I'm not sure comparing Katrina and the response to it and Haiti and the response

[cali]

to that disaster, is particularly useful. Haiti is by many magnitudes a far more devastating event. There's far less critical infrastructure standing in Haiti. Access is far more difficult.

Now maybe, as some here claim, it is a clusterfuck, and for sure things aren't going perfectly. How could they possibly? But I'm not about to slam the U.S., the U.N. or the world community at this point. I'll wait until I know more about what went right, what didn't and why.

Why don't they just do food drops? Why don't they just put water on the ground? Why aren't they saving more people? Whatever the reasons, I don't think it's because they don't give a fuck.

[blondeatlast]

1. Starvation, unsanitary conditions, lack of infrastructure, desperation in Haiti...

On MONDAY.

The earthquake occurred on Tuesday. Gawd, the stupid hurts.

Spot-on, cali.

[cali]

3. yeah- though I think I understand where at least some of it's coming from

It's excruciating to witness such suffering on such a huge scale.

[blondeatlast]

5. Good point. That's why I've watched very little TV and relied on LBN and the newspaper for news.

I can also understand that Katrina is still so fresh and was so horribly fucked up by the Bush FEMA--sometimes I do need to step back and think about that.

[WCGreen]

11. The human death toll in Katrina could have been way lower if they

had taken the threat more seriously and prepared for such an event even just one week ahead of time...

Haiti was a blind side act of nature...

[cadams]

12. the death toll would have been lower if they?

If they wayched the weather channel in NO and realized that a hurrican is coming- we all new that a least a week before. In that time you could have walked out of the city! If you realize that hey! I live on a island+hurricane+below sea level+alot of people leaving= maybe I should leave too? If you live there its no secret and should have been no surprise that a hurricane would destory the place it was a matter of time. There was plenty of time to get out- you could have walked out, would have been a long walk but it could have been done. Prepared? We relocated a whole city!

[spanone]

15. ah, blame the victims bullshit

[Robb]

2. There was a good thread last night on food drops

...DUers with experience chiming in on how they aren't all the movies make them out to be. I'll try to find it for you.

[Robb]

4. Ah, here it is

Good place to start reading is about here. :hi:

[cali]

7. thanks, robb. appreciate the link.

[stray cat]

6. How close is the US to NO and is NO sovereign?

relative to Haiti?

[TwilightGardener]

8. I knew this was going to happen, actually--that the relief efforts would

be deemed insufficient (or worse, deliberately slow, as a result of racism). It's too difficult for some people to grasp that this is a situation in which many will suffer and die, even with aid arriving. That's the hard truth--no amount of magical thinking will change that. Best the world community can do is try to alleviate some of the worst of it.

[cali]

10. yes. this is an impossibly difficult situation.

it's one of the worst natural disasters in history.

[HelenWheels]

9. Bush responded faster

According to my born again youngest daughter, Bush offered to send school buses into New Orleans to evacuate people before Katrina struck. So you see, he is a fast responder!

[lonestarnot]

13. Responded faster to having his diaper changed?

Oh those weapons of mass destruction. :eyes:

[angstlessk]

14. Well, they KNEW the hurricane would be around a 5 and might hit

NO directly...this was not predicted and followed for days, like Katrina!