Interesting conversation with our Mayor today

[Horse with no Name]

They were readying a nursing home that has recently closed down for evacuees.
Red Cross comes forward today and says they don't need any more housing.?
In fact, the Red Cross said they don't need anything else for this disaster--no clothes, no toys, nothing.
The only thing that they need right now (and didn't want it advertised) was caseworkers.
WTF is this?
There is NO way that this situation is under control.:shrug:

[MuseRider]

1. Same here in my state.

We have been told one thing then the other. I have been away so much I have no real feeling what is happening and I have been actively trying to be a part of it. If it is this bad in other states it just provides a small clue what it must be like in the Gulf States right now.

[CottonBear]

2. I had the SAME conversation with my mayor yesterday.

The front page, above the fold newspaper story was that the University and the Red Cross were preparing a shelter at the University (there were color photos on the front page.) I asked teh Mayor when would they be arriving and she said "It's not going to happen."
:shrug: :wtf:
Something bad is going down. I have a really bad knot in the pit of my stomach now.

[johnnie]

6. The people that were supposed to come to our cities..

... decided not to come. I'm in Cleveland and they were expecting 400 up here. They had housing, schools, jobs and other things prepared, but then they were told that the people don't want to be further from their homes as much as they are now.

[Horse with no Name]

10. I can understand Cleveland

We are just a few hours Northeast of New Orleans and less than 2 hours from the Louisiana border.:shrug:

[johnnie]

15. Well then, that's interesting

Okay, I see your point now.

[johnnie]

3. I wouldn't say they have it under control

I will say, at the risk of getting toasted here, is that I believe the American people have been giving and donating in record amounts. There are still many decent people in this country and even a lot of people who used to back bush knows he fucked up big time.

I think that the Red Cross has taken in more than they can handle right now because of the generosity of a lot of people.

[Horse with no Name]

8. But I don't understand

This nursing home had 100 rooms.
It's not the best--but there are beds and a cafeteria and PRIVACY.
Why wouldn't they opt for that instead of one of the sports arenas?
I don't see this as successful until every person has a place with their own 4 walls.
For God's sake--what if they want to have...gasp...sex?
What if some guy wants to jerk off?
These people NEED privacy.

[JPZenger]

4. Many Refugees Don't want to move too far away

Understandably, many displaced persons don't want to move too far away from their homes and relatives. Therefore, some shelters in far away states are not needed.

[Helga Scow Stern]

5. Nominated! Must keep front and center,

what happens to the evacuees!

They are a very vulnerable group right now that some would like to silence and disappear, however they can.

[bananas]

11. nominate! three more needed!

[trof]

7. Miz t.'s church is feeding lunch to evacuees.

5 showed up the first day, Tuesday.
None the second.
3 today, who were also there Tuesday.
Said they had planned to return on Wednesday, but were too busy filling out FEMA paperwork.
They're from Gulfport.
Hard to get the word out to people living in cars and vans.
There's a lot of confusion.

[Redstone]

9. Well, of course they don't need more housing.

Didn't you hear what Barbara Bush said, that the people would be happy to be in the Astrodome?

Why would they want to comeo to your town when they have the Astrodome, silly?

No, you can't be saying that the old battle-ax was wrong, can you?

Redstone

[sandnsea]

12. Sister in Little Rock

Said her church is overwhelmed with help, to wait a few weeks when people "forget" (which I know they will). So it is possible things aren't needed right now and that everybody is temporarily housed for a week or so.

[PA Democrat]

13. Pittsburgh was told the same thing n/t

[merci_me]

14. your donations will be welcomed in the next month or two

right now, I'm doing some stockpiling for the evacuees who will in the next weeks be finding some longterm housing.

Right now they only have a very small bit of space to keep things and here, the things are gathered for laundry and they may or may not get back the same clothing for instance. Children's toys and books get scattered.

As they get their own private spaces, they'll need to have things to call their own, including work clothing. Sure, we're overflowing with piles of clothing now, but I pray, soon the people will have closets and clothing hung neatly on hangers, then worn and laundered and returned to those hangers.....things that become their very own private property.

I'm thinking in the next week, to start getting friends together and start looking for electric mixers, pretty dishes, bright sheets and fluffy towels. We need to help them restore their own "things".

[applegrove]

16. I think the plan is to diminish the Red Cross too. They were blocked

from getting in to many places.

Not only was FEMA supposed to fail & thus be replaced by business, the Red Cross too may have been set up to fail - so that the religious causes could then have access to those donations. Political payback for Bush's supporters. Diminish the Red Cross too.

Anyone know if the Red Cross has been gutted or its top level executives replaced with function-nots?