Gratuitous Disaster Plug

[Knox The Hatter]

"Before closing, I want you to think of this: there you are, your house is sitting in a lake, with the water up to the second story windows. Everything you have has been destroyed, all you have now is the clothes on your back. You're up there on the roof, exposed to the elements (and the elements in New Orleans at this time of the year are something that you really shouldn't be exposed to). In desperation, while watching your children suffer with you, you decide to go down the street to see if there's anything left in the Wal-Mart that sits on higher ground. It takes you two hours to swim there. When you finally arrive, you see other people going into the broken entrances. You find, in the ransacked food aisle, very little that you don't need can openers to break apart. You take what you can, hoping that your children will be nourished in the slightest way until some kind of help arrives. You have no money, and there's no one there (or anywhere) that you can buy anything from. The livelihood of your children comes first.

Well, guess what? In Sean Hannity's and Bill O'Reilly's eyes, you're a looter, and you only deserve to be shot. Of course, the story would be different if you were a functionary with the Heritage Foundation. Yours would be a magnificent story of survival.

God Bless America."


This and more...

in

THE KNOX BOX!

No supervision.

[reflexology414]

Bless you sir! Thank you for having the courage to share your viewpoint.

Those people are fighting for survival, and without adequate help from our government. It disgusts me that right-wing talk show hosts have tried to paint them as criminals. This is a desperate situation, and people are struggling to stay alive.

I'm going to Watertown this afternoon, where Brett Favre's pilot is collecting supplies. According to our local TV station, he's flying to Mississippi over the weekend.

There's another group near me -- a trucking company -- that's collecting relief supplies, which they'll be delivering on Friday.

The TMF has a substantial membership, and I hope that everyone will get involved in some way. We could really make a difference.

[tactillianlover]

If I owned a market with food and water and found that no one
smashed my store front window, I would actually feel bad that folks
could not reach it.

[maniactickler]

I agree. TVs and stereos are essential for survival!

[reflexology414]

I was making reference to the people carrying bottled water and other supplies out of Wal-Mart. There were no relief supplies, and people did what was needed to survive.

[reflexology414]

Everyone please give what you can.

Several individuals in my area are loading trucks, which will be heading to various parts of Mississippi and the New Orleans area over the next few days.
I'm sure there are similar efforts all over the country. Check your local media outlets (newspapers, radio and television stations, etc.).

Most of these places are pretty good about spelling out what supplies they want. The ones in my area are asking for water, flashlights, portable radios, clothing, tools, any type of non-perishable food items, pet food, portable generators, and just about anything else you can think of.

Again, we've got such a vast and diverse community, and I'm hoping that everyone will pitch in.

Thanks again for starting this thread Knox.

[Knox The Hatter]

I don't even have to point at the kind of individual who would purposely lump those who desperately seek food and other necessities of life with a criminal element seeking TVs and stereos, and apply a label to same. Said individual stands out in stark relief.

[isabeau]

great thread knox. it really puts things in perspective when seen in that light. unless one is living that nightmare themselves, they can have no idea of the desparation of those poor people to feed themselves clothe themselves and whatever else it takes to survive on a regular basis. not withstanding no roof over their heads. and people call them looters. shame on the right wing creeps such as o reilly (the perv) and o hannity (the big mouth ) why dont they get their rich butts down there and help instead of shouting about the shame of looters.

isabeau :dropatear

[Red Jester]

I've noticed on the news when people carry food they're reffered to as "finding" it. But I doubt anyone could survive off the TV's and shoes a lot of people are carrying. Those are the looters. National Guard are given permission to shoot civilians based largely off the multiple cases of rape and murder occuring down there. However, I'm not defending Sean Hannity's and Bill O'Reilly's opinions because I hate them with a passion.

[reflexology414]

Knox,

I'm very encouraged by the relief efforts being launched from my area. Several companies and individuals are stepping forward to deliver supplies to various comminities ravaged by the hurricane. There are even some organizations planning to do relief work to aid the thousands of dogs and cats displaced from their homes by the storm.

My hope is that members of the TMF will help out with all of these efforts. There is still time for us, as a community, to make a difference.

Thanks again for getting people to think about this issue Knox.

[Robace252]

OK, time to my little nose into this one...at first I didnt because I usually dont respond to post that only state mostly opinion, with a little fact.
I can not say what Sean Hannity said, but I have SEEN on FOX NEWS the interview Bill O'Reilly did with the top Civil Rights Lawyer in Washington. If you DARE..you can go to the FOX website (for most of you it would be nothing but a laugh because you refuse to even think there might be a little ring of truth to what FOX News says.) I watch all 3 (CNN, MSNBC and FOX just so I can get a TOTAL VIEW of all sides and then make an informed decision by listening to all sides of an argument)..anyway back to the subject.
Bill O'Rielly said and I quote "Those people that take food and clothing should not be prosucuted, they are meerly getting what the goverment is not providing for them. Im asking you sir If people that are sitting in a house with 5 big sceen TV's are indeed taking advantage of a situation and should be prosucuted." to which the attouney says "Well...um...we dont know why they took them so we have to look at each case individually and then make a decision." I dont see anything wrong with that view. And certainly that doesnt show that he thinks everyone is a looter. Also btw Im on the road right now back to North Carloina from Mississippi where I helped with the Red Cross for my labor day weekend..and when people went into the stores here (Wal-Mart's, Target's) only food and clothes were taken in very rare cases, very few places on the mississippi coast were broken into. None of the Jewerly stores, Car Part stores, Circuit City stores were broken into. Granted I did hear that a lot of people went to the Casinos that had broken machines to look for cash but again I say that no one looked for supplies in a Jewerly Store around the Mississippi coast and I talked to many Police and National Guardsmen.
There is a diffrence between someone who needs food and clothing for survival and someone who goes into a Jewerly Store to take advantage of an already bad situation.
Im sure you all have heard by now, I just found out reading wire services on my mobile phone that 5 or 6 people were shot and killed by local authorties yesterday. It seems that someone shot at the Civil Engineers that were working and they called in support which responded.
Im really confused right now...should we justify to ourselves that a catastrophic event such as Katrina should adjust all of our morals and allow bedlam rule, or is such an event justifiable means to allow law and order to be simply swept under the rug in the name of humanity. I really am confused..you know what Im going to open a new thread and ask this but feel free to answer this here also.

[isabeau]

thanks for clarifying that robace. i also watch all three, but o reilly is a bit much for me to take. i take back what i said up above however about him getting his rich butt down there and quietly slink back to lurkdom. and btw robace if i havent said this before it is soo great of you to be doing this for your fellow man. wtg its the best feeling in the world to help others in their time of need.

isabeau