Posted on 09/03/2005 5:35:45 AM PDT by worst-case scenario
Last night on Hannity and Colmes, Shepherd Smith and Geraldo Rivera were both reporting from the Convention Center. Both of them reported that the refugees at the Convention Center have essentially ben in lockdown since Tuesday. Anyone who tried to leave by walking out the only unflooded path, I-10, had been turned back by armed blockades that had been set up "by the Federal Government." "Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds" of people were sitting on the "easily accessible bridge" had been sitting there for days, not able to cross, and without any deliveries of even water.
Rivera was begging that people be allowed to "walk away from here".
There's been a lot of comment in some threads about folks too trained by welfare and government handouts to get up and walk out of the city. Apparently thousands tried to take charge of themselves and walk out - but were prevented from leaving. Apparently "the government" - not identified who, exactly - actually locked people into the Superdome and the Convention Center and wouldn't let them out. "They set up a checkpoint and anyone who walked out of the city was turned around....you can't enter Gretna, La., from New Orleans."
I was shocked to hear this.
Maybe the Feds or someone else just doesn't want to deal with a massive influx of refugees. There's a gigantic WalMart right on the other side of the bridge, so maybe it's being protected from looting.
But in any case, it doesn't seem legit to blame the folks at the Convention Center for not getting off their butts and walking out when they are turned back by armed guards when they attempt it, and then get locked into the buildings they were told to wait at. Maybe it's time to rethink some of the comments that have berated these folks for just sitting around waiting for help. This coverage makes it plain that a lot of these folks were doing the normal thing - walking out on their own steam - but weren't permitted to leave.
I'm sure the authorities did not want them roaming the streets. They were already having difficulty dealing with looters and rapists.
I searched for footage all over the Fox News site, but the only place I could get the actual video was from Crooks and Liars. I am sorry about the sitelink, since it's so obviously Lib - but the video is straight from Fox.
AND, the rest (or 'other side') of the story would be...
Why on earth would you or Geraldo want thousands more people wandering through waist deep sewage and armed gangs?
Geraldo was doing his best last night to incite a riot. Fortunately, he failed.
This is not accpetable. Sure there are some looters, but not everyone has looted. Some on FR make it seem that they are all looters. What a joke. There are many sick elderly, etc who are helpless.
I said it before, I am amazed at some Freepers who seem more concerned about eh tsunami victims than our own citzens' plight.
I heard this last night, both Shepard Smith and Jerry Rivers.
I think things are greatly improving down there. Sure there are places where huge collections of people make conditions horrible but they are improving.
There appears to be a great deal of rumor flying around as well. Yesterday some activist type wrote that blacks are eating thier dead but he offered no reason to believe it
I heard Geraldo, but I have a theory about the folks at the Convention Center.
At the Dome, they searched and patted down everybody who went in, still guns were in the Dome.
At the Convention Center there has been no National Guard presence until yesterday.
I don't think they want to load those people on buses and start transporting them until they can at least do some sort of a search or check for weapons, etc.
That's just my theory, and how that will happen (a search), God knows because any search is going to infuriate them more than they already are infuriated.
Geez...If I were one of these people, I'd push past whatever law enforcement is there and have them arrest me...
They'd be forced by federal law to provide meals, showers and clean facilities.....
This is why they released the prisoners in NO once they realized they were in violation....
NeverGore :^)
I can confirm this. I saw this last night on O'Reilly and Fox. Shep and Geraldo both looked extremely upset and angry about people being kept prisoners in subhuman conditions for days. Also exacuation has stopped and it is unknown when busses will start running again. There are 50K people at the Dome and Convention center and either 500 or 5000, (I heard both numbers) on some I-10 exit ramp, apparently just dropped there by the Coast Guard after they are pulled off of their roofs. Babies are dying, children are being raped, dead bodies are all over.
Agreed. The big problem is now where tp put these people and what to do with them?
I got it: let them build the wall on the southern border so they will be productive and feel their sense of worth!
he and shep both were out of their minds last night.
Geraldo was doing his best last night to incite a riot. Fortunately, he failed.
I think people are confusing the Shepard Smith and Geraldo reports in this thread. According to Smith, people were dying from medical problems and even simple dehydration - dying from the lack of the most basic need of humans - drinking water. That was happening where they were, but there was food, shelter, and medical care available within walking distance. They were on a bridge. I don't know if they would have had to even walk through water or not. That is how I understood his report.
Maybe they want a chance to arrest the rapists.
Did you not hear on FR, they are all looters and criminals???
I thought I read they started that way, but then skipped it to speed things up.
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