New Orleans Response: Food For Thought
 

For all the talk about lack of planning and not getting people out, how about some consideration. Sure they should have military personnel on hand to move people out (that would have gone over well, armed guards pulling into the poor parts of N.O.!) but also it was suggested buses.

So here's a scenario. You are a bus driver for Greyhound. The administration calls up the big bosses and says a big hurricane is coming to a major US city. There is little time to bring in the reserves or other help. He asks Greyhound to mobilize buses to help bring people out of the city who cannot get out on their own.

Big Boss says "sure, prez, how can we help?" Prez says that the poor ghetto areas are in need. "Can you please get your buses into [insert name of any inner city ghetto]?" ... Big Boss imagines sending his drivers, alone and unarmed, into the worst neighbourhoods in the country. He doesn't want to decline or when the press finds out he and his company will be labeled as insensitive, racist bastards.

So .. the call comes down to you, Mr. Average White Male Bus Driver. "Will you take your bus into [ghetto named above] and pick up a bus of people? You will be unarmed of course out of fear of being painted as racist for protecting yourself."

So Mr. Bus Driver, your response?

Yes. I'd do it.. No questions asked.

Yeah I'd be unarmed because my fear of being painted as a racist is far greater than that of being robbed or killed. And why does protecting yourself in a bad part of town automatically make you racist? Aren't you being racist by saying that the danger lays in color of skin and not the poverty and crime rate of the area?

They could have simply put a police officer on each bus if drivers were afraid to go into the really bad parts of the city. There are plenty of other scenarios which could have happened than your's which is a bit one sided "it has to happen this way".

I agree 100% - I was being very specific to illustrate a point. After the hurricane when armed military went to the convention center and stadium the people were complaining because they were armed. A day before people were complaining there was no law and order and that people were threatening others, shooting, etc.

You can't have it both ways.

The reality is there are a lot of places in major cities across America that no one would go under any circumstances without substantial protection. If the military drove into these ghettos with weapons the citizens would have complained about the fact they were armed while trying to rescue people!

Aren't the police and firefighters the ones who go door to door during evacuations to make sure the sick and elderly are taken care of?

i wouldnt be unarmed lol

That's all very fine & dandy, but the Airlines aren't having any troubles with it.

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/talla...s/12550406.htm

Completely different situation - this is airlines picking up people long after the hurricane. They are not driving into the city and it's most crime-ridden areas to pick them up!

yes I will do that, even unarmed. You are there to help not to do something bad...

They could of had national guards on every bus helping and protecting

This honky knows better to stay away from a group of thugs..I'd state there was mass flooding and had to avoid the area

They could have told everyone who wants public transportation out of town to get down to the super dome, and had buses lined up and ready to go. At that point there wouldn't be lawlessness and angry starving people. Supervised by national guard and police officers, this would have been a viable solution.

There would still be some criticism that many people couldnt get to the super dome, or whatever other pick up zone, but in the same breath it would have still saved a lot of lives.