American father of evacuee "embarrassed" to be a US citizen

[Benbow]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4214746.stm

A Briton returning from hurricane-hit New Orleans has told how soldiers had to smuggle her out of the city's refugee-packed Superdome in secret.

Jenny Sachs, of Sheffield, said they had told her the lights would go out before the rescue, and warned her not to use a torch for fear of attack.

<snip>

Ms Sachs' American father, Bruce, said "the extent all this fell apart so quickly" had left him "totally shocked and very embarrassed" to be a US citizen.

"At the point where the hurricane started, I was telling people, 'Do not worry. She will be OK. She is in the best resourced, best organised country in the world. They will look after her'."

[tjdee]

1. I am embarrassed too. Have been embarrassed for six years, about.

I don't know how Bush/Condi show their face around the world.

:grr:

[Karmakaze]

2. Is it just me...

or does that article make it sound like some people were being warned how dangerous the rest of the people were BEFORE there was any such indication?

In fact there is only mention of one person being stabbed (the rest were rumours) and NO mention of anyone actually threatening or attacking any of the foreigners, yet they were warned right from the beginning to stick together for safety.

Also the idea that these people were "smuggled" out is a bit disturbing - why these people especially? Why were the rest of the people in there being treated like a threat rather than fellow victims? If they could evacuate these people, then why not others?

If there WAS any threat to these people, maybe it was because of the obvious preferential treatment they were receiving? Were any other people warned how dangerous it was? Were any other people "smuggled" out?

This I feel is yet more evidence of the racial undertones to the treatment of the people at the Superdome.

[Sugarbleus]

3. Yeah, that article "smacks" of sumpin' sumpin'......eom

[Solly Mack]

4. It's not just you

[bring_em_home_bush]

5. Australian and New Zealand tourists were "smuggled out" just the same way

Couldn't leave them in there with all those dangerous black folk-wouldn't be prudent.

I don't recognize my own country anymore.