Would you just get on a bus and relocate to different part of the country?

[prolesunited]

You've just been traumatized beyond belief, lost all you own, perhaps some pets or family members, and an official of the system -- the same kind who told you to go to the Superdome and abandoned you there for days without food or water -- walked up and told you to get on a bus or plane and they would take care of you, would you go?

Do you think these evacuees will be embraced in Utah? How about Texas, which has abysmal education, health and environmental records? What about D.C., who has urban problems on par with what they had?

How ungrateful can you be to not just pull up all of your roots and move to another part of the country to face the unknown. What if you end up homeless and on the streets? At least in the South, you won't freeze.

Already, communities have expressed concern and an unwillingness to accept them. And who would think that would be the case after all that overplay in the media on looting, rape and shootings?

Their "solution" is not one at all.

[jedicord]

1. If I had nothing and nothing to go home to, yes.

Back in the days when I had no stuff, it was easy moving around.

But back then, I was young, discovering myself, and it was fun.

I can't fathom doing it now.

[prolesunited]

6. They have nothing

BUT extended family and connection to a sense of place and history -- and now they want to take that away from them as well.

[tx_dem41]

11. No...they want to get them to a shelter...something we spent a week..

demanding for here at DU. Louisiana, itself, is overloaded with evacuees. They have to go somewhere. Thank goodness, they have places to take them. And, God bless the volunteers that are taking them in.

[Bluebear]

17. Mass. and New Hampshire were expecting them today but they no-showed!

The press said that the evacuees did not want to come up here...some said they were missing family members and wanted to stay close in case they could find them. Some said they were fearful of missing paying their bills and such, and some just plain did not want to leave the area. So they didn't come. Shame, too, I was looking forward to welcoming them to our community!

[tx_dem41]

25. Bless N.H. and Mass for stepping up!

Thanks, Bluebear.

[prolesunited]

18. A shelter in another part of the country?

And then what? Are they going to ship them to a place they want to settle? I'm guessing if you don't have friends or family paying to send you somewhere else, you are stuck.

And, I am in no way denigrating the volunteers or those places you have opened their communities.

[tx_dem41]

28. Having heard firsthand accounts from family/friends in my hometown...

...I'm happy for anybody that wanted to get out of there and did. Funny, here in Dallas, I haven't heard anyone complaining about being here.

[txindy]

30. That's because Texas is close to Louisiana

Do you seriously believe that any of these people will ever have paid transportation back to NO or whatever town they came from? Because it won't happen. I think they know that (or suspect it) and that's one of the reasons why they don't want to be yanked off to Utah or any other state so far away from their true home.

[Helga Scow Stern]

2. Nominated! This is a very important issue.

It has been giving me a bad feeling. I have heard reports of them being shipped to airplane hangars for 90 days and then relocating them in their "new communities." So far, I have heard of Riverside, CA, and Idaho being used for this.

If this doesn't sound like these people being treated like second class citizens or "refugees," I don't know what does.

What's this about telling them where they can live? Automatically assigning them to less than acceptable conditions when what they need most now is to restabilize.

It is really, really bothering me.

[prolesunited]

8. Thank you for nominating this

I wish I had more historical/sociological references at to diaspora at my fingertips to place this in context.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. March AFB? I can't believe how they are scattering these people

around. Makes me think they have no intention of ever sending them back home. :cry:

[sandnsea]

3. Probably not

After I lost my home in a fire, my local community did an amazing job at helping me and my family. They had the money to rent me a house and I couldn't even make that decision, one of our friends finally chose the nicest house and said we deserved it and could move later if we wanted to. My 6 year old slept with his toothbrush for days because that's the only thing that was "his". People have no clue what it is like to be in this situation. I wish they would back off these people and let them heal at their own place and in the locations THEY choose.

[prolesunited]

10. I've never experienced something like that

and hope it never does happen to me. Thanks for sharing your experience and hope you've recovered some semblance of normal.

[sandnsea]

31. Pretty much

I imagine everybody is different. The two most notables for me was the inability to buy anything new or collect momentos. I'm finally over that one, after ten years. The other is the fear of fire, which only comes on me when I leave home for a long period of time. It's fleeting, a thought that I just accept as part of myself now, "hope the house didn't burn down", I don't even fight it anymore. Otherwise, it only took a year or so to be relatively normal, although people want you to be "okay" within a few months. I can't even imagine what some of these people are feeling because they not only lost their homes, but many almost lost their lives and did lose loved ones, and saw who knows what as well. Tragic. Many will need a lot of support for a long time to come.

[cynatnite]

4. It would be devastating for me

We just bought our house and have invested our lives into it. We plan on living here for the rest of our lives. It's home.

I couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose everything like that and then to live in shelters and skirted around from place to place.

Many of these people have no idea where they are going next. Can you imagine the uncertainty? The kids have got to be suffering as well from all the upheaval.

:cry:

[prolesunited]

12. Actually, I think the kids

are much more resilient and rooted to "place." I hope this works out for as many as possible, but I have serious doubts.

[cynatnite]

16. I grew up never staying in more than one place a few years

it was very hard and making friends even harder.

Add the trauma these kids suffered on top of it and I see many of them having difficulties.

[all.of.me]

5. i HAVE just gotten in my car and driven to a new place. BUT!

not under these circumstances. under stressful ones, no doubt, but nothing like this.

many of these folks have never been out of nola, someone said even generations of families have never left! that place is home and history. leaving under these conditions will be traumatic. or rather ... being bussed out under these conditions will be traumatic.

[anarchy1999]

7. If you spend too much time thinking about their solutions you start to

lose your mind. There are so many things wrong in so many directions. Everything you said about Texas is true. Some group was having a job fair in Dallas and they said over the radio shuttles would be provided for the shelters. It's a moments like that, just WTF? A job fair the day after you arrive from hell? I also asked Mr. A what job's, where?

Why is Halliburton and KBR being hired to rebuild their city? I'd be willing to bet a good number would like to go home and to earn money while rebuilding their city.

damned it all!!

[htuttle]

9. I did that once, after a divorce

Ended up homeless living under a bridge for almost a year as a result, too.

I can tell you that it's far, far worse to be homeless somewhere you don't know anyone than being homeless in your own community.

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. *hugs* I am so sorry

------------------------------------------------------
Save the Gulf:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=22507&mesg_id=22507

Then save the nation!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[elehhhhna]

15. 5th nom.

[prolesunited]

21. Thanks

It's important to talk about this. I don't want the communities and volunteers to be disappointed, as seen above, or for the evacuees be seen as ungrateful. It's just such a complicated, emotional issue with no absolutes.

[Lindsay]

19. Thank you. This is a very important topic that our

"government" clearly has no understanding of. It's particularly difficult for people whose families have lived in New Orleans for generations, and whose strength and support system has been extended family.

The (mal)administration has been very concerned about the oil industry, but has no clue about what people need. Nor do they care.

:mad:

[Catherine Vincent]

20. I fear a lot of evacuees will go in deep depression

(if they're not already). The kids will probably bounce back okay but the adults will have problems. I am certain of this. That is why it is very important for these citizens to get back together with their family members. Right now, that is all they have.:-(

[donheld]

22. No! They would have to give me some Idea as to where i was headed

There are many places I'd be glad to go, and a few places that I'd rather be dead.

[napi21]

23. YES I would. I wouldn't leave without my dogs though!

I know, a lot of you think that's nuts too, but my kids are grown and gone, and my little Bichons are my kids now. I would NEVER go anywhere without them, but to walk away from a place that's been destroyed, hell yes!

[prolesunited]

26. I don't think they are letting people

take their pets on the buses and planes or accommodating them at the shelters. This has been one of the big issues.

[DemocracyInaction]

24. I think there is trouble brewing

Fast forward to a few weeks down the road. These temporary residences cannot withstand this communal living for that long a time. I'm afraid we are going to start seeing some really bad things going down as "host" areas try to rid themselves of these people. I think (rightfully so)these people are going to errupt. It's one thing to know you have to stay someplace for X period of time and then can go home. But, not having an end in sight is going to create horrible emotional pressures on these people. And you can bet that the media and fuckheads like Rush will exploit any and all incidents in their crusade to make this unnecessary hell into it's "their" (the Black, the poor)fault and to demonize them. This isn't over. Not by a long shot. I imagine that armed police are not far away.

[theboss]

27. What's the alternative?

Under the best scenario, NOLA won't be safe to live in for months.

[tinrobot]

29. The only thing they have left is each other.

People have lost their homes, their photographs, everything of value. The only thing of value left is the connections people have to others in their communities.

By going to some strange state, they will lose those connections as well. I can understand why they don't want to go.

[Piperay]

32. Yes, I would

I would relocate to a whole new country.

[prolesunited]

36. So, someone could put you on a plane

to destinations unknown and you would be happy?

[Piperay]

38. No, I wouldn't be happy about

all I lost but that is the biggest reason I would take this opening to get out of a country that has so little regard for it's citizens.

[CitySky]

33. here in Houston

almost everyone I've talked to intends to stay.

Last week we had a housing "glut" - about 70,000 vacant apartments in the region, of varying quality of course. Apartments are filling up fast now, with many management companies waiving their usual requirements -- allowing people to move in with no deposit or credit card deposits, permitting month-to-month leases, and so on -- and signing up new tenants as fast as they can. At least one company is letting people stay until October 1 rent-free before making a decision about whether they're staying on or not.

Schools are rapidly hiring Louisianna teachers and retired TX teachers, and the Houston schools are set up to register 1,000 new kids A DAY since yesterday.

Area employers put on a job fair for evacuees at another large arena (the one left that's not being used as a shelter :) ) this morning.

Even for those WITHOUT set plans, i can see why another relocation at this point wouldn't work. Their lives were in danger. Now they feel safe. They need some time to collect their thoughts. People aren't cargo; you can't just move them from A to B to C without it having an effect.

I do appreciate the generosity of people in states like MA and AZ who wanted to help with shelter. But I understand why people wouldn't want to be moved again so soon. Couple that with the uncertainty about when they'd ever be able to afford a bus ticket back to family and friends in the Texas-Louisianna-Arkansas region, and you can see why the plan didn't work.

If you still want to help, send SOCKS. And UNDERWEAR. There's only so much used clothing a person wants to wear, you know what I'm saying? ;)

[bloom]

34. I'm thinking about leaving anyway, but

as posted on another thread:

"The lower Gulf States have a
language, a history, a social dynamic, a faith, a societal structure,
and a ritual system unlike any other in America. These people have lived in and been acculturated to this system for generations."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4683757&mesg_id=4683757

My family generational roots come from all over the country (Rhode Island, Maine, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Utah and California) - not just one place - so it's not the same for me as I would expect it to be for others. In fact - if anything - my family history tells me it's time to move.

[prolesunited]

35. Thank you for posting that

It really is important. They're not complaining about Texas because it has a more similar environment and at least doable if they decide to return.

But Maine or Utah? It might as well be another planet.

[LeahD]

37. There are evacuees in Albuquerque, and tonight on the local news,

they highlighted the story of an extended family of twelve. They want to go back to Louisiana, north of New Orleans, where they have either friends or family. Albuquerque-ans are taking survivors into their homes, and apartments are being made available. Geez, they've flown people to distant states, who could have been taken to places much closer to home!

[prolesunited]

39. I heard on CSPAN this morning

That Mississippi had tons of bed space up north available, so why are they being shipped so far away?

Anyone have more info on the situation in Mississippi?

[Callalily]

40. I suspect so . . .

If you’d have no place to go and no means of support, I suspect each and every one of us would swallow our pride and accept help. Here in Wisconsin people are offering to open up their homes to flood victims. In the Madison area in particular there’s a great effort planned to assist evacuees, but at the moment, much to everyone’s dismay, this plan has been put on hold. But that is by no means stopping their effort. Plans will still remain in effect until relocation can be initiated.

Other areas of Wisconsin too have offered to open up their homes, secure housing, and offer employment. It’s totally heartwarming.

Yes, the resilience, the graciousness, the fortitude of U.S. citizens is once again being tested, and as typical, everyone is up to the challenge and accepting it head-on. Kudos for all!!!

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1477266/posts

http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/local/index.php?ntid=53316&nt_adsect=edit

[Spike from MN]

41. Different country? Hell yes! Different part of the same

screwed-up country I live in? Ah, maybe, but that would be kind of a "lateral" move so there would really be nothing for me to gain by doing that. But if I did, I'd still want to know what choices I had so I could pick where I wanted to go vs. being shoved on a bus without being told where I was going. Or being flown to the WRONG Charleston for that matter.

But I'm pretty flexible and don't have any family or any real ties to where I live so my situation is a lot different. I also haven't been through the trauma that these guys have gone through and that's another HUGE thing to consider. Are we treating the evacuees with the proper respect and consideration that they deserve? Hell no. Obviously, they can't go back to NO right now and they need to live SOMEWHERE but the way it's being handled is just not right. Not at all.

But I do want to extend thanks to all of the communities that are taking them in and all the volunteers that are working so hard to help them get settled and adjust to their new places. You're doing what you can to help out and you are NOT the problem. Our government is.

[imperialismispasse]

42. No I wouldnt

Especially not without my family. I can imagine somebody trying to tell me that my girl is getting on a different bus to go somewhere across the country after we lived through a hurricane together. Ha!

[SmokingJacket]

43. Everyone's different, each evacuee has a different set of needs...

Some may have been beaten down by poverty in NO, lost what little they had, and see relocating as a chance for a new life.

Others *loved* NO, have strong family connections in the city and in surrounding towns, and would rather live in city STILL than leave.

For others, it's just too soon to decide.

[abluelady]

44. This Has Been On My Mind, Too

These people need a "safe" place to get their heads together. I can't see a shelter being that place.

Thousands of people are offering their homes to victims of the storm. Personally, I think that might work, but even then, how much empathy can most of us give in this situation. Thank goodness we haven't been through it.