Katrina, and the UN
 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,206135,00.html

I wont lie, this pisses me off, but then, it is the UN

That could have just as easily been out of the Onion.

Insane. The UN never gets tired of biting the hand that feeds them.

at least the onion is funny

So is the U.N.

What an insanely idiotic article. Jesus Christ the UN is such a joke.

From reading the article it just expressed the UN's findings after being asked to review the circumstances during and after the events of Hurricane Katrina. Only people who have NO heart would say that the article was completely IDIOTIC! What if you were in that situation, how would feel if you weren't provided with the basic privilege of being able to leave your home! We have so much to say about blacks and poor people without walking in their shoes for a day!

All the UN can do is make a recommendation or suggestion (as stated by the article) - they can't force or MAKE the US do anything.

And in what way is the UN biting the hand that is feeding them! Personally, I definitely disagree.

I'd think to myself... gosh.. if I hadn't dropped out of high school and had 5 babies so I could receive extra TANF benefits, I might have been able to afford a car and get out of here.

Or something to that effect.

Poverty is a choice. Sure, some because of their backgrounds are at a huge disadvantage, but there is still every opportunity for success. If you spend your entire life expecting somoene else to provide for you, from time to time, you'll be let down.

And just how ignorant are you! You are casting generalizations that are not entirely true for an entire community/people. We don't know individual circumstances of "all people"....you can't cast judgment on things that you have know knowledge about.

That's a harsh statement. There may be every opportunity for success in some places, but come to Michigan and see how many of these opportunities there are. But I do agree with your last sentence.

Do all people have free will? I think yes -- and yes, that's a generalization. All of us of able mind and body have free will. That means that we can either take advantage of opportunities, or we can fail to. Any reason given for failing to take advantage of an opportunity is nothing more than an excuse.

How many of the unemployed people of New Orleans are still unemployed even when construction firms are bringing in as many laborers as they can possibly scrounge up from other states?

Last I checked, a greyhound ticket was pretty cheap. People move to seek out opportunities all the time. Are people in Michigan somehow not allowed to leave the state in search of a better life?

There are tons of people who can't even afford a greyhound ticket, much less afford to move or pay for a new place. I'm fortunate enough to have my family back me up while I look for a job, and I could never ever leave my family behind.

There was a story of a guy, a few days ago. He lost his roofing job in Ohio. He came to Michigan to find work. Long story short- he found 20some000 in savings bonds and turned them all in and a company in Troy gave him a shopping spree and a job. So yeah, if you have the means to get the little amount of jobs there are, you can do it.

You mentioned the construction firms that are being brought in in New Orleans. Are those firms hiring? That's a big factor. But I am curious as to how many of those unemployed have been offered jobs or are actively searching.

Poverty is not always a true choice, often times, however, it is. Thankfully, my parents would have never allowed us to stay in New Orleans during that storm. We'd have sold whatever we had, and if it came down to it, we'd have walked. One day I hope that people realize it is not the government's responsibility to make good decisions for them.

I agree with you partially. While I, have never had to depend on the government for assistance, family has been a HUGE support to me throughout the years! That's the way it should be! I believe that something that was established for temporary relief has become a norm for society...and while we have many comments about it, what are we doing to help further establish/better the people that we are so-called condemning.

You're right, it is the responsibility of Americans to take care of fellow Americans. You'll see that in a lot of other hurricane situations. Why it didn't work in New Orleans, I don't know. Although I think I understand why people may have been hesitant to say, "hey ride with us." New Orleans isn't Charleston or Destin or Orange Beach.