A man-made disaster

[nebula]

This came through the e-mail.

It's the first attempt I've seen at someone trying to explain "the worst" we've seen out of the disaster.

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An Unnatural Disaster: A Hurricane Exposes the Man-Made Disaster of the Welfare State

by Robert Tracinski

Sep 02, 2005

It took four long days for state and federal officials to figure out how to deal with the disaster in New Orleans. I can't blame them, because it also took me four long days to figure out what was going on there. The reason is that the events there make no sense if you think that we are confronting a natural disaster.

If this is just a natural disaster, the response for public officials is obvious: you bring in food, water, and doctors; you send transportation to evacuate refugees to temporary shelters; you send engineers to stop the flooding and rebuild the city's infrastructure. For journalists, natural disasters also have a familiar pattern: the heroism of ordinary people pulling together to survive; the hard work and dedication of doctors, nurses, and rescue workers; the steps being taken to clean up and rebuild.

Public officials did not expect that the first thing they would have to do is to send thousands of armed troops in armored vehicle, as if they are suppressing an enemy insurgency. And journalists

[Fiosh]

Nebula,

That makes alot of sense.

I would add one additional factor. Many of those on welfare are mentally ill and/or drug users. We are probably witnessing drug users in major withdrawal and the mentally ill without meds.

I hadn't thought of that until I read your post.

Please remember, though, that many on welfare are simply the victim of circumstances. Good people who lost a job due to illness, those with marginal congnitive abilities, etc.

Thanks for that insight,

Fiosh

[jamie]

If America got hit really hard by a terrorist attack or more 'natural' disasters which left the whole country crippled, we would very easily become a police state. I wouldn't want to live in a big city.

[nebula]

Please remember, though, that many on welfare are simply the victim of circumstances.  Good people who lost a job due to illness, those with marginal congnitive abilities, etc.

Oh, I do understand this! I know that many on welfare are in true need, and I know that there is no easy solution for reform.

But there is a mentality problem that does need to somehow be dealt with.

[Keith]

This has got to be the best article about Katrina and the aftermath that's been written so far! I agree whole-heartedly and am letting you know in advance, Nebula, that you will see me linking to this thread often. People need to read this article.

[AliveInHim]

But what about criminals and welfare parasites? Do they worry about saving their houses and property? They don't, because they don't own anything. Do they worry about what is going to happen to their businesses or how they are going to make a living? They never worried about those things before. Do they worry about crime and looting? But living off of stolen wealth is a way of life for them.

People living in piles of their own trash, while petulantly complaining that other people aren't doing enough to take care of them and then shooting at those who come to rescue them

[Work in Progress]

Nebula, thank you so much for this article. And I will be linking to it much as well. It's good to hear the truth out there for a change.

[yomotalking]

I wouldn't want to live in a big city.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm glad I don't.