Trapped (Aussie) tourists tell of struggle to survive (in NOLA -3rd World)

[UpInArms]

http://smh.com.au/news/world/trapped-tourists-tell-of-struggle-to-survive/2005/09/04/1125772411703.html

When Vanessa Cullington got through to the Australian embassy after two days trapped in the New Orleans Superdome, she thought she had finally found help. She was wrong.

Crying and screaming over a mobile phone, she explained to an Australian official the dangers she was facing, along with eight other Australians who had huddled together for protection.

Women among their group had been harassed and grabbed by marauding men. Faeces lined the toilet walls. There had been suicides, rapes and murders. It was "like being in a Third World country, in a maximum security prison", Ms Cullington said.

<snip>

It was another four days before Ms Cullington, 22, of Castlecrag, spoke to another Australian official. This time round, the official offered help. But by then the group of nine were safe in Dallas, having saved themselves.

<snip>

"My qualm is with the fact that we, as international citizens, were not only incarcerated and trapped but had absolutely no assistance from the outside world to get us out of there," Ms Cullington said.

...more...

[Garbo 2004]

1. No doubt the American citizens incarcerated there felt the same way. Only

she evidently was freed before they were.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[oldtime dfl_er]

3. um...whaat?

the "romanticized view"?


http://www.cafepress.com/scarebaby/654252

[Hekate]

4. So...military were actually forcing refugees to stay

in the Black Hole of New Orleans? (just realized black hole means something different these days; when the Brits ruled India there was an infamous prison nicknamed the Black Hole of Calcutta)

Days ago I saw a bit about some Spanish tourists: a Member of Parliament and her husband. And one about a Scottish woman whose travel agent assured her it was "just a tropical storm," but when her plane landed everyone was heading in the opposite direction. Just imagine what their telling the folks back home about the US.

Hekate

#Why won't the Chickenhawk cross the road?#
#Why won't the Chickenhawk be waitin' on the levee?#

[Trevelyan]

5. We need to start keeping track of all the people from other countries who

were trapped and too afraid to declare war on bush to help their own citizens. The Guardian has a front page story of the same thing happening to British tourists stuck in the Dome, some are still unaccounted for and their families are furious. One man flew from England to rescue his son when the British government stalled him.

On the AOL Messageboards there are many racist remarks probably from the FReeper talking points about people too stupid and lazy to leave and wanting everything done for them.

I pasted another article about the trapped Aussies and tomorrow will post this one along with the one from the Guardian.

Brown and the other Buskiviks are trying to play blame the victim. Don't let them get away with it. Post as often as you can on neutral boards and leave links of the best truth sites.

[AnnieBW]

6. 'I want a hotel room, I want a hot, hot shower and I want a beer'."

Yep, he's Aussie all right. :D

[1democracy]

7. So does everyone else in the Superdome