PAGING GOVERNOR BLANCO!

[barbaraann]

Governor, are you going to allow Ray Nagin to force residents of New Orleans to evacuate? I don't know everything that's going on behind the scenes but this seems very, very wrong to me. These people were allowed to stay before and during the hurricane but now are not allowed to stay. Now that the danger is past, they are being told to leave their homes with no promise of ever returning!

Please check with your political and legal advisors and be as brave in dealing with this as you were with the attempted takeover of Louisiana by the federal government.

Thank you.

[shance]

1. Thank you Barbara. Do you have a phone number/fax number where

we can contact her?

It would be great to post that so that DUers could call and fax the Governor's mansion.

[barbaraann]

4. Here you go.

Send written correspondence to the address below:

Office of the Governor
Attn: Constituent Services
P.O. Box 94004
Baton Rouge, LA. 70804-9004

Telephone Numbers: 1-[phone]
[phone] or 342-7015
Facsimile: [phone]

[preciousdove]

2. The FEDS will kill those that stay so he needs to at least warn them...

Anybody see "Shy people?". I realize it was a hollywood story, exagerated, but I think it captured the spirit and love of freedom of the people of Louisana, their strength and courage. I have no doubt that when the rubble clears the people of Louisana will be still standing tall and free.

I watched it with my parents and at the time my teenage children and it was the only movie we ever discussed afterwards.

[barbaraann]

7. Sounds good.

Next time I have some free time I will try to rent it. Thanks for the tip.

[la la]

12. thank you, preciousdove-

I'm not big on movies, but my daughters made me sit down to watch Shy People and I was glad they did - I'm glad someone else --especially with the name 'preciousdove' ---found that movie and the story worthwhile.

I'm hoping that the citizens of Louisiana can return strong, proud and free again.

[liberaltrucker]

3. Looks like PNAC in the USA to me

:wtf:

[LynneSin]

5. You have a city that at best, may have no power or water for 3 months

We've seen the pictures and the conditions are horrifyingly unsantiary. If these people stay behind where will they get food? Where will they get clean water? What if they need medical attention. Their homes are destroy along with everything around them - they need to evacuate. If they stay behind we have no way of attending to them should they have a problem or run out of food and/or clean drinking water.

In all reality it's for their own safety. For many of the people it's not like they can get in a car and drive away when it's bad even if they did have a car prior to the hurricane!

[barbaraann]

8. People will bring food and water to them.

To a lot of people, their home is everything even if it means death to stay there. Like Harry Truman: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens

[Carolab]

10. There are people living elsewhere in the city.

In the FQ, they have electricity. Reporters have been spending time in bars down there every night. At least one of the bars never closed.

Not EVERYONE is being told to go.

[nonconformist]

11. They already have some power in the French Quarter.

What if one has a generator? I've seen that the majority of the people that want to say have them. As well as lots of supplies.

It's not ideal, I'll agree with that, and it won't be the right choice for many, but I don't think that they should make people leave from secure structures that wish to stay. If they leave, they don't know when they'll be allowed back. Could be months or longer. They wouldn't be able to take the vast majority of their belongings or their pets if evac'ed by rescue teams. Most are worried that their homes will be looted if they leave (and I think the chances are pretty high for that).

[Gabi Hayes]

6. unfortunately, they really do need to get out....

if you know anything about the middle ages, and the incredible toxic mess out there, the possibilities are extremely frightening

could be looking at hideous, uncontrollable mutating plagues.

did you hear about the labs at Tulane, supposedly secured by the FBI?

that's all under water

who knows what's going on down there

those people are so dead if they stay, and it could spread all over the ffffing place

[barbaraann]

9. So, it's ok to stay in Algiers but not a neighborhood next door?

Gretna is ok but not the poor black neighborhoods?

[bluestateguy]

13. The city is not safe for people to reside in

If they expose themselves to infectious diseases then it is a public health matter.

I do think the authorities should be sensitive with the people who are reluctant to leave, negotiate with them, work with them, allow them to bring their pets, or maybe one or two things.

The city needs to be drained of water, decontaminated of sludge, mold, muck, mildew and fungus. The city streets and waters are filled with dead animals and people, oil slicks and chemicals.

[barbaraann]

14. People are in Algiers, part of New Orleans, and surrounding areas.

n/t

[Media_Lies_Daily]

16. Are they under water?

[barbaraann]

17. No, but the parts under water are being drained.

n/t

[Media_Lies_Daily]

15. What "danger" is past? You can't drink the water, the sewers aren't....

...working, no phones unless you get lucky with a cellphone, and no electricity.

Add cholera that has already killed 4 people, and you have a script for a continuing disaster that may kill hundreds more.

Gas lines are also leaking all over the city, and almost all of the fires have to be fought with helicoptors dropping water or fireboats.

Unfortunately, none of the people that have left over the past few days have any guarantee of being able to return to their homes. In fact, most, if not all, of the homes that are currently under water will have to be razed to the ground.

[barbaraann]

18. Ok, I should have said danger from the hurricane.

But do you understand that many, many people love their homes so much they would rather die than leave them? (best example I can think of is Harry Truman at Mt. St. Helens)

[Carolab]

19. It's not "SAFE" for people living in IRAQ, either, yet they ARE!

And people are still in the French Quarter and it was reported tonight they are NOT being asked to leave...and what about in the neighboring West Bank "suburbs"??

This smells to me.

Isn't the Lt. Governor, Mitch Landrieu, an attorney? This guy seems to be on the ball.

On edit: Oops! It appears Mitchell is on the take, too:

http://wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=3724079&nav=0aWTdLmE