Does Houston Really Want These People?

[mrfootball]

Louisiana residents calling into a radio show this morning saying that Louisiana has plenty of arenas and other venues in Shreveport and elsewhere to handle these people, making the Astrodome unnecessary, however Louisiana government officials simply don't want these people (most of whom live in the projects and collect welfare) and seek to hand them off to other states.

Are there any other cities who've been volunteered by Rick Perry to take on these people, many of them with criminal backgrounds...some of them the very gang members who've been running around the Super Dome shooting at each other, looting New Orleans and shooting at rescuers?

How will they distinguish b/w the good folks and those who need to be incarcerated?

To put it quite simply, we are bringing to Houston, tens of thousands of the unwanted citizens of what was America's Most Dangerous and Crime ridden city (even before the Hurricane).

Will Houston be receiving add'l Federal Funds to handle the additional Police, Medical, and Educational burden these poor people will place on Houston? How long will these people remain here?

Questions that need to be answered by our local government officials.

[RedScare]

That is the most self centered, bigoted and careless post I have ever read. It also happens to be untrue.

Why don't you change your handle to "mrasshole". Better yet, just leave this forum and go back to listening to Michael Savage. Hell, even Sean Hannity has been more compassionate than you.

[MidtownCoog]

Somebody should ask Queen Sheila She-ne-ne Jackson Lee.

[mrfootball]

That is the most self centered, bigoted and careless post I have ever read. It also happens to be untrue.

Self-Centered? No. I'm concerned about all of the people of Houston

Bigoted? How?

Careless? I've thought about this long and hard, this is a question that we need to ask our officials. These people in New Orleans are shooting at the rescuers, looting children's hospitals that are filled with patients, raping teenage girls in the SUPERDOME, stabbings, and shootings not withstanding...

You're an idiot, if you haven't considered the ramifications of what we're about to absorb, and the strain it will put on our already over-burdened system.

[MidtownCoog]

The fate of these people will help determine the overall effectiveness of the relief effort and help determine how American society as a whole judges itself.

[RedScare]

You're an idiot, if you haven't considered the ramifications of what we're about to absorb, and the strain it will put on our already over-burdened system.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are correct. All compassionate people are idiots. So are rescuers, firemen, police and soldiers. They do good things in spite of the risks or the expense. They don't consider ramifications of helping those in dire straits. They help those in need. And they don't have their frigging check register with them to decide if it costs too much.

In case you haven't noticed, mrf-ingbrilliant, we live on the gulf coast, too. Do you want Americans having this debate about whether we're worth saving WHEN we get hit....AGAIN?

[Guest danax]

I think mrfootball is making a valid, but ugly point that Blacks are statistically much more likely to commit crimes of violence and property than other groups. I really feel for Blacks who get hurt by the much smaller group who commit the crimes and especially by those who are shown looting.

[MidtownCoog]

I think Chris Rock said it best.

Black people hate (#*@*.

[RedScare]

Just curious. Picture yourself in a storm. No electricity since Monday. No food or potable water since then, either. Add 5 to 8 feet of water to your house. Maybe you lived in the attic for three days. Or maybe you stayed in the Astrodome since Monday with no AC and Houston's lovely 95 degree, 90% humidity.

Your wives are ill. Your parents are in wheelchairs. Your kids are starving and thirsty. How do you act? How about it, mrfootball? You gonna let your kids starve, cuz it's not polite to steal? You too, Coog. What would you be doing? And none of this "I wouldn't be there in the first place", crap. I want to know just how a properly raised and schooled desparate, hungry, republican would act.

[hokieone]

I'm not necessarily defending the way mrfootball put it, but I can see what he is saying. Bring in 25-40,000 people that were among the poorest of a poverty ridden city, give them a temporary home, what is the long term resolution of the issue? I am extremely happy to see the city of Houston helping out and am happy that the Astrodome was available to help. However, I also have some of the long term concerns. I understand you can't exactly sit at the buses and ask are you going to cause trouble? Are you going to behave? and pick and choose who should or shouldn't come. I'm not saying that at all. I just also am concerned what will happen 2-3 months from now, or even now, as these people sit in the Astrodome, have nowhere else to go, no money, and really nothing but time. What I think we are seeing more than anything in N.O. right now is pure human desperation, human nature at its worst in survival mode, so what happens next when a lot of those same people are here?

I know there has not been nearly the time to figure this out yet, but there has to be some concern about what a city is going to do with an influx of 40,000 poverty stricken people with no home. For now, I know we open our doors, no questions asked, but I don't think we can just say, oh it will be fine 2 months from now. In that sense, I am concerned as well.

[MidtownCoog]

I posted on the CoogFans board earlier today, that the national gurad should be handing out all the stuff left in stores.

All the insurance companies are going to write it off anyway.

Now the lawless thugs with guns. Well, those people need to be shot.

[texasboy]

I'm not necessarily defending the way mrfootball put it, but I can see what he is saying.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ditto. i don't think he meant any harm by what he is saying because this has been a very controversial topic on some radio stations even in miami. it has nothing to do with race, it is just some violent behavior does follow people that are less fortunate. not saying all are like that.

[kjb434]

Look, growing up in Louisiana just outside of New Orleans, I regularly saw New Orleans on TV and have visited the city myself may of times. I use to think the portrayal on the news was very specific and only in small areas of the city. After going to the city many times and in different areas (non-project areas), you don't see anything different from what is portrayed on the news. In the malls, in the tourists areas, in the Sam's Club, the park, the airport, etc.

It has a lot to do with attitude. These people are consistently told and it is echoed within the community that the white man is out to get you. New Orleans is a city that is primarily black, most of the businesses are black owned, and much of the government officials are black. You would think these people would be happy with themselves being in the majority. The largest portion of these consistantly feel that they deserve som entitlement when ever they have a problem. Some neighborhoods of the city have gotten so bad that firefighters will not go in to them to put out a fire without police escort. The fire truck will wait even if they can see the house or complex burning. Too many trucks were vandalized and firefighters attacked. This is not only in the projects.

Delivery trucks for businesses (particularly coca-cola from experience) require police escort for deliveries and the stores have to pay the off duty police officers to preform the escort.

What the topic starter is mentioning is not a closeminded stereotype from a bigot. He is describing the attitude that persist within this city and in several urban cities in the US. Just throwing out that someone is a bigot for telling the truth eventhough it is not politically correct or racially sensitive is not acceptable. Public school teachers from all over the city will tell you the same thing. My mom (a retired teacher) used to talk to these teachers regularly at conferences.

Yes, there are good poeple within these groups. I've seen those too, but they rarely have to power to put others in control or they have perception the problems are the white mans fault and don't try to solve them.

This conversation regularly fuels up every year in Louisiana on a public television show. It usually is a week long debate. I remeber watching them (my mom and dad made me and I eventually got really interested) on LPB (louisiana public broadcasting).

The largest problems from all the material I've heard about this that some cities like New Orleans are entitlement cities. These cities aren't like Houston where entrepeneural spirit is encouraged and exist within the city and county governments. Most of the lower income people don't want to know what they can do, but what can be done for them. With that attitude prevalent, it's no wonder looting and the problems we are seeing are popping up. Many of the looting actions we are seeing are not of a desparate people, but shameless and greedy people who feel that since there life isn't full of riches and money that it's ok to take from others who have (whether its a store or a persons home).

After being in Houston for the past three years, I don't see this attitude as prevalent. Or it is small enough to where it doesn't engulf the city.

This account is from experience. This account is what I see and get frustrated with. How do you help someone to help themselves if they believe that everything should be handed to them. That since they believe they have been wronged, they shouldn't have to work to improve their life. It bothers me a lot.

[bachanon]

i must admit that the thought in the original statement crossed my mind more than once in the last 24 hours; however, it is incumbent on people of good will to take care of others in need. it is not for us to determine whether or not the people in need are people of good will. it is a difficult but necessary thing.

[DJ V Lawrence]

That is the most self centered, bigoted and careless post I have ever read.  It also happens to be untrue.

Why don't you change your handle to "mrasshole".  Better yet, just leave this forum and go back to listening to Michael Savage.  Hell, even Sean Hannity has been more compassionate than you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Respect to RedScare and Mrfootball.

As a Houstonian, as much as I hate asking a question like mrfootball did to start this thread, I strongly feel that this question needs to be asked, no matter how politically incorrect it is.

I'm deeply concerned for the citizens of New Orleans, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Gulf Region.

What I'm most worried about is what plan does the city of Houston have for all those people here in October? November?

Secondly, here's some food for thought...

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory2/3334057

...read the last four paragraphs. There may be inmates already in the Astrodome AMONG the innocent citizens of New Orleans. What DO we do to get them back in jail? Won't the 25,000 victims currently in the Astrodome want to get a new job, and get back on their feet? Where will they be recieving those jobs?

Lastly, why aren't ANY of the refugees being sent to other parts of Louisiana as well? Houston, San Antonio, and the State of Texas is doing an exceptional job so far in terms of helping to ease the chaos following the storm, but why do I feel like ALL of them are being sent to Texas, and NONE of them are being sent to Shreveport, or other parts of Louisiana that weren't effected? Where are the other border states in this? Florida or Georgia doesn't have any locations for the victims from Mississippi or Alabama? There's hundreds killed in those states as well. Where are they moving to, and why isn't the news reporting it?

Where are the New Orleans businesses going to operate in the next few week, and if they decide to REBUILD New Orleans 5 feet under sea level (which will happen), will all of those businesses want to come back to N.O. knowing that this tragedy will happen again?

And finally, what was the mayor of New Orleans's emergency plan for if any of the city's levees broke? Forget the hurricane. The levees could go anytime. Was that senario EVER planned out by New Orleans's City Council before, and why isn't that plan underway if there was one?

[MaxConcrete]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

mrfootball brings up a valid point. These are the poorest, least educated, and least productive people of New Orleans. Can someone explain to me how making them Houstonians will benefit the city?

mrfootball also brings up a valid point about communities in Louisiana not wanting the refugees.

And I'd like to know what Atlanta is doing to help (I haven't seen any reports, perhaps someone in the know could provide details). Atlanta is a very wealthy city and also has the wealthiest black community. Are they looking at us and quietly saying we're suckers?

[mrfootball]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but our New Orleans friends are already making an impact in Houston. My sister works at Texas Women's Hospital near the Astrodome, and they received a warning that there have been quite a few cars vandelized, broken into, and an attempted carjacking in the Astrodome vicinity over the past couple hours, and all workers should use extreme caution when entering or exiting their vehicles. They will be increasing security in the coming days.

Also, she mentioned that they are evidently not keeping these people inside the Astrodome facility...and many are roaming free around the area.

Who's idea was it to bring them here? Rick Perry? Did our local gov't leaders have any say in this matter? I'm all for helping them get back on their feet. But I don't think its good for Houston to have them here longterm. Ideally, I'd like to see these people get back on their feet, and take part in the rebuilding of their own city in some sort of Federal Work Project or something, have a stake in their own city.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but our New Orleans friends are already making an impact in Houston. My sister works at Texas Women's Hospital near the Astrodome, and they received a warning that there have been quite a few cars vandelized, broken into, and an attempted carjacking in the Astrodome vicinity over the past couple hours, and all workers should use extreme caution when entering or exiting their vehicles. They will be increasing security in the coming days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You've got to be kidding me.

[MidtownCoog]

Man, that chit happens in Midtown and Thrid Ward all the time.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Man, that chit happens in Midtown and Thrid Ward all the time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That doesn't make it right in Midtown or Third Ward, though.

And it's especially not right at the Astrodome, since we're the city doing more than the entire state of Louisiana is in terms of trying to give the victims a shelter. We didn't have to donate a dome, so we don't need to have anyone vandalizing there. Didn't they just get there?

[RedScare]

No one knows who did it, so to blame the refugees is jumping the gun. However, any who are caught should be dealt with harshly. This not only is biting the extraordinarily generous hands that are feeding them, but as many posts on here demonstrate, it harms the thousands of grateful refugees who are not criminals.

[editor]

Are there any other cities who've been volunteered by Rick Perry to take on these people, many of them with criminal backgrounds...some of them the very gang members who've been running around the Super Dome shooting at each other, looting New Orleans and shooting at rescuers?

Yes. San Antonio is getting 20,000 people.

[C2H]

My prayers go out to the people from New Orleans and i understand where Mr. Football is coming from to a point. The victims of New Orleans should not only be Houston's burden. Other cities that are well within proximity should be opening up their doors to help as well.

There aren't enough David Banner benefit concerts that are being organized at the time of need right now. I haven't seen any wealthy donations from wealthy black stars like Opra, P Diddy, or anyone, at least not yet.

I might get banned permantly from this forum for saying this, but Willie Lynch had a plan to keep the black man permantly enslaved to the white man. And the way this capatilist society functions, that is exactly what's been happening for years. Sadly, the hurricane had to seek out the poorest citizens in the country to attack, which i think will keep black citizens of this country more subseptible and vulernable to the pressures of the system. But i think God was trying to tell us all something. What? I don't know.

Perhaps God might be trying to show the government's true colors as to how hard they will really try to find the victims lost in the hurricane or will they just forego the mission and say" let the ni$$ers die". Or what's going to happen after 2 or 3 months when these people are still without jobs? Are they going to throw them to the streets to committ more crime and just say "there just adding to the black statistics".

My concern is, they've only retrieved a small section of the New Orleans population with many left missing. I understand things like this do take time and i might be judging it a little unfair right now. I can only pray that a large amount of those people are scattered out, staying with friends, family or under good citizens who may have opened their home.

All in all, i feel most of the victims will get back on their feet. But how long will it take and how desperate will they become? I know i'll be volunteering my services at the astrodome this Saturday to help. (I encourage the rest of you all too). I was troubled by a post i remember reading a from one of the members on this forum in another thread that implied that only those who are meant to survive will. Since New Orleans is mostly black, I hope the goverment does not misconstrue this possibility and use this to think that the victims are not worth saving because they're not "fit" to survive.

I'm prepared to have this whole board disagree with what i'm saying but i strongly believe there's truth in this.

[DJ V Lawrence]

My prayers go out to the people from New Orleans and i understand where Mr. Football is coming from to a point. The victims of New Orleans should not only be Houston's burden and other cities that are well within proximity should be opening up their doors to help as well.

There aren't enough David Banner benefit concerts that are being organized at the time of need right now. I might get banned permantly from this forum for saying this, but Willie Lynch had a plan to keep the black man permantly enslaved to the white man. And the way this capatilist society functions, that is exactly what's been happening for years. Sadly, the hurricane had to seek out the poorest citizens in the country to attack, which i think will keep black citizens of this country more subseptible to the system. But i think God was trying to tell us all something. What? I don't know.

Perhaps God might be trying to show the government's true colors as to how hard they will really try to find the victims lost in the hurricane or will they just forego the mission and say let the ni$$ers die. They've only retrieved a small section of the New Orleans population with many left missing. I can only pray that a large amount of those people are scattered out, staying with friends, family or good citizens who may have opened their home.

All in all, i can only pray that all the victims get back on their feet. I know i'll be volunteering my services at the astrodome this Saturday to help. But i remember reading a post from one of the members on this forum that implied that only those who are meant to survive will. Since New Orleans is mostly black, I hope the goverment does not misconstrue this possibility and use this to think that the victims are not worth saving because they're not "fit" to survive.

I'm prepared to have this whole board disagree with what i'm saying but i strongly believe there's some truth in this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As a black dude, I really don't understand your point. Like, there is no race to a Cat 5 Hurricane. If New Orleans was 80% white and this disaster happened to this city 5 ft under sea level, and the people there started stealing guns and looting, or "finding", things in grocery stores, conditions would just be as bad.

It's easy to blame race for the slow reaction of the rescue efforts, but the REAL reason is because of the few violent people with guns (whatever race they are) busting caps at the rescue dudes.

Don't forget that ALL races were hurt by this national disaster. Tourists are stuck there (Canadians, Florida, etc.) And it's not a rich/poor thing either. Juvenile lost his home. Master P has helicopters flying around Louisiana trying to find his loved ones. Fats Domino is missing. Ellen Degenerous, Harry Conick, Brent Farve, Trent Lott many celebs have lost some kind of property or loved one. Even the rich dudes and duddette are having to deal with this.

Please stop thinking that the government isn't helping the victims because they are black. Guns don't kill people. People kill people, yo.

[midtown_resident]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but our New Orleans friends are already making an impact in Houston. My sister works at Texas Women's Hospital near the Astrodome, and they received a warning that there have been quite a few cars vandelized, broken into, and an attempted carjacking in the Astrodome vicinity over the past couple hours, and all workers should use extreme caution when entering or exiting their vehicles. They will be increasing security in the coming days.

Also, she mentioned that they are evidently not keeping these people inside the Astrodome facility...and many are roaming free around the area.

Who's idea was it to bring them here? Rick Perry? Did our local gov't leaders have any say in this matter? I'm all for helping them get back on their feet. But I don't think its good for Houston to have them here longterm. Ideally, I'd like to see these people get back on their feet, and take part in the rebuilding of their own city in some sort of Federal Work Project or something, have a stake in their own city.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder why there is no press coverage of these incidents...odd.

[mrfootball]

Ok, enough of the race crap!

You who are taking the side of the bleeding hearts, are honorable for your love of your fellow man, but ignorant of the realities of what we face here in Houston.

Now, I'm worried.

I just had a conversation with a man from a New Orleans suburb, who's family is staying at the home across the street. He said that we don't know what the hell we've gotten ourselves into. He said, "it's too bad, because you have a real nice city here...but you people are in for a nightmare like you've never seen before."

He went on to say that everyone in Houston has told them how sorry they felt for what we've been through, and he just looked at his wife and chuckled, "We're sorry for you! You're gonna get the worst part of it. Your getting all of the Most Gawdawful Project People in the country....and you ain't nevah gonna git rid of 'em" (New Orleans Dialect). "They won't work and your crime rate is gonna go through the roof if you let those Project people stay here."....."Sor-ry"

If you want an opinion about what we're in for, I suggest you go ask somebody from Louisiana. It's not a white or black thing, its a Houston thing...

I worry when people from Louisiana who lost everything feel sorry for us for what we've taken upon ourselves.

[RedScare]

I'm sure that was an unbiased opinion. I promise not to give an New Orleans residents directions to Cypress, if it makes you feel better.

[C2H]

Well i'm sorry, i do feel that the government may be trying. But how long will it last? Not to bring the race back into the picture but that's the harsh reality of America. And DJ, as a black man, i'm surprised you can't see that yourself! YO.

On the other hand, i wasn't stating that God chose the hurricane to target a race, i just found that pretty ironic how that's going to leave many blacks homeless and how more subseptible they will become to the system. And yes they might add to the fact that blacks are already killing eachother. The media already portrays most blacks, not just in New Orleans as looters who probably aren't worth the hunt anyway. Unfortunately it is a statistic that's been rehashes for many years: that blacks are the race that are more likely to committ violent crimes. That was my point. I hope they don't see most of the citizens of New Orleans as worthless, criminal do-nothings and give up on the mission alltogether.

I found this on the dallasforum as to what our President was doing at the time New Orleans was underwater.

http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthre...21&page=1&pp=50

See post #44. 7th one from the bottom

[mrfootball]

As a black man in Houston, I would be worried about what these people (N.O. refugees) are going to do to Houston's relatively 'good' race relations.

BTW, CNN just reported that the crime rate is soaring in Baton Rouge due to the refugees.

We're in trouble.

[greystone08(returns)]

I don't necessarily think it's an issue with race, myself but I will admit, the idea that C2H posted did cross my mind, but i was just never that bold enough to say it on this forum. But let's not make this an issue of black or white, let's just pray that the government is doing everything possible to help the victims of Katrina to safety.

And Mr. Footbal, i see what you're saying, but, i don't think it will make that much of an impact on Houston. It might do you good to be just a tad bit more compassionate for the people who lost their homes and some whoe've lost their lives. Remember, they didn't choose this to happen to them, it could've easily happened to one of us in Houston. That's my 2 cent.

grey