The Bridge To Gretna [60 Minutes This PM]

CBS ^ | Dec. 18, 2005

[ncountylee]

Some members of a crowd of hundreds of people fleeing New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina who were barred from crossing a bridge to Gretna, La., by police firing shotguns in the air tell correspondent Ed Bradley that they feared for their lives.

They also say that the officers’ actions were racist. Most of the people in that crowd were African-Americans.

But the mayor of Gretna says stopping them on the bridge to Gretna – then the only way out of New Orleans – was justified because Gretna couldn’t absorb any more evacuees. The shotgun blasts, he says, were necessary to uphold order.

Bradley’s report on "The Bridge To Gretna" will be broadcast on CBS News' 60 Minutes Sunday, Dec. 18 from 7-8 PM ET/PT.

[ncountylee]

Could be interesting.

[fooman]

Jail time for the mayor on down.

[ncountylee]

Weepy Aaron's Parish too.

[Howlin]

They also say that the officers’ (FILL IN THE BLANK) actions were racist.

It's a macro!

[LA Woman3]

*ping*

[VOA]

They also say that the officers’ actions were racist. Most of the people
in that crowd were African-Americans.

The members of the crowd that I heard were union members that had
been in NO for a meeting. They were self-described whites.
IIRC, this was on "This American Life" radio show on NPR.

That radio show made the authorities in Gretna sound like The Third Reich.
But IIRC, what I heard later was that some of the NO residents that
had gotten over the bridge earlier had already damaged a store and the
Gretna authorities decided that "we aren't going to be another New Orleans".

I'm not passing judgement either way. I suspect that even the best,
most even-handed investigation of the incident would end up with
a "we said, they said" finding.

[AmericanChef]

Is the theory that if they keep on whining and complaining and asking for free stuff, the rest of the U.S. will love them more? 'Cuz, it ain't workin' for me.

[fooman]

I dont understand the lack of FR outrage. These were poor people trying to help themselves out of a tough situation.

Now, these 'police' could have kept the folks moving, but turned them back to thier slaughter.

These folks should be in the pen for the rest of their lives. Of course, playing the race card instead of the evil card, just muddies the waters and plays on our sympathies the wrong way.

[digger48]

Do we have all the facts?

Or is this just a continuation of the misleading and false reporting that came from NO?

I'd kinda like to see more than a biased pre-report about a biased story, released by a biased newsroom, before I convict anyone.

[fooman]

We pretty much have the facts. I remember this coming out at the time. It just sucks.

[WatchOutForSnakes]

A lot of things came out at the time that turned out to be completely false.

[FlingWingFlyer]

If it's on 60 Minutes, I'd take it with a grain of salt. More biased Lefty garbage.

[Kirkwood]

I dont understand the lack of FR outrage. These were poor people trying to help themselves out of a tough situation.
Now, these 'police' could have kept the folks moving, but turned them back to thier slaughter.
These folks should be in the pen for the rest of their lives. Of course, playing the race card instead of the evil card, just muddies the waters and plays on our sympathies the wrong way.

The police did the right thing. There was NOTHING for people to go to on the westbank. There were no buses, no rescue shelters, no food, no water, NOTHING. These people were in shock and didn't think of the consequences of what they were doing. They could have easily gotten shot by westbank residents thinking they were looters or they could have wandered off and gotten hurt or killed. They would have wound up having to walk 90 miles to find anything resembling a shelter.

[bray]

The Racist Police should have let the Looters in!

Pray for W And Our Victorious Troops

[afnamvet]

If it's on 60 Minutes, I'd take it with a grain of salt. More biased Lefty garbage.

The level of credibility for 60 Minutes journalism can be be found resting on the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

[dubyawhoiluv]

all you have to do is review the hsystrical cynthia mckinney on cspan to judge the validity of this story, she wailed for 5 mins about how poor afro-american were turned awayed with shotguns fired at them, no mention of their were no services available in gretna ie;shelter,medical aid,food,communication or transportation out of yet another sticken area; she played the race bait card to the hilt, try to review laura ingraham show archives for her exact comments

[VOA]

I dont understand the lack of FR outrage.

Just speaking for myself...
If something really bad actually happened, the Gretna authorities
need to be dealt with by state/fed authorities.
And I'll be outraged if this evil actually occurred.

But trust NPR and CBS to truthfully report a reasonably complete
and accurate account of events?

I'll reserve judgement for a bit...

[FlingWingFlyer]

You got that right. Listening to the whining of rich, white people who hate themselves for being rich, white people really drives me crazy.

[cynicom]

Ed Bradley of all people...Why not use Sharpton and Jackasson to do the hatchet job.