CE a very heartfull letter, the poor are having a most difficult time with no medical treatment, no medicine or food and little things we are used to. Thanks for the post.
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CE a very heartfull letter, the poor are having a most difficult time with no medical treatment, no medicine or food and little things we are used to. Thanks for the post.
I welcome anyone who really needs shelter and food, but not if they are gonna be breaking laws. Probably won't affect me way up north here.
I heard they were bringing some medical cases to South Florida, but I doubt NO people would like to stay at Hurricane Central. :smile:
I know about some of the problems happening with the NOLA evacuee's and have an idea as to what many are going thru. I lived there for most of the past two decades and weathered Andrew, numerous floods and tropical storms myself. Four of my kids were born there and I would have probably still been living there last week if my wife hadn't received a promotion at work and was transferred to Texas a couple of years ago. My sister-in-law and her kids still lived there, at least until the storm came, and now she, three of her daughters and three of their friends are staying with us, possibly until October or longer. One of her daughter's is married and her husband is in the LA National Guard there. He had just returned from Iraq this past March when he was called up due to the storm. He's still in NOLA and has been calling every few days with news of what's happening down there. While my sister-in-law's house received relatively minor damage, there is still no power, water, almost no place to get gas or supplies within 30 miles of the city and the horror stories you've heard on the news about what went on at the dome and convention center are just the tip of the iceberg! He actually said that if he'd had a choice, he'd rather have been in Iraq than in NOLA, it was so bad the first 4-5 days. When the whole story starts to get out from the people who were there and saw what wasn't reported, it will be an eye opener to anyone who thinks that government agencies, police and other people we think are suppose to serve and protect us will be there when we need them most. The next time it hit's the fan (and it WILL happen somewhere, someday) we'd all better look to ourselves and remember the lessons NOLA is now teaching us the hard way.
BTW, here's one tidbit you probably didn't hear on FoxNews or CNN but was told to me by someone who was there. I suppose you've all heard of the horrific crimes that were committed by some of the animals that were let loose on their neighbors by the storm & flood. One particularly horrendous tragedy was the rape and murder of a 7 year old girl. Just so you know there can still be some justice in the midst of chaos, the individual who committed this crime received "justice" when a witness pointed him out and a group of 30 men and women beat him to death. The police removed his body when the crowd was finished. :dead:
Thank you for that. I was hoping someone would get a handle on what's needed here. These are just american citizens who have just been through a tremendous ordeal.Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueLion
A lot of people are giving the idea that NOLA is just a hotbed of crime because of the horrible things some thugs did to take advantage of the situation. This could be any major city in the US. All of our cities have seen riots and violence in the streets for one thing or another.
When calamity, of any kind, hits a major city riots and burning and looting take place.
Just thought I'd remind everyone
And CombatEffective, thank you for that warm letter from the front lines.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rachilders
Hope they got the right guy. Hope the "witness" wasn't just some guy with a grudge.
I'm all for self defense, but this is no better than any of the other crimes that have been committed. In some future Armageddon scenario there may be a need to dispense justice without resorting to possibly nonexistant courts, but this isn't it. Just one more example of lawlessness.
As per the source, the witness caught the BG in the act and pointed him out as he was trying to escape from the building. Reportedly, the witness first told the police, but they were simply overwhelmed and couldn't/wouldn't do anything to stop the BG. When the crowd tried to detain him, he became violent and they responded in kind. I suppose the crowds brand of justice seems harsh, but it was certainly no harsher than the acts he committed against the girl and maybe numerous others. FYI, the 7 y/o girl was strangled and then had her throat cut after the rape... one of many attacks that occurred during the "siege". An interesting side note is that after the incident, the attacks against women and children stopped almost immediately. I guess the sheep finally had enough and struck back in a language the wolves could understand. I don't normally agree with taking justice into your own hands, but this individual would have simply faded into the crowd if he hadn't been stopped and probably committed who knows how many more unspeakable acts. In a civilized society, the rule of law is the glue that holds us together. In the absence of rule and law, we do what is required to protect ourselves and our own, as cruel and harsh as it may seem to others who aren't there at the time. I don't necessarily condone it, but I can understand why it happens. BTW, for the people who spent the past week in the hell that New Orleans became, this WAS Armageddon! Their actions were no different than mine would be - and probably everyone who posts here - if I'd entered my home, found a stranger had murdered my wife or one of my children, attacked me when I tried to stop him and I put a bullet in his head. I don't think I'd get much argument or he much sympathy over the final outcome.
I agree that the potential for abuse is there, but if "Law" is God, there can be no moral judgements. Summary justice (I strongly feel) is appropriate. We have become so enamored of Law, that it no longer allows freedom for the law-abiding, but is a constraint to the citizen, and freedom for those who choose not to abide by its codes.Quote:
Originally Posted by tanksoldier
Amen to that! I just got power back a week ago today. Now I hear TS OPHELIA is about to start dropping more rain on the Florida peninsula. I worry that the social breakdown that happened in NO could happen here; then I remember the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew when I was with the national guard and the guard worked closely with the unorganized militia (armed citizens patrolling neighborhoods) and the looting was held to a minimum. Usually they were transplanted Yankees who were antigun sheeple to start with. ~sigh~ Trauma TEACHES, I guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by Miggy
I must admit, I was taken back by some of the coments made on the first page of this thread. Reference to those AMERICANS as, "those people, them, and refugee's" rather than Americans in a dire straight crises.
I realize that with anything good most always is an element of bad. However, the greatest percentage of this displaced group of Americans, as many as there is, is struggling to find any piece of life that existed only a week ago; plus desperately finding loved ones who were seperated by the storm. I feel sorry for any of you who think your neighborhood is SO special that you can not find a place in your heart to help your fellow Americans in a desprate time of need.
I extend an invitation to each of you to join me handing out food, water, MREs and share your time and compassion while listening to heart filled, "Thank You" from 'these people, them, ......" Although, I would not expect you to travel to our Gulf Coast to do so, although you would be welcomed, you - for yourself - can feel the expression of heart felt graditude by 'those people'.
I also submit for your consideration, 1. rather than spending additional money to purchase more ammo or to build machine gun nests around your nice and special home to protect yourself from 'them' - how about donating to a local or national organization to help. Hey, the more you help out, the sooner these Americans will leave your state and neighborhood to return to our Gulf Coast. 2. God forbid, those of you living in the North, East, Central, or Western sections of this great country will never experience loosing all you have in a matter of couple hours and have to be relocated to another section of the country. 3. And should this happen to you and your family, I promise this, this section of our country will give you and your family all the compassion, due repect and dignity by not refering to you as "those, them, or refugee"
Trader,
Pensacola, Fl
Trader - I think most folks do realize, even if after some reflection when things have settled very slightly - we are indeed seeing fellow Americans in dire straights.
We do have to try and separate the bad element from this - regretably that is the side many see first off, which I think provokes some gut reactions.
looks like we will get some of the folks up here even. Camp Grayling isn't all that far off. Not sure how many they will get up this far, as the housing isn't all that big, and the weather will turn cold soon.
Guys I just love it, I am truly in the company of good men and women here on Combat Carry.com You guys and gals give me hope that the good guys always run together regardless of color or culture for one cause, :cool: good ol USA.
Trader, I'm not so sure I appreciate the smarmy tone of your post and it's holier than thou underscore. I live in HURRICANE central. I've been through six storms including Katrina and Andrew (which formerly held the title of worst in history) and five others. I sent my goods thru my church but I also had family in the area of Slidell and they were in DIRE straits for quite awhile. Other family entered the disaster zone to extract them. Had those folks not been armed they would have been set upon by waiting bands of the lawless who skulked at the rest stops in unsecured areas of the zone. Had they not been heavily armed, the trip might have turned tragic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trader
Consider the following:
Communities that opened arms are now bearing arms
Houston Chronicle ^ | 9/6/05 | LISA FALKENBERG
Communities that opened arms are now bearing arms
Residents flock to gun stores on false rumors that crime is rising
By LISA FALKENBERG
LAFAYETTE, LA. - Rumors of rapes, robberies and other crimes spiking with the influx of New Orleans hurricane evacuees have incited a run on guns at stores across Cajun Country.
Gun dealers from Lake Charles to Baton Rouge say they can't keep up with demand for small revolvers, semiautomatics, shotguns and stun guns, many being purchased by women and first-time gun owners, despite police denials that the crime rate has jumped.
"We have now officially sold more handguns than we normally sell in a year in the last three days," said Will Hall, lead salesman at Lafayette Shooters.
Manager Doug Brown estimates the store has sold 300 guns over the past three days, with people traveling as far as 100 miles to buy them. He said the spike was prompted by rumors of increased crime in town, recent TV images of New Orleans looting and the Big Easy's reputation for crime.
"A lot of people sit there glued to CNN and see nothing but negative images, and they're seeing all the crowds of people showing up here, and it's kind of fueling a frenzy," Brown said. "It's not a good situation."
In Lafayette, there were reports that 14 people were raped and two killed in the Cajundome, that others were mugged in the Wal-Mart parking lot and that Lafayette Shooters had been robbed.
"It is out of control. There's rumors all over the place," said Lafayette police Lt. Bill McGovern. But, he added, "Everything's fine here. The population has just about doubled in the past 72 hours, so they're just nervous with all the new people in town."
McGovern said that he hasn't seen a spike in crime and that, overall, the New Orleans visitors have been an orderly bunch.
But many locals aren't taking chances.
Chris and Christa Credeur of the small town of Henderson, La., said they know all the displaced people aren't criminals, but they want to protect their family from the few who are.
"We've helped out many families since this has happened and donated money, funds, furniture and everything. But there's some of them that actually scare us," said Chris Credeur, who was buying a gun for his wife's purse.
Guy Johnston was purchasing his first gun.
The 27-year-old Tulane junior said he grew up in New Orleans and has become frustrated with the increasing crime there. Even before the hurricane, he said, he was robbed three times.
"I've avoided getting a gun for a long time and I'm not totally excited about it, but I really do feel like it's unavoidable now," Johnston said.
Jim McClain, owner of Jim's Firearms in Baton Rouge, said he has seen his share of first-time gun buyers, too.
He said Louisiana law requires gun buyers to pass background checks, but that safety classes aren't required unless the buyer seeks a concealed weapon permit.
Brandon LeBlanc of Barney's Police and Hunting Supplies said stores outside Lafayette and in Lake Charles have responded to the increased demand by increasing basic firearms training.
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TRADER, right now, it's mere perception. But I predict that as these destitute Americans begin to sap the WELFARE engines of already strapped host cities and the inevitable jump in crime (face it, those who needed to be evacuated inhabit the ultra lower portion of the demographic) there may well be a backlash that will result in civil unrest. Just 10% are predicted to return to a rebuilt New Orleans.