WOW! It must be very comforting to some of you "americans" to know that you have the resources to not need any more than 3 months help after a disaster like Katrina. You must sleep very warmly and comfortably in your nice homes and beds. I mean knowing that you have the financial and family support you'll need to "get through", "move on", "rebuild", must really make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Sadly enough though everyones lives can't be so perfect. Some people actually need a little extra help along the way. Do you think the insurance companies are on a 30, 60, 90 day plan. If yours is you were very smart to have that included in your policy. Sure there are people out their that expect the "handouts" but have some compassion for the ones that don't. It seems this always happens after some sort of distruction in America. People are forgotten. It's a sad day. Watch your KARMA!!!

John, I dare you to come here and see what REALITY is all about. Noticed that you didn't give the state you live in, sure hope you are in some perfect, wonderful place with nothing to be concerned about. Guess what, all I do have left is a computer! I have a full time job but no home, nothing left that was part of my past life. My computer - family sent it to me and the FEMA trailer and a stray dog that I rescued and this computer is all there is for me right now.

Instant Karma's going to get ya!
My hands are shaking from the letters I have just read. My husband and I lived in Bay St.Louis it was our home. We lived on Beach Blvd and went through the storm and would still be there if we had an infrastructure. We worked for four weeks after Katrina trying to move trees and debris and resume some sort of normalcy to our lives. Our strength was renewed daily in faith and hope in our fellow man as food and water came in. The volunteers saved us with their generosity of smiles as well as food and water.
Now, we were as prepared as anyone could be, and I wonder if some of the people who wrote, would share their provisions with their neighbors. No matter how many jugs of water or cans of food can last forever, when so many are in need. We were fortunate, my husband hitchhiked to Mobile and rented a car after six days, it allowed us the luxury of getting basic supplies. After four and half weeks we heard that no decisions had been made for the beach to be rebuilt. Our neighbor hired a bulldozer that allowed us a way to get from our home with what we had salvaged, and they blew up my husbands job (Grand Casino Gulfport) as we were leaving town, and we were the fortunate ones. We were blessed by the helping hands that came and gave us hope and sustenance. People of Hancock County do not want a hand out or a freebie. They want the basic necessities of life. They want a job, home, clean water a way to get their lives back or some sort of normal. I am sitting here in Orlando, and my heart is on the beach. I miss Ms. Dots flowers and friendly smile. I miss Ms. Ellen and Jeb. I miss my town and am working hard so I can come back to where my heart is. We were fortunate as I have said my husband’s employer helped and we had some savings so many did not. We were all your hard working average Americans, who need a little hand for a little time to be whole again. There is not a one of us who has been affected by Katrina who would not rush to help you and we would not have a time limit as to when we felt you should be on your feet. I do not understand how on Thanksgiving Day so many of you have no compassion or empathy. Take a drive and see for yourselves before you speak. You may have an epiphany as to what it means to be an American. I wonder what happened in your lives for you to be so cold. I still have hope for you though and I wish for you an open heart and much peace.

If there are houses rebuilt, stores & businesses operating and people of the gulf are still expecting hand outs, I would agree whole heartedly. Because of a few people down there may take advantage doesn't mean the greater good won't be served if the free services stay open till things are more progressed. I saw devestation. I empathized with those people in a real & meaningful way. I have no problem with my tax dollars going toward those peoples needs. I do not like being taken advantage of, but I like even less that people may suffer if not given enough of an advantage.

I would like to know how many people who made comments have actually spent time in Waveland pass Christian or that area. If you have not spent a week there, lived with these people who are like you and me, middle class, working people who lost everything in a 20 minute period of time; then sit down, call some friends and go down for a week and help clean out houses, meet these people and lend a hand. This could of happended to any of us. These are wonderful, working people who have had their lives devastated. Going down there will be the most meaningful experience of your life. No, I am not a liberal but a flag waving republican who see's his own family in these people and would hope that if this had been my family, other's would have cared. I am taking my teenage son for another trip at Christmas, hoping he will learn it is about serving and not recieving at this time of year. Email me if you want to join our team.

The reason people only talk about the one's who want handouts, is because those are the one's you see. Usually they are loud, ignorant, obnixous, lazy people who make fools of themselves whenever they can. They think the world owes them everything, and they expect it. When help is given, usually it is abused. It's kind of comparable to the welfare system. The majority of people that use it, abuse it, and when people really need it, it's not there, or they get belittled for using it. I'm sorry for what happened to the people of the Gulf Coast, and I hope you can re-build and somehow return to the life you were once used to. To all the leaches out there...get off your lazy, handout taking butts, and
do something for yourselves for a change.

There will come a time when the Pearlington and Waveland areas can stand on their own. I have made several trips to Pearlington delivering coats, blankets and food. I live on the gulf coast of Florida and have been through many hurricanes, nothing prepared me for Pearlington. How can you expect people to stand on their own when their house is on top of their car, all personal posessions are spread over several city blocks and covered in mud. FEMA and the insurance companies are red tape nightmares. In any disaster like this there will be some who will take advantage of the situation. I have found most of these people love their town and want to work hard to get it rebuilt. If I could stay there and help out full time I would do it. For now I will do everything I can to help them. I can not meet every need but I can meet some needs. Please people if you don't want to help these people then don't. If you have not been to this town then you have no idea how bad it is.

So many people sit back and criticize others. How can you do this? We are hard working people who lost everything and we are trying to rebuild. My job site was destroyed, my house was flooded and everything inside destroyed, we lost 4 vehicles, my daughter's school was almost totally destroyed. I was a fortunate one... I was here and started pulling out carpet the next day to salvage our house. We gave shelter to 6 other people who lost everything. We were left the day after the storm with enough water for 3 people for one day and had 9 people, including a diabetic(who needs lots of water)living in my house. We built a fire and boiled what little water we had coming out of the hose. Thank God we still had some water coming out. We rode our bikes several miles to find a food distribution place to get water, ice and precious cantalope. Our cell phones were gone. I was able to get on call out on a CNN reporter's phone to call my mom and ask her to send help. We were the fortunate ones.. we had a house and a roof. Others we knew had only a concrete slab. My husband found a contractor and work crew to gut our house out. A friend loaned us a car and camper to live in while we rebuilt. We did not wait for a handout yet we gladly accepted the MRE's. We can now live in our house. We have the sheetrock up and have painted but now we are stalled. The local businesses that are open are swamped. We don't have a stove and need new cabinets yet we can't even order cabinets because every business is swamped. We have not complained we have counted our blessings. When people ask me what I need or want, I don't ask for help for me, I ask for help to rebuild my daughter's school- OUR LADY ACADEMY. Our future is our children and they need their education and OLA is the best around. Please help there. The food kitchens are still needed. People don't have houses, people don't have kitchens, people are our trying to rebuild their homes, their schools, people are out working...the soup kitchens are one bright spot in our lives because we can dedicate ourselves to rebuilding and not have to worry about cooking. I still work but that has been so difficult. How many of you can work when your entire office was destroyed? Can you understand trying to make life and death decisions when your files, resources are gone? Can you imagine having everything that is left outside in boxes while your house is gutted? Can you imagine having to make a choice every morning between rebuilding your home, rebuilding your daughter's school and rebuilding your work,,, all at the same time? Can you imagine going outside and seeing a war zone and total destruction every day. Can you imagine finding out that your church is destroyed? Can you imagine finding out the Diocese was underinsured and there will not be enough money to rebuild your church and school? Can you imagine hearing about the millions of dollars being raised by Catholic groups and not seeing any of it in your neighborhood??? Can you imagine having to figure out how you are going to find the money to put a roof on Mercy Hall at OLA, how to rebuild the school? Can you imagine having your priest say if anyone gives money to send it directly to the church and not the Bishop because we may not see the money? Even our religious roots have been damaged. Can you imagine not being able to trust the Bishop of the Diocese? The one who is supposed to be our shepherd? How many of you have heard the Pope say anything about helping us? Can you imagine seeing all the help coming in being of every religion except your own? We have been destroyed emotionally, physically and spiritually but we haven't complained. WE ARE NOT WELFARE PEOPLE. WE ARE TAX PAYING CITIZENS. WE ARE PEOPLE WHO NOW FIND OUR INSURANCE COMPANY WON'T PAY, FEMA HAS NOT GIVEN US ONE RED CENT BECAUSE WE WORKED TOO HARD AND MADE TOO MUCH MONEY. WE DON'T ABUSE THE SYSTEM... THE SYSTEM ABUSES US ... WE WORK AND THEY TAKE OUR MONEY AND WHEN WE NEED THEIR HELP THEN WE DON'T QUALIFY BECAUSE WE HAVE TOO MUCH. WE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAW A WORKER LEAVE OUR HOUSE AND GO GET MONEY FROM THE CHURCH, GO OUT DRINKING AND NOT SHOW UP FOR THREE DAYS FROM THE HANG-OVER. WE ARE PEOPLE WHO SEE OTHER PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON WELFARE I.E DON'T PAY ANY TAXES, RECEIVE $2,000.00 THEN $2,300.00 FROM FEMA THEN BE TOLD THEY WOULD ALSO GET MONEY FOR RENTAL. WE ARE THE ONES THAT FEMA SAYS WE CAN'T GET ANY MONEY NOT EVEN REIMBURSEMENT FOR A CHAINSAW YET WE ARE THE ONES WHO PUT THE MONEY IN THE GOVERNMENTS COFFERS TO BEGIN WITH. WE ARE THE ABUSED ONES. EVERYTHING WE HAVE WAS BOUGHT AND PAID FOR THROUGH OUR HARD WORK, FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FRUGALNESS. WE DON'T DESERVE TO BE INSULTED BY THE REST OF YOU. WE NEED YOU TO SEND HELP IN THE FORM OF WORKERS, CONTRACTORS, BUILDING SUPPLIES, MONEY TO BUILD AND YOUR PRAYERS. WE NEED YOU TO COMPLAIN TO OUR GOVERNMENT TO STOP FRAUD. WE NEED YOU TO COMPLAIN AND CHANGE OUR TAX CODE SO THE HARD WORKING PEOPLE DON'T GET SCREWED OR PUNISHED FOR WORKING SO HARD. THIS COUNTRY USED TO BE ONE THAT THE HARDER YOU WORKED THE MORE YOU WERE REWARDED. NOW THE HARDER YOU WORK THE MORE MONEY IS TAKEN AWAY TO GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AND EXPECT OTHERS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ELIMINATE THE WELFARE SYSTEM. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO REFORM OUR TAX CODE. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET THE LOBBYISTS OUT OF WASHINGTON. WE WILL REBUILD AND WE WILL BE STRONGER AND BETTER BUT NEVER THE SAME. We have tried to figure out how we can rebuild, how we can salvage what precious little we have and how we can get the money and resources to rebuild. We need your help not your criticism. We are having to make serious decisions everyday all at once. Don't criticize us... come see for yourself.

I've been to Waveland twice. The first time I was there Wal-Mart was the only business operating from a tent. I was there again the week of Thanksgiving. There were a few more businesses operating. But I would say they were very far from being anywhere near "normal" conditions. The drugstore was in a semi-trailer. Some areas seemed to have electricity. I still saw a lot of people living in tents. I saw very few FEMA trailers. FEMA didn't seem to have any rhyme or reason to there way of dealing with the needs of people. Someone who lost some shingles off their home were taken care of before people who had lost their homes because their application came in the day before some one with a far greater need. I am immensely saddened by the comments from ignorant people about the people there needing to "get off their butts" They're off their butts because they no longer have furniture. They have NOTHING. Imagine losing everything you own or if you do find something it is more than likely rusted from the salt water or twisted into some barely recognizable shape or broken. If you do find a whole dish you can't use it because it is contaminated with e-coli. How do you clean-up? Assuming you could drive to a store(your car was flooded and tumbled into a heap)and had the money (no job but let's try to get some place to live first)you could choose from a very limited amount of goods. (I think Wal-marts are normally about 20,000 square feet but they are now operating under a tent that may be 1,000 sq.ft.)Want to brush your teeth before going to the store? (If you got lucky and received a toothbrush and toothpaste before they ran out you are outside with a bottle of water) Wear clean clothes? (put something on that you scavenged from one of the piles of clothes around town that have been dumped on the ground, hopefully it was already clean) Want to throw your trash in the garbage can? There isn't one. Do you people get that it isn't just a matter of being lazy and having to apply a little elbow grease? Life as they knew it does not exist! Things that we take for granted do not exist! So for someone in another state with electricity, running water, a toilet, shower, a refrigerator, a warm, clean bed, cabinets full of food or even cabinets, means of transportation, money, a microwave (just look around you to continue the list)to pass judgement on someone living in Waveland about their need for assistance infuriates me!!!!!!!!!!!! I felt very fortunate to be able to prepare and serve food along side the hippies at the New Waveland Cafe for the people of Waveland and the many volunteers. Thank you Waveland for allowing us to serve you. I'm sorry you had to lose so much to give me a life altering/changing experience.

Connie couldn't agree more I am facing the same things too. My husband and I have worked hard and tried to do the right thing. It's very difficult to stand by and watch people take things in relief lines you know they don't need just because it's there, or get fema money(and not a little)by lying and cheating and laughing about it meanwhile you do not get anything you are not eligible! Why am I not eligible because I don't lie because I'm not greedy? People that abuse freebies make us all look bad and that's not fair. All I want is a place to live thats safe for my grandkids to get to come back to. Also I'm tired of people saying we need to get off our behinds and do something most of the people saying this have never been here and do not know what they are talking about. I think john who is putting us all down needs to organize a group and come down here or over here whatever the case may be since he won't even say where he is from and show us all how its done. Me and everybody I know work constantly to make things happen here.

Connie couldn't agree more I am facing the same things too. My husband and I have worked hard and tried to do the right thing. It's very difficult to stand by and watch people take things in relief lines you know they don't need just because it's there, or get fema money(and not a little)by lying and cheating and laughing about it meanwhile you do not get anything you are not eligible! Why am I not eligible because I don't lie because I'm not greedy? People that abuse freebies make us all look bad and that's not fair. All I want is a place to live thats safe for my grandkids to get to come back to. Also I'm tired of people saying we need to get off our behinds and do something most of the people saying this have never been here and do not know what they are talking about. I think john who is putting us all down needs to organize a group and come down here or over here whatever the case may be since he won't even say where he is from and show us all how its done. Me and everybody I know work constantly to make things happen here.

My very modest two bedoorm condominium burned to the ground late last year. I was at work when it happened and the fire started in another unit due to an unattended candle. I lost my three cherished dogs and bird.
I don't have a lot of money, but let me say that I had my house in order. I had and kept up homeowners insurance, even if it meant working another job to pay the premium. I made copies of all my important documents and gave the copies to someone I trusted in case of a catastrophy.
I don't understand how people sit back and take a "not me" attitude, then expect everyone to support them when they did nothing to plan ahead.
I still do not have a lot of money, but I pulled myself together, picked my chin up and moved on. Quit complaining about the hand outs leaving and get a job or two or three..whatever it takes to not be a boil just festering on my blue collar, working three jobs butt. Myself and the rest of my hardworking Americans are tired of supporting the people who want something for nothing. Ok, you lost everything..I'm sorry, but it's over and there isn't anything you can do about it except be more prepared and learn from what you didn't do right. It's not like the hurricane just appeared out of no where. I had no idea my condo would burn down in the middle of the night and take my beloved animals with it. You knew a hurricane was coming, yet you waited and waited to even put the basics together, ie clothes, documents and if you had kids, diapers, formula. Are you trying to say you had babies, but no diapers, had a medical condition, but no medicine? The hurricane was 24 hours away, what the hell were you people doing? This wasn't an earthquake that came without warning.
Now you expect everyone to take care of you..NOT! get over it already, I'm sick of the whining.

It is truely sad that we can spend billions of dollar to help people over sea in need. Wage a war that we can not win. Open our boards to so call Free Trade. All these things that are draining our country. We can accept and support these kind of actions. We have some people who have the nerves to complain about helping our own. We need to get our agenda stright as a Nation. This is crazy

I am shocked at the callousness of some of these postings. It must be nice to sit in your warm cozy home and spew such hatred. I, unfortunately, do not have that luxury. My family is from D'Iberville, MS. Since the storm, we have been scattered all over the country. My husband and I have 4 children, ages 12, 9, 4, & 3. We have not seen our children in 3 months. Our home flooded, and because we did not live in a flood zone and were advised by our insurance agent that there was no reason to buy flood insurance, we didn't. We, however, are not lazy by any means. We had to send our children to live with family in NC so that we could take jobs working 84-90 hours per week. We work 12 hours per day, 7 days a week, ironically adjusting flood claims for a major insurance company. Gee, aren't we lazy? But we are so thankful that we found the jobs that we did. This job will allow us to rebuild our home and get our family back together. Sadly, it will not happen by Christmas. So those of you who are sitting in your warm homes tonight spewing such filth at an area that is completely devastated need to stop for a moment. Imagine that you have no home, your place of employment is gone, and then you have to send your children away because you can't provide for them. We have made a lot of money at the job we are at now, but it is no where near enough. Our family of 6 lost every possession we had. Our children lost everything that was dear to them. They lost the home they have grown up in. Then, for the last 3 months, they have lost their parents. Well, I guess they need to stop whining, right? We need help. We don't want hand-outs, but we still need help. If we could get a FEMA trailer that we have been waiting for for 4 months now, we could bring our children back. We have paid our taxes all of our working lives. Those taxes have gone to help others less fortunate, and I have never complained about that. Now, my family is in a position of need. But I guess I see where some of you stand on that issue, and it make me sick to be your fellow American. Why don't you come down from your high horse and visit the MS Gulf Coast. Come sleep in your car, as I and others have had to do. Come wait in line for the barest survival neccessities. Tell your 3 year old son, who is crying that he just wants to come home, that you have no home to bring him to. Then I'd like to see what kind of attitude you have.

Let's be realistic. These were not hard-working people, nor lazy people, nor deserving people, nor underserving. This is just like any other place on this earth which is a mix of everyone. Unfortunately, this was a relatively poor area and many of the residents were used to the government handouts long before any hurricane. If getting back on your feet is returning you to status quo, well they are already there.

This reminds me of the World Trade Center disaster when victims were paid from the 9/11 Fund and then individual payouts were reduced when the victim had life insurance! People who are responsible plan for the future. Live in an area that is KNOWN to be below sea level? You might think about some flood insurance. When the hurricanes hit the shores of Carolina and the beachhouses get swept away, the residents take their insurance checks to the nearest contractor and start fresh. The insurance is probably a hefty burden each month, but that it is simple risk v. reward. All these complainers had a reward too. Many years of enjoying extra income because they didn't buy insurance. Looks like the risk won out on that deal. Sorry. You can't have it both ways.

I want to weight in on this topic. First my qualifications: I'm a 52 year old tax paying grandfather. Vote for the better of the available options. Believe in a Higher Power and the power of prayer. Am a member of the Rainbow Family, yes one of those "hippies", also a midwest Harley riding redneck. Sound like a mixed bag, isn't that most of America? My wife and I spent time in Waveland/Bay St. Louis. I was humbled by the power of mother nature and amazed at the determination of the locals to overcome. The following is opinion, mine, I own it as mine and don't expect anyone to accept it as anything else. We Americans can be a lazy, spoiled, expecting lot. We will accept being raped by corporate conglomerates in regarde to medical, insurance, gas, etc. We will listen as our government debates welfare reform, tax reform, social security reform and does little. We are a roll up our sleves and dive in it to a sit back and do it for me bunch. Some will take anything and everything, others will take what they need and leave the rest. Still others you have to take assistance to them for the feel to proud or undeserving. Our nation sends billions of dollars overseas and risks the lives of our military in a part of the world where they have fought over land and religon forever. Some things we do are needed many are not. Wherever help is needed in this country our tax dollars should be there first and foremost. I attend a fellowship that teaches me to judge not compare not, I choose not to judge those in need, I choose to roll up my sleeves and let my Higher Power sort it all out.Does it anger me when someone abuses welfare, social aid, a child or animal, another person, Yes it does.I am a spiritual being having a human experience, I'm prone to errors in judgement, I do things wrong too.Evreything I really needed to know about survival in society I learned in kindergarten. Stay in a group, hold hands when you cross the street, watch out for each other, play nice and share with one and other, take a nap.
Our only agenda at the New Waveland Cafe was to provide food, hugs, smiles and a good laugh when we could. Everyone has the right to their opinion, allow others the right to theirs. To all who are distraught this holiday season, MAY THE SUN SHINE ON YOUR BACK DOOR SOMEDAY.

sure there are those you take advantage of fema , red cross, and all who will let them, talk to hundreds of guys and women, it seems if you did not work and live off the goverment well your in luck now you get a bonus and boy do they know how to work it, on the other hand if you work everday and pay your insurance you get nothing , i know this frist hand what pepole like lisa do not understand that there no were to work on the coast its gone,it seems that those who work the system over before the storm will work it over after the storm

I have just scanned through a miriad of messages regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina along the Mississippi GulfCoast. Some good, some bad, some indifferent, and some just don't understand unless you live here and went through it. You don't have a clue. So many were worse off than I was. But I can tell you from my own personal experience, and my neighbors that we are not sitting on our butts waiting on hand-outs. I evacuated one day before Katrina hit, to a small village north of here. The next day when I returned home, I found my house with a hole completely blown all the way through the attic, a portion of the roof gone, ceilings watered down, a foot of water had stood in the house from the Biloxi Bay coming in from the storm surge. I could not breathe in there from the stench and the heat/humidity. I live 22 feet above sea level and did not have any flood insurance (not in a flood zone). Flooring, appliances, clothing, furniture ruined and molded walls. It was 100 degrees and above temperatures and I had no electricity for 10 days. When the storm hit I was ill with pneumonia. None of this stoppped me, I had some friends help me clean out the molded possessions and take them to the curb, clean the mold, etc. As soon as electricity came on I moved back into my home and went back to my fulltime job. I camped out in the living room because the back of the house was not livable. I have been rebuilding a little at a time while working fulltime, even though I am a single senior citizen, partially disabled female. Now a year later roof is replaced; outside construction and doors replaced, and inside partially restored and painted (with a little money from Allstate and a loan I took out against my retirement). Still need inside flooring and yard fence - but it is livable and I thank God for my home. You folks who have low opinions of us here on MS coast, shame on you. And no I will not move to another city. I could not even afford to even if I wanted to. Rent would be twice as much as my house payment and where would that money come from: the tooth fairy, I think not!

Thanks for taking the time and effort in creating this content to share your knowledge with all of us.