Finally got telephone access to friends in the Lower Garden District.
First, my conversation with F (I’m going to relay just her words):
“We’re fine, but what we really need is ice. And we need freaking Marines, man, and all over the place! What with people shooting at rescue helicopters by the Superdome and thugs walking the streets, we need troop presence! But, we aren’t going outside too much – not because there are gangs out there, but because what would we do if we did run into one? We want to start cleanup but we need a posse with guns.
“Every store is wide open and most civilized people are taking just the necessities. Don’t worry because we’re not worried about us surviving, but about the bad people around.”
Mac:
“I am willing to stay. I don’t want to leave. If they get the crime under control. We have to start cleanup.
“The Garden District has hardly any damage except for small pockets of stagnant water and tree branches that have flown into the windows of individual homes. Most Magazine St. stores have been broken into, especially yesterday. A few days ago, the police let people into Walmart after which the crowd went out of control [and began to steal non-essentials]. People were being civil until yesterday, but all of the nice and civilized people have left or are leaving via the evacuation points.
“The bad people are those drinking and doing a lot of drugs. People are breaking into cars and attempting to hotwire them. When they don’t start, they leave behind dead cars. We need troops.”
When I informed her that 24,000 troops were on the way, Mach was relieved and repeated the need for order before anything of value can be done.
“There are still quite a few people living in apartment buildings on St. Charles. The police are walking around but they may not be enough.
“A guy who works at Commander’s Palace brought some food over yesterday, which was somewhat surreal. There is intermittent running water. We’re using swimming pool water to flush toilets and bathe, but, of course, no showers.
“Please call senators and representatives, mobilize blogland, we need TROOPS NOW.”
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSPEOPLE NOW AND URGE THEM TO SEND MILITARY TO NEW ORLEANS. THE CRIME SITUATION HAS TO BE CONTROLLED BEFORE PROGRESS IS MADE.
Mac was indeed interviewed by ABC News and F was on ABC NewsRadio in New York last morning. Once I locate their interviews, I’ll place them up here.
So glad you spoke to your friend. I share that relief with you, in speaking to a New Orleaner yesterday. Thanks again for the updates, and I hope one day soon, things will return to normal.
yaaaaaaaaay Machelle and Felicity!
And finally, some good news from Baton Rouge: the Police are finally beginning to address the crime rumors, and they are just that: Rumors!
Story here.
well, they’re rumors in Baton Rouge, but the article even says “we believe those things are happening in New Orleans, but not here.” So good for Baton Rouge… but New Orleans is a war zone.
oh i should have rtbfa (b=below) … that’s what i get for using an RSS aggregator ;)
Hope your friends are safe safe safe where they are in NOLA.
Ah, for the days when all you had to worry about were blizzards and twisters. I’m happy to see you and Jules are in good shape.
So glad that your friends are all right, Maitri. I know you’re probably still stressed (understandably), but I hope you’re able to derive some comfort from knowing that they’re well. And I hope that the troops can make sure that they stay safe!
And isn’t it real darn sobering that after all our tsk-tsking about the uncivilized behavior in Iraq over the last couple of years, what happens when one of our own cities gets pushed past the breaking point? Especially given that it was a natural disaster rather than a “terrorist attack”….
Makes you think.
Lots.
Amen, Jakhel!