Kenny,
If the piece is about US culture, then I would think that there are people in the US who are beginning to stretch and alter the rules to suit themselves, but speaking of this, I think that maligning another poster who hasn’t even posted onto this particular forum, is stretching the rules of the forum also.

Of course, call me names if you think that I am wrong.

Eh, Timkins is right Kenny. The comment re B-D was a bit of a low blow.

But back on topic. It has been quite shocking, not only how little has been organised (I was rather surprised they were bus'ing and copter'ing people out... where were the hercules aircraft or similar?), but also the lack of pitch-in from various groups. Like the lack of body collection by anyone- yes, a grotty, nasty, uncomfortable job. But after the Tsunami the bodies were collected as soon as possible. In this situation they are being left to rot with people saying "oh well, we're tasked with helping the living"... yes, true. But in stopping rotting bodies further polluting the water, you WOULD be helping the living.

Anyway, it has been a strange example of bungled rescue, lack of leadership and direction, and an odd lack of compassion from so many areas... Why did they send in the National Guard before teams of doctors and nurses? Why were the media able to find people easier than the formal rescuers? Why was the city so ill-prepared that people did not have water and food stockpiled for this sort of eventuality? Even if this is a once-in-a-hundred-years storm, they do get hurricanes every year that knock out the power at the very least...

Many questions will be asked in the coming months no doubt.

Yeah, look, I’m simply unconvinced as to the clarity the devastation wrought by hurricane Katrina on New Orleans can bring to the States’ alleged racial, class etc divide.

I’m sure it’s all so fascinating slash delicious for our Australian and international media, but the facts don’t quite stack like the tasty rhetoric.

Let us not forget that, unlike in the case of the Indian Ocean tsunami, ample warning was given as to the threat of the coming storm. As such, those left in New Orleans were the infirm, poor, borderline criminal and, yes, black underclass. A potent mix, of course. What an opportunity to terrorise one’s neighbours and rip off one’s local Wal Mart.

When the cyclonic winds and surging waves crashed into New Orleans, those left within the doomed city were those most likely to descend into anarchy. So, while the outcome of Katrina with its lawless and despicable caprice is tragic, it is hardly a foundation on which to build a critique of modern America.

No-one’s going to get anywhere selling such a lemon in the long-term. I say stop pillaging the obvious, lazy Yankee Doodle clichés and start applying a bit of intellectual rigour to the situation.

Dear Botany

I think the course of events in New Orleans are the best indication to date of the fundamental weaknesses in American society. The fact that we point this out doesn't make us anti-American.

Many American are also talking and writing of the forgotten black underclass in New Orleans and seeing this as a failure in their society.

Many of those remaining in the city were old and white in underfunded nursing homes who were left with their carers to fend for themselves while healthy richer younger families shipped out in their SUVs two days beforehand.

Your comments on the article are no deeper than anyone else's and you seem a bit insensitive about those who remained - was it because they were mostly black?

Thanx guys for your support.. KENNY was indeed 'mean' :) but its cool, life would be boring otherwise.

Now Kenny, I'll give you the ammo you need to make your statement less mindless :)

I note (as simple observation of fact) that the major area hit by the Tnusami was an area of 'radical Islam' and the Hurricane Katrina was an area of 'radical debauchery' (the term used by the locals "Southern Debauchery".)

Its a bit of a long bow to start claiming "God was judging" and to say it with anything other than a sense of "Well, He has done so in the past"

In the case of Israel, God repeatedly warned them and warned them... and WARNED them.... that if they went after idolatry and debauchery, they would get it in the neck... to put it bluntly. They had spiritual and social responsiblities based on the covenant relationship, and in their case, to walk away from this, was serious stuff.

If the Old testament says anything, it clearly and unequivocally declares that Gods patience with mankind does have limits.
Flood, Babel, Exiles.

Romans 1 is crystal clear about devient practices

24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

Romans 2
5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

KENNY...perhaps that righteous judgement... was revealed ?

It is interesting how differrent people percieve the same event and give differing accounts. The comments raised on the post Katrina days are not just to 'have a go' at the USA. The actions of the United States in general have shown the weaknesses and cracks in the 'super armour'. There is no social structure in the USA for transporting those unable to leave with buses or even accomodation. The country has very little social structure in place. We do take it for granted in Australia that 'help' will be there. One needs to understand the American psyche which is vastly different from our own culture. My strong criticism is the fact that for many days, people were left stranded in buildings which had be utilised for safety during and after hurricane activity - namely the Stadium. The very fact that soldiers, journalists were allowed to access the area, yet medical personnel, food, water was not allowed in. This is fact. People died from dehydration, diabetic shock, general shock, heart attacks and many other reasons. Most of these people would have lived had necessary attention been given. Yes, many were unable to leave prior to the Hurricane and I doubt that many would want to stay just for the fun of breaking into Walmart. Meanwhile, whilst they died, the water and medicine was sitting in trucks in Baton Rouge and other places. There is no reason at all that any Government can give for allowing its people to die without offering help and aid. The vision of children crying and dying is one I can not erase.