Our First Katrina Refugees

Jay Honeck wrote:

A bunch of buses went down from DC and came back mostly empty as well.
Washington and Iowa aren't on the top of people's list to relocate to.

DC I understand, but I wonder what the beef is with Iowa ... unless
they've been reading Jay's recent posts ... :-)


Well, given the number of states that have offered space -- and been ignored
or turned down -- perhaps the crisis is past?

Dunno, but doesn't it seem odd that folks are choosing to live in a flooded
cesspool rather than accepting free housing all over the country?

No, it doesn't. Accepting free housing all over the country means
leaving home and accepting change. These people are already going to
have to deal with more "change" than they ever wanted - they don't
want to add any more if they can help it.

These are people who cannot conceive of moving even to someplace like
Monroe, LA, because it would be so far from home and family, and it's
not just the under-educated that think this way. (My wife worked with
an engineer who turned down a job offer that would have involved an
equivalent scale of relocation because his wife thought this way.) It's
also an attidude that is not limited to the deep south - I've seen it
expressed even more forcefully in Appalachia.

To you and me the decision would be a no-brainer. These people aren't
you and me.

These are people who cannot conceive of moving even to someplace like
Monroe, LA, because it would be so far from home and family, and it's
not just the under-educated that think this way. (My wife worked with
an engineer who turned down a job offer that would have involved an
equivalent scale of relocation because his wife thought this way.) It's
also an attidude that is not limited to the deep south - I've seen it
expressed even more forcefully in Appalachia.

To you and me the decision would be a no-brainer. These people aren't
you and me.

It must be very limiting to be so tied to the land that you can't let go.

One of the greatest feelings of freedom I've experienced was when I realized
that "home" was a state of mind, and not a place.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Talk of the Nation on NPR had a caller this afternoon who lost everthing
in a flood somewhere out west. He was so fed up with all the hoops he
had to jump through that he did some research.
He found a National Geographic article that said Michigan was one of the
states least affected by environmental factors, so that is where he
moved to.
The most affected were California, Texas and Florida.
I will try to find the article.

The governor of Texas has got to be wondering, about now, just what the long
term repercussions are going to be for Houston and other of his cities. Of
course, in today's no accountability world, he may just figure it's the
mayors' problem.

Congressional redistricting, more Congress critters for the State of
Texas, more political clout nationally, more federal tax dollars,....

A bunch of buses went down from DC and came back mostly empty as well.
Washington and Iowa aren't on the top of people's list to relocate to.

Eight families were supposed to arrive in Columbus Ohio this afternoon
aboard an airliner. They decided not to come, said Columbus was too far
away.

Jay Honeck wrote:

A bunch of buses went down from DC and came back mostly empty as well.
Washington and Iowa aren't on the top of people's list to relocate to.

DC I understand, but I wonder what the beef is with Iowa ... unless
they've been reading Jay's recent posts ... :-)


Well, given the number of states that have offered space -- and been ignored
or turned down -- perhaps the crisis is past?

Dunno, but doesn't it seem odd that folks are choosing to live in a flooded
cesspool rather than accepting free housing all over the country?

I don't know. I'd stay at my house in pretty dire circumstances. I'm
amazed that they are now throwing people out of their homes who wish to
stay. That just seems un-American to me.

Matt

Jay Honeck wrote:

These are people who cannot conceive of moving even to someplace like
Monroe, LA, because it would be so far from home and family, and it's
not just the under-educated that think this way. (My wife worked with
an engineer who turned down a job offer that would have involved an
equivalent scale of relocation because his wife thought this way.) It's
also an attidude that is not limited to the deep south - I've seen it
expressed even more forcefully in Appalachia.

To you and me the decision would be a no-brainer. These people aren't
you and me.


It must be very limiting to be so tied to the land that you can't let go.

One of the greatest feelings of freedom I've experienced was when I realized
that "home" was a state of mind, and not a place.

Insanity is also a state of mind. :-)

Matt

I don't know. I'd stay at my house in pretty dire circumstances. I'm
amazed that they are now throwing people out of their homes who wish to
stay. That just seems un-American to me.

I agree. What seems truly horrible is that -- apparently in the interest of
"fairness"? -- they are now evicting people from their homes in areas of
N.O. that are NOT flooded.

That's just seems stupid, but I suppose it is the inevitable and ultimate
extension of not wanting to appear elitist or racist.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I think the politically correct turn is "survivor"
stay tuned for "Survivor New Orleans" instead of Guatemala
BT

"Icebound" wrote in message
...

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:U0DTe.315756$_o.224968@attbi_s71...
We booked our first refugees at the Inn yesterday --

Ya gotta watch more CNN, Jay.

The African-American leaders and the US government are very adamant about
NOT calling the displaced persons as "refugees", but insist on "evacuee",
or some such word.

They seem to feel that "refugee" somehow diminishes the status of these
people.

I am wondering, however, that if that is so, then why is it okay to call
the Sri Lankan, Thai (and other displacements of natural and man-made
disasters) as "refugees"?

Does that not diminish *their* status?

"As many as five people have died from bacterial infections caused by
the dirty water that Hurricane Katrina drove ashore last week, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday."

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/0...YUE762791.html

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message news:eOLTe.283

I don't know. I'd stay at my house in pretty dire circumstances. I'm
amazed that they are now throwing people out of their homes who wish
to stay. That just seems un-American to me.

Matt