From a Houston Newspaper

[David Waters]

Thought some of you would like to read this. Don't know what to think about it, but interesting to see folk's points of veiw about things.



HOUSTON'S NEW RESIDENTS
>
> Here is the real truth. I went to volunteer on Saturday, September
> 10, to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston for two reasons.
>
> 1. I wanted to help people.
> 2. I was curious.
>
> I have been watching the news lately, like everyone else, and I have
> seen some scenes that have made me physically ill. No, it was not
> the death and
>
> the destruction that made me ill. It was PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR that
> bothered me the most.
>
> So many of the displaced people were DEMANDING help. They were not
> asking nicely, but were demanding it - as if society owed them
> something. Well, the honest truth is society does NOT owe them
> anything! Help should be asked for in a kind manner and then
> appreciated after received, but this is definitely not what the
> different news organizations were witnessing and reporting.
>
> What most of us have seen, on television and in the print media, have
> been individuals/groups who are yelling, demanding, looting, killing,
> raping, and
>
> even SHOOTING back at those who have arrived to help. MSNBC even
> showed one
>
> news report of several New Orleans policewomen looting a Wal-Mart!
>
> I am thinking to myself, This cannot possibly be true - or can it?
> Truthfully, I did not want to believe this could be true of the
> people who so desperately need help during this crisis. I now tell
> my story, and you can decide.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> I arrived at the Astrodome only to find out there were too many
> volunteers at that location. Volunteers were needed elsewhere -
> especially at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
>
> As I walked up to the Convention Center, I noticed a line of vehicles
> that wrapped around for blocks. These were "ordinary" Houstonians
> coming with water, diapers, clothes, blankets, food, every type of
> needed item; lots of
>
> it was NEW. As I helped to unload these vehicles, I felt such great
> pride that the wonderful residents of Houston would be so generous.
>
> I then went inside the building and noticed approximately 100,000
> square feet of clothing, toys, all types of needed items, that were
> organized and ready for the people in need. I signed in as a
> volunteer, received a name badge, and was on my way, eager to be
useful.
>
> I toured the place to become familiar with my surroundings. The
> entire Center is probably about 2 million square feet. I noticed
> rows, as far as the eye could see, of mattresses - not cots - but
> blown-up mattresses, that had nice pillows and plenty of blankets.
> There were also two or three bottles of water resting on each bed.
> These full-size to queen-size mattresses, by the way, were
> comfortable. I briefly rested on one of them, just to see for myself!
>
> Next I went to look at the medical area, and I could not believe what
> I was seeing. A makeshift hospital had been created in 24 hours!
> They even had a
>
> pharmacy.
>
> As my tour continued, I also noticed that other volunteers had worked

> hard to create showers...with hot water! Then upstairs, on the third
> floor, I found a huge cafeteria that had also been established in
> 24 hours. There were rows and rows of tables and chairs and food
> everywhere! There was enough food to feed an army, and I am not
> talking about crappy food either! They had Jason's Deli food, fresh
> fruit, snack foods, sandwiches and lots of beverages. By the way, the
> beverages were put on ice and chilled!! All of this "mini-city" -
> including a library and a theater room - had been created in about 24
> hours by volunteers, so the evacuees would have a comfortable shelter.
>
> Here is what further happened during my time there. I started by
> handing bottles of COLD water to evacuees, as they exited their bus.
> Many took the water, but only 20% or less even said, "Thank you."
> Lots of the evacuees would shake their heads and ask for sodas! This
> went on for about 20-30 minutes, until I was weary of being an
> unappreciated servant. I then decided that certainly these folks
> would appreciate some food! So, I went upstairs to serve these
> evacuees with some GOOD food. (Food that I wished I
>
> could have had at the moment!)
>
> Evacuees came slowly to receive this mountain of food, worthy of a
> king, that was being served. I explained to them that we had two
> types of great deli sandwiches to choose from: ham and turkey. Many
> looked at the food in disgust and DEMANDED burgers, pizza, and even
> McDonalds! (Let me tell all of you folks who may read this, that
> Jason's Deli is better
>
> than McDonalds any day!!) Even many of the children were demanding
> and rude! Only one out of ten people who took something would say,
"Thank you."
>
> The remainder took items, as if it were their God-given right to be
> served, without a shred of appreciation. Some even asked for beer and

> liquor! Many
>
> complained that we did not have "good-enough" food. Some went so far
> as to refuse the offers of food and laughed at and/or cursed at the
volunteers.
> This was not true of all of them, but at least 70% of the evacuees
> treated us volunteers with total disrespect. Maybe 20% were
> appreciative, 10% took the food without any comment, and the remainder

> had some disgusting comment to say.
>
> We volunteers then began to observe that many of the people would eat
> their food and leave their mess on the table. Oh sure, a few would
> clear their tables, but the majority left their tables for the
> volunteers to clear and clean. Needless to say, I was in utter shock
at their behavior.
>
> From the food area, I went down to help set up some additional
mattresses.
> That is when I observed something else! I saw many young ladies
> carrying mattresses, but WHERE were the hundreds of able-bodied young
> men evacuees who could help?! When I asked a group of young evacuees

> in their teens and
>
> early twenties to help, they cursed at me!! One said, "We just lost
> our ***ing homes and you want us to work? The next one said,
> "Cracker, you got a home...we don't."
>
> I looked at them in total disbelief. Here were women carrying THEIR
> beds and these young men would not lift a finger to help themselves!!
> I started to wonder, WHY SHOULD I HELP PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO HELP

> THEMSELVES? As I turned away, they laughed at me and made obscene and

> distasteful comments. This is when I began realize that I did not
> need to waste my time
>
> on a bunch of pitiful losers in this area of the shelter.
>
> Next, I went to a nearby restroom where I noticed a man shaving. I
> used the
>
> restroom, washed my hands, and then saw this same man throw his razor

> towards the trash can. He missed. He also walked out, leaving his
> dirty razor on the floor for someone else to pick up!
>
> I could call these people ignorant ("lacking knowledge"), but they
> were not ignorant. They were arrogant ("proud and overbearing through

> an exaggerated
>
> feeling of one's superiority")! To put it bluntly, the majority of
> them are
>
> thugs...and lazy!
>
> We are inviting the lowest-of-the-low to Houston and, like idiots, we
> are serving the people who will most likely soon steal, rape, murder,
> and attempt to destroy our beloved city. We are funding our own
destruction!
>
> Please note, I am absolutely NOT referring to a specific race of
people!!
> People who WANT to help themselves should be helped in every possible
way.
> Those who do not want to help themselves should be left to destroy
> themselves, but they should not be allowed to destroy Houston at the
> same time.
>
> I do not believe in being poor for life. My family immigrated here.
> We came
>
> here very poor and now, thank God and due to HARD WORK, we are doing
well.
> If immigrants who come here - and do not even initially know the
> language - can work and become successful, why can't the majority of
> the other poor "home-grown" citizens do the same thing?!
>
> I have personally just witnessed selfish, arrogant, unappreciative
> behavior by the very people who needed the help the most. These same
> people cursed me and other volunteers. They refused my city's
> generosity. They refused to help themselves. They pranced around as

> if they deserved to be waited on. When they did receive something,
> they said it was not good enough. As far as I am concerned, from now
on, these people can fend for themselves!

[Crappie Reaper]

Yup, shoulda let the ones that know those two magic words "Thank you" be the only ones on the buses. Let all the maggots fend, rape, beat, steal from themselves. The world would be better off to just end their gene pool then and there.

[cook]

That e-mail has been makeing the rounds.Snopes.com has it listed as undetermined.

[Barnacle Bill]

That is really sad. I could go on an on but I think everyone here knows what I mean.

[David Waters]

I was kinda unsure of it myself, but still an interesting read.

[niteman]

Unfortunately what the article said is true. I am from central louisiana and most of the evacuees we have seen are the same way. I just hope that everybody doesnt judge louisiana by the actions of this trash.

[Crappie Reaper]

No way, in all races their are good and bad. Unfortunately, most of the ungrateful people are those who think the world owes them something. We all have met people like that at some time or another. They are everywhere, selfish, self serving, liars, thieves, rapists, murderers. God will deal with them come judgement day if they choose to not repent. It's really sad when someone takes the time to help others, and the people take all they can, while they can, and do not appreciate it.

As for Hurricane Rita, too bad that it's headed for Texas. I think at this time, it would be best for the country for it to follow Katrinas path, where the damage is already done. We will see that those who choose to stay behind will pillage what they can as soon as the storm passes. Then, will want their 2k debit card, and all the handouts Katrina victims are now getting. My prayers are for all those who will be affected by the storm, but, wishing the bad people will get sucked up, and dropped off in India or, Ethiopia.

[J White]

Heck, Reaper, if were suckin' up and dropping thugs, lets wish 'em on
somewhere like North Korea - I would think they would get a rude awakening
there, both when they looked for a handout, or when they went about
their gangster ways!

[jrfwmf]

I've not read all of the posts or even all of the first post, I could see where its going.

My personal feelings about charity or assistance is that it should be given free from expectations. If one expects something in return one is just setting himself up for disappointment.

If I can't give freely without controls, I won't give. That goes for money, labor and even friendship.

If what the original poster states is true, then his feelings are his own problem. I am not an overly religious man, but I would say he needs some prayer too.

Attitudes go both ways.

[Eager Beaver]

I've not read all of the posts or even all of the first post, I could see where its going.

My personal feelings about charity or assistance is that it should be given free from expectations. If one expects something in return one is just setting himself up for disappointment.

If I can't give freely without controls, I won't give. That goes for money, labor and even friendship.

If what the original poster states is true, then his feelings are his own problem. I am not an overly religious man, but I would say he needs some prayer too.

Attitudes go both ways.

I agree that if you truely are a charitable person than you don't expect anything in return for your generousity.
I evidently got a different out look from the story that was posted. This person wasn't there to help the evacuees, but was more curious to see what was going on. My first take was that this was a woman who wrote this article. I pictured someone like Mrs. Bush that went, not to help, but for pubicity and ended up insulting the people there. I couldn't understand what this woman was doing in the mens restroom. Then I figured it was probably a retired gentleman.
Just imagine that you have lost everything you had and then was ignored by your government at all levels and then shuffled off to a different State and then had someone come around because they was curious. I can only imagine that these people are starting to feel like an animal in a zoo that people are just coming around to inspect them. Having someone helping you and wearing expensive clothes and perfumes and having their hair done at a beauty solon doesn't do any of the evacuees any good. It will just make them more depressed than they already are.
If you are there to truely help for the sake of helping someone in need than don't expect anything in return. If they don't thank you in words I am sure that most of them are truely thankful for your generosity even tho they don't say it.
Just my take on the article.