Liberty's Blog

Who's in Charge?

Lawlessness and anarchy in New Orleans. Who's responcible. The leadership in New Orleans is impotent, and no one apears in charge. There is no excuse for not getting food and water into the city and into the refuge centers. People are pulled off the roofs and wandering in, yet ther is no food, no water for them. Where was the National Guard Tuesday and Wedensday? They are only starting arrive today.

"Right now we are out of resources at the convention center and don't anticipate enough buses," Nagin said in a statement.

At least seven bodies were scattered outside the convention center, a makeshift staging area for those rescued from rooftops, attics and highways. The sidewalks were packed with people without food, water or medical care, and with no sign of law enforcement.

An old man in a chaise lounge lay dead in a grassy median as hungry babies wailed around him. Around the corner, an elderly woman lay dead in her wheelchair, covered up by a blanket, and another body lay beside her wrapped in a sheet.

"I don't treat my dog like that," 47-year-old Daniel Edwards said as he pointed at the woman in the wheelchair.

"You can do everything for other countries, but you can't do nothing for your own people," he added. "You can go overseas with the military, but you can't get them down here."

The street outside the center, above the floodwaters, smelled of urine and feces, and was choked with dirty diapers, old bottles and garbage.

"They've been teasing us with buses for four days," Edwards said. "They're telling us they're going to come get us one day, and then they don't show up."

It doesn't sound to as though that those supposedly in charge have ever heard of the Incident Command System Fortunatly the situation at the Astrodome seems organised and structured. So far all seems well run.

posted by Liberty @ 9:46 PM