I think this deserves some extra attention.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/sep/14/relief_workers_victims_job_mix/?hurricane_katrinaWhat was envisioned as a mission of mercy to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina ended in anger and disillusionment for two Lawrence residents.
Instead of handing out food and water to victims in New Orleans, they found themselves under the supervision of no-nonsense, “kind of scary” foremen who had them cleaning up a hurricane-ravaged casino in Biloxi, Miss.
“I felt really bad about working on a casino for rich people when there are people suffering,” Kalila Dalton said...
...When Dalton and Tucker of Lawrence and others from the Kansas City area said they wanted to leave Biloxi, they were told there was no transportation for them and if they tried to walk away they risked being shot by National Guardsmen enforcing martial law...
The story gets worse. They were on the bus for 30 hours, upon arrival told that they could take a two hour nap, marched in file to the work site, told to
clean up a casino, given bologna sandwiches and oreos for dinner, told that they would work 16 hour days, bused to a hotel 2 hours away and allowed to sleep for 4 hours before getting up and starting all over again for 6 weeks pay rate of $7.50 an hour which they never got paid.
This is America?