IKe (Chrystal Beach) Survivors say they were treated like living in Communist Country! (Video )

[KoKo]

This interview is an incredible watch. These people couldn't get off Chrystal Beach because husband was towing folks who were stuck trying to get off. They say there are folks who died there and it's not being investigated...looters are there though. National Guard treatment and taking their animals after what they went through is heartbreaking. They are very simple people his wife works in the Baptist Church and she heard from one of the deacons that there are people there who were not rescued who were sheltering in two churches. She feels there are dead there... (After watching this video I think we might have two new OBAMA voters...)



VIDEO LINK (which talks about what happened to them after they were finally rescued on Day 3)

http://www.khou.com/video/?z=y&nvid=283981



Snip...of some of what they went through...(full article is at the KHOC website if you don't have time to watch video..but video has what they went through after the storm when they were rescued)

Frank and Dee Ann Sherman were forced to ride out the hurricane in their beachfront home after trying to evacuate.

The couple, who owns a wrecker service, was busy helping tow vehicles out of high water and time got away from them.

The Shermans were caught off guard when the water engulfed the roads around their house and washed out a bridge.

Sherman said he and his wife were in their attic as the waves came in and washed the walls of their home out to sea.

"We spent the worst of the storm in a little crawl space of the attic, basically praying," Sherman said.

They had a a mccaw, a cockatoo and two dogs in the tiny attic with them.

Below, Ike's wind-whipped waves were tearing their home apart.
Dee Ann: "We just prayed 'Dear God, please let us live' and he let us live."

Miraculously, the attic and the roof protecting the Shermans from a certain death stayed intact.

"The storm finally got over after it lifted the house up in the air and slammed it down several times," Frank said.

"After the water started going down the next day, I spent two or three hours clearing debris from the floor inside of the house to where I could get my wife down out of the attic," he remembered. "Then I climbed down a pole into the water and the mud and scavenged around and found a ladder where she could come down eventually. Then I walked the roads up there until I found enough water and stuff for us to survive."

They tried to flag down several helicopters. Monday morning, a Medevac helicopter finally spotted them and alerted another chopper that came back for them.

"It's the closest thing I've ever come to kissing a man," Sherman said.

The Shermans managed to stay calm through the worst of the hurricane and its aftermath.

"You don't freak out during the emergency," he said. "It was afterwards, we broke down."


Most of the homes on Crystal Beach were completely washed away.

Sherman believes several close friends died in the storm, but officials have not confirmed any deaths on Crystal Beach.

He said looting is out of control. "I had to stand off one looter and we ran into several other looters that were down there just robbing jewelry and valuables out of houses."

Sherman and his wife are now at their son's home in the North Texas town of Granbury.

They're upset that they won't be allowed to return to their home to retrieve what few belongings they have left, including their dead daughter's ashes.

"We have nothing at the moment, except the clothes on our backs," Sherman said. "We lost our business, our home, you know everything, completely. And they want us to not go back for months, and leave all of our stuff exposed to the elements and the looters and that's just totally unacceptable."

The Shermans are also frustrated with news reports showing people complaining about no power or relatively minor damage.

"We see all of these people that are crying and moaning because they got some mud on their floor or their lights are out in Houston," Sherman said. "We don't see anything about our friends that died in Crystal Beach and about the fact that our world is totally devastated. I'm 60 years old and I have to start my life all over again."

http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou080917_mh_crystal_beach_shermans.85a54f5c.html

[MadrasT]

1. Their story is chilling.

I had heard Frank do a phone interview on KHOU a couple days ago. Thanks for the article and link to video.

[KoKo]

3. Thank YOU...for watching...I hope other DU'ers will take time to watch over the weekend

and keep this kicked. It's really important. These are simple "god fearing people" and the whole interview shows that they now know what the "deal" in Bush America is all about...

It's heartbreaking what they went through and how they were treated. These are the people whose votes we need. Gun toating, Church going folks who tried to help other people but got caught themselves and then were treated like shit...by the "rescuers," who also know that their "churchgoing" small community was sacrificed.

[RagAss]

10. "God fearing people"... Meet the Godless Repugs !!!!

[Mika]

2. Except that our communist neighbor (Cuba) rates as a leader in disaster mitigation says Oxfam

Let's stick to reality based hyperbole.

Americans could learn a lot from Cuba(ns) if they'd just put the old tired BS in the dustbin.

OXFAM: DISASTER PLANNING ESSENTIAL FOR MINIMIZING RISKS

Oxfam America recently studied the experience of Cuba in its development of disaster prevention and mitigation programs. Situated in the Caribbean Sea, Cuba frequently stands in the way of serious hurricanes. While its neighbors are battered, losing lives and property, Cuba is unusually good at withstanding these calamities, and suffers much fewer dead.

Oxfam’s report, entitled Weathering the Storm: Lessons in Risk Reduction in Cuba cites a number of attributes of Cuba’s risk reduction program that can be applied by other countries. Three in particular are transferable to Asia and other regions:

Disaster Preparedness: Cuba was especially good at mobilizing entire communities to develop their own disaster preparations. This involves mapping out vulnerable areas of the community, creating emergency plans, and actually simulating emergencies so people can practice evacuations and other measures designed to save lives. When disaster strikes, people know what to do.

Commitment of Resources: Cuba’s strong central government prioritizes resources for its civil defense department. This helps the country to build up a common understanding of the importance of saving lives, and the citizens trust that their contributions to the government are well used for this purpose. Their collaboration on developing emergency plans helped build confidence in the government, so people trust in the plan they helped develop.

Communications: The communications system for emergencies in Cuba builds on local resources. Using local radio stations and other media to issue warnings on potential hazards also reinforces the disaster preparations. Since the local population is already involved in mapping risks and creating emergency plans, they are more inclined to act on emergency bulletins. Good communications, packaged simply, and built on existing, commonly used resources, is another way to build trust in disaster preparations.

Cuba is a unique example. There is a strong central government committed to protecting all its citizens, even the poorest and most isolated who are typically the most at risk. The most common natural disaster in Cuba is a hurricane, a threat visible for days and even weeks in advance. Yet building a culture of disaster preparedness, and involving local communities in mitigating risks, are strategies that can be applied in many other places, regardless of how rich or poor a country might be.

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[KoKo]

4. Please watch the video. While I know about how Cuba is better at rescue...this story is about

"religious, gun toating, bird loving Americans" who went through hell and how their government treated them.

[Mika]

7. I did.

Very troubling indeed.

It just bothers me that so many Americans reel off something like 'its like a communist country' or some such other similar derogatory comment without knowing anything about it.

What she (the woman who made that comment) really means, but is too shocked to realize it, is that their ill treatment is by a corporate government - or fascist government - not like a communist one.


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[nadinbrzezinski]

9. 'xactly, the red baiting needs to stop

[KoKo]

11. They are "simple god fearing ordinary Americans" who aren't like most of us Political Junkies..

and those are the people we are trying to reach to vote Democratic in this Election. Their whole belief system has been ROCKED TO FOUNDATIONS by their experience. They were left to die...survived..then treated badly by National Guard (fellow Americans) they thought would understand what they went through..and they were treated like they though folks in their quote (a Communist Country) would treat them..

That's why it's important...

Thank you for taking the time to watch it...really...

I think these are the people we Democrats need...and truly they are just as "forgotten" as those during Katrina. The "forgotten Americans" while everyone is focused on Wall Street.

[Mika]

15. Yep. The Dems need them, but needs to educate them also.

Which is what the Dems need to do, instead of joining-in on the spewing of disinformation.

Thank you for posting the vid.

I was in Miami during/after hurricane Andrew and witnessed 1st hand the inept GHW Bush response.

The Dems need to push the difference between repuke FEMA (run by crony privatization) and a Dem run FEMA (by disaster mitigation experts).


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[malaise]

16. They only know what they've been told

for all their lives. Wicked commies. Don't worry a new generation will understand fascism.
From where I sit they are two human beings who were treated like crap by punks with authority. Hope they learned a lesson.

[KoKo]

19. Still...they are the simple, innocents amongst us...going to work and church...we shouldn't condemn

them for that. They are our neighbors who are amongst us. Isn't it arrogance that allows us to laugh at them? :shrug: Just because "WE" are better informed because we are on the "Liberal Internets?"

all they HAVE is FOX NEWS/CLEAR CHANNEL and RELIGIOUS STATIONS to listen to or watch..and our Dems also gave our Media Away with the 1996 Media Deregulation under Clinton....

Should we BLAME THEM for EVERYTHING? :shrug:

[Mika]

26. WAIT A FRIGGIN MINUTE! Who's blaming them for anything? Who's condemning them here?

Black or white? With us or against us?

Get real.

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[KoKo]

28. Do you work at Wall Mart...K-Mart and the only Media you have is Right Wing?

and if you want a "Community" ...your CHURCH is the only "Community" you can find to FIT IN where you LIVE?

[Mika]

39. You asked "Should we BLAME THEM for EVERYTHING?"

I responded by asking 'who's blaming them here?'.

WE? Just who is "we"? This isn't Walmart nor Kmart.

This discussion is by the DU community, so when you ask "Should we BLAME THEM for EVERYTHING?" I have to wonder just who do you mean by "we"?

I see ZERO blaming or condemning of them here, but yet, you say "we".



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[malaise]

35. Still they bought the Kool Aid

and refused to educate themselves. How come we knew how they'd be treated before they did?

[MadrasT]

25. Yep. They grew up indoctrinated in a society that taught them

the "Russkies" were EVIL :grr: and threw people in the Gulag!!! zOMG! And they built a big wall around East Germany and kept everybody locked in! zOMG! No freedoms! EVIL ROTTEN COMMIES!!!

It's their frame of reference, that's all.

[KoKo]

29. You don't think that "WE ALL" live in that same "Indoctrinated Community" ..even us Liberals?

...there's a Bridge there in Alaska or Brooklyn I could sell you...then. :-(

[MadrasT]

45. Of course we do.

I guess I'm missing your point. The OP was just quoting what the people on the video said... :shrug: I'm not trying to stir anytbing up.

[avaistheone1]

17. Yes, this is the way corporate government treats people and animals

just like crap.

[KoKo]

30. These people were Bird Lovers..they set some birds FREE...and those that stayed...they SAVED

and fought to keep them........if they were our Dogs or Cats we would have done the same to keep them..
No???

[avaistheone1]

36. I think you are misunderstanding me.

I am saying the government treated the Shermans and their pets like crap - the way they lied to the Shermans and then separated them from their pets.

All our corporate government cares about is power and money.

[KoKo]

42. Thanks...I did misunderstand you..........sorry.

[avaistheone1]

37. I think you are misunderstanding me.

I think our government treated the Shermans and their pets poorly. First they lied to the Shermans then they separated them from their pets.

Our corporate/fascist government cares only about power and money.

[fed_up_mother]

21. Do you know how people were treated in the USSR? The shoe fits.

[fed_up_mother]

22. I think the analogy fits. The communists tended to treat their citizens like garbage

Last time I went to Russia, my Russian friends were still having to show their "papers" just to check into a hotel!

She was talking about the treatment - not the form of government. :)

[KoKo]

31. It was incredible that the wife thought that this was Communism..if you watched VIDEO I linked.

Amazing isn't it that the most innocent amongst us...could grasp that.

[fed_up_mother]

33. I thought she was talking about the treatment she received = not our form of government

I guess I'll have to watch it again.

I concur that she was treated just as badly as many were treated under the communists in the USSR.

[Nostradammit]

48. Here you have to show your Visa card.

Not much difference, really.

[leftchick]

53. and we have RFID chips in our licenses and passports

I need that US passport to get back in from fucking Canada! You are right, wtf is the diff?

[eomer]

51. Their treatment sounds similar to how my wife was treated in Cuba.

From the Part II video link, about 1:30 in:

Dee Ann: The minute we stopped in Canton, they came and took our animals. We were losing it.

Frank: And also put me through a full background check and a couple of hours sitting in their office because I had a pistol in our suitcase.

Dee Ann: It was... I felt like I was in a communist country.

Frank: They were armed and very hard-eyed insistent about 'you will not take your animals with you - we will take them, now'.

My wife visited family in Cuba a few years back (she was born in Cuba, is now a US citizen). A day or so after she arrived she was told that she had to go to the local police office for questioning. Just as Frank described, the police put her through a full background check and were armed and very hard-eyed, even though she had no gun in her suitcase, only clothes and medicine to give to her relatives. A thunderstorm was passing through and lightening struck very close by. My wife let out a 'coño!' before she could think and she and the police all had to laugh. The ice was broken and they finished up and let her leave shortly after.

So I think Dee Ann's feeling that she was in a communist country sounds pretty accurate, if we are taking Cuba as an example. Of course, there are plenty of right-wing regimes as well where treatment like this and much worse are common. I'm opposed to government abuse and repression regardless of whether the label they come with is left or right.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. unbelievable.

I can't wait until our national guards get reestablished.

[malaise]

14. "Making us sit on the floor while they sat on the seats"

Taking their animals. Good fugging grief!

[The Backlash Cometh]

18. malaise,

I hate to tell you this, but I am experiencing a lot of ex-military types who are taking liberties in ways that most would find unethical. They take up innocuous civilian jobs and make insidious ethical decisions that in the end, any public servant would recognize undermines the public trust. It's as if this Republican poison of believing it's okay to take liberties with your position, is really contagious.

[malaise]

23. Well McPOW's 'If I were President, I would fire Cox'

is the postergramp for that type. Of course it's contagious - it's called power. Look at recent police excesses. Why would minnows worry about ethics when the President's men diss Congress with impunity and are treated like heroes by the fawning corporate Greedia.
Bush and Cheney have fucked up every institution. Not one was spared.

[The Backlash Cometh]

27. Integrity, R.I.P.

[fed_up_mother]

20. In a wild boat ride, sitting on the floor is the safest place to be

Even if the guard wanted to offer them their seats, I'm sure it's not protocol.

I blame the powers that be. It's not the guards who make the rules to take away the animals, etc.

[malaise]

24. Valid point n/t

[KoKo]

41. I dunno...after that trauma they went through...seems just a "kind word" would have been

welcomed...if the NG had explained that the "noise will be hard...but you are safer on the floor."

Sometimes just "explaining the rules" softens the blow of the rules. Just saying..that those folks felt they weren't treated good..maybe is the truth of it...but maybe they were so stressed that other DU'ers feel they were "overly sensitive?" :shrug:

[readmoreoften]

6. Notice that after rescue, the victim was put through a background check.

Hence anyone with a minor criminal history and any undocumented worker--or any US nationals with an undocumented family member--know not to evacuate.

[KoKo]

12. He couldn't understand as a multiple gun owner why anyone would question him...

and that's where we start to see AMERICA WAKE UP! That part was very reveiling...wasn't it....:-(

[KoKo]

32. Jaysus Christ! That part had me with Hackles Up! Give me your Name, Rank, and I.D. Number to PROVE

you are an AMERICAN! DISGUSTING! What we've become to "appear" to be "safe" from "them" TERRAISTS!

[malaise]

8. Thanks for the video

I hadn't seen it before. :cry:

[KoKo]

13. It's very disturbing that "Bush America" would treat their own like this...but we have to hope they

survived as his wife said..."for a reason." Maybe they will use their experience to show that Bush/Hoover America is just a cesspool where the Rich rise to the Top and the rest of us go down.

That's what I got from their story. Maybe they did survive for a reason that will do some good for humanity. They certainly seemed to feel that...and I'm passing along their story and experience for the same reasons......

[KoKo]

34. Dear God/Heavens..whatever...we have to hope they are TRUTHTELLERS

about what we are faced with .."Global Climate Change" and FASCIST AMERICA...under BUSH! I don't know..but America is WAKING UP..all over...in small increments..but as DISASTER after DISTASTER unfolds..we see how Vulnerable we are...how Innocent we are...how we've been hoodwinked and triaged and manipulated by some GLOBALIST VENTURE by BOTH PARTIES! REPUBLICAN & DEMOCRATIC!

But, that said...we gotta go with Dems...THIS TIME! OBAMA is the one.

[malaise]

38. Check this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4040563

[KoKo]

40. I know...another sad story...

how much more do we know...that we don't know. :-(

[KoKo]

43. ....night kick for the CA group...

[MadMaddie]

44. Katrina was the forewarning of future disasters ....granted many

civilians came to the aid of Gulf Coast Residents but many mocked the victims and blamed the victims. Now it is happening again and again and the treatment by this government is the same.

There is something terribly wrong in TX and we are not hearing the half of it.

[KoKo]

46. Yes...and what's sad is the lack of compassion

by many posters here on DU...who seem to think not much happened there in the West End of Galveston...and I wonder if many would have thought the same about Katrina if they'd been here then. Or, maybe it's because many associate Texas with Bush and don't care about the people there because of that. I don't know why there's so little notice about those people on the West End..who were basically not wealthy folks.

Maybe it's hard to have compassion for anyone but our individual selves in these hard times...I'm maybe too critical.

[MadMaddie]

47. I spent many years in TX dad is retired AirForce....

I think the lack of any true media coverage accounts for why people across the country are not reacting the way they should. I also think that America as a whole is on disaster burnout, many people that had jobs and homes before who would have donated have lost their jobs and their homes.

[KoKo]

54. Disaster burnout is the truth... But, in a way...isn't that something that's not good

for our country in the long run? We might just go to sleep...and nothing will get through to us anymore no matter how horrific. Although with so much going on, tuning out sometimes helps one keep sanity...

[MadMaddie]

55. I agree with you.....we have to stay alert and try to fight the

burnout.

[KoKo]

56. If we lose our "compassion" then WHO ARE WE?

It's hard to know anymore. :shrug:

With what happened during Katrina one would think Americans would be sensitized to how our government is trashing the "little folks." I figured that this one that happened in Texas/Huston/Coast would finally draw attention to BUSH AMERICA!

The Video of these "Church Going" average Americans in what I posted should have been a WAKE UP to BUSH/CHENEY JUNTA! Yet, folks here don't seem to care enough to watch the video of these people who had their lives rocked by "Global Climate Change,"..Bush Policies of "Terra Abroad" but IGNORE Americans at Home.

The interview with this couple (the wife is an "innocent") seems to bring home the divisions in our country where some folks are waking up..to the Bush Military Interventionism on American Soil (it ain't just about those Iraqi's, anymore) they NOW are going after US CITIZENS.

This video shows the divides in this country....

Well..whatever...I don't think folks got what I was posting. I think maybe I didn't make it clear enough in a "sound byte" that would get DUers to understand. My Bad, I guess.

[OneBlueSky]

49. impressed with that gentleman's sincerity, intellect and insight . . . what's puzzling me lately . .

is whether, in the vastness of our nation, there are more Americans like him, or more like the dolts that Jay Leno interviews during his man-on-the-street segments . . . ("What countries border the United States?" . . . "Um -- Hawaii and Florida?") . ..

[earth mom]

50. I feel sorry for them but are they going to connect the dots & see it's * Co-who they voted for

no doubt-that is responsible for the treatment they are now getting.

Until people like this understand that the rethuglican party is NOT their friend, then we will ALL continue to be at the mercy of the fascists running this country.

[KoKo]

52. ...