funny you should say this....I heard mention on the radio this morning that they are planning on allowing the refugees access to Astroworld to provide some entertainment.
I have a very bad feeling about this from a health standpoint. Many of the refugees had been wading in disease-ridden water and will no doubt pass it along to others here in Houston as they roam freely in the city. Lets just hope we don't have an epidemic on our hands in several weeks or months.
The one thing that I've learned a lot about big disasters is that usually the aspect that gets most quickly forgotten is the need for economic development. Once the pictures of death and destruction fade most people outside of the affected region forget that there is a HUGE longterm economic impact left over. I don't know enough about the Houston economy to say whether it can absorb a large influx of refugees with no capital over than labor to add but once the relief phase ends there will be a need for lots of labor to help rebuild the ravaged Gulf Coast. Even though I tend towards being a deficit hawk if ever there was a need for government spending this will be it. I doubt private insurerers or charity will be able to handle all of the rebuilding and there are probably many people left homeless with no insurance at all and usually major NGO's like the Red Cross and Salvation Army don't deal with longterm housing recovery. To get the Gulf Coast back on its feet were going to need something akin to the New Deal PWA and TVA projects. That will both provide jobs and housing for the displaced refugees but it ain't going to be cheap and the Gov. is going to have to pick up a lot of the tab. As I said though in my suggestions in the Hurricane Katrina thread as individual citizens though we can help out by visiting those areas once they get some rebuilding on the way and spending money on their beaches, resorts and casinos.
Following the tsunami there weren't too many reports of social order breaking down but that wasn't to say that it was all perfect. The frustrations that were hearing coming out of NO I heard many Thais expressing even when I was there more than a month after the tsunami. From friends of mine working on Sri Lanka Tsunami recovery there are even more complaints regarding getting aid out. Worse than looting in Sri Lanka the Tamil Tigers initially didn't even agree to a cease fire and wouldn't let the government or NGO's into Tigers territory to distrubute aid. They've been letting in aid but there's been lots of reports of them taking aid and holding it for their fighters or giving it only to their supporters. In Aceh the Aceh rebel group agreed to a cease fire and cooperated with the Indonesian government and NGO's to distribute aid but Aceh was so devestated that both the rebels were greatly weakened by the tsunami. Also Aceh was hit so bad their wasn't much to loot in the first place and there were some reports of aid warehouses being looted when survivors didn't think aid was being distributed fast enough. While I think its horrible about the looting, violence and chaos but its easy to moralize from a distance. I'm not sure how any of us would react unless we were in that situation. So I wouldn't use that as an excuse to not give aid.
These sorts of concerns are common with any refugee situation. Not much of a silver lining but one thing from it that might be good in the longterm from this disaster is that it gives Americans a taste of what other countries dealing with refugee problems go through and might make us more understanding.
thanks for the insight on thailand. i totally agree...i've already donated $$. i know all these are matters that will eventually lead to helping everyone involved. it's just sad right now when so many ppl are helping with plans of action and it's halted b/c of this. unfortunate.
This is starting to look bad. Channel 13 reported that with the first 2,000 (2,000!) refugees being placed, they're already starting to face problems. A couple of altercations already and... get this: Even though there are PLENTY of restrooms available to the 2,000 in there, there have already been reports of people urinating on the concourse inside the dome.
Yes, I heard about that LTTE problem in Sri Lanka. I wasn't aware of the problem in Banda Aceh, though. Boy, do you know your stuff.
My friends and I were discussing this on a golf course of all places, and we generally came to a consenus that we probably would have been one of the looters if we needed certain items. The funny thing is I along with my friends are considered "wealthy" by most standards. I couldn't imagine what I would do in that situation if I was less well off.
Just got back from lunch with my business partner and the pastor of my church. They went to Second Baptist for this huge meeting of a bunch of faith groups around town. The mayor has essentially told the faith-based communities that they will be responsible for paying for food and making sure there are people there to assist in distributing food at the Astrodome...for at least one month, but likely for as much as 4-5 months. Wow. There were Chrisitans, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and Hindus present at the meeting. All of the food and the staffing to get food served will be on the shoulders of the local faith community. Personally, my church is deciding whether or not it would be best to shelter families in the homes of our congregation members...or rather it would be better to turn our church into a shelter. Still working out those details...figuring it out.
Isn't that a lot of pressure on the religous groups to come up with funds? I thought there was federal assistance in terms of food and lodging.
they didn't talk about that. they stayed completely on task...made it a point to. they said, "if you wanna provide clothes, call the salvation army, they're helping with that...if you wanna provide shelter, that's great...call the Red Cross, that's they're deal. the mayor has asked us to feed these people specifically at the astrodome." it costs about $1 million per month to do that, by the way.
I wouldn't loot. Because it only escalates. Starts out small, but soon, it's everything and everyone. You need order. And looting does not lend itself to order. There are ways to survive without looting. But people to stop and think about how to do just that.
i agree...once they get a handle on the gun situation, i think they should take them into houston to register ppl (to get a count and to help others locate ppl) and give them the care package. then the ppl should be filtered around Houston and to Dallas, SA, Austin, Texarkana, Corpus, etc. first priority is to evacuate NO.
I just found out that my alma mater, Bellaire Senior High, was the first HISD school to enroll children from Louisiana in school this morning. They are collecting supplies, and I will be heading over there later this afternoon with a big bag of clothing and towels from my folks and myself.
I forget which cable new channel I was watching last night where the host made a point to mention how grateful the nation should be for the generousity that the city of Houston was showing in taking in the refugees. If the state of Texas takes in the majority of the refugees from New Orleans, it might completely change the perception of the state to the rest of then U.S. Houston took the first step and it appears the rest of the big cities in Texas are following along.
