Red Cross workers turned away

But let's blame the feds, right?

Published on September 8, 2005 By Rightwinger In Politics

According to a news item I heard this morning (and I wish I had a link to support this, but I don't---if anyone can locate one, please post it), the Red Cross reports that workers were ready and in position to deliver water, food, supplies and other amenities to the Superdome, but were disallowed and turned away by representatives of the Louisiana Dept. of Homeland Security (in other words, the LA branch of FEMA), who feared that bringing more supplies might draw more people to the "shelter", worsening an already deteriorating situation. Where are all the fingers pointing, though?

As an aside:

I heard another report, a little later, about a comment from an overworked aid worker distributing MREs to Displaced Persons (I'll drag out this old, WW2-era phrase, so as to refrain from referring to them as either "evacuees" or "refugees", terms that, for some odd reason, seem to cause some tension along racial lines, and are often hotly resented). It seems that one of them, a black man, angrily demanded him/her that they should "go and get me something from mcDonald's, whitely."

I'll allow the above comment to stand on its own, to be chewed over by those here who feel that the "entitlement mentality" among minorities in this country is a myth of the Right.

Comments (Page 1)

Rightwinger

on Sep 08, 2005

That should have been "whitey"...my bad.

dharmagrl

on Sep 08, 2005

I heard another report, a little later, about a comment from an overworked aid worker distributing MREs to Displaced Persons (I'll drag out this old, WW2-era phrase, so as to refrain from referring to them as either "evacuees" or "refugees", terms that, for some odd reason, seem to cause some tension along racial lines, and are often hotly resented). It seems that one of them, a black man, angrily demanded him/her that they should "go and get me something from mcDonald's, whitely."

Can you give me some kind of idea as to where you might have heard this? I don't mind doing some leg work to try and validate it, but I need you to point me in the right direction (if you can).

I read an interview with an elderly black man on MSNBC last week. he said that the hurricane had taught him that not all white folks were bad because some of them had come along to rescue him in a boat and had shared their water with him. he said that before the disaster he wouldn't have given these people the time of day....

...so yes, i can totally believe that what you reported was actually said. Racism isn't just a white on black gig, it works both ways.

Rightwinger

on Sep 08, 2005

Can you give me some kind of idea as to where you might have heard this?

I heard it on "Quinn and Rose in the Morning", a talk/news radio show. I checked their site, www.warroom.com, but of course, it isn't there. At least not yet. Thanks for the effort.

Rightwinger

on Sep 08, 2005

I read an interview with an elderly black man on MSNBC last week. he said that the hurricane had taught him that not all white folks were bad because some of them had come along to rescue him in a boat and had shared their water with him. he said that before the disaster he wouldn't have given these people the time of day....

And you know what's really sad? Older black folks are usually the most tolerant, having lived through Jim Crow and the whole segregation thing. They usually are the ones who can most appreciate the changes of the last five decades. At least in my experience.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 08, 2005

I don't think there's a pervasive sense of entitlement among the black in our nation any more than there is within the rest of society.

Do I think the McDonald's guy was a jerk? Sure. But you can find jerks like that scattered throughout the US.

dharmagrl

on Sep 08, 2005

I heard it on "Quinn and Rose in the Morning", a talk/news radio show. I checked their site, www.warroom.com, but of course, it isn't there. At least not yet. Thanks for the effort.

Welcome...I'll keep looking to see what I can find.

They usually are the ones who can most appreciate the changes of the last five decades. At least in my experience.

Mine too.

Rightwinger

on Sep 08, 2005

Heh, I'd rather have McD's than an MRE any day!

---LW

Well, duh!

I don't think there's a pervasive sense of entitlement among the black in our nation any more than there is within the rest of society.

--TexW

I'm sorry, Tex...where did you say you got the bubble you live in? I'd like to make airplanes out of whatever its made of, so they'd be more sturdy and less likely to come apart in a crash.

dharmagrl

on Sep 08, 2005

I can agree about the mcDonalds dude. jerk-ism knows no color boundaries. jerks come in all shapes, sizes, colors and creeds.

dharmagrl

on Sep 08, 2005

I found a pretty decent article (wrtten by an African American) about the feeling of entitlement and being 'owed' within the black community:
Link

Texas Wahine

on Sep 08, 2005

I'm sorry, Tex...where did you say you got the bubble you live in? I'd like to make airplanes out of whatever its made of, so they'd be more sturdy and less likely to come apart in a crash.

I live on an US Army base. I live in a neighborhood filled with all types, including many black service members.

They work hard, just like my husband. They care for their children. They support themselves. They have discipline and integrity. They aren't out in the street late at night drinking while their kids roam the neighborhood like some of the people around here.

Do you consider the military, which is a cross-section of the US population, a "bubble"?

dharmagrl

on Sep 08, 2005

live on an US Army base. I live in a neighborhood filled with all types, including many black service members.

They work hard, just like my husband. They care for their children. They support themselves. They have discipline and integrity.

I live on an Air Force base. Our neighborhood is a plethora of races and nationalities. I see all kinds of people working hard and caring for their children.

I also see children being raised with attitudes such as this: Link

and this: Link

and this:Link

Rightwinger

on Sep 08, 2005

I can agree about the mcDonalds dude. jerk-ism knows no color boundaries. jerks come in all shapes, sizes, colors and creeds.

True, but when you're used to getting most everything handed to you on a government-funded silver platter, it geometrically increases the jerk-ism.
When you're in what is already a life-and-death suituation, and that fact has been made even more urgent by a gigantic bureaucratic cluster-f**k that's getting worse, you just shut your freakin' pie-hole and take what they give you. Save the comments for your homies.

They work hard, just like my husband. They care for their children. They support themselves. They have discipline and integrity. They aren't out in the street late at night drinking while their kids roam the neighborhood like some of the people around here.

Do you consider the military, which is a cross-section of the US population, a "bubble"?

---TexW

Not at all----I greatly respect and admire all members of the military, Tex, regardless of race or creed. You're right, they have integrity and discipline, and I honor them for wearing their uniforms and subjecting themselves to the rigors of military life and for willingly defending me and mine.
It's not them I was referring to, Tex, it's the people in general, the blacks themselves, the civilians, who are so used to taking what the government offers (be it welfare, Affirmative Action, HUD, racially biased scholarships, whatever---and no, that's not ALL blacks...so before you skewer me for stereotyping all blacks...there you go) without the bother of uniforms, Basic Training and military discipline.
A lot of what you've written in the past year leads me to believe that you live a self-created bubble of self-generating naivete.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 08, 2005

PS - Rightwinger...before you discount my anectodal evidence, remember that you're on the record as saying we should believe our own eyes and experience about statistics and the claims of others.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 08, 2005

A lot of what you've written in the past year leads me to believe that you live a self-created bubble of self-generating naivete.

Yeah, and damn it sucks, expecting the best of people and giving them the benefit of the doubt. What a pathetic way to live, eh?

Rightwinger

on Sep 08, 2005

Yeah, and damn it sucks, expecting the best of people and giving them the benefit of the doubt. What a pathetic way to live, eh?

---TexW

When you're willing to overlook the negative actions and motives of a people, just becuase you're sympathetic to their "plight", and to confer on them a kind of immunity to all accountability, and responsibility to themselves and the community, yes, it does suck. Out loud, it sucks.

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