Spanky's Place :: Finally, somebody figured out what REALLY went wrong in New Orleans.

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Robert Tracinski nails it on the head with this one. Now, don't get me wrong here. This doesn't excuse the absolute, blisteringly amazing incompetence displayed by Mayor Ray Nagin, Governor Kathleen Blanco, and FEMA Director Michael Brown -the inaction, arrogance, whining, and all around uselessness of these three "leaders" has caused every country in the world to look at the United States in utter amazement while muttering "what the fuck?"

While Tracinski's column doesn't excuse or absolve the government of responsibility for this disaster, it does good job of explaining the root causes of it. And when I refer to this disaster, I'm not talking about the hurricane, and I'm not talking about the resultant flooding. Those things can be dealt with. I'm talking about what came after those things. One of the things I learned while enlisted in the Marine Corps was a term that perfectly describes the New Orleans debacle. That term is "Charlie Foxtrot".

300+ buses ignored during the mandatory evacuation, and left to sink in the flood... Charlie Foxtrot
The Red Cross turned away from the convention center, being told their help (AND FOOD AND MEDICINE) was not needed, whilst people were starving inside... Charlie Foxtrot
The Wal-Mart water trucks turned away from the SAME convention center, while people were dying of dehydration inside... Charlie Foxtrot
The PEOPLE from inside the convention center, who were FORCED BACK by the point of a GUN; when they tried to leave the convention center because they were tired of the rapes, murders, robberies, etc. going on inside... Charlie Foxtrot
The officials who KNEW what was going on, and yet did NOTHING to help because they were too busy squabbling over "turf" and politics... Charlie Foxtrot

I'm so disgusted by this whole thing I could just spit. Watching the decisions made by these "leaders" has been like watching 4 monkeys try to fuck a football. Sure, it's funny, but at the same time you can't help but wonder what the hell is the point. These folks need to be tossed out NOW, and sombody who can get something done put in charge. Hopefully the recent "booting" of Brown and appointment of Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen in his place will help. I really hope he can kick some ass, take some names, and solve some problems.

However, it doesn't change the fact that there is work to be done, and people who need to be helped. Getting angry won't do any good at this point (it will be very useful and necessary later on though). Please give all you can. Money & Blood are really needed right now. Volunteers are also needed. Donated goods, while useful, won't help the local economies as much as your money will. As always, check out the charity before you give, there are a bunch of scum-artists out there.

-Devin