Hey New Orleans... Why?

Question

Iowa is underwater, the levees broke, most people in the two largest cities have lost everything. The shelters are mostly empty, and people are out by the thousands shoring up the levees and protecting each other's property.

Why:

- No rioting?

- No burning down each other's homes?

- No shooting at the cops?

- No wading through 5 feet of water to steal a television?

Maybe you guys can help me out... I don't understand! I though a natural disaster gave you a legitimate excuse to burn down your cities and blame the government!

Answer 1

A few phrases never heard in New Orleans;

self respect, personal responsibility, respect for others, earn what you want, work for a living, self reliance, civic duty and responsibility.

Answer 2

It's an example of people with intelligence being able to handle their own problems. Blacks seem to have to rely on the government because they certainly can't do it themselves. I'm sure I will be branded a raciest for that statement but unfortunately its true..... If you want mass chaos let something like this happen during an Obama Presidency...

Answer 3

Maybe the people in Iowa dont feel like the government owes them anything and were actually instrumental in building thier city.

Answer 4

In Iowa the people are probably more self reliant,i.e. fewer welfare cases,less likely to blame the Government and more willing to work together rather than take advantage of a disaster. Its' cultural thing. Also if there are a lot of farms around more access to heavy equipment,tractors,etc. All I ever hear about New Orleans is "Mardi Gras",party,eat,drink, party some more. That kind of an attitude doesn't promote a good work ethic.

Answer 5

Mainly because the parts of New Orleans where those things occurred where low income, crime ridden areas before the disaster.

Answer 6

You raise a point, that will undoubtedly be attacked as being racist.  However, comparing Des Moines, Iowa with New Orleans, Louisiana is like comparing apples to oranges.  New Orleans had serious problems prior to the levees breaking.  Crime was rampant, gangs were a serious problem, and the city was and is one of the poorest in the nation.  What I believe happened is that most of the decent people left prior to the hurricane hitting.  Those that stayed behind were either poor, infirmed, or criminals.  Obviously the criminals were the ones that were out in force, taking advantage of others.

Answer 7

Spike Lee would say that the gubmint didn't blow up the levees in Iowa.

Answer 8

You are comparing apples and oranges.

First, Iowa isn't underwater - only a small area is affected by the flooding. Katrina wrecked 90,000 square miles, which is an area larger than Great Britain.  News reports so far indicate about 4000 homes are threatened by flooding in Iowa (Katrina destroyed 225,000 buildings).  There have been no deaths due to the Iowa floods (Katrina killed 1800 people). And so on.

Second, huge parts of Iowa have NOT been simultaneously devastated by the disaster AND cut-off from the outside world (including phone, internet, TV, and radio communications). That happened to SE Louisiana. Local government has not been rendered almost completely incapable by the flooding in Iowa, which happened in SE Louisiana.

Third, the New Orleans civil disorder you mention was grossly exaggerated by the news media.  The power of television is to focus on an incident and make the viewer believe everything is like that.For example, there were horrific "reports" about the Superdome, but in realitty NO murders happened, NO babies were raped, there were NO gun battles, etc. (all of those alleged events were high-profile news reports at the time). Why the media felt it was necessary to do that is beyond me. Things were bad enough - they didn't have to make it up.

Finally, it appears Iowa doesn't have someone like "Blank Stare" Blanco as Governor, or anyone like "Crazy Ray" Nagin as Mayor (both are Democrats).

Something the residents of Iowa will; have in common with the residents of New Orleans is that the damage is due to flood.  Homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and that will make recovery in Iowa much more difficult - just like it has been in New Orleans.

To "George C", have you ever been to New Orleans or the Gulf Coast?  What Gulf Coast have you been to that has "recovered almost 99%"?  It certainly isn't the one I visit regularly, where everything for 1/2 mile from the ocean looks like Hiroshima after the atomic bomb was used on it. The rest of your "answer" is equally misinformed.

Answer 9

Because our Government rewards millions of American woman that give birth with an Apartment, a Pay Check, and Lifetime Medical. Why work if all you have to do is walk to your mailbox once a month and pull out a welfare check and food stamps. This has become a way of life that spreads decay into our cities and schools. It also breeds crime and babies without fathers. If you want to see what welfare can do to a great city, take a good look at New Orleans after Katrina. I saw thousands of women with 5, 6 and 7 kids and no fathers in sight. It took a lot guts for  Bill Clinton to stand up and fight this decaying problem. I agree, some people with health problems need welfare if their unable to work. I also believe if you’re able to get pregnant, you should be able to do a days work.

Welfare generally is for people that don't wanna work for whatever reason .Just remember everybody and welfare is a government employee getting paid to stay home and do nothing.

I can see a Revolution coming in this country within the next 20 years. Your finally going to see Whitey put his cheeseburger down, get off his fat ***, turn off his hd tv and WE WILL TAKE THIS COUNTRY BACK and it won't be in a graceful or delicate way. We've had enough.

Answer 10

Yes, because most people in NOLA looted and what not, right?. If I knew you, I'd SPIT on you.

The stereotypical BS that you get from your precious Fox News is really old now.

Good for them to handle it well.

But of course, once again, hatred towards us. Do you know how much GOOD happened here? No, because the media wouldn't show it, of course not. 95% of the city(New Orleans) was evacuated, I'd say thats d**n good for a city with such high poverty levels, wouldn't you?

Answer 11

And I bet we don't send them nearly $70,000 for every resident to get back on their feet either.

Answer 12

Hey, don't knock these folks in New Orleans!! All most of them know is hand outs and many are still sitting down there waiting for more hand-outs.

While the rest of the Gulf Coast has recovered almost 99%, New Orleans is still at about 60% because they want something for nothing.

People in other parts of the country believe in pulling themselves up by the bootstraps and yes, even with all the flooding up north, no rioting, people shooting at others and stealing.

Imagine that, civilized people acting civilized and helping one another. How refreshing.

Are you getting this New Orleans???

Answer 13

Yeah, and I would bet that most of them are voting for the democrats so they can get even more handouts!

Answer 14

lol at bo's answer.

but It's because even before the disaster, it was already a crime ridden, low income place.