victims, to a story about a few criminal thugs.

...is America a civilised, human (humane?) society? Every news report about New Orleans that I have seen seems to be highlighting the plight of Americans of African ethnic origin. It's as if Eurasians have never lived in N.O.

TimB · #9 09-02-2005, 07:33 AM

New Orleans is predominantly Aftrican-American in population. See: http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet...t=fph&pgsl=010

Also has a poverty rate of about 27% overall...much higher than the national average.

#10 09-02-2005, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BdaGhisallo

Sadly, we can't position relief and forces for every storm.

The media's "theme" today seems to be "why isn't aid being sent faster?" and "we feel safe w/ the survivors".

Ummm...because it takes time to mobilize (and the mayor of NO did tell everyone to get out)? And you're not wearing police/army uniforms so the survivors aren't ticked off at you?

I was watching the news before the hurricane hit and wondered why in the world anyone would build a city below sea level on the coast?

Everything could have been done better, but that's the benefit of hindsight...

Fixed · #11 09-02-2005, 07:52 AM

Bro ,I am goin down to N.O. or Miss.this A.M. with some firefighters I know to be a messenger I am going to be riding a singlespeed mt. bike I feel like I need to do something for my bros. I'll be back Tuesday Cheers

#12 09-02-2005, 08:08 AM

We'd have the money in the coffers if we didn't go into Iraq fraudulently.

Oops, was that too pointed?

Climb, I'm with you. They can't have it both ways.

Dekonick · #13 09-02-2005, 08:08 AM

It is a huge task to mobilize after a disaster of this magnitute strikes. FEMA and associated agencies are doing their utmost to mitigate the situation in NO and LA in general. Give 'em a chance! A rapid response still needs to be organized or you end up with chaos. Have any of you ever organized a bike race? Imagine that only without power, communications, transportation, etc and multiply it 100 fold.

What horrors wait to still be discovered - I shudder at the thought.

It is going to be a terrible undertaking to go house to house when the water levels drop - I wonder how many will be found in attics. As far as looting I can understand the need for food, clothing, and other essentials but TV's?

Again - I also wonder at the logic of building (especially re-building) below sea level when sitting at the gulf's front door.

Fixed, good luck - be safe!

#14 09-02-2005, 08:16 AM

Climb, actually, the NG does both. The majority of NG troops are just unskilled manpower and looter-prevention. Right now, they need a bunch of combat engineer units with heavy equipment, and they're spread pretty thin.
On a side note, I hope that the people of southern AL and MS aren't getting shortchanged because of the media emphasis on NO. With a little help, they could be up-and-running before NO is even dried out.

Climb01742 · #15 09-02-2005, 08:48 AM

since 9/11, homeland security has -- in theory -- been creating plans for helping tens of thousands of victims, in an urban area, recover from a disaster. responding to a large-scale unexpected catastrophe -- from a range of causes -- in an urban area has to be high, if not first, on the to-do list of homeland security. apparently, they haven't been planning very well. the argument -- who could have planned for this? -- is, i believe, flawed. is this EXACTLY what homeland security should a have a plan in place for, no?