Crazed ramblings of a confused Soldier

I haven't really watched television since before Katrina actually hit aside from about 15 minutes of ESPN at the post office on AFN out here in Korea. I've checked the internet when I could and I knew things would be bad. Seeing the outer shell of the roof on the Super Dome - probably one of the more "sound" structures in the area - almost completely gone was an interesting emotion of bewilderment. Then trying to imagine - not that it's possible - how all those people...I mean what were they supposed to do now and how bad it must be to be THERE.
...Now, a couple days later I've continued to rely on CNN and FoxNews and what not, to be informed and updated - my emotions have - and are still for that matter - running wild inside me...I can honestly barely complete a full sentence or complete a thought without stumbling in my confusion.
(I just erased 500 or so words that I wrote and am attempting to start again - I swear)
I don't want to offend anyone and I don't want to come off as some sort of jerkface army guy...I'm not some insensitive prick...I just don't get it and I don't really know how to explain what all is running through me...No I don't know what it's like to have family there and have them be missing...no I don't know what it's like to be there and not know where to go or what to do or when I’m gonna get to eat or have a sip of water...I just don't know, and I can’t imagine - now with that said...
The first thing that really got me off about this situation was when the mayor (or governor) down there said "this is our Tsunami"...I'm sorry - come again?! A couple HUNDRED-THOUSAND people died in the Tsunami right? correct me please if I am incorrect...hearing this really bothered me that they would begin to compare this to that...those folks had no idea that a tsunami was coming their way...there was no time for them to evacuate...cnn wasn't showing the incoming waves warning people in all of the living rooms in India...
I'm in Korea and I knew the hurricane was headed toward the gulf coast…New Orleans or not - I'd like to meet the one person with access to a computer or television that didn't see Katrina on radar headed towards the coast...you didn't say damn that's a really massive hurricane - maybe I should really try and get the hell outta here - maybe even somewhere ABOVE SEA LEVEL??
"Fuck that I'm riding it out...fuck that I'm stayin' at the Superdome...fuck that - barkeep another round!"
What?
Now tens of thousands are stranded for the foreseeable future on the outskirts of a city that never should have been in the first place...it's always been under water - that's why people didn't used to live there, and didn’t build million dollar homes on the beach - folks would vacation there; have a little shack to stay in near the beach. Hell if it got ruined, screw it build another cheap little shack. It’s not like in the last six months New Orleans suddenly sank below sea level...
Which brings me to this...it's not the people's fault - that's not what I'm implying - it was however, their choice to live in a place where this stood a REAL possibility of happening. But it is definitely not their fault that they are in this situation right now. This was supposed to happen years ago right? 1998 with George’s? So how in the heck was there no plan, either at the federal level or the state of La. level? Everyone knew that this could happen, and now everyone is in shock...I just don't understand that. And there is no excuse.
Now, I just read a headline asking "where are the troops?" and "La. demands 40,000 troops"
Good luck with that...where are they? - I'll let Saddam or Mr. Bin Ladin answer that one...all the national guard (see how that makes sense now -those troops are for the NATION) troops are overseas fighting the good fight for freedom and democracy...Yes lady's and gentlemen we do still have troops fighting in Iraq and yes even Afghanistan. Hell I just ran in to two guys headed to the Balkans (Kosovo) for a six month rotation...and they demand 40,000! Smart money says we're gonna be coming up just a bit short on that figure - but time will tell at least that's what I’m told...
Lastly, the thing that makes me furious and sad and confused at the same time is the way many of these people are acting in New Orleans... I can't say it's the majority but there's enough to where it's not just the few and far between looting, pillaging, raping, shooting, murdering, robbing, car jacking and spreading the fear over the streets of a city that is already reeling in agony. What is wrong with these people? honestly anyone - I mean one cop was shot in the head - dead - point blank - when he confronted some looters of a clothes store or something...steal water, take food, take what you need to live until you can be evacuated, but come on, these people are robbing footlockers and jewelry stores - what the fuck...then you've got the people who are taking shots at hospital workers trying to evacuate local hospitals and people shooting at volunteers who were bringing their personal boats into the city to try and get people out…some dumbass people shooting at Chinook helicopters that are bringing in food and water and trying to air lift people out...you've got mobs running the streets wielding Ak-47s and randomly robbing folks...and you've got guys raping women in the bathroom of the convention center which is supposed to be one the safe shelters for people to come to...
This is America?
We didn't hear about these types of things in India after the Tsunami? They weren't running around raping, robbing, shooting at innocent, defenseless people...and this is America?