I was a Katrina Victim

I lived in Buras/Empire area when Katrina hit, this is where the eye originally hit first when it came into Louisiana, let me tell you something about the parish I lived in and New Orleans which is not far away, I think the people is just as much to blame as the government is, I experience this first hand through Katrina, I LIVED through katrina when it came into Mississippi and it sounded like the house was going to explode, you can hear a tornado touchdown literally what ended up being a block over, trees falling down, it was a mess afterward and I find it hard to believe Katrina was ever a Cat 3 when it came in, I would actually believe it to be more a 4 or even 5 when it first hit, the place I lived in in question is the same place struck by Hurricane Danny back about 10 years prior to that, it was on a Cat 1 storm when it came in basically the same spot where Katrina came in at, and it didnt do hardly anything in that place, the most damage it did was at the docks where some boats got thrown around on top of docks and that wasnt even really major damage, some of the really small boats sunk though.

But to get on about the people, well I just saw more stupidity in the people then I did the government, I am not racist but let me tell you this much, living in those parts for 20+ years, its not just the black people but its the majority since they make up the bigger population of New Orleans and surrounding cities, but they are just holding their hand out and say....... GIVE ME $$$$ and give me food, these people was not too hell bent on surviving or trying to survive on their own, in Southern Mississippi where I went to with relatives out from Buras/Empire region, we were without power for a week, the heat was unbearable, but we survived by doing things smart, we had fried chicken one night, we have coffee the next morning, noting we didnt have electricity and we didnt have a generator, we didnt have any sort of power rather then a car which with gas being a pain to get for weeks after this, you wouldnt want to waste it in any way.

But..... whats these people in New Orleans doing? All I see is them getting on a bridge and just basically doing nothing but looking for the government to hand them everything, its a spoiled rotten city that collects nothing but Welfare, Social Security checks are collected by 20 year olds for I DONT KNOW WHAT ( I been in the SSI office in New Orleans), and food stamps, and they dont have to work, thats the problem with New Orleans and when Katrina came. These people cant survive without the government, they did absolutely nothing, they didnt help themselves or try to, some may of tried, but most didnt, let me tell you this, I wouldnt hesistate to break in a grocery store and get food, really all the stores were probably broken into anyway, but did most of them do that? NO, I lived around and been in New Orleans for years and years, let me tell you something, the city stays on its knees literally, and they cant help themselves because they dont have to or want to as long as the government is baby sitting them, thats the whole break down about New Orleans, and the region I lived in which was first struck by Katrina, its probably worse, worse then New Orleans.

All in All, I dont wish Death upon no one, I dont like what happened since I lost my house and gods knows how much stuff from Katrina, but I feel in 1 sense that its exactly what that region needed, that was some wakeup call because New Orleans is a major city that just drags its feet and have been for years, compare New Orleans to any other city and it just dont have anything in comparison, its a mess that would take years to clean up.

Thats my perspective on the region.

reply to post by sarentack

Originally posted by sarentack
but I feel in 1 sense that its exactly what that region needed, that was some wakeup call

This remark of you gives me a very, very unpleasant feeling, I am really totally perplexed.
How on Earth can you, as a victim yourself, a terrible thing like this.

“ that its exactly what that region needed, a wakeup call like this”.

A destructive event of unbelievable proportions, what cause unbelievable suffering, loss of lives, whole families ripped apart.
I really don’t understand it at all.



[edit on 31/1/08 by spacevisitor]

[edit on 31/1/08 by spacevisitor]

I didnt want it to happen as much as anyone else.

But something needed to happen to straighten out those people, its same as 9/11, its an inside job with the purpose of Uniting the country. I lived there in that region for 20+ years and those people needed a wakeup call.

Originally posted by sarentack
I didnt want it to happen as much as anyone else.

But something needed to happen to straighten out those people, its same as 9/11, its an inside job with the purpose of Uniting the country. I lived there in that region for 20+ years and those people needed a wakeup call.

So i suppose by your story you thing of yourself as "straighten out" ?

"Those people" do you mean "those blacks" ?

Let me see, 9/11 and kartina where inside jobs to "unite" the country ?

I am not from that region and i never lived there but i think i can see from here that you seem to have a little warped view on these events.

Did you like your so called wake up call ? because i think you are part of "those people" yourself you know.
We are all those people.

Yeah I am part of those people to, but I wasnt one of the ones sitting outside all day waiting for a helicopter to come down and hand out thousands of dollars and put the spoon in my mouth. It kind of made me sick watching such an old culture and way of living known in the past in Louisiana go to waste, I bet not one of those people in the Super Dome or on the I-10 overpass could make a camp fire or a stove to cook on. Simply put, they CANT SURVIVE.

reply to post by sarentack

Originally posted by sarentack
Yeah I am part of those people to, but I wasnt one of the ones sitting outside all day waiting for a helicopter to come down and hand out thousands of dollars and put the spoon in my mouth.

That it easy to say, you are probable young and healthy and I suppose independent.
But what about old, sick, handicapped, and wounded people then, what about families with baby’s, children and so on.
How can you expect of those groups that they were capable of doing as what you have done?

Originally posted by sarentack
Yeah I am part of those people to, but I wasnt one of the ones sitting outside all day waiting for a helicopter to come down and hand out thousands of dollars and put the spoon in my mouth. It kind of made me sick watching such an old culture and way of living known in the past in Louisiana go to waste, I bet not one of those people in the Super Dome or on the I-10 overpass could make a camp fire or a stove to cook on. Simply put, they CANT SURVIVE.

Could you tell me who you mean by "those people" ?

Or do you mean every one that did not act like you ?

So do you think "those people" deserved it that their houses got flushed away so the could learn to make their own camp fires ?

I was in the Buras/Empire area too when the storm hit and I never recieved any benefits.

You shouldn't really judge others actions based on what you know or can do.
Many of those people worked and then went home to the TV. When they were in trouble they dialed 911. It's what we are taught to do, so how can you really blame them?

And how can you blame the people for just doing what the system conditions them to do? Then watch as the system they trusted in fails them.

It's not good to trust in the system, but still the system is at fault, and as usual people want to blame the victims.

It's not good to not be able to protect yourself, but still...The system failed.

reply to post by sarentack


I am from Jefferson Parish.

I know what it is that you are trying to say. It's hard to fully understand the situation unless you are from the area. It's even harder to try to explain yourself to people who aren't.

I'm very glad to hear that you got through such a terrible time. Good luck in the future.

I find this kind of post very disturbing. It's nothing more than propaganda generated by the Bush Administration to brainwash the populace into eliminating the safety net.

Let me tell you about MY experience. I'm disabled after working years and years and years. I get Social Security Disability because I paid into the system for all those years. The government certainly wasn't shy about taking that money from me while telling me that I would be protected if I ever became disabled - in fact, they forced me to pay.

However, I live in a Republican state. I've had people come to my house and scream at me, call me lazy, tell me I'm trying to scam the government, blah, blah, blah - all because I'm now drawing back the money I paid in.

Let me tell you right up front - the government doesn't hand out SSDI for nothing. Unless you're about to drop dead on the spot, they give you squat. I get that money because I'm really, really, really sick. Too bad I can't pound that into the ignorant heads of this community of morons.

So when I hear stupid nonsense like this that is nothing more than a total lack of compassion or concern for others, I want to hurl. I've seen it up close and personal, and the views that get screamed at me are totally out of touch with reality.

Buddy, you should walk around in my shoes for a while. I have NEVER asked anyone for anything. But all these people screaming at me because of my disability come onto my property to steal because they think I'm a nothing and don't deserve to have anything. When I try to think up a way to work around my disability and find a way to work, they rush over here to tell me what a low life I am and how I have nothing to contribute. I bought a gun for the first time in my life because they scare me spitless.

When I'm feeling decent, I can build a fire, I can cook in a solar oven in the midst of a horrible disaster, and I can freaking take care of myself without help from anyone. But sometimes life doesn't treat you so good and you end up sick, and all the knowledge and skill you have doesn't do squat.

If I ever get to the point where I can't take care of myself, I'll blow my freaking brains out because I would never trust my life and welfare to the hateful and hate filled people who blather on about how I'm living off the government.

So, to be blunt, shut up. You have no idea what those people have gone through that put them in that place, and you're sitting there all self righteous and passing judgment - just like my ignorant neighbors do with me.

God was right. Judge not lest you be judged.

One co-workers solution. Dig a 500 yard wide, 100ft deep trench along the Mexican/US border with one bridge between the two. Use the tractor trailer trucks now coming into the US from Mexico to transport all the excavated soil to New Orleans. Use illegal alien labor already in the US to fill the New Orleans basin equal to sea level. Load the illegals into the Mexican trucks and take them back into Mexico. Blow up the bridge.......

reply to post by spacevisitor


What's wrong with saying they needed a wake up call? They lived in an area whee hurricanes are a very real possibility, but they had zero preparation.

as offensive as this post may come across, I appreciate the alternative perspective.

reply to post by jaamaan



I used to live in Chalmette, LA, which is close to N.O. My family and I went to Texas for 3 weeks then returned, and lived in Kenner, LA for one year until we finally got everything straightened out, and moved to Prairieville, LA. Since then, I have been called, "St.benard trash", "Chalmation", Long-haired drug addict deserved what he got", and countless other things. Yes, my hair was long then, but after I had it cut, then some of the name calling had stopped. I did prove one thing by doing that, and that point is that people believe what they want to believe. I even had a boss tell me that, "God sent Katrina wipe away the sin because of evil things like Mardi Gras". Not only is that an EXTREMELY arrogant statement, but it is also one that shows that whomever says it, is not that intelligent. I also understand more now, the attitude that some Americans currently have, and that is "If it doesn't happen to me, it doesn't happen at all". Our society will never wake up, because they are too worried about racism, sexism, and any other "ism" that is awaiting them. Basically, the American public is so addicted to drama, that they do not even care about human life. We recieved NO comfort from anyone except ourselves and the others who went through this aswell. It is a shame how selectively stupid the public is. But that will never change.