Survival of New Orleans blog

[ollie]

Great reading! Very informative. And a live webcam taboot!

http://mgno.com/

[Esau]

Thanks for the link Ollie,I had posted a link (now gone,by me) to a thread on another board which a search & rescue worker had posted being shot at & almost robbed by the very people they went to rescue from off a roof of a home,much to the disaproval of a couple members who claimed it was bullshit that people were firing at cops,fireman & rescue workers.Although,this is an instance when I wish it was bullshit.

What I find utterly disgusting,aside from this type of shit going on,is people attempting to justify this behavior with points like :folks being poor or just trying to survive.Then slamming the US Gov't for wanting to bring in the national guard,ok then,[color:purple]I guess they should let the assholes shoot up the rescue workers...

From the above link:

I am not trying to be an alarmist, but until we get a military presence of signicance in the city, the roving gangs of thugs own the streets.

[edit to add]

Heres another,who knows if its legit:

Police scanner in NOLA indicating a fire at the Superdome. Farkers listening to the feed are posting updates in the comments section

This article posted to the main page on Thu, 01 Sep 2005 at 8:13 AM

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=1647609

Edited September 1, 2005 by Guest

[ollie]

Bump for anyone looking for some lunchtime reading. This blog is the shit.

[Ms.Huxtable]

Wow, I read the last four pages of the blog and that is one brave and level-headed dude.

I would be terrified to be in that situation.

[Steve from Cleveland]

Wow, I read the last four pages of the blog and that is one brave and level-headed dude.

Yeah, maybe, to a point... I don't know. I was reading it and got turned off by the following comments, which parallel some things being discussed in other threads. Bold parts highlight, to me, the most offensive parts...

Looting

Right now we're trying to show you all the looting. Guys pushing shopping carts with 40 Nike boxes in them. People breaking into cars. Assaulting ATM machines. It's hard just to sit by and do nothing. That's property that belongs to other people and these animals are just taking it.

You know, this crisis is going to end. One day it is going to be over, and people are going to have to live with themselves and the knowledge of how they behaved. The cowards, the thieves, the murderers. We're getting a guy on cam right now stealing tires from one car and putting them in his car. What a bunch of monkeys. No respect at all for their fellow man. Like I said, one day this is going to be over, and I hope the shame overwhelms these bastards.

I am about one shopping cart away from going down there and saying, "Yo homie, is that my briefcase?"

[Ms.Huxtable]

I felt the same when I read that, but read what's under that to get the whole picture. He's not refering to race, but the inhumanity of all the people outside.

[Steve from Cleveland]

Yeah, I understand... The problem I have with it is that those are the same words that OTHERS use to identify black people. And the "Yo, homie" part obviously IS focused on black people. Regradless of what dude says...

I know a lot of people who tell racist jokes and begin them by saying "I'm not racist, but check THIS out..." I am of the opinion that words are powerful, and there are ways to express one's displeasure at the situation WITHOUT using what could be described as inflammatory language.

Just my thoughts... And, to me, it tends to take away from any credibility of the site.

Steve

[ollie]

Hey Steve, you really should have included this part as well, which followed the text you quoted.

Edit: It's sad that I have to add this disclaimer, because some people are so hypersensitive to language, but "monkeys" and "animals" has NO racial undertones at all in the above, as was suggested by some dipshit in the comments section. If you're watching the cam you'll note that there are WHITE people, BLACK people, and HISPANIC people looting. It's interesting to note that I see no ASIANS looting, but I'll leave that observation to the sociologists to explain. Back to the point, don't bring your PC bullshit to this blog. This crisis is not about race, but about inhumanity. Got it?

Now whether you believe him or not is up to you.

[Esau]

Hmmm,could ya explain how this is refering to race?

That's property that belongs to other people and these animals are just taking it.

People (not one race) have been shooting at others,police,rescue workers,firemen,stealing off people,burning buildings etc.That in my opinion is behaving like animals.

What a bunch of monkeys.

My grandmother uses that to describe out of control children,my sisters actually.I still fail to see the race card being played here.

Yo homie, is that my briefcase?"

Again,I know many people of different races that speak that way...

Only insight into race I see here is from your interpretation of this guys comments.

[AD]

Seems interesting... I've been trying to get the page to load but no luck yet. It's probably very busy... Will keep trying.

ad

[Steve from Cleveland]

Yep, should have added that other part... Thanks for including it. As for anything else, I'm just going by my experience... When I've heard people referred to as 'monkeys' it's usually in reference to black people. Hence the racist implications I associated with it. Yes, people of all races might say thinks liek "yo, homie" but again, to me, when I hear people who wouldn't ordinarily talk like this use that sort of phrase, it's in reference to black people. I'm not trying to speak for the guy himself, I was just pointing out that these comments COULD be construed as racial commentary, and that more appropritae language could have been used which just as clearly expresses his displeasure...

And again, most racial jokes start out with a caveat by the teller "I'm not racist." Well, that's fine to say, but then why are you telling joks which perpetuate racism?

Steve

[Esau]

I myself have not read what I would describe as inflammatory lanuage. Although,your assumptions could also be construed incorrectly.Are you calling him racsist towards blacks? Has he even mentioned his race or how he "normally" talks?(I honestly haven't noticed)

According to Merriam-Webster.(since "looting" was also highlighted.

Looting:

Main Entry: 1loot

Pronunciation: 'lüt

Function: noun

Etymology: Hindi lut; akin to Sanskrit luntati he plunders

1 : goods usually of considerable value taken in war : SPOILS

2 : something held to resemble goods of value seized in war: as a : something appropriated illegally often by force or violence b : illicit gains by public officials c : MONEY

3 : the action of looting

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=loot

In my opinion it seems rather accurate.

[ollie]

Seems interesting... I've been trying to get the page to load but no luck yet. It's probably very busy... Will keep trying.

ad

Here's an alternate link that is working.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

[rubberdinghy]

from our fave cnn.com...

New Orleans hospital halts patient evacuations after coming under sniper fire, a doctor who witnessed the incident says. More soon.

[Steve from Cleveland]

Looting was highlited, because that was the Title of the entry... Not because I found it offensive.

That being said, I do not claim to know WHAT the guy actually intended. However, I construed what he said as racist (And others did as well, because of the coments and the fact that he edited the post to include the disclaimer). I stand by my statement that there are ways to convey one's feelings of displeasure at a situation without referring to people as monkeys. I would think that the average person would agree that such a statement COULD be construed as racist. Regardless what his intentios were... And despite that your grandmother called your sisters monkeys, when they are out of control, I assume you have ALSO heard black people called monkeys as a racial slur SOME TIME in your life?

All I'm REALLY trying to say is that I was turned off by it, and that if one needs to explain that their comments AREN'T racist, then there was probably a better way for them to have expressed their thoughts originally.

Just my $.02

Steve

[ollie]

From the blog... this is hell on earth:

It's raining now and I guess that's a relief from the heat. It's hot as hell down there in the sun. Crime is absolutely rampant: rapes, murders, rape-murder combinations.

[Esau]

That being said, I do not claim to know WHAT the guy actually intended. However, I construed what he said as racist (And others did as well, because of the coments and the fact that he edited the post to include the disclaimer). I stand by my statement that there are ways to convey one's feelings of displeasure at a situation without referring to people as monkeys. I would think that the average person would agree that such a statement COULD be construed as racist. Regardless what his intentios were... And despite that your grandmother called your sisters monkeys, when they are out of control, I assume you have ALSO heard black people called monkeys as a racial slur SOME TIME in your life

Guess that depends on the person,many also did not percieve his comments as racist.I've heard many racial slurs in my lifetime and yes,I have heard monkeys used in a racial manner,BUT,more so then not I have heard it used about children.

Just as it could be construed one way,it can easily be read another,that depends on the individuals way of thinking,I generally don't assume people are racists or being racist by the slang they use.Unless its blantant,I try to see where they are coming from.

How many times have you heard a person say "yo"? Now,no-one normally spoke like that,it was created slang,perhaps peculiar to blacks,but now-a-days every kid of every race uses it,same with the word "homie".

I'm not claiming I don't make comments here or there that could be construed the wrong way,in fact,I know I do.I just know I am not racist & wouldn't want to be accused of being racist.If I was,I'm sure I would edit this post & add a disclaimer to it also.

Just my opinion.

[timouse]

wow. just read the high points of this guy's page, and i'm astounded by the matter-of-fact way in which he gets across that the place is a mess...it speaks volumes that an apparently sane american is begging the army to come in to his town, fully understanding the curtailment of civil rights that that entails...

jeebus help the folks in new orleans...

[ollie]

Bumping this to share one of today's entries, which should appeal to the anti-authoritarian types among us.

6:14 am Last Night

Sometime around midnight, a squad of 82nd Airborne guys accompanied by a US Marshall busted into our Data Center with their M4-A1s to investigate the lights and movement. Personally, I know they were just bored -- there's no way they honestly thought there was some kind of threat up here just yards away from several huge military and police presences. Anyway, they came up and demanded to account for us all. That means they told Donny, who was still up, to come wake up Crys and me in the side closet room type area where we sleep. I could hear Donny telling them that I was exSpecial Forces as he came to get me. He stuck his head in and explained the situation while I made Crys get up and get dressed. We came out and I gave the Marshall a sheepish look which said was this really enough fun for to relieve your boredom? He kind of knew they shouldn't be up here -- I think it was Crystal's being here which really made him snap out of it. He began apologizing and I could tell the yound soldiers with him were really shy about having seen Crystal come out too.

But I didn't let them all off that easily. "Hey, I understand. I know you guys are just doing your job." He kept apologizing. Then I put them to work. "So wait, how did you get up here anyway? We locked this building down....

The Marshall claimed that one of the emergency exits -- the one on the Lafayette Square side had been open. I knew this was bullshit. For one thing, Sig and I tied down and concealed that door. It would have taken a group of guys to open it. For another Lafayette Square is to the south of our building. The only lights visisble are from Poydras to the north. Am I to believe that they bypassed the obvious entrances (also locked down) to look for one they didn't even know existed and it just happened to be open?

No, they searched for a way in, and by the time they got around back and found the emergency exit, they were ready to break in, so they did.

"Wait, we secured that exit. That means that this building might have other people in it," I told them.

They all knew what was coming next. If it was their job to check on lights and movement to look for people who didn't belong there....

I asked them to sweep the building for us.

And they did. All 27 floors of it with no elevators.

If you want to play soldier with me, I will make you play it a lot longer than you had in mind.

Crystal and I went back to bed secure in the knowledge that a US Marshall and a squad from the 82nd Airborne cleared 27 floors and the roof of our temporary residence. And then they secured the door they must have spent 45 minutes breaking into.

Most restful sleep I've had all week.

Good morning, world.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/