I wish you all could know how wonderful living in this country is for someone from a poor country. The availablilty of just about everything one could want, is breathtaking.

When I look at what happened in New Orleans and then Texas it makes me wonder considering how we treat Tsunami situations and the prospect of War in other countries.

We must remember that in this country, African Americans have been disenfranchised for centuries and now an entire national treaure, New Orleans is virtually ignored in the wake of a tragedy.

I am working feverishly to complete my United States Citizenship for many reasons, not withstanding the single most important aspect of my attendance here. FREEDOM.

Remember to vote and remember to keep your mind clear.

Paola

Paola, billions of dollars is going toward rebuilding New Orleans.
Over $1.5 billion in cash has already been distributed by the government to New Orleans residents.  And more from private donations.  
The initial response was disorganized and inept, but I don't think it's correct to say that now New Orleans is virtually ignored.
Many of those "disenfranchised African Americans" will have better opportunities than they ever had.
I don't see why you are calling this a failing experiment.
By the way, political commentary belongs on the politics board.

-- Modified on 9/29/2005 7:48:24 AM

Paola, I'm not sure what you're trying to say.

On the one hand, you talk aboy how great this country is:

"I wish you all could know how wonderful living in this country is for someone from a poor country. The availablilty of just about everything one could want, is breathtaking."

"I am working feverishly to complete my United States Citizenship for many reasons, not withstanding the single most important aspect of my attendance here. FREEDOM."

Then, even though you talk about some specific failings you see here, it is far from clear how this makes the U.S. some kind of "experiment."

If you are simply saying that the U.S. has fulfilled some of the promise you though it might have, but has let you down in other ways, it is far from clear what the "experiment" is.  School history books used to talk about the founding of this country as a great experiment in freedom which has fulfilled its promise manyfold, but since (a) you give no historical context and (b) there are plenty of other countries today more or less as free as the U.S.--Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., some countires in Europe--I don't see where the idea of an "experiment" comes in.

I'd appreciate it if you could clarify what you mean.  I think you're trying to say someting deeply significant, but I don't know just what it is.

Looking at the context of her statement, I am guessing she was referring to what had happened in NO, not the attention it is receiving now.

on the initial response after Katrina. That was not good. Having spent 3-weeks in the area working with FEMA, I can assure you help is pouring in and the area is not being ignored. The government is sometimes too thick with paperwork, but when the REAL people get involved things happen bigtime.

Keep working feverishly for your citizenship, it's the greatest land in the world.

Proof of that is your success in your industry. Where else !!

Did you say something about new Orleans, my dear? Say it again, please...I wasn't listening...I was caught up in gallery...er...um...your mesmerizing eyes.

She could save on photographer expenses by posting just one picture in her gallery: the first one. What a puzzy!!!

Even though I dont agree with your post (for reasons expressed by others) I'm glad to see a thoughtful, non-commercial post from a popular, high-end provider.  The boards are often stale, so please keep posting on whatever board (politics, national) makes sense.  

BTW, on the substance, I agree with Colin Powell.  The horrific Katrina impact wasnt about race, it was about class -- but it happened in an area where the lower class is overwhelmingly African-American.  The initial recovery efforts were much better designed for middle-income families with cell phones, email, $ resources, etc.  The lower-class masses were left stranded, like the poor people in steerage on the Titanic.  As Americans, we can and should do better (and, as some have pointed out, we already are doing better, because Katrina has opened the eyes of decent Americans who consider New Orleans part of our family).

I have traveled to many countries and have not found one that I would rather live in than the USA.  When the government is slow to respond to something like New Orleans/Mississippi etc disaster, the people kick them in the azz and get things going in a big way.  How many countries could that happen in?  This disaster caused logistical problems that have never been seen before in the US, in part because New Orleans and the state did such a poor job of evacuation.  The people, including many companies, stepped into the void and helped and continue to help even after the various governments involved finally began to get their act together.  The people will not let the government ignore or forget.  Viva America!!

...you pay for one by one.

As MSD notes, the inattention to New Orleans was in the past, when the constant pleas of scientists and engineers to repair the levees went ignored and unheeded. For a few billion dollars in preemptive actions, we would not have lost hundred of lives and New Orleans. At least, the city would have survived Katrina.

The current reconstruction effort is welcome, but it doesn't change Paola's central thesis.

$1,000/hr - America, you gotta love this place!!!!!!!!

DON'T state your immigration or nationality status, especially not on the www in front of God & everybody.

If you want to know why, go to Findlaw, look up the Federal code 8 USC 1182(a)(2)(D), and also 8 USC 1101(f)(3).

I would like to comment on one of your points that while your point may be true it still rings of the problem that Paola makes in her statement.  You wrote, 'Many of those "disenfranchised African Americans" will have better opportunities than they ever had.'  This may be true in New Orleans but what about all other areas where the "better opportunities" will never be had because there is no Hurricane Katrina to point out the issue of disenfranchisment of the lower class (not just African Americans...but all in the lower class)?  Just because the opportunities may now be present in one area where a devistating yet oddly uniting natural disaster occurred does not eliminate those problems country wide.  Unless we apply the knowledge to as many areas affected as possible we really haven't taken any steps forward.  

that is accessible in the public domain on the net.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/ts_search.pl?title=8&sec=1182

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/ts_search.pl?title=8&sec=1101

cf: the Mann Act

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann_Act



-- Modified on 9/30/2005 12:36:47 AM

I understand what Paola's saying. There's opportunity here, it's a wonderful place to be, and it's imperfect. Keep voting to etch a successful experiment. Not all that hard to see.
Think about the homeless in your town. We send monies all over the world to aid less fortunate and in our own home towns we literally trip over Americans. We warn the government to take action in New Orleans on the levee conditions and the do zerp.
Her viewpoint is not mysterious to me at all.
Nice job babe, and whoever said 'nice puzzy', you are on the money bro!!!
Tra

Well, I applaud her accomplishment of becoming a citizen, but along with her and others who share her ideals are gravely wrong. First, the billions she spoke of that were needed to re-enforce the levees, well why not ask the democrats who voted against the Presidents bill to send that money to NO? Second, the millions that was sent there, why not ask the Local officals what they did with it, since it wasn't used to re-enforce them?? I am still not certain why POC(people of color) focus on the past and tend to live there. The accusation that NO was racially motivated is not only sick but very disturbing! Last time I checked whites were among the people who died and almost died in NO. Did the government think that sacrificing a few whites to hurt the blacks was acceptable?? Of course not. What happened in NO was a natural disaster! What happened after was incompetant LOCAL officials who didn't know how to do their jobs!