Talk:Explosions hit waterfront in New Orleans, Louisiana

I really cannot understand this anymore. Hi, I am from Germany. This morning I heard in WDR ( a German Radio Station) that our Technical Aid Service is standing by since Wednesday with equipment like, machines to make drinking water, huge pumps, etc.) They could have been already there and serve about 50.000 people. But your president told the german aid organizations, that you could manage alone. To be honest, it doesn't look like. Are the americans too proud to take help from others? Do they rather let thousands of people die?

Second remark is about the looting. Even in the Tsunami where hundert thousands died, in 3rd world countries, there was help from the people to each other. I personally volunteered there and I have seen how even criminals from distroyed prisons were helping the people in danger. Instead of moving together and show humanity, the americans kill each other for a new television or other stolen goods.

I really believe now that there is something fundamently wrong in your country. I really hope that american citizens recognize that.

Regards from "good old europe"

frank / Cologne-Germany

• Frank, thank you for your astute observations. I must,in defense of the American people, take a stab at "why" many of our citizens act as they do. Firstly, because my comments might otherwise seem outrageous, for credibility purposes, I should draw you attention to the fact that my edit at the very top of the page here [[1]] BEFORE THE HURRICANE EVEN HIT LAND was the only prediction anywhere on the internet that the U.S. government's response would be so cavalier and ineffectual. Most non-Americans,(who our government refers to as "foreigners" or "aliens") make 2 faulty assumptions; One is that the USA is under the control of government officials who care about the bottom third (poor) people of America. If you think about this for a moment you will realize that is not the case. That is why 50 million WORKING Americans have no health insurance at all; the people on welfare are slightly better off because at least they receive crappy health care. I have come to the awkward conclusion that our most powerful politicians actually think its a good thing when the poorer people in America die unnecessarily; in fact, the 2 most powerful men in America actually belong to a sadistic cult which embraces predatory classism and believes that the poorer people are "barbarians" to be used,abused, exploited and killed (by commission or omission);[[2]][[3]]which goes a long way to explaining why poor Americans have such easy access to guns,crack and meth.

• The other faulty assumption is that the US government represents the American people. 97% of respondents to a CNN poll last month said that Congress is NOT representing their interests[[4]](near bottom). In effect, the US government has been hijacked by entrenched,career politicians who are supported by big multinational companies; and no matter how bad a job they do, 95% are re-elected. It is now a "fixed game" in America where the voter only has the choice of tweedle dee or tweedle dum. Both presidential candidates last time supported globalization and foreign military intervention while the American people support neither. There are 8 full time lobbiests assigned to each congressman in Washington. And recently, laws have been passed which make it financially and logistically impossible for anyone who is not a member of the Democrat or Republican party to run for office. Add to that the general educational deficiancies of many Americans[[5]]who have jobs as government officials and you have a country where f___ing up is the norm. If you remember, the emergency responders to the 9/11 attack did not have walkie talkies that worked. And just look at all the screwups leading up to and engaging in the War In Iraq. So, I've never been to Germany, but I have been to 8 other European countries; and the only one that treats its people worse than the USA does, is Albania. Right now, the male refugees at the Houston Astrodome,likely in shock, who accidently wander into the women's showers are immediately being arrested[[6]]. And as I'm sure you know; the worse people are treated, the worse they behave. Paulrevere2005 12:52, 2 September 2005 (UTC),

• It would have helped if your aid organization had bypassed the incompetent politically motivated top of the administration, and offered the aid directly to Louisiana (or even New Orleans) officials. Indeed, they should offer said aid now, embarassing Bush when New Orleans accepts. Nyarlathotep 14:29, 2 September 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for your remarks. I will try to speak to the head of our org in order to see whether we can contact the officials in Louisana directly. It simply feels to terrible seeing this pictures on TV and not be able to help. As I said the THW (technical aid organization) is standing by. I was really shocked to read through this thread. But I do not think looting it is a matter of richness or poorness. When I was in Sri Lanka after christmas, the people there were much poorer than the poorest in the US. But instead of looting everybody seems to give a hand and help and the normal crime rate is there very high as well. In my eye it has something to do with values, the people have. If US citizen are constantly beeing told that their nation is the greatest and richeest and so on, what must the poor people in your country feel? I wish there is something I could do... Good luck! Frank!

• It's not the "being poor" that facilitates looting; it's the way they have been treated all their lives (which is just like the way they've been treated after this hurricane) that facilitates looting. Paulrevere2005 13:03, 3 September 2005 (UTC)

Selective deletion of comments

I know that these talk pages are meant to be about the article's development. Routinely, however, they filled with hateful anti-americanism and absurd conspiracies. Routinely, any comments that counter this view are deleted. It's no shock really, and is the typical approach of the psuedo-left internet crowd.

Comment from deleter: It was your comments which were disrespectful and hateful. Verbally punching people in the face who want to help is NOT a constructive thing to do. This wasn't about politics but simply about someone who has the means and was willing to help and who was sad and frustrated about the problems in doing so. You were the one who brought politics into play as well as making a bunch of claims while providing no proof or sources at all. If you want to play promoting politic agendas while a disaster is unfolding, go somewhere else with your destructive behaviour.

Actually, I challenged his factual accuracy.

WIKINEWS, WHERE ARE YOU?

Where the hell are you? Every other media org is covering how incredibly late the Federal govt.'s response was to this disaster. But not a peep out of WIKINEWS. By now, EVEN Bush has admitted the response was inadequate. WIKINEWS seems to be very late in the game on things like this. I'm very dismayed in it's approach here with a headline that looked like it came striaght out of the onion or the classic '1984' novel.

I have to wonder if there is a lot of conservatives here who rabidly delete/edit factual news and headlines and hide behind a bullsh|t NPOV to promote their agenda here? - Cow 68.3.52.158

I think that anyone who has left or right sympathies that erupt into namecalling have no place at wikinews if it is to strive for neutrality. --Rakista 20:10, 5 September 2005 (UTC)