From the different houstonians I talk to, many of them are showing some hostility towards the New Orleans refugees. Many of my associates say that many businesses are being bought out and being replaced with New Orlean ran businesses, and many other people worry about New Orlean's Crime history and how that would affect Houston.
I'm trying to volunteer at the astrodome hopefully (Parents are JWs so everything volunteering for a group is terrible) but I was just wondering how other people felt about the raised emotions of the refugees from New Orleans and how that will affect other people.
Houstonians being affected by the Hurricane.
by Daunt 5 Replies latest jw friends
-
Daunt
-
horrible life
Boy, this is a hard one. People who have no where to go, who have lost everything, shuttled (hundreds?) of miles away from anyone they know, execpt for the people they are with. Relying on strangers for clothes, probably pretty sorry food, even though it is free. Not haveing a regular shower, or feel clean. Sleeping on the floor. Trying to take care of your kids, or having to put up with strangers screaming kids.When are you going home. And to WHAT? You saw your house was either leveled, or not to be lived in ever again. OMG I can't imagine.
You live in Houston. 5 miles from the astrodome. The poorest states in the Union are sending its poor, homeless (several homeless before) uneducated, people to your lovely state. 25,000 of them!!!!!!!!!! In your own backyard. They can't keep them prisoner. Its going to be hard for all of these people to co-exist in a closed in space. They don't have anything back home, So why not just make Houston my new home. You are probably going to see more begging on the streets of downtown. There is always the bad element of any group, so they won't be allowed to stay at the Astrodome, So to make ends meet, they will break into your homes and businesses.
I don't know what I would think. But just 15 miles away, we have an army? camp. We are getting 400 refugees. I am already going through closets getting clothes for them.
I would want people to give me the benefit of the doubt, if I was hurting like these people are.
Look at Carmel. He is taking in a couple, into his home. He is a truly caring man, and a wonderful wife. HL
PS. It does bring back memories of when Castro let prisoners out of jail, loaded them up, with thieves, and prostitutes, and the sick, and sent them to America.
-
Country Girl
I live in South Central Texas, and I can't understand what you are saying. You must be outta yer mind, brother! These New Orleanians have only been out of their houses for TWO DAYS, and you are saying that they are buying out Houston businesses? These people have only been out of town for TWO DAYS, most of them have lost their homes/businesses, and you are saying they are buying out the Houston businesses? First of all, if they are refugees, the LAST THING they are going to be thinking about is starting a NEW business in Houston; they want to go and find out in NEW ORLEANS if they even have a business or home left. They don't care about Houston at this point. Houston has its OWN bad crime rate, one of the worst in the country as I remember. I think the Louisianans should be worried about HOUSTON, before they worry about the Louisianans! There is NO hostility in Texas against the Lousianans that Iknow of. In fact, our town (Austin) welcomes them with open arms! There is NO HOSTILITY that I know of. If YOU FEEL hostility, well you need to talk to someone about that, brother, you got a BIG PROBLEM! Texas welcomes them. They are our fellow Americans, and they are having a bad time.. and we sure wanna help them.. so speak for yourself bad boy.... Don't go speaking for your fellow Texans, who are the most generous and loving people that I know. Speak for your own degenerate self.Number two: WHO GIVES a crap if they are buying Houston businesses? It's not like ya'll are very far from New Orleans, it wouldn't be *that* different. Good grief. As far as I remember, it's all Cajuns as far East of Houston as I can remember anyway. So what if they *do* buy Houston businesses? It's not like it will be a different world.
CG
-
katiekitten
It must be the same issue that East and West Berlin went through when the wall came down.
And also to a lesser extent the issue Europe has with poorer European countries moving to richer countries as economic migrants.
In fact is the same issue the world over whenever there is any trouble in one country and the people flood into the neighbouring one. I guess, apart from the 1930's were not used to seeing refugees in America.
My deepest sympathy goes out to all people who have lost their homes and livelihoods, all over the world.
-
LyinEyes
I think the Louisianans should be worried about HOUSTON, before they worry about the Louisianans! There is NO hostility in Texas against the Lousianans that Iknow of.
Houston has a very high crime rate as well. My dad moved us out of Houston when I was four because it was getting so bad way back then. I mean for real........the Louisiana uneducated poor trash is gonna dirty up Houston? OKAYYYYY..
I love Texas as I was born right there in Houston,,,,there are many people who live in Houston who are from were born in little towns in Louisiana, I have many relatives who are there now.
Texas is our sister state and CG is right there is no hostility that I have ever heard of.......unless you like the Saints or the Cowboys!! Now there is the hostility. BTW...........I like the Cowboys!
-
Jankyn
It's not just Houstonians that are going to be affected. I rec'd this message yesterday, and found it extremely sobering:
Over 1 Million Homeless, Unemployed, Wandering the South...In the next few hours thousands more are going to die due to rising flood waters from the breached levees, and due to being trapped in attics without food and water.
Over 1 million people are now refugees --homeless, without jobs, without means to provide for their subsistence, and wandering the South for months.
There will be huge numbers of uninsured people seeking medical care for the inevitable health crisis that is coming. Hundreds of thousands will lose their medical health insurance because they lost their jobs. Disease will follow those exposed to the toxic and contaminated floodwaters.
Tens of thousands of displaced children will need to enroll in new school districts.
These people have lost everything except their debt which will follow them wherever they go. They have houses to pay for which no longer exist. Flood damage is likely not covered by most homeowners policies, which means no homeowners insurance proceeds to pay off the mortgage debt still owing. It's the same with car loans, not to mention credit card debt. Bankruptcy is likely the only choice for the great majority who have nothing; with the complete losses suffered, they will qualify under the new, harsher bankruptcy laws.
Access to bank accounts will be delayed. Mail will pile up somewhere outside the city, and take months to deliver.
The mental health of a million people who will examine what could have been done and what was done, what was communicated by their government officials and what was not disclosed, and who will continue under extreme stress for months if not years, will be endangered.
The incredible numbers of deaths will be stunning, and the burying of bodies without identification since there is no way to preserve them and stop the spread of disease will result in no closure for some families. They will never know for sure what happened to their loved ones. For those who've lost everything, how will they pay the funeral and burial costs -- especially when they cannot be buried in the New Orleans area because of standing water?
AND IT ALL WILL AFFECT EVERY CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTRY.
There will be gasoline shortages. Commerce travelling up and down the Mississippi River will be affected. The prices of all commodities will rise. Housing prices will rise, and in some areas (particularly the central U.S.), will become scarce. Families will be overcrowded as they take in displaced relatives and friends who are in shock and without means.
State and local governments will have to accommodate an overwhelming influx of homeless at a time they are already stretched to the limit.
Interest rates will go up on everything as a result of loss of collateral assets and defaults on payment of outstanding loans. Credit card companies, on suffering these unexpected losses, will become more even more aggressive in their collections methods.
The $26 billion quoted as insurance costs is substantially less than the real costs from loss of homes and infrastructure which were uninsured. Add in deductibles of 25% or more where there is insurance coverage.
None of this even takes into account the cost of rebuilding New Orleans, Gulfport and Biloxi, and restoring essential services of electricity, gas, water, sewer, and levees.
THERE IS A REAL QUESTION WHETHER NEW ORLEANS WILL BE REBUILT.
This is already a regional disaster covering hundreds of miles of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida -- all competing for available government aid, which is already limited. AND THE HURRICANE SEASON IS NOT CLOSE TO BEING OVER.
Within a very short period of time, this will be a national disaster of unprecedented proportions. WE ARE ALL IN THIS DISASTER IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.