Katrina, and the UN - Page 3

f8nacn · #31 07-29-2006, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

From what I've heard, some of the people in the superdome were more dangerous than the storm outside...

And you believe everything that you hear on the media. Alot of that was exagerated.

Kevin · #32 07-29-2006, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valkyrie

Let's say my mom had me when she was 15 and addicted to crack, and has been abusive or absent since then. We live in the projects andI never finished high school and can't read, because when I was a kid my mom resented me more than anything and didn't give a shit if I went to school. Most of the time I was hungry, and I might have some form of mental illness and possibly diabetes, but nobody ever took me to the doctor so to you and everyone, I have "able mind and body." Now I'm 20. I have no education or skills. Please tell me what opportunities I have.

I've taken the excuses and bolded them. I've taken the things that are 100% your hypothetical fault and underlined them. In this situation, it was your own decision not to go to school. It was your own decision not to read. You were presented with the information that you mom was an effup, and you did nothing to make sure the same thing didn't happen to you.

Even so, at the age of 20, Job Corps (link below) is available to you.

http://www.jobcorps.dol.gov/

Remedial education and a GED are also available. It may not be the most comfortable and easy thing to do getting out of that hole, but it's completely possible.

Quote:

It's all well and good to talk about opportunities. You and I have had plenty of them and have taken advantage. That doesn't mean everybody has been so fortunate.

True. I was just looking up my best friend from grade school on the public access court docket system (in Oklahoma, the courts take public access to a whole new level). The guy was on drugs in HS, I knew his sister Overdosed and died. He's currently involved in a simultaneous divorce and paternity action, but to his credit, he's not in prison. The guys parents were loaded, and he definitely wasn't dumb. So yeah, even the 'fortunate' choose poverty. And I'm sure he's got a terrific sob story as well.. his siblings were on drugs, his parents got divorced, etc. etc.

-- all excuses.

Quote:

Here's what I don't understand, though. Say your home and everything around it was destroyed by Katrina and then you rebuild. Is it reasonable to expect any assistance if your home and everything around it is destroyed by a hurricane again in the future? Even I would say "no" to that.

If I owned a home, I'd sure as hell have homeowner's insurance. You're crazy not to. If I lived below sea level, or on the coast, I'd sure as hell have flood insurance. Living in Oklahoma, I'm going to carry tornado insurance.

I don't "expect" help from anyone. I don't think it's reasonable to "expect" people to give me things for free. I know that a lot of folks do expect these things, but as I said before, if you go through life expecting someone else to provide for you, eventually, you'll be let down.

f8nacn · #33 07-29-2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ktsnake

If I owned a home, I'd sure as hell have homeowner's insurance. You're crazy not to. If I lived below sea level, or on the coast, I'd sure as hell have flood insurance. Living in Oklahoma, I'm going to carry tornado insurance.

I don't "expect" help from anyone. I don't think it's reasonable to "expect" people to give me things for free. I know that a lot of folks do expect these things, but as I said before, if you go through life expecting someone else to provide for you, eventually, you'll be let down.

And let us remember that there are people in the United States who are attempting to make it, not relying on the government for anything, yet those people are making minimum wage (which is a laughing stock) and they are barely making ends meet. They aren't "expecting" anything from anyone, yet they are STILL STRUGGLING to make ends meet. I know, what we would call, "wealthy" people who are still struggling to make ends met. What is wealth and prosperity if knowing at the end of the month or in between pay cycles one only has .05 to his name, yet they are the ones driving the luxury - overly expensive vehicles, living in the best neighborhoods?

There is a struggle on every economic class - it is not just the poorer than poor - its every day people who are working to make ends meet daily!

shinerbock · #34 07-29-2006, 07:41 PM

I imagine some of the things that happened during Katrina were WORSE than how the media portrayed them.

f8nacn · #35 07-29-2006, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I imagine some of the things that happened during Katrina were WORSE than how the media portrayed them.

I don't...and that comes from people I know who have relocated to my area and that I actually have had the opportunity to work with...

shinerbock · #36 07-29-2006, 07:46 PM

I'm sure it does, but I imagine it depends who you talk to. My two fraternity brothers from NOLA said it was disgusting how the people acted.

f8nacn · #37 07-29-2006, 07:54 PM

I guess everyone has their own interpretations and experiences...

macallan25 · #38 07-29-2006, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f8nacn

And let us remember that there are people in the United States who are attempting to make it, not relying on the government for anything, yet those people are making minimum wage (which is a laughing stock) and they are barely making ends meet. They aren't "expecting" anything from anyone, yet they are STILL STRUGGLING to make ends meet. I know, what we would call, "wealthy" people who are still struggling to make ends met. What is wealth and prosperity if knowing at the end of the month or in between pay cycles one only has .05 to his name, yet they are the ones driving the luxury - overly expensive vehicles, living in the best neighborhoods?

There is a struggle on every economic class - it is not just the poorer than poor - its every day people who are working to make ends meet daily!

These people you know aren't what would I would wealthy at all. They sound like people I know that live beyond their means and run up credit card dept on multiple cards with multiple banks.....and they sure as hell aren't prosperous.

shinerbock · #39 07-29-2006, 08:16 PM

Minimum wage will probably soon be raised to over 7 dollars. Now that is a laughing stock.

f8nacn · #40 07-29-2006, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macallan25

These people you know aren't what would I would wealthy at all. They sound like people I know that live beyond their means and run up credit card dept on multiple cards with multiple banks.....and they sure as hell aren't prosperous.

Yet appearances can be deceptive (that is my point)...There are people who definitely have the fine cars, the big houses, the name brand clothes, and maybe even an impressive social calendar, yet they still remain in state where they are just making do.

macallan25 · #41 07-29-2006, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f8nacn

They had confidence that they would be safe there...it turns out it was quite the contrary....yet that is known looking back, not when faced with difficult decisions. How many of us would willing leave our homes, our tradition, our heritage? Most of us would wait or even attempt to ride it out because we don't want to leave that which we value.

No....sorry, but if the national weather service comes on TV three to four days prior to a hurricane of astronomical proportions slamming into my home on the Gulf Coast.....I am moving my family out of there without question. Don't be an idiot. I think most of us would sacrifice a home and traditions so as to not be killed. I can take my insurance and build a new home.

f8nacn · #42 07-29-2006, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macallan25

No....sorry, but if the national weather service comes on TV three to four days prior to a hurricane of astronomical proportions slamming into my home on the Gulf Coast.....I am moving my family out of there without question. Don't be an idiot. I think most of us would sacrifice a home and traditions so as to not be killed. I can take my insurance and build a new home.

And how many of them actually had insurance...let alone flood insurance? And to quote you - don't be an idiot!

shinerbock · #43 07-29-2006, 08:32 PM

If you don't have insurance, that sucks. Its nobody's fault but yours. However, staying in town will have no effect on whether your house gets destroyed or not.

f8nacn · #44 07-29-2006, 08:35 PM

People don't have health insurance, people don't have life insurance, people don't have flood insurance...all for one reason or another! Yet why are we being judgmental or hard on people when we don't know their personal circumstances!

shinerbock · #45 07-29-2006, 08:39 PM

Because we think its ridiculous to hear about how the government failed them.