i think that this was not what everyone expected it to be. this was a reck. so many blacks lost their life, and it will never be the same. me personally, i think the government itsn't doing what they are doing, like what they did when the Tsunami hit. Black America is going through so much. At least they can rebuild for the poor, and not the rich. Blacks are apart of this nation too. We are apart of this nation. its out home. so lets treat each other like 1 big family.

As a Houstonian, we want the Katrina refugees "OUT", we have seen nothing but an increase in crime including violent crime. Our school kids can't get the help they need in class because some evacuee wants to either cause a disruption or take up precious class time. Our Mayor White seems indifferent to our concerns and the already busy police department is even more overwhelmed, by the way, where is the Federal Government in all this? I hear that the State of the Union is great. What union? The only Union I know are the Angry law abiding Houstonians that want to put an end to this.

I can not understand why we wasted our taxes on these trailers that many do not appreciate and others are using to deal drugs from when the Congress just voted today to cut student loans. It is a very good thing it is not up to me as to who should get our tax dollars. The FEMA handouts have made a group of lazy people even lazier now. When will we wake up and help only those that want to be helped like students and schools. The more that is handed out the more they will want and the less they will do. Let's pay the people in LA, MISS a wage to clean up their mess and make them earn it.

Hey, I didn't vote for him (bush).The mayor of New Orleans is a moron living in a "chocolate" coated world.

Yeah, It's really wonderful to see how all of our tax money is "at work" getting things back to normal there. Really makes me want to rush out and donate even more of my hard-earned money.

I feel for the very much underpaid, under appreciated and valued law enforcement group in Hancock County. The Waveland and Bay St. Louis police groups, along with the County Sheriff's group have always been a dedicated, caring and passionate group. I have no doubt that they will overcome the challenges that they are faced with exhibiting the same diligence, commitment and professionalism that they have approached things in the past. My heart and prayers are with you all daily.

ya gotta admire these guys for staying in a disaster area ...and just doing thier job...but in a small town....i bet the job has become even harder....because most folks know most others...and i bet they have had to arrest some people they thought would never cause any trouble before the storm...a content person...is different from a frustrated person....good job guys!!!

FOR ALL THE AMERICANS NOT LIVING ON THE COAST, YOUR RIGHT SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT DOING THEIR SHARE TO GET THINGS BACK TO NORMAL. BUT TO SAY THAT FEMA TRAILERS ARE A WASTE OF MONEY IS COLD THING TO SAY. IF THIS DID HAPPEN UP NORTH YOU WOULD EXPECT NO LESS AND A LOT MORE HELP. IF YOUR NOT HERE IN THE AFTERMATH THEN YOU NEED TO WATCH WHAT YOU SAY AND PUT YOUR SELF IN OUR SHOES. I,M LUCKY I STILL HAVE MY HOME MANY OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS DO NOT. WITH HOTELS BEING AND STAYING FULL WHERE ELES DO YOU EXPECT US TO GO, BUT IN A FEMA TRAILER. SOME MISSISSIPPI RESIDENTS ARE STILL LIVING IN TENTS WAITING FOR A FEMA TRAILER, IN THE COLD, HEAT, AND RAIN.

Mr Atlantic City, stay there. Ms. Houston - you are correct - they were confined to the NO public school system - we all put our kids in private school to keep away. And Mr Kansas, we need MONEY to rebuild - or would you like $10 a gas - I do so you northerners with a warped sense of place can figure it out ... you need us.

You only hear the worst of the stories about the FEMA trailers. I guarantee you thousands of good citizens are dependant on those trailers right now. Also, a lot of whites lost there lives! Why can't the whites and blacks be one big family???

I don't mean to be unkind, but as a Houstonian, I feel very unsafe. The condos where I live were a very safe and well kept place, thats why I chose to live there. In the past 3 weeks there have been 3 break-ins and 2 older ladies were mugged at their door! This has been a shock in our community. The arresting officers asserted that all of the men arrested were indeed Katrina evacuees. All I have seen is a dramatic increase in crime...

I read these blogs and must say that a few are rather disturbing. None of these people asked to be in the situation they are in. FEMA and the Government were aware of the conditions surrounding the ravage beaten areas prior to Hurricane Katrina and did nothing. The fact that you so called Houstonians (which I'm sure do not represent the whole) have the audacity to make such statements is ludicrous. These people; my people are not "Refugees" as if they are from some third world country. They are "AMERICANS" who has and have been in the U.S. just as long as if not longer than probably you. Don't be an idiot and crucify the whole just because of a few. Show some compassion for by the GRACE of GOD those refuges that you are referring to could some day be YOU!!

De'Mia your comment troubles me....this is not white or black....all are hurting...2 guys {who happen to be black} work for me ....and i would'nt take the world for thier services....and friendship...you better come to Mississippi...before you speak....we are all One

Hey Ron, how about loaning your place in Mexico to a needy family. I am sure you know what its like to be homeless.

It still amazes me how judgemental and ignorant some can be. Count your blessing and pray you do not find yourself or a family member in this type of situation.

I applaud those who continue to work, support and volunteer in the rebuilding efforts. Mississippi & Louisiana will recover.

can we cut the racial crap?! Black, white, yellow, red, who cares. The rebuiling problems stem from MONEY, not skin. People with Jobs and money (Insurance) are rebuilding, they have something to return to. People who don't are unfortunately stuck inthe position to scratch out a living the best they can. Tehy do not have the means to rebuild, and no decent job to return to. So why would they. I wouldn't. But it is NOT qabout race, so PLEASE grow up and drop the 'Black America' crap.
Everyone talks about 'one nation', but some folks want to identify themselves as 'different'.
Want One Nation?! Then BE A PART OF IT. Don't seperate your self, then whine that you are seperated.
DUH.

The destruction and devastation of our part of the world can't be understood for folks from other places. The police are doing the best they can, for sure. Here in Baton Rouge, although our infrastructure is overwhelmed, we have adjusted pretty well to our new citizens. I have nothing bad to say about Mayor Nagin - although he may put his foot in his mouth on occasion, he is the one government official who stayed in New Orleans throughout the disaster - without AC in the late August, no less - who begged for help, who actually went out and helped people himself, who is trying to get the city restored to some sort of working order. Way to go to the local governments - the police and the administration: they are the ones who are helping the recovery of the Gulf Coast more than anyone else.

My heart goes out to the cities where the bulk of the Katrina victims have been housed. I was in Dallas and stayed at a hotel where 50 rooms had been blocked for the victims. During my four day stay, I witnessed those "guests" vitimizing the employees of the hotel.I know most of the victims are not like that, but come on, let's stop feeding these lazy, welfare bums with our tax money.

People who deal drugs out of homes are going to deal drugs out of the fema trailors. It's going to happen. I don't think one can generalize everyone affected by the hurricane by the behavior of a relative few. I know someone who is working everyday on those trailors and I know that he has handed over many sets of keys to very grateful and appreciative families. There is so much that has gone on with FEMA and the government related to the hurricanes that I agree with and a lot that I do not agree with. I think that unless you have lived it, you can't really say much about those going through it right now.

Racist and indifferent social policies has created an underclass in this country. And minorities are the target. Disasters like Katrina reveal what's been hidden and the way our country, including governement officials and ordinary individuals, respond to it reflect how we feel about the marginalized. It is not because the majority of New Orlean victims are African-American that they are treated with disdain. Its because of who they represent, the kind of social class this country likes to hide and ignore. American aid policies are always hypocritical: spend trillions abroad where we have an interest in it, and cut spending domestically, because we have no interest in supporting the poor. this is really what Martin Luther King was talking about. The media played it out as a race thing. It wasn't. It was about domestic affairs and the treatment of each other with dignity and respect, because we are ALL made in the image of God.

Katrina victims were forwarned of the extent of the hurricane and chose to stay. Whatever bacame of self reliance. Your choice your problem. Some government assistance is one thing but these people want total 100% suckage at the national nipple.

As far as the Mayor of New Orleans it says alot about demographics down there to elect someone so incompetant. What a crybaby with no problem solving ability or organizational skills. This guy couldn't lead hungry wolves to basted prime rib.

Please don't call them evacuees, they're refugees. They didn't leave New Orleans seeking "evacu".

Blacks will be around as long as people keep differentiating between blacks and whites. People are people no matter the pigment. God didn't hit NO because of black people. The Government didn't hold back help because of black people. 20 years from now people reading the news stories will think that NO was the "black" capital of the world. Concentrate on the tragedy and the humanity itself.

Just wanted to say that criminals are not the only people living in FEMA trailers EVERYONE is living in them, including most law enforcement and other first responders and even politicians. We are living in one and have worked pretty much everyday since the storm because us and everyone we know lost everything. We are doing the best we can and would like to invite you to come down and see us anytime you can.
This is from one family who really appreciates the government loaning us this trailer to live in while we rebuild our home and reclaim our town. Thanks most of all to those of you who see the true heartbreak of this situation on those of us here who are good and hardworking people. We couldn't do it without you. Thank you America! Please keep us in your thoughts and your prayers and find a few moments to look for the real situation here and not just media hype.

Yes this is an issue, and everyone needs to work together to overcome it. Hopefully the businesses will be able to get back up and running within a few months so that those without homes or jobs can go to work to help rebuild the city. As to our officers out there on the streets, keep up the good work. You are dealing with the worst possible circumstances and I'm proud of the job you do and the effort you put into it! WAY TO GO!

As far as the comment on giving lazy people handouts I think it is stupid. These people were in generational poverty before the storm hit so they were selling drugs and living from day to day before they lost the only thing they had which was thier homes. If America doesn't get into the "ghettos" of America, no matter what race they are, and offer services to help people realize that they have better ways of making money and that education is the key to life-long, legal money, then people will continue to loose faith in thier country and do what they can to survive. I was once on welfare and now I am a senior in college working full time, and paying taxes because I had the advantage of getting help from programs at my high school, the county that I live in, and other places that let me know that I could do it. Katrina goes beyond people being displaced. It shows every person who lives in thier sheltered, one-sided, middle and upper-middle class, suburban state of minds that America doesn't treat the poor and "minorities" the same. Poor people and "minorities" have always had an unfair disadvantage of making it in America because of history so I know that it is America's responsibility to dish out social programs(not just money) and help people instead of complaining, especially if you can't relate to them. When you don't step in and clean up the mess you created from racism, slavery, and classism, those who are oppressed are going to continue to do what they've known all of thier lives which is to do what you can to survive and nohting more. Thank you.

If you've never lived in a ghetto then you don't understand what these people are going through. Selling drugs is clearly wrong but before Katrina hit that's how they were surviving. If America had stepped in a long time ago and seen that there is way too much generational poverty going on in such a developed country and started developing social programs to help people all over the country who can't find work and other things we wouldn't have so many problems. As a Black person I can totally relate to the victims because I was there, homeless, on welfare, without any hope but I got ahold of community programs and I'm now a senior in college working full time and paying taxes. The victims need more than just FEMA debit cards, America owes them a proper education, job opportunities, parenting classes, vocational training, and I can go on and on for days. The poor and minorities in America have always had an unfair advantage when it comes to surviving in America so until we step in and show them that there are other ways to live and we do care then they are going to continue to sell drugs and act a certain way no matter if they are at home, in a shelter or wherever. The aftermath of Katrina is so sad to me because I've seen my fellow Black people suffer all of my life and this is just too much. But in a way it's good because it shows the rest of the country we have a serious social problem where the poor and minorities are living in ghettos with no money, no cars,no education, and no hope and when the storm hit they all came out and gave us all something to seriously think about.

would love to load all the NON law-abiding people on several buses and personally deliver them to Nagin (mayor)..Blanco(governor) and yes....maybe a few to Crawford, TX..We are overwhelmed here in Houston..not safe to go anywhere anymore....Sleep light Mayor and governor....the buses will be rolling again.

I honestly believe that there will always be a criminal element in any society but at what point do our legislators and elected officials realize that the war we need to wage is not in Iraq, Korea or Iran! It is right here in America where poverty (which is a contributing factor towards criminal behavior)is rampant! Wake up. Lets clean up our own back yard before we go traipsing around the globe. Or maybe we could bring our servicemen home and totally alleviate our penal system by emptying the jails and sending the convicts to hunt for Bin Laden and police IRAQ!!! Imagine the tax savings!!!!!!!

We were there in MS, on the coast, during the storm and after it. I agree that there are a lot of people who didn't help themselves and took and are still taking advantage, but let's now forget the thousands of others who are not taking advantage. There are so many men and women who are there in LA & MS doing their jobs and doing the best they can. We as a nation need to be compassionate, forgiving and understanding or those who have suffered. As one who was there and saw the before and after, I can promise unless you've been though something like this, you have no idea what it can do to a persons moral. Please be patient and make a humanitarian effort to stay open minded and kind.

WELL,WHY ARE THEY REBUILDING A CITY BELOW SEA LEVEL ANYWAY? AND NOW THEY ARE GETTING MORE BAD WEATHER. ALL OUR TAX DOLLARS AND BEING WASTED. IF I WERE A COP, I WOULD JUST RELOCATE. IF IS NOT WORTH IT TO TRY TO FIGHT CRIME IN THAT AREA. THE PEOPLE THERE REALLY DON'T WANT YOU TO ANYWAY.

I bet you people from Houston voted for Bush. You get everything you deserve

People need to learn how to read. The article did not say that ALL THE PEOPLE effected by the hurricane is breaking the law it said "some people" are breaking the law. The idoit that dumped all of the New Orleans people into the group of "drug dealers" needs to take reading 101 again.

Ron Morningstar from Richland, Wash. said it all. Can't add much to that!!!

What I can't understand is that this country will start a Wae in Iraq, Demolish the Intrastructure and then be willing to pour Billions of dollars into a country that could care less about us. Now we have a tragedy in the Gulf coast and we can't put the same effort into our own citizens displacement or well being. With Presidents Bush's so called leadership and compassion why haven't we made any progress in comming up with a committee or let alone a plan for the rebuilding. When it comes to displacement and people of color this country seems to work at a snails pace. I distinctively remember how all these weathly american countries rallied when the tzunami hit Asia. Our President and his Administration should be ashamed of its self.

And Exxon had the largest ever profits for 4th quarter!

I think we should stop making this such a racial issue, even though it may seem that way. All types of peoples lives were destroyed, not just black, or white. We should try to give more support and less criticism, we all know and understand that the government did next to nothing to help the city of New Orleans, and we can't do anything about that right now. What we can do is show some support for those who have lost so much, and the law enforcement officers trying to bring order back to their towns. Let's not make it worse by making it such a racial thing, it dampens the roots of the true problems that the New Orleans(including of course all the hard hit cities) citizens have to deal with everyday.

FIRST OF ALL I CANNOT IMAGINE SUCH A STORM, BUT OUR
PAST STORMS IN S.C. HAVE ALMOST BEEN AS BAD. I AM SO
SICK THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES OR
THEIR FAMILIES. THE GOVERNMENT HAS PAID FOR THEM FOR
GENERATIONS AND WE STILL PAY.WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD POOR
PEOPLE AND THE 13 BILLION,30 YEARS LATER WE ARE BACK
TO THE SAME SQUARE. PEOPLE ARE SICK TO DEATH OF THOSE
PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT HELP THEMSELVES, AND LETS THEIR
NEIGHBORS CONTINUE TO FEED THEM. SOMEBODY SHOOT UP
AMONG US ...PLEASE

i'm a dallas texas resident and work in the staffing industry; we rushed to assist these evacs w/permanent, as well as temp jobs just after the hurricane and every last one of them have fell off and all f/the same reason, attendance; they ALWAYS HAVE to take off to go stand in a line f/a benefit or another!!! our clients were, of course, understanding at first, but oh my gawd!!! i agree w/the other posting that the majority of these people are lazy and want only a handout; i've ONLY seen the hardworking and honest NO residents on tv ... PHANTOMS!!!

TO MR MORNINGSTAR FROM WASHINGTON,
YOUR COMMENTS ARE VERY HARSH TO THE PEOPLE WHO LOST EVERYTHING THEY OWN. THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN IS A FEMA TRAILER OR A TENT. I AM SURE THERE ARE SOME LAZY PEOPLE DOWN HERE BUT ISNT THAT EVERYWHERE? THE PEOPLE HERE ARE , FOR THE MOST PART, TRYING TO HELP THEMSELVES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS A DEVASTATED AREA AND WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE. IF IT WERE YOU IN THIS SITUATION, I AM SURE YOU WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION.

It is amazing how much money we are wasting on the people of New Orleans. I wish Americans had a truer picture of how their money is being spent. The hell with those trying to improve themselves, let's give out more free houses from HUD to thugs. Better yet, let's give out FEMA vouchers so that everyone can go to Walmart and buy a big screen TV or jewlery.

Law Enforcement can only do so much; however, conditions and situations produce crime. One should look at the new people in their cities and say, "by the grace of God, there go I".

Let's not group together the vicitms of New Orleans and Mississippi. These two groups are so different it's not funny. I am originally from New Orleans and my family lives in SW Mississippi. It is ignorant to think that the residents/evacuees from one are the same as residents/evacuees from the other. I can speak from personal knowledge that the criminal element in New Orleans (or whereever they are now living) are lazy, law-breaking, drug-infected thugs. Please do not confuse them with or group them with the vicitms in SW Mississippi. Black and white citizens there get along fine and it's not nearly the same lifestyle as in New Orleans. The people in SW Missisippi are not lazy and just looking for a handout. Please visit there if you think otherwise.

Hurricanes can take the people out of the Ninth Ward ("a hotbed for crime"), but it can NEVER take the Ninth Ward out of the people. We should've known what kind of animals we were inviting over when we witnessed what happened at the Super Dome and Convention Center. Go home evacuees! You've worn out your welcome!

It's wrong to lump all of the Katrina victims together and say that none of them deserve help. Speaking as a Mississippi Katrina victim, I can tell you that though my family lost our home, we have worked hard to help ourselves and others--and we are definitely not the only ones doing this. There are so many people here, victims themselves, who are doing everything in their power to help themselves and others through this devastating time. If you see us with our hand out, it's to help pull others up, not to ask for charity.

Our whole world has been turned upside down and inside out, but those on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are, for the most part, a very hard working, honest, brave sort. If you will pay close attention to the news, you'll notice that no one is complaining about Mississippi evacuees causing problems. There is more than one reason for this. One reason is that we aren't a bunch of criminals and wellfare recipients who have been laying back, getting government support all of our lives, like many of the 9th Ward citizens.

Also, another thing that doesn't seem to be making the news is the fact that the vast majority of drug busts and DUI's in this area involve workers from out of state that came here to take advantage of the many job opportunities in cleanup and construction since the hurricane. Everything I've heard on the local news that involves murder, drug busts, DUI's lately has involved those people, not our locals.

Remember, there are all kinds of prejudice, not just that involving races. So many black Americans are yelling about racism, but there's another kind of prejudice going on here, that for Southerners in general and blue collar workers in particular. We may be poor, but we're proud, honest and hard working. Both my husband and I have worked since we were 16 years old, first at night, weekends and summers while we were still in school, then full time afterwards. It's very difficult for people like us to ask for or accept help, so do not add to our misery by attempting to tar us all with the same brush and lump us all into one tidy little pile of humanity that you think you can stick a label on and dismiss. Mississippi will get through this with or without your help. Of course help makes it easier and faster, but don't worry, we take care of our own.

I live in Louisiana and I see nothing that is being done with all of the "money" to fix New Orleans. I think some people are just sticking the "money" in their pockets. The schools are suffering from the people coming here.

I find it very interesting that of the total number of evacuees, which I believe numbers well over 1 million people, only some 250,000 or so have returned to begin rebuilding. And, the majority of them are white. Nagin made his racist statement that NO would once again be a "chocolate city", apparently to attempt to lure the black population back. Can you imagine if a white mayor of any other major city in the nation said something like "we will rebuild our city into a vanilla city again"? That person would be brought up on charges! Everybody knows that NO was, and is, one of the most corrupt cities in the nation, and I am sure the politicians are foaming at the mouth over all the Federal money flooding in, trying to figure out how to best funnel as much as possible to themselves, their cronies, etc. The whole situation is SICKENING. I know a guy who went to NO, is now working for FEMA, placing FREE mobile homes on lots with homes that are destroyed. Brand new, fully furnished, and the first question out of the mouths of the recipients is, "What, no free cable TV?" This from people who didn't even HAVE televisions in the first place! Our tax money should only be going to those who are willing to WORK to restore their property. I also know an insurance adjuster who spent over a year working in the NO area, several years ago, after a chemical plant blew up. The contractors hired to do the repairs on the homes affected could not find any local help willing to do the work, even when they offered cash, tax free money. They had to bring in help from out of state. It is becoming apparent that in the name of political correctness, we are pouring who knows how much tax money into a cess pool. I totally agree with Ron Morningstar above. The Federal Government didn't cause the hurricane, and if the local government, both city and state, had used the funds given by congress to actually REBUILD the levies BEFORE the storm, they wouldn't be in such a mess. They need to QUIT blaming the Feds, and GET TO WORK. Make them work for the rebuilding money.

Thank you, Rhonda. Grouping any locality into one "type" of people is perhaps the worst, most hurtful prejudice of all. I am also living and working in Hancock County, and watching almost everyone I know here rebuild - with or without help. Yes, there was a small percentage of our population BEFORE the storm that committed crimes or sat back and took handouts. Katrina didn't change them, it just gave them more opportunities to be themselves. However, they do not represent the majority of Hancock County's people.

I think the focus of this report - the rebuilding of Bay St. Louis and Waveland - was blurred during this particular story. The story started out about police and sheriffs in Hancock County, then quoted various statistics comcerning New Orleans evacuees.

We are a normal place trying to overcome an abnormal event. We appreciate all the volunteer help (you guys rock!), the government's help, and the donations sent from all over the country. We appreciate the out-of-towners who are here to do honest work and earn a fair wage. We don't appreciate out-of-towners who cheat us or add to our crime. Please, America, don't believe the worst you hear - at least open your heart to some of the good things you hear about us, as well. They are true.

I know contractors who went to the shelters around the NO and Baton Rouge areas offering $10-20/hr for workers to help clean up. They had a hard time finding anyone willing. As a local college student, I was able to make good money working weekends in NO, with no prior experience. Some people are lazy and will always be lazy no matter the opportunities placed before them. They will be content living a substandard lifestyle as long as its given to them. Those with motivation and drive will always get through the hard times. I have no sympathy for those who can't help themselves. There will never be an equal playing field for all citizens. Life is not fair, anywhere in the world, and an infinite number of government programs will not make it fair. How badly you want a better life will determine if you achieve it or not. I personally know many people struggling to get their lives back together. But they will, because they have that desire.

WELL SAID RHONDA! COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF!

These professional miscreants from the 9th Ward, responsible for the post Katrina "violent" crime wave in Houston, have suddenly found themselves in an enviroment and locale where their behavior actually calls attention to itself.

Don't put up with it Houstonians! Write your Senators and Congressmen imploring them to respond to your local law enforcement's request for funding to address this problem.

Assemble the men and materiel` necesary to hunt them down and treat them like the domestic "terrorists" that they are!

Do us all a favor and do what the Landrieu's, the Nagin's, and the Blanco's wouldn't do (to their voter base) -- and send them to meet Jesus!

Take them out of the mix -- the rest of us have a chunk of civilzation to rebuild!

Cheers to Laurie N! Well said! I cannot imagine why anyone would want to stay inside a toilet bowl that was about to be flushed. The weather service said it was going to be a big storm. Rich or poor, a resourceful person would find a way to get out of town until the storm blew over. Why is it in most white communities in the storm's path you found everyone out cleaning up the place, and in New Orleans the only cleaning out you saw was people looting stores? The CHIEF responsibility lies with the individual. You can't expect the government to do everything for you. The city and state government really should be held accountable BEFORE the federal agencies. It's easier to blame the faceless feds, thats why. It's also easier to make this a race issue, because thats what always is done in this country. Take some responsibility for your own community. When bad weather comes here, people PREPARE for it. I've never even SEEN a FEMA trailer.

Instead of being honest about the difference between LA and MS victims, all you hear is excuses.

Here's a novel idea: Roll up your sleeves and GET BUSY REBUILDING YOUR COMMUNITY! If you sit and wait for the government to do it for you, you'll be waiting a long time. There are still homes in Florida that haven't been repaired from Hurrican Andrew.

GET OVER IT NEW ORLEANS!

Want to know the difference between Katrina and the asian tsunami? About 200,000 lives lost and no warning.

How much more tax money would make everyone happy? Ten billion? Twenty?
As a professional in emergency services, I would like to pose this question to you:
How would you send tons of emergency relief to New Orleans?
The airport was under water.
The rail system was under water or completely destroyed.
The sea ports weren't functioning.
Roads were destroyed or underwater.

It takes time and lots of manpower to execute any kind of relief effort - especially to a place cut off from the rest of the country.

People don't consider this. No, its much easier to complain. Too bad more people didn't band together and begin the work before the billions of dollars in aid, workers, and programs arrived to assist.

Part of handling any kind of disaster is to be prepared for it in the first place.

THAT SOLELY LIES WITH THE CITY GOVERNMENT...Mayor Nagin, are you listening?

Friends of mine from our Sheriff's Department drove 1,100 miles to New Orleans to help out. The thanks they got? People shooting at them, looting from their "camp" while out on patrol, and no pay for their time. Oh, and equipment, vehicles, and boats provided by our local taxpayers. You're welcome.

Um...who said Mayor Nagin was in New Orleans throughout the entire course of this disaster? I seem to recall seeing him on countless national TV news programs IN WASHINGTON DC! Pretty hard to run the show from some cushy hotel room on the loop in DC. Why people are making this guy out to be some kind of hero is beyond me! The whole "chocolate" episode and "God did this because he's angry with us" crap is just plain insane.

i think these comments have gotten away from a blog about....LAW ENFORCEMENT...don't the rest of ya'll?...jeez..stick to the subject...and these are MISSISSIPPI cops...New Orleans...is not in MISSISSIPPI!!!

THE MAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS PUT IT BEST,HIS CHOCOLATE CITY......WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP!I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU TEXAS,YOU HAD A GREAT STATE TILL THEY BROUGHT IN THE WORST PEOPLE OF ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CITIES IN THE COUNTRY!

For whomever complained about the disruptive evacuee children in Texas:

These kids have lost everything they've ever known and have been transplanted to a city where the locals (judging by other blogs) are hostile toward them. Have some understanding. After 9-11 no one was blaming the children living/going to school in the shadow of the WTC for their lack of focus.
RICH people living near ground zero were given $ for hotels and to replace big screen tvs or whatever else they desired, no questions asked. The EPA cleaned up aparments after 9-11. It was expected so that a sense of normalcy could return. Where has that feeling of unity gone?
I am so sick and tired of americans who see my friends, family and communities on the gulf coast as money grubbing, lazy good for nothings. This after these same people gave everything to help out a corner of manhattan in 2001.
I was in nyc for 9-11. I visited family in Bay st Louis in November. let me tell you that the magnitude of the disaster of KATRINA IS SO MUCH WORSE!!! You cannot imagine unless you've been there both before and after.
Dont tell me that people aren't helping themselves when I see a neighbor salvaging the remnants of his home with only his neighbors beside him. NOT FEMA!
You forget that we are all americans. You seem to have the typical selfish response of brushing off a problem you would rather not deal with.
I am just so happy that there are many americans who have volunteered and have big enough hearts to make up for your lack of compassion.

In case most of you have forgotten, this MSNBC site is about Waveland and Bay St. Louis, MISSISSIPPI. If you want to complain about the New Orleans refugees or evacuees, whatever you want to call them, please go to another site. We are not lazy, welfare people, contrary to your obviously mislead belief. Of the few of us in Waveland and Bay St. Louis who have gone to Houston, I know of 2 who are doctors, one a nurse, a lawyer, and 2 engineers, so get your facts straight before you bunch us all together. And to all of you who think FEMA trailers are a waste of money, I hope you are comfortable in your nice cozy bed tonight, as I go to sleep on the table in my FEMA trailer, which by the way, I am very grateful to have, considering that I have a concrete slab in place of where my house was. And yes it was a nice house on a tree lined street, a block and a half from the beach. And yes, my husband and I both work and both pay taxes, and pay three different kinds of homeowner's insurance as well as flood insurance even though we aren't in a flood zone. And no, my home was not below sea level, but 23 feet above it!!! My suggestion to all of you is when you do lay your head down on your pillow in your nice bed, that you thank the good Lord above that he spared you from this nightmare and ask his forgiveness for being so heartless, because God forbid, the next time it could be you who needs my compassion and understanding and maybe just a little help. Also, to the Bay St. Louis and Waveland Police departments as well as the Hancock County Sheriff's department, keep up the good work.

P.S.

Thanks Kristina! It might also be noted, that Mississippi, one of the poorest states in the union, was the most giving state of all. That should say worlds about who we are!

Marybeth - you tell them girl!! (this is T.Ryan) -
I'll add this to what you said so well: for those who keep saying: "they should have left" - I DID leave for the hurricane, and so did a lot of people; but it didn't matter if you left or not - you still had nothing when you came back!
I would like to tell Ron Morningstar what I think about his comments, but I wouldn't waste my time and they wouldn't print it. All I will say is "and they call us here in the South the ignorant ones" - amazing! I will pray for that guy, because he needs it! I invite him and all the others to come down and stay with us in our trailers and take a look around - or just ask any of these awesome volunteers who have been here what it is like!
Watch what you say:
"what goes around - comes around!"

Relax, Mississippians. Katrina hit more than just one area. Nobody is lumping good people in with the bad. Everyone in the country is horrified at what happened to you all. Nobody wants to see anyone suffer. People talking about New Orleans here shouldn't bother you. If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it.

Whoops! I made a mistake...the current federal contribution now stands at 100 billion dollars. My bad.

The Tsunami that hit Asia was much worse than Katrina, causing much more death and devastation. But I never heard of tourists getting mugged or raped, or rescuers getting shot at, or stores getting looted. Would anyone care to explain that?

It seems that the masses have, once again, overlooked the fact that New Orleans was not the only area devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Other (affected) areas have come together to assist eachother, while New Orleans residents complain and expect everything to be handed to them.

Here is a simple fact that most (non-black) Americans might agree with: If one does not carry homeowners'/renters' insurance, or if one does not pay their insurance premiums, the typical American individual suffers a total loss. Many Americans suffer such personal/property losses, daily... where is the Red Cross? Where is their countless months of free shelter, food, medical coverage, etc.?

The "race card" has been abused, yet again... and I feel that revocation of said "race card" is long overdue.

Luckily, the "refugees" were not in my community long... but, while they were, crime rates drastically increased (extra police/security had to be brought in from larger outlying communities, just to maintain some sembleance of order).

WELL SAID...Marybeth Gex Denney...i think you summed it up!

As a former resident of Waveland, New Orleans and Manhatten, N.Y., I find it both sad and amusing that such an event, a monster storm worse than most movie directors could imagine has become a focal point for all of the ills of American society. The people of Hancock county are pretty much like folks in Tacoma or any of the five boroughs of NY. One of NASA's most important facilities is there. I have google earth and I have not yet switched to the new service. It is late evening in France and I'm going to look at Waveland and the Bay one more time the way it was before Katrina. I know it will never be the way it was but I also know the character of the people and they and their towns will be back again! My parents lost their house on Farrar so I do know the loss second hand. You guys hang in. Remember all of the thousands of people who have physically helped and the others who have understood the magnitude of the entire event. The other people who are complaining don't really know what they are talking about! Ignore them.

Terry - Thanks for the encouragement!! I CAN usually ignore the misinformed and ignorant comments, but it just gets a little hard sometimes! I actually work at NASA's Space Center in Hancock County and some may be interested in knowing this is the Center where the engines for the space shuttle are tested and it is actually where I stayed for Katrina - it's about 25mi North of Bay St. Louis. Sorry to hear of your family's house on Farrar, I lived very close to there and EVERYTHING is gone, even the big Catholic Church (St. Clare's)and the school - completely gone, only slabs! The help we are getting from thousands and thousands of great people has been awesome and it does far outweigh the small negativity you sometimes come across on this site. I look at these postings and I really enjoy hearing from people who live here and are now displaced and I also enjoy hearing all the positive comments and prayers that people are sending to us here in the Bay - to all those people, Thank You and please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers - that's what is getting us through and giving us hope!

The behaviour of this certain group of people as seen above^^^^^^^^ in that article you just hopefully read... must be someone elses fault, as we all know african americans are law abiding citizens and shudder at the mere suggestion of crime... NO IM SERIOUS... really... i am...... im serious... its somebody elses fault!

lets get one thing straight... according to the media mississippi took about the same amount of damage as new orleans, its populations is mainly white americans, and yet... they asked that the government not to send in national guard because they didnt need it, and the mayor himself stated that anyone recieving the 90$ paycheck isnt working, because due to hurricane katrina THERE ARE JOBS EVERYWHERE, they didnt have a mass evacuation of refugees, and the blacks interviewed in there state all seemed to assimilate to the behaviour of a majority group of people, they all spoke with good english and took jobs. maybe the real reason new orleans cant seem to get back on there feet is due to violence in neighborhoods that blacks are having to live in due to outsider whites coming in and shooting off guns and stuff... YEAH

We are former Waveland, MS residents currently living in Memphis post Katrina. Our jobs disapeared overnight and I have a shell for a house in Waveland that we are trying to repair. I worked liked a dog to save my house from sludge and mold. I live temporarily in an apt and chose not to live in a FEMA trailor on site because we could not get power for 3 months. No one I know deals drugs from their FEMA trailor. As a nurse, I work everyday and everyone I know works everyday. I prefer to be called an evacuee but people have called me worse. New Orleans is 45 minutes from my home but we have all been lumped together in this mess and it is unfortunate it took a natural disaster to uncover some harsh truths about New Orleans, our goverment and the complete lack of preparation for this huge an event. It's scary when you have no control in your life. It is also easy to blame those with little power. To those that have not experienced this type of devastation, chaos, confusion, be grateful for what you have. I know 3 couples that are divorcing due to the stress of this. Anyone who comes to the area to assist is changed in a very dramatic and positive way. I'll be happy to give you a tour.We lost most everything but our family and friends rallied around to help but when ALL your family and friends are devasted too, you rely on outside resources like the Red Cross, Salvation Army , church volunteers, FEMA etc. I am uncomfortble with being a "victim" and I do not have a victim mentality. I choose to think of this as a life lesson and my response as a test of character and chance to grow from the adversity--this is how I cope with the daily criticisms. A little empathy would be nice from those who have not walked in my shoes but I suspect it would take an event such as this to truly open your eyes and your heart.

Hey Terry! Things were so great in MS and LA that you moved to France, eh? Why aren't you here helping us?

God Bless You, Maryann!

I don't know why we are rebuilding a city under sea level and WILL flood again anyway.If they are going to keepsending in billions of dollars to N.O. why don't they build all of the new buildings further north above sea level?Does this make sense to anybody else?
As far as law enforcement goes I think they are doing the best they can under the circumstances.In most cases I'm prety sure that the drug dealers and looters have more and better weapons.Thank GOD for people willing to put it all on the line to protect us.If we didn't have police and military just imagine how bad it would be.I support all of the local police in the Gulf Coast area as well as the war againt terror all over the world.These people make our country a great place to be.May GOD bless America and the people who protect us.

Terry in France, my home was also on Farrar, 2nd block, we will be rebuilding hopefully in the not too distant future. If your parents are going to rebuild, tell them to look us up, a lot of us are interested in getting our little neighborhood back. To T Ryan, hey girl. Keep your chin up. We made it through Camille and will survive this one. Thanks Andy, you keep up your comments, they give us strength. To everyone else, please understand that I don't dislike anyone, black or white. I think people should be judged on their merits, not on the color of their skin. I know there are good people and bad people everywhere. Most of us here on the coast love New Orleans, as a matter of fact most of our ancestors are from there. It just gets so frustrating when they stereotype everyone in the South as being lazy good for nothings. I believe like most that you should get only what you earn. That being said, please know that people in Mississippi only want a little help, not a handout. If all of you really want to hear a good story, someone should really talk to the Waveland PD on how they weathered the storm, hanging in trees. Kudos to them.

It is very unfortunate that MS and NO are lumped together in this mess. The hard working people of MS (both black and white) picked themselves up by their boot straps and have gone to work with very little or no help from anyone. They didn’t set on their hands waiting on the federal government to act because they know the feds are the last people to really get anything worthwhile done.

On the other hand the people of NO have done nothing but complain of their condition. This comes when almost no one chose to leave when it was apparent days before the storm hit, conditions were going to be bad (we can stay in the Super Dome and convention center and it will blow over in 12 hours). It is estimated that more than 250,000 vehicles were flooded in NO due to the storm and still litter the landscape but all you continue to hear is how the poor didn’t have transportation. All you hear on the national news from the LA & NO governments is how much more money they need to “save” the wonderful city of NO when they created most of the problem with poor decisions about evacuating the city. Corrupt levee boards did not spend federal monies to maintain or improve the levees but yet it is the fault of the Corp of Engineers.

Give me a break!!! Most of the citizens of Louisiana living outside NO (and I am one) know the types of people residing there and are for the most part are glad they now reside somewhere else beside Louisiana. It is run by a non functioning corrupt city government, has one of the worst school districts in the nation (so poor in fact the state and federal government has taken over the operation of most of it), one of the highest per capita crime rates in the nation (if not the highest murder rates) and generations of people that have never worked and will never work no mater what the pay is.

There are a great many jobs in NO now and businesses are begging for employees at premium pay but where are the NO citizens? They are for the most part continuing to live off the feds and complaining about their condition!! Why aren’t these people getting paid to help clean up their own city when there is plenty of that work available at top pay? What most of the past NO residents want is everything they had before (or more) at no cost and to call them when the work is done and the cable is hooked up again. The best thing that could happen to NO is for these “wonderful, poor, minority” souls to stay away so the slate can be cleaned of the problems that will stay away with them. By the way, the murder rate for the three months following Katrina was zero, nada, zilch when it was running several every day prior to the storm. Can anyone figure out why?? These fine residents are now creating problems in other cities and killing people elsewhere.

If all you bleeding hearts living in the western and northeast states think these “wonderful, poor, minority” folks are so great, I feel sure there can be ways found to have them come to your homes and cities to permanently relocate. Be sure to include your home address and phone numbers. The good citizens of Louisiana are waiting on your calls and letters.

Black, White, Yellow, Red, Rich, Poor, Middle Class, Beachfront Mansion, Shack in the projects - It did not matter!! It's all GONE!
Katrina - "The Great EQUALIZER"

If you want to talk about New Orleans or anywhere other than Bay St. Louis or Waveland, please find another site to post. The wonderful people at MSNBC have this site for a reason - it's called: "Rising from Ruin" TWO Towns Rebuilding after Katrina - those two towns are Bay St. Louis and Waveland.
(Marybeth - are you staying on your property? - I'll stop by and have a cold one - my house is on Sandy and it's salvagable!! - God had his hand on it - My trailer is on my mom's slab - can't get water to my faucet yet in Waveland - saw your Dad last week for first time since storm, glad to see he hasn't changed a bit!)

Where did ANYONE state that "everyone" in the south is a lazy good-for-nothing? No one stated that. It is unfortunate that a few bad eggs can draw a lot of negative attention. It's also unfortunate that the media only seems to report on those bad eggs. It's also unfortunate that these bad eggs aren't dealt with swiftly and severely. Anyone who makes a bad situation worse should be sent to prison for a very long time.

Seattle is the mecca for free spirited and giving people.There has been no rush to welcome Katrina Victims to Seattle.It makes me wonder why we openly embrace refugees from Vietnam,Somalia,and the Middle East.We tell gay minorities come to Seattle you are equal.Yet we are afraid of the horrible black people of New Orleans?So we drink our daily lattes, send a check off to a charity for Katrina and say weve done our job.The Seattle area has the best people in the United States.The options for housing people here is limited, we have the money but not the space.So we will keep sending those checks and wishing you well.Personally we need more Black people up here.Only ones we have are in the military or playing for the sports teams.We have a lot of Somalian people who have adjusted well to this area.

We turned no one away, we held out our arms.
We sent 100's of school and Metro and Charter Buses, all the while N.O.'s buses were unused or under water.
We were the staging area for relief supplies and our Port picked up the business that could not go into N.O.
We had the Astrodome, Reliant Center and George Brown Convention Center prepared with beds and supplies, the finest medical care with mobile ct scans, x-ray, Doctors and Specialist in EVERY field from some the finest medical facilities in the world including MD Anderson, U.T Health Science Center, Methodist Hospital, Shriners, Texas Childrens, St. Lukes, Ben Taub and countless others.
Our city government, county government and state government has worked tirelessly to do as much as possible to place the "Displaced" into permanent housing and to intergrate them into society and into our schools and churches and workplace.
We could do this because we had a plan. We have even rehearsed this exact disaster. This is what we would do if a major hurricane came into the Upper Texas Coast and hit Galveston, Beaumont or even Houston.
Dear Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin- This is where you need to pay attention. We did this because we had the means, the money, the facilities, the human resources and the will to get it done. We did not spend our time and money that was given to us on building a bridge and a road to the casino's for tourist traffic like you did. Money that was to be spent on what you lobbied for and what you actually spent the money on was two differnt things. You have ruined the public trust in yourselves and your cabinet officers. You owe the people of Louisana an explanation. Personally I am surprised that you haven't put the bullet in the gun, put it to your head and pulled the trigger. But when you learned the ropes from some like Edwin Edwards what should we expect.
To all the law enforcment officers, Volunteers and FEMA People, Contactors etc..all over the Gulf Coast-God bless you and keep you strong.
To all the people trying to rebuild-Good Luck and best wishes.
To the "Displaced" people that now reside in my state of Texas-"Don't bite the hand that fed you-because we will stop feeding you"
To the people of Texas - We did a good job, we learned from our mistakes and we will be even better at it the next time it happens because we know it will happen again along the Gulf Coast somewhere.
To everybody else- We would do it for you, no matter what state your from. We know we will have to go through this again and again but the differnce between us in Texas and them in Lousiana is the fact that we have a plan. We have the knowledge and the leadership to pull it off even better next time. You should be taking notes and speaking up to your local government and politicians - the people of democratic society's tell the politicians what is important-never let a politician tell you what is important. We as citizens should be forcing our will down the throats of every elected official-not the other way around. People of LA. elect someone who actually cares about you, your family and whats important to your welfare.
Personally I think that N.O's and the Gulf Coast Area will be rebuilt better than before but your looking at 5-8 years of this giant sucking sound known as government aide.

Ok lets all be honest. This should not be a race issue, but it is! It was a natural disaster, and by the nature of such a thing lives will be lost in all forms. Now the fact is that the most of the victims are poorer African Americans and regardless of what your experiences may have been, that’s the worst thing to be in this country. I cannot tell you who did what wrong and who did what right as far as before, during, or after, Katrina. It’s a frustrating thing to loose your possessions, be relocated to an alien city, and in some cases deserted from family members especially when non of it is at your own will. Whites will never fully understand the things that Blacks do and vice versa, it’s a sad thing but it’s true. People cope in all kinds of ways. Weather its self destructive or self empowering. There will be those that rebuild, those who move on, and those who settle into old habits because they know no other way. Government does not make any of these easy, anyone that’s been to a DMV should know that. It’s a vicious circle and I don’t think any one of us has a good answer to all the questions. We can only hope that it brings the good out in all those it has affected to become more than they were before!

WOW...seems to be alot of heated debate here..as a "northerner" all i can do is sympathize and donate as much as i can...i have a relative that lives in mississippi...he just had minor damage to his house but it did upset his young children very much..and they only couldnt live in their home for 2 weeks.i cant imagine what it is like for the people who lost their homes all together...i dont feel so much for the adults in this situation as a i do for the children.....they are the ones most affected by this situation...the adults should stop their arguing and start helping out...no matter how disabled you are there is still something you can do...pull yourselves up by your bootstraps..

Well, lets see here (1) Was the city of New Orleans lying below sea level before Katrina hit?? (2) Is this city being rebuilt below sea level with tax dollars AFTER Katrina hit?? How STUPID can the US Government be as well as the former residents who plan on returning? NO ONE can say they weren't given ample warning as to what was possible before she hit landfall. An ignorant attempt at trying to "tame" nature will be met with the same results next time.

to MELISSA - As for you being a "Senior" in college, the word is "their", or in a different context "they're", as found in most Inklish Lankuage Dickshunaries. I sure hope you aren't going into the field of edukashun, or if you do PLEASE stay down yonder.....

It is absolutely amazing to me that people do not understand this...

With the shock of the DEGREE of devastation taking everyone by surprise in the very first place, it is no wonder that the comments that we hear are by and largely accusatory. Noone was prepared, noone was ready, and noone had even imagined the destruction and loss of life and property that Katrin and Rita brought to our Great Country.

I am an Insurance Adjuster and a FEMA Inspector. I was in the field during(staged in Alabama), and immediately after the hurricanes made landfall (Waveland, Picayune, Poplarville, Mississippi).

The Insurance Companies (they will NEVER admit to this) were very ill prepared for a mitigation effort of this magnitude, and were plagued by incompetence and confusion on ALL levels because of the severe lack of manpower and experienced personell.

FEMA just did not have the resources to accomodate the helpless and needy during the Response and Recovery efforts for the very same reasons.

During my tour in Mississippi, I camped with Military and Police personell.I spent a great deal of time with them and know without a doubt that they were severely understaffed as well.

It all boils down to this:

It wasn't the fact that people were black... or white... or purple...that caused the Insurance Companies, and FEMA and other contracting companies to be so slow in reaction and rescue efforts.

There is a very simple expanation:

The largest, most destructive of Natures storm seasons ever to hit North America in recorded history caught The American Machine with her undies around her ankles and took advantage.

Plain and simple.

From a resident of Denton County, TX.
Glad we told the buses to keep moving when they started showing up here.

Well said Emergency Guy! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I'm sure no one was prepared for the scope of destruction that this past Hurricane season wrought upon us but, it seems very little preparation was made if any in New Orleans. Reinforcement of the worst hit low lying areas should have been made a very long time ago, as from what I have heard, this kind of devastation was predicted if ever a severe storm would hit the area. The lazy people and drug dealers and criminals were that long before the storms hit. Thanks goes to the surrounding areas who took the good and the bad people in and are dealing with it all now. God bless the honest and hard working people for their dedication to clean up and rebuild. Hopefully, the situation improves before it worsens. At least here in South Florida all I have to deal with is getting the needed repairs to my house done.I wish there was a simple answer to this obvious crisis. If anyone has the definitive answer, please post it here.

I'm sick and tired of hearing "Why build New Orleans again when it's just going to flood again." It seems to me I can recall quite a few devasting earthquakes hitting San Francisco and southern California. Does anybody question rebuilding in those areas?? Are the earthquakes going to stop?? Natural disasters occur everywhere on this planet. Just be glad you haven't had a disaster of this magnitude in your area. Imagine if you had to depend on FEMA or the government to help you out. Another thing, the flooding in New Orleans did NOT occur because of the storm surge. Monday morning after the storm New Orleans was DRY. It wasn't until the levees and the MRGO failed that the city flooded. Both were so graciously provided by the Corp of Engineers (the government).
And I'm sure there is NO crime perpetrated by any race in other parts of the US, just in New Orleans, right?
New Orleans deserves to be rebuilt. If the government would give us our fair share of offshore oil rights, like Texas and other states get, we could have fixed our levees ourselves instead of depending on Uncle Sam.

It's too bad Police in Houston can't use lethal force like the cops / military used in New Orleans after the lake breached. I've heard of 1000's of thugs / looters and just plain criminals who were shot point blank. If we could only continue to treat these criminals in such a fashion... I can only dream.

The crime rate is high everywhere in the U.S.even with no disasters or large populations relocated. You can pick any city in this country, and if there were a huge relocation of citizens from it, the city taking them in would have instant problems. The city would end up with the good and unfortunately, the bad. Since the exodus of evacuees happend instantly, Houston did'nt have the opportunity to prepare. It is depressing to read the hate filled remarks from those throwing stones from the safety of their homes. I would advise everyone to read the Washington Post articals on how the faith based charities are in reality helping rebuild the Gulf Coast. It is with faith and lack of pre-judgement that the many volunteers are helping those in the Gulf Coast. It would be great to transport all those filled with hate and no empathy to be transported to any town or city in the ravaged areas and force them to deal with what's there. They would sing a different tune. I live on the gulf coast of Florida and with the possibility that a storm surge could destroy my area. Please reread T.Ryan's post or Marybeth Denney.

I am a female Houstonian who has suffered because of Houston’s hospitality. During the Thanksgiving weekend my car was burglarized and the tires slashed. The police in my area told me they knew of a group of evacuees living in the area of my apartment complex whom were burglarizing vehicles for money. I realize that many other Houstonians have paid dearly with their lives or possessions and I know that my loss is small in comparison to theirs. The real problem is all the shootings and all the thugs. Females beware of the actions of evacuees because they do not fear the consequences that most law abiding citizens do. It’s like they came to our city and took it over. It is full of crime and hatred now. Houstonians are on edge because of the problems everyone from New Orleans is causing. I think I speak for everyone in this city when I say evacuees go elsewhere, you have worn out your welcome. How horribly rude of people to spit in the face of our hospitality. From rude comments in grocery stores, to road raging incidents, to blantant waste of FEMA money visible to everyone watching thugs zoom around on motorcycles.. it is too much to deal with anymore. Before the hurricane hit Houston was a mostly safe city where people cared about each other more often than not. Now it is dangerous and I feel the need to start carrying a gun when I go out. What else can you do, when evacuees are shooting each other at stoplights at Richmond and the beltway in the heart of the westchase district? That area used to be safe, our city used to be safe. Our police don’t need to deal with thugs from the chocolate city – go find your own town, your own cops, and your own people to steal from and rob. WE DON’T WANT YOU ANYMORE !!!

i live in the northern part of the state....how the waveland PD hung in there ...i don't know...guts i guess..i know a MHP stopped at Hattisburg...and told me ..."i thought i was gonna die"....and he had been to iraq....bravo to all law enforcement on the MISSISSIPPI gulf coast!!!!

But there for the grace of God, go I.

The message is clear. People with no hope, No love from parents or community in their lives, are not a positive force in a city. The Christian Community of New Orleans has a great challenge to reach out to our poor and underprivledged neighbors as they return to their homes and try to rebuild. Some can't come back to work now because there is nowhere to live yet. But they will come back because people of New Orleans are forgiving and loving. We all have a chance to not only rebuild our homes but also our hearts.

I do think the Gulf Coast cities took a much more damaging hit than New Orleans. They lost entire homes. Many in New Orleans at least have walls and a roof.

To everyone else in the country; volunteer with a church group and come to New Orleans and the Coast. You can work or just talk to people and share the love God has given you. There will be groups comming for the next year. Be a part of the solution.

Thanks to all the Hurricane Heroes from police and fire to even FEMA and all those working to rebuild the Gulf Coast and New Orleans.
I know what it means to miss New Orleans and you are helping to bring back a great soulfull city.

Well, so many ideas and thoughts out there. The law enforcement community (what remains of it), is doing the best that they can under the circumstances. It always takes just a FEW bad eggs to ruin the bunch. Well guess what, there are a few bad eggs everywhere and it knows no color, creed or race. These people were desperate and although I know drug sales go on, it happens every minute of every day in EVERY state in the Union. Let's quit judging those when we weren't in their position. I, having been through at least 4 bad storms in the last two years, haven't turned to a life of crime-but these people ARE desperate and if I were to blame anyone, it would be the Federal Government for spending SO much in just ONE day on "the war against terror." Instead, let's spend this money in OUR country, where OUR citizens need it most. There has been a smoke screen put up and some are actually falling for it. A disaster of this magnitude calls for government help. Remember the earthquakes in California and the volcanic eruption in Washington. Natural disasters are just that, natural. As for crime, I'm sorry for the people who are being affected by it, perhaps THEY can start with their thinking about these people AS people and not just branding them "refugees" or "criminals."

To all of the those who want us to "quit whining". Are you aware that our levees were built by the Feds? Yes, the incompetent Army Corps of Engineers. Katrina caused a lot of wind damage, but if the levees had been built as the specs stated that they were built, they would never have breached. Are you also aware that the same Army Corps dug the ill advised Miss. River Gulf outlet that destroyed thousands of acres of wetlands( our first line of defense) and funneled the Gulf waters right into our backyards in N.O. East. This is a part of the ninth ward that you all think is 100% occupied by criminals. We were all home owners, middle to upper middle class and upper class. We had jobs, no welfare or govt handouts for us. We are law abiding, tax paying citizens who had EVERYTHING wiped out in one day. We are not refugees, we are American citizens. Why are we spending billions rebuilding Iraq, but Bush shoots down the Baker plan? Billions for foreigners (with oil) but zero for Americans, and we also have oil. Maybe we should slap a huge usage tax on our oil to help in rebuilding because the feds and most of the bloggers don't think we need any more help.If you think the FEMA money is getting to us, think again. There are so many layers of contractors and subcontractors that the victims receive very little help.Our local paper had The Shaw group in Baton Rouge getting $1750 to install blue tarps on roofs! There were about 7 subcontractors in between and the actual installer of the tarp got $75! It is govt bureaucracy eating away at the funds.Why should a trailer cost $56,000? It's ridiculous! Direct grants could provide much cheaper and better accomodations. I don't think Bush even knows we are part of the union. He referred to us as "those people down there". He also said he could see progress! What planet does he live on? To all of you who think we should "just get on with it" try visiting the area. You have to see it to believe it. We have no services, no electricity, no mail service, no trash pickup. It is eerie, so quiet,no traffic, no birds, nothing but devastation for miles. Could YOU live that way? By the way, I have a job and I have never been on welfare, nor has my husband or any of our family members. We all have jobs and were home owners with insurance before Katrina . Please stop painting all New Orleanians with the same brush. I only hope that if something catastrophic ever happens to you that you find more compassion than you are willing to give others.We need a hand up, not a hand out. I am so grateful that I didn't meet anyone like you during my "wanderings". The people in Memphis, CrestView Hills Ky, and Baton Rouge have treated me with kindness, hospitality, patience and compassion. Thanks to everyone of them.

First of all, I am NOT an African American. I was not born in Africa and then became an American. I am an American of color with Native American, French, Scots and, yes, African ancestry.Just refer to me as an American,a tax paying law abiding American, no less. Some of my ancestors (Native People) were here before the Europeans invaded, pillaged and killed so many innocents.
Second, not all people of color are criminals, and not all white people are decent law abiding citizens. No, really, white people do also commit crimes. Do you think states and countries with few or no people of color have no crime?