Can you believe it? Americans forced to live in the most horrible conditions.

Flooding all around.

In areas in which the lawlessness of a few make sleeping securely a challenge.

Some of them have to actually sleep in the street.

All this after somehow having to ride out the storm.

To be clear, I have enormous empathy for the people suffering in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama from the effects of hurricane Katrina.

But as the media focuses almost exclusively on people who have been stripped of their possessions, their dignity, and sometimes their lives from a natural disaster (i.e. the obvious certainty of terrestrial physics), it is of value to remember that the media almost completely ignores Americans who choose to live in such conditions - for extended periods of time - Americans who volunteer for such harsh conditions so that we might live as a free people.

CraigC, thanks for the pics of Baker Company Marines.

UPDATE: Thanks Matt at Blackfive and Jeff at Protein Wisdom for providing some attention to those who ultimately make a relief effort possible.

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TrackPulled on Sep 3, 2005 6:12:39 PM

Good point.
I'll give 'em a "Hoo-rah!" and a "Semper Fi!"

(And a "Uno ab Alto" for the flyboys covering them from the air.)
Jan

Posted by: JLB at Sep 2, 2005 6:29:17 PM

Thanks for putting it in perspective..I hope others get the irony of the demands being yelled into the cameras for action NOW.

Posted by: SK at Sep 3, 2005 8:56:56 AM

Those pics are OLD, and from the beginning of the occupation of Iraq. Geesh.

Posted by: Lil Toni at Sep 3, 2005 9:15:29 AM

And your point is.......?

Posted by: CraigC at Sep 3, 2005 8:40:19 PM

Seems ole Toni has a lot of empathy in his/her Lil ole bones.

Geesh, indeed.

Durand

Posted by: durand at Sep 3, 2005 8:44:59 PM

Good one Guys.

Posted by: Lloyd at Sep 3, 2005 9:11:08 PM

My point is this: the original post lead me, and others I'm sure,to believe that those were the conditions that our military were encountering in New Orleans. You've since changed a bit of your verbage.
I am a BIG TIME supporter of our deployed troops! I have been for over two years. For those that wanna "diss" me, go to www.anysoldier.com, old communications, Sgt. Works, Joshua.
"Ole Toni" has more empathy and tears than she can manage.
My apologies if I was mis-understood.

Posted by: Lil Toni at Sep 3, 2005 10:24:27 PM

I don't know how anyone could draw that conclusion, if only from the pics themselves, but anyway, it's good to know that you're on our side.:D

Posted by: CraigC at Sep 3, 2005 10:53:13 PM

Just to be clear - this post is the same as it was originally posted - you can check the Yahoo cache if you'd like. There was never any intention at any time to convey the idea that these were conditions in New Orleans. These are just the kind of conditions that our terrific folks in the service deal with all the time.

It doesn't matter what the age of these pictures are really, does it? Wouldn't pictures of Valley Forge do just as well?

God bless those that serve the cause of freedom. God bless those that provide the opportunity for others to assist the helpless and the suffering in our own land.

No worries, Lil Toni. Whatever hardships you and yours have endured for the cause of our great country - I am unendingly grateful for. Thanks for your service.

Posted by: MC at Sep 3, 2005 11:04:40 PM

The third shot down labeled Streetsleeping is actually one of our allies the Brits. You can tell because the IFV's are Warriors, the tanks are Challengers, and the camo pattern on the uniforms. A big thanks is appropriate to all the allied nations that joined in.

Posted by: Chris Sandvick at Sep 4, 2005 9:55:40 PM

Hell Yea!! Good times!! I've been fighting tooth and nail to get deployed to NO with 1st Mar Divs 1/4 who leave tonight. I love living with nothing. Its like camping on steriods. My wife is angry I am volunteering to go do the house to house search in NO. She doesn't understand why or how someone could want to go drag dead disease ridden bodys out of attacks, garages, etc. But in truth its not all that different from cleaning up from OIF I and OIF II. A dead body is a dead body and nothing more. Better taking care of it than someone who will be emotionally scared for the rest of their lifes. Plus I would love to take my sniper team and set up for aniti-anarchy patrol. So thanks for the post and keep in mind thousands of US military members now live in NO untill hope is restored. And with some luck I to will have the opportunity to go.

EMCEE: Godspeed James. I'm glad there are people like you in this world.

Posted by: Take a quess at Sep 7, 2005 1:34:37 PM