Women and Children first in the Superdome...

[ScreamingMeemie]

Just reported. :( :cry: I am frightened for these people.

[eyesroll]

1. Can I ask why in 2005 we're doing "women and children first?"

Or is that just an expression to indicate really dire straights?

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. That's what was reported on the news from just a few minutes ago.

I would think that old fashioned thought processes are still in place.

[eyesroll]

12. I suppose so.

It's sad, either way.

Children first, yeah, because they really can't fend for themselves or find alternate arrangements (not that there are any -- but kids can't even scramble). But I'm thinking about my own situation -- let's say officials call for a mandatory evacuation of Milwaukee, when I'm at my BF's house and his daughter is there, too. There's room for two of us on the bus -- a women-and-children-first policy would separate a father and child.

Still, I know that's not the focus or purpose of your post -- it's damn scary at the thought that a shelter is too small/underequipped/overwhelmed to accommodate everyone.

[Horse with no Name]

22. It's not because they don't have the room

They are just trying to get the women and children out of the weather.
They'll meet back up inside.

[dweller]

18. see this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4490303#4490387

for the 'women and children' reference.

i hope this is the last of those waiting.
dp

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. They have already stated that most are inside the superdome if

you look further down on this thread. :hi: I still think it's a crock. :hi:

[laureloak]

15. Why wouldn't women and children be first?

The men are the stronger sex. They may be needed around the perimeter to sandbag, etc. Makes perfect sense to me.

[eyesroll]

20. I can't imagine sandbagging this.

It's GET THE FUCK OUT time. Sandbags won't help. There's nothing that untrained people, no matter how strong, can do at this point except get out or hunker down.

Besides, worse comes to worse, I could sandbag better than a man twice my size, if I wasn't wondering if my three-year-old child was scared shitless or worse among a stadium full of strangers, and he was.

[HEyHEY]

41. There'd be sandbags flying around town hitting people

[lastknowngood]

32. If you don't understand why women and childern first. I feel sad

for you and those around you.

[Tyranny_R_US]

34. I dont think anyone understands that silly "rule" its no different from...

EVERY MAN for himself! In this situation by splitting up people are you only complicating and delaying things it should open for everyone.

[Bill McBlueState]

36. I'm sure she appreciates your pity.

I do think it's a little old-fashioned, the idea that all women should be treated one way and all men another. How about, those who are able, help; those who are not, get inside.

[Eloriel]

38. Yeah, if there's ever a time for full equality for women, it's at a time

like this. Wouldn't want women (and their children) to have any better advantages in the category of who gets rained on or not (this was yesterday, btw, waiting to get into the Dome).

[faithnotgreed]

40. fortunately you have full rights/unfortunately its when a category 5

full force hurricane is descending

the whole "fortunately unfortunately" book thing

ha
eloriel your post really did make me laugh out loud and i couldnt help posting to it

[etherealtruth]

3. I must stop following the coverage for a while ...

I have become emotionally overwhelmed by thoughts of the people effected ... mostly the poor or working folk.

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. Exactly...those who cannot "afford" to be safe, won't be safe.

And the disdain shown for those who have no other recourse on the part of the newscasters is disgusting.

[Neshanic]

4. Link? Television?

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. It was on the link for live coverage.

http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=beloint_wwltv&props=livenoad

They just now said most people were inside.

[crispini]

5. They have footage of people on the field

but I thought for sure they said the field was gonna flood? :scared:

[spacelady]

6. First to what? That's always the hard part. n/t

[jsamuel]

7. "women and children first" is biologically better for procreation

so it isn't just based on social customs

Children need to survive for the next generation.
The number of women present in a society is exactly proportional to the number of children that the society can produce.

[sybylla]

14. So what if there is an 8 yo girl and her father standing at the gate

Is she to be sent in alone wondering if her father will survive? If he will find her when he gets in? Will she and her father be forced to choose to wait rather than to be separated merely because of these barbaric rules?

Please, it's sexist bullshit, pure and simple.

[ultraist]

23. It's not really sexist. Woman usually are the caretakers of children.

That is a fact. Yes, it may be sexist that women, by far, carry the child rearing load, but it IS the reality in our society. It seems logical to me, to let the children and those who care for them through first.

[Hello_Kitty]

29. Newsflash: There are more than enough people in the world.

Which is not to suggest that any loss of life isn't tragic and every effort shouldn't be made to prevent deaths. It's just that replacements won't be desperately needed to ensure the continuation of the human race at this time. Therefore, there is no need for that sexist practice.

But you know who's really going to get screwed? Single, childless people. We're expendible.

[dweller]

31. well, dammit ccbombs

we're just going to have to clone you.

:hi:

just don't want you to feel left out of the :hi: , and trying to make light at the moment of the oncoming night's news.

dp

[Tyranny_R_US]

35. So does this mean gays and people who adopt should be last?

[jsamuel]

39. hehe, no, I was just trying to explain the history of it, not excuse it

[Mend]

9. Apparently the Natl Guardsmen are checking

for alcohol and guns, which is what is taking so long. Maybe they think the women and kids are less likely to be carrying weapons. Just guessing.

[dweller]

16. from another thread

they are checking the women and children first to allow them in, they are down to a few hundred in line, with 15k already inside.

they are trying to finish up the checkin process.

i don't know if the OP understands the statement as delivered by the news channel in relation to the actual situation.

see here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4490303#4490387

dp

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. I think OP understood it correctly as it was stated by the newscaster

who assumed that the women and children should be first out of the elements. The OP then went on to post a short time later that it appeared most who were in line were already inside. Thank you for your concern. :hi:

[dweller]

27. this is tough, MrsG

i just saw the other thread, i didn't want you to expect the worst, no matter how bad it already looks.
I hope you don't think i was questioning you. I listened to a local Fox/Sinclair station a bit ago, they are in full hype of the devastation potential. . . it was informative NOT.

hoping for the best for those in the worst places right now.



:hi:
dp

[ScreamingMeemie]

28. The Superdome thing just makes no sense to me...Here in Detroit,

we had the Silverdome. Constructed much like the Superdome. During a really bad storm the roof collapsed. The air pressure on the inside could not fight back against the storm raging on the outside. It's like a giant tent. And it truly makes me heartsick for those people. :hi:

No harm, no foul. :hi:

[ultraist]

17. That could be it, if they are screening them. Men are far more violent.

Men are more likely to carry weapons. (Males committ 85% of violent crimes in the US).

They said they wouldn't turn anyone away, but they also said it's likely the superdome will flood. If they are putting people right on the ground, that could be really bad!

[Maru Kitteh]

33. checking for guns - consider this nightmare scenario

There very well may be up to 60,000 people packed into the dome tonight. When it begins to flood there will be a bit of panic and a rush to get to the upper deck. Is the upper deck designed to handle a load like that? Do they know exactly how many people it is capable of supporting with a major water intrusion deforming and weakening the building? Will they cut off the upward rush once that limit is reached, sacrificing the relatively few to save the many? Is this one of reasons why they needed to make sure that the guard were the only ones who were armed?

It just doesn't feel like this could possibly be happening.

[fudge stripe cookays]

37. Oh God Veg....

That's so sickening I don't even know if I could contemplate it.

I'm not a praying person, but in this case, now I'm even more worried about those people.

FSC

[bpilgrim]

11. right after the strip search

:crazy:

peace

[crispini]

13. Imagine what it'll be like in there.

They're going to lose power. It'll be dark. It'll be hot. There will be thousands of panicked kids. The toilets are going to stop working. And when will it be over? Who knows.

Good lord, it's like a disaster movie.

[MellowOne]

25. I pray they have planned for that

What about food and water?

[ScreamingMeemie]

26. National guard has brought bottled water and MRE's

:hi:

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Me too

It's so horrible. :( I'm definitley praying and sending positive energy as much as I can. I just hope and pray they're protected and make it through this. It will be a miracle if they do. :( It's times like these I'm glad I live in the area I do. We don't have to worry about any problems with floodings, earth quakes, snow storms etc.

[wli]

30. it's the dumbass dragnet that's slowing them down n/t