Good reading for IraRat

[Gage]

Received this email Ira, you just may enjoy it.

HOUSTON'S NEW RESIDENTS

Here is the real truth. I went to volunteer on Saturday, September 10, to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston for two reasons.

1. I wanted to help people.
2. I was curious.

I have been watching the news lately, like everyone else, and I have seen some scenes that have made me physically ill. No, it was not the death and the destruction that made me ill. It was PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR that bothered me the most.

So many of the displaced people were DEMANDING help. They were not asking nicely, but were demanding it - as if society owed them something. Well, the honest truth is society does NOT owe them anything! Help should be asked for in a kind manner and then appreciated after received, but this is definitely not what the different news organizations were witnessing and reporting.

What most of us have seen, on television and in the print media, have been individuals/groups who are yelling, demanding, looting, killing, raping, and even SHOOTING back at those who have arrived to help. MSNBC even showed one news report of several New Orleans policewomen looting a Wal-Mart!

I am thinking to myself, This cannot possibly be true - or can it?!?! Truthfully, I did not want to believe this could be true of the people who so desperately need help during this crisis. I now tell my story, and you can decide.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I arrived at the Astrodome only to find out there were too many volunteers at that location. Volunteers were needed elsewhere - especially at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

As I walked up to the Convention Center, I noticed a line of vehicles that wrapped around for blocks. These were "ordinary" Houstonians coming with water, diapers, clothes, blankets, food, every type of needed item; lots of it was NEW. As I helped to unload these vehicles, I felt such great pride that the wonderful residents of Houston would be so generous.

I then went inside the building and noticed approximately 100,000 square feet of clothing, toys, all types of needed items, that were organized and ready for the people in need. I signed in as a volunteer, received a name badge, and was on my way, eager to be useful.

I toured the place to become familiar with my sorroundings. The entire Center is probably about 2 million square feet. I noticed rows, as far as the eye coud see, of mattresses - not cots - but blown-up mattresses, that had nice pillows and plenty of blankets. There were also two or three bottles of water resting on each bed. These full-size to queen-size mattresses, by the way, were comfortable. I briefly rested on one of them, just to see for myself!

Next I went to look at the medical area, and I could not believe what I was seeing. A makeshift hospital had been created in 24 hours! They even had a pharmacy.

As my tour continued, I also noticed that other volunteers had worked hard to create showers...with hot water! Then upstairs, on the third floor, I found a huge cafeteria that had also been established in 24 hours. There were rows and rows of tables and chairs and food everywhere! There was enough food to feed an army, and I am not talking about crappy food either! They had Jason's Deli food, fresh fruit, snack foods, sandwiches and lots of beverages. By the way, the beverages were put on ice and chilled!! All of this "mini-city" - including a library and a theater room - had been created in about 24 hours by volunteers, so the evacuees would have a comfortable shelter.

Here is what further happened during my time there. I started by handing bottles of COLD water to evacuees, as they exited their bus. Many took the water, but only 20% or less even said, "Thank you." Lots of the evacuees would shake their heads and ask for sodas! This went on for about 20-30 minutes, until I was weary of being an unappreciated servant. I then decided that certainly these folks would appreciate some food! So, I went upstairs to serve these evacuees with some GOOD food. (Food that I wished I could have had at the moment!)

Evacuees came slowly to receive this mountain of food, worthy of a king, that was being served. I explained to them that we had two types of great deli sandwiches to choose from: ham and turkey. Many looked at the food in disgust and DEMANDED burgers, pizza, and even McDonalds! (Let me tell all of you folks who may read this, that Jason's Deli is better than McDonalds any day!!) Even many of the children were demanding and rude! Only one out of ten people who took something would say, "Thank you." The remainder took items, as if it were their God-given right to be served, without a shred of appreciation. Some even asked for beer and liquor! Many complained that we did not have "good-enough" food. Some went so far as to refuse the offers of food and laughed at and/or cursed at the volunteers. This was not true of all of them, but at least 70% of the evacuees treated us volunteers with total disrespect. Maybe 20% were appreciative, 10% took the food without any comment, and the remainder had some disgusting comment to say.

We volunteers then began to observe that many of the people would eat their food and leave their mess on the table. Oh sure, a few would clear their tables, but the majority left their tables for the volunteers to clear and clean. Needless to say, I was in utter shock at their behavior.

From the food area, I went down to help set up some additional mattresses. That is when I observed something else! I saw many young ladies carrying mattresses, but WHERE were the hundreds of able-bodied young men evacuees who could help?! When I asked a group of young evacuees in their teens and early twenties to help, they cursed at me!! One said, "We just lost our ****ing homes and you want us to work?!?!" The next one said, "Cracker, you got a home...we don't."

I looked at them in total disbelief. Here were women carrying THEIR beds and these young men would not lift a finger to help themselves!! I started to wonder, WHY SHOULD I HELP PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO HELP THEMSELVES?!?!?! As I turned away, they laughed at me and made obscene and distasteful comments. This is when I began realize that I did not need to waste my time on a bunch of pitiful losers in this area of the shelter.

Next, I went to a nearby restroom where I noticed a man shaving. I used the restroom, washed my hands, and then saw this same man throw his razor towards the trash can. He missed. He also walked out, leaving his dirty razor on the floor for someone else to pick up!

I could call these people ignorant ("lacking knowledge"), but they were not ignorant. They were arrogant ("proud and overbearing through an exaggerated feeling of one's superiority")! To put it bluntly, the majority of them are thugs...and lazy!

We are inviting the lowest-of-the-low to Houson and, like idiots, we are serving the people who will most likely soon steal, rape, murder, and attempt to destroy our beloved city. We are funding our own destruction!

Please note, I am absolutely NOT referring to a specific race of people!! People who WANT to help themselves should be helped in every possible way. Those who do not want to help themselves should be left to destroy themselves, but they should not be allowed to destroy Houston at the same time.

I do not believe in being poor for life. My family immigrated here. We came here very poor and now, thank God and due to HARD WORK, we are doing well. If immigrants who come here - and do not even initially know the language - can work and become successful, why can't the majority of the other poor "homegrown" citizens do the same thing?!

I have personally just witnessed selfish, arrogant, unappreciative behavior by the very people who needed the help the most. These same people cursed me and other volunteers. They refused my city's generosity. They refused to help themselves. They pranced around as if they deserved to be waited on. When they did receive something, they said it was not good enough. As far as I am concerned, from now on, these people can fend for themselves!
Writer's Name Withheld


HAVE A GOOD DAY.

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi

Do you personally know the writer?

Is it from a verified source (ie newspaper/magazine (as long as its not a anonymous article)) we all know what a source close to the president means (we made it up as our best guess)

[TomS]

I agree with George. The Internet is the World's biggest rumor mill.

Unless you know the author or can trace it back to a credible source, I wouldn't believe a word of it. For all we know, the author could be some Nazi in East Fornication, Idaho looking to stir up a little hate.

[IraRat]

What I find amazing is that Gage actually thinks I would spend time reading something THAT long that he posted.

These guys just don't have a clue.

[TonyCooper]

What I find amazing is that Gage actually thinks I would spend time reading something THAT long that he posted.

These guys just don't have a clue.

I suspect Gage would find your statement quite plausible.

See this video from MSNBC of New Orleans "finest" helping themselves in Walmart here

See this videofrom FoxNews of a Katrina victim equating the aid given him to "slave ships"... then demading $20K each for himself and his Girlfriend. IT IS OWED HIM. Be sure and watch it all - the last 3rd is very interesting.

Note that I did not link directly to the video, you'll have to click on the video link on these pages.

[Joseph]

I have a friend working the Houston Astrodome and he confirms the behavior, though not the percentages. He tells me most of the people are decent and grateful but there is a disgusting and very vocal minority of derelicts and losers behaving exactly as the article describes. I suspect that the person writing the article may be overwhelmed by this behavior and is simply reporting things as he perceives them. It's not unusual for a noisy and obnoxious minority to appear to have greater numbers than they actually do.

Joseph

[TomS]

I don't know what the two N.O. cops looting Wal-Mart have to do with the storm evacuees.

My sound card isn't working so I didn't play the videos. But lets remember that the the initial response was botched badlly. These peple suffered as a result . As for the demand for $20K, I figure that's about the cost to lease and furnish a small apartment most American cities.

And yes, some folks behaved badly. Others made outragoes comments to the media.

Let's not lose sight of the fact that not everyone has behaved badly. These people have lost everying and need our help.

[rd]

Doesn't the bible also say something about motes and planks... altho in this case I guess it might be "moats" and planks...



rd

[TonyCooper]

I don't know what the two N.O. cops looting Wal-Mart have to do with the storm evacuees.

My sound card isn't working so I didn't play the videos. But lets remember that the the initial response was botched badlly. These peple suffered as a result . As for the demand for $20K, I figure that's about the cost to lease and furnish a small apartment most American cities.

And yes, some folks behaved badly. Others made outragoes comments to the media.

Let's not lose sight of the fact that not everyone has behaved badly. These people have lost everying and need our help.

The validity of the note was questioned.

Obviously N.O. Police looting Walmart has nothing to do with the storm evacuees. But the statement was made in the original post and I was only validating the quotes & statements made in that post... rather then dismissing it as a complete fabrication.

One of them was:
"So many of the displaced people were DEMANDING help. They were not asking nicely, but were demanding it - as if society owed them something."

The other was:
"MSNBC even showed one news report of several New Orleans policewomen looting a Wal-Mart! "

I think we all agree that folks are homeless and need help. And no one here is suggesting that we don't do all that is necessary to get people back on their feet. But if I may play loose with a time honored adage "God (and Country, Countrymen, Friends and Neighbors) helps those who help themselves"

No one born on this world is OWED anything. It is by the sweat of our own hands, and the hardwork, kindness, and generosity of our fellowman that we move through live. Pretty much in that order. To eliminate or reverse that order is to insult and denigrate those that abide by it.

Being born and raised in the south, my mother taught me very early on that it was impolite (not to mention unwise) to "Bite the hand that feeds you".

[TonyCooper]

Doesn't the bible also say something about motes and planks... altho in this case I guess it might be "moats" and planks...



rd

Clever!

[TomS]

Lazy, selfish, ungrateful people are a fact of life. You will encounter parasites in all walks of life. I'm sure we have all run into a few in our personal and professional lives. Some of us may even have relatives who fit the description!

Lets put asisde the question of whether the essay is genuine or or not for the moment. Clearly the author seeks to cast the entire evacuee population in a very negative light based on the bad behavior a few people. That is just plan WRONG. It's like saying all Italian men are in the Mafia or that all muslims are terrorists. The author, "Writer's Name Withheld", claims he(or she) is not racist. In any group you will find good people and bad people. The fact that the author can't see any good people among this group of predominately black people is a strong indication of a deep seated racial bias.

think we all agree that folks are homeless and need help. And no one here is suggesting that we don't do all that is necessary to get people back on their feet. But if I may play loose with a time honored adage "God (and Country, Countrymen, Friends and Neighbors) helps those who help themselves"

Then let's get on with it and focus on ways to help these people and not be distracted by the bad behavior of a few. With our help, we can get the decent people back on their feet. The parasites will find a way to feed off society no matter what we do.

[TonyCooper]

The fact that the author can't see any good people among this group of predominately black people is a strong indication of a deep seated racial bias.

Tom

I can agree with everything you state except for the line above. It is not about color or social economic standing, it is about behavior. This statement applies to all of us.

[vinoscooter]

Corinthians 1:13...And now abideth faith. hope.charity.these are three:
but the greatest of these is charity...
It seems sometimes when we give,We give,expecting something in return..
Even something as simple as Thank you,Is indeed expecting something in return.
I remember giving a gift to a friend, only to find out they sold it at a yard sale..
I was realley teed off,as I said if they couldn't use it anymore i'd like it back..Actually
I didn't Give them the gift..Giving with a STIPULATION is not really truthfull,honest,charitable,
giving..These folks in texas & other places..Forgive them for they no not what they do..They are so far off the
social track they can't comprehend how to Receive charity properly..Yes you'd think a simple thankyou
would be in order..It's realley tuff trying to understand their actions.Could years of poverty,
low education,drug,alc abuse,history of race,nonfuction family unit,etc. have something to do with it?
You folks don't know me..However Ive's seen,lived,and felt extreme Poverty..Also have lived,seen and felt
extreme Prosperity..Honestly,They realley don't know what they do.. & either do any of us at certain times..They except no responsibility for
their actions..Or even know of the concept..For some reason,I usually see the best in all..Don't become discouraged
by their actions...Just keep giving.Give from the heart,Not all are being rude,or crude in their actions..
No since in being uptight w/something you don't have any control over.Some of these people are everywhere in America.Lives are being changed down there..Alot of them for

The better.hopefully..God Bless Texas..vinoscooter..

[ceebe]

Probably one of the best corroborations of the superdome report that started this thread is the non storm/flood related damage that has been found. Years of football crowds havent destroyed the building, but 4 days of refugees have wreaked havoc on the building.

Blame who ?

[PaulC]

Not wishing to inflame the conversation here, but why don't we all give till it hurts and then get back to building our TD's or TTT's.
Have a nice day all,
Paul