Information For My Non-American Friends (ATS New Orleans Relief Effort?)

Man, if my family finds out about this, they're going to flip...

LMAO.. i was thinking the same thing.. dont care though

I have no idea what warranted a warning, but in any case your post is noble and honorouble and good luck

Good luck and stay safe jj and his fellow travellers!

This is what I like to see. People stepping up to deal with the problem, instead of just talking about it. I commend you for your efforts. It takes a lot of guts to go ahead and do the right thing, even if other people think you are crazy for doing it. Lord knows my family is always complaining about me getting involved in 'things that are none of my business'. You have made me feel slightly better about humanity. Thank you.

You be walking the walk!

be safe my friend and keep us updated when you get back...

you are a great person...

and so are the people who help in any way that they can...

While I deeply admire your intentions QS and jj, I don't think they are having a manpower shortage.

I think the people displaced may want to be hired to do the clean up in their own communities especially since their jobs have been washed away. Much of the clean-up will be paid for by FEMA which is one way of injecting money back into a devasted economy.

Also, there are going to be and are restrictions on places that you will be able to go without prior approval (as reported on Cnn and Fox). For example, it will be months before you will be able to fly into NO Airport without a specific approved task.

Now, there will be, IMO, a great need for help in the re-construction of New Orleans (and other cities, towns, areas) over the next ... oh, five years or so.

Red Cross training is a good idea and they are a great organization to hook up with or donate to.

One great way to help in an extra-ordinary way would be to take an extra, part-time job and donate the entire amount that you earn to one of the agencies doing the relief work in SE USA.

Again, I admire what you two intend to do, and probably many more would wish to go with you ... but maybe it would be a good idea to sleep on it for a couple of days.



[edit on 2005/9/2 by Zadeh Redux]

Originally posted by Zadeh Redux
Again, I admire what you two intend to do, and probably many more would wish to go with you ... but maybe it would be a good idea to sleep on it for a couple of days.

[edit on 2005/9/2 by Zadeh Redux]

Many more are with us. They just don't feel the need to state publically what they're doing. We're not even considering doing anything until tomorrow, at which point...Who knows.

I do, however, intend to give my services and abilities to a charity down there.

I wish you the best of luck.

Please be careful and come back safe. It would be cool if you could keep us here posted on your experiences.

Didn't mean to throw a wet blanket btw.

Let not your heart be troubled

It sounds like DeusEx will be keeping folks updated while we go (correct me if I'm wrong, DE). When we get back, I'm sure we'll have a great ATSNN exclusive

There are other ways that people can help. If you can't afford the travel, open a spare bedroom up to refugees. That would be a better means of help. Give people a home for the next three months or until they can get back to their own place. Imagine the thought that you may be stuck in a tent for 3 months, or more. With your kids, and the clothes you were rescued in. Maybe a cot. Friends from the area that are now in refugee camps are requesting some money just to buy an air mattress to sleep on.

The people out of the immediate flood zone are also in trouble, and need help.

Well, it looks like we're going tomorrow. I'm going to call various charities and find out if we're going to be accepted or turned away when we get there since it looks like the National Guard is going to turn us away if we're not affiliated with a charity. If we can't get in with a charity...Well, we'll go from there. I doubt that's going to happen, though.

Originally posted by junglejake
Many more are with us. They just don't feel the need to state publically what they're doing.

Precisely! Many of whom have, with undeniable authority, levied the very same criticisms found on this board. Why is the assumption that at the heart of any criticism concerning this relief effort is some sort of "leftist" agenda? As we watch people needlessly die in the face of this incompetency, is the appropriate response to merely politely suggest alternatives? I think not.

I applaud your efforts. However, I equally deplore the incompetent manner in which this has been handled by our government. It is apparent that neither party has the corner market on incompetency. NO POLITICS INVOLVED, just plain facts.

I wish you and your friends the best of luck. Your commitment deserves our greatest respect. Just wanted to be clear that criticism does not equate to political agenda. No one in the government who has failed in this responsibility should get a free pass.

Godspeed to you. Keep safe.



[edit on 2-9-2005 by loam]

I never said it was a leftist agenda, you're assuming that because of my own political standpoint. Both sides have been merciless in politicizing this event, and it is sick. Yeah, I, too, got Michael Moore's letter today, but it didn't cause me to think only the left feels this way. Both sides are scrambling for political favor, and it is sick. There are times when you put political differences aside, and focus on the incident. This is one of those times.

Right now I have a major problem with politicians in general, and I have a problem with some of the members here on ATS today.

EDIT: I suppose the question is, how does saying it is someone's fault, be it the Lousiana governer of Bush, helping the situation?

[edit on 9-2-2005 by junglejake]

Originally posted by loam
Why is the assumption that at the heart of any criticism concerning this relief effort is some sort of "leftist" agenda?

Probably for the same reason those of us who feel that this is not the time for finger pointing get branded as 'Bush backers'. Which, at least in my case, is so far from the truth it is scary. I know it is snowing in Hell right now, because I agreed with jj on PTS.

I'll be doing plenty of criticizing later, trust me. After the people are safe.

Originally posted by Duzey
Probably for the same reason those of us who feel that this is not the time for finger pointing get branded as 'Bush backers'.

I'll be doing plenty of criticizing later, trust me. After the people are safe.

You will note I made no such assertion. Moreover, I think these very criticisms have moved the government to action, however belated, and therefore by definition saved some lives.

I know you didn't, and I didn't mean for it to sound that way. The assertion was made in another thread, by a different member. I was just trying to show that it is going both ways.

Demanding the President step up to the plate and handle the situation is a far, far different thing from pointing fingers as to who is to blame for the extent of the flooding/global warming, in my opinion.

The first is a logical, reasonable response of any person with a heart. The second is the action of someone who is politicizing a tragedy.

Originally posted by Duzey
I know you didn't, and I didn't mean for it to sound that way. The assertion was made in another thread, by a different member. I was just trying to show that it is going both ways.

Demanding the President step up to the plate and handle the situation is a far, far different thing from pointing fingers as to who is to blame for the extent of the flooding/global warming, in my opinion.

The first is a logical, reasonable response of any person with a heart. The second is the action of someone who is politicizing a tragedy.

Now I undertsand the point, and fully agree. Thanks for the clarification.

Good luck to you in your noble endeavour JJ - if you can take even one person out of the hell they are in it will be worth it! Please be safe though - let no harm befall you - take care!

Just one thing though - blame, finger pointing, bush-baiting etc. - the situation in the affected areas has been made exponentially worse by the incompetence, ineptitude and downright stupidity of the people with the power to have made things better had they chosen to have done so. Not all the finger pointing has been what it has maybe seemed to have been - sometimes you have to kick butt to get things done. The people with the power are just that - I can't order C5's full of much needed supplies into NO airport, they can. I'm from England and I have been fairly vociferous in my condemnation - I'm not American, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to help - sometimes you have to make them smell the coffee.

Today has ( apparently) seen an improvement in the situation in the sense that help is getting through - truck convoys, helicopters, people being bussed out. I can't help feeling that this is at least partly due to the likes of the mayor of NO speaking his mind. He at least wasn't politicking. I have no doubt that there are people making, or trying to make, political capital out of an appaling natural disaster, but I would say a goodly percentage of the criticism is not politically motivated, but made with the best of intentions.

Once again, good luck and Godspeed to you and your companions - and take care man

There is a total lockdown on New Orleans. The National Guard isn't even allowing the Red Cross access to the city to bring in much needed supplies. People aren't being allowed out or into the city. This is awful...

Watching jaded reporters like Shep Smith break down on the air describing the situation...I can't even fathom what's taking place in that city right now...

Good for you Jake all the best to you and those who are doing what they can,sadly applauding you and those like minded is as much as i can do from Australia.
You mentioned finger pointing to be done afterwards?,i think you are cappable of doing both at the same time mate.Afterwards is water under the bridge some what,so i`ll expect fingers pointing in every direction as you motor down the river.
I watched your news at 3 am this morning with Harry Connick Jr reporting from the mayhem he was appalled that he could drive to that stadium himself but the Gov could`nt or would`nt thats is insane.
My prays to those in need.