Welfare Mentality

Have you observed the subtle shift in public opinion that’s taking place right now?

We’re shifting from compassion and openhearted handouts to the New Orleans area victims of the hurricane to a resenting and a harder questioning and analytical evaluative temperament.

Why is this happening? I believe the “Gimmee! Gimmee, now!” attitude of many of the people from New Orleans that I’ve seen on the news has been a contributing factor. Eventually, everyone gets tired of the demands made on their charity and goodwill. I think Ray Nagen, the half-wit mayor of New Orleans, and the man who has done more than any other to contribute to the problems experienced there, has exemplified this more than any other. His criticisms of everyone else and his dismissals of criticism of his own role in the catastrophe has done much to polarize the country.

I should note that it was Ray Nagen who disregarded all the plans and told people to head to the Superdome while he left the buses parked. Now the Superdome will probably be demolished not for structural problems but because it’s a massive manure and trash pit. He also sent people to the convention center. FEMA and the other agencies had no idea that this was going to happen because it was contrary to all plans, and it turns out that Nagen never even called anyone for almost two days after the hurricane.

Another factor? My father just returned from Mississippi (he took time off to transport a camper for FEMA) where the people initially turned FEMA out and took care of things themselves. FEMA’s first action in Mississippi was to shut down the private contractors in case they’d try to price gouge. The people rebelled and actually threw the FEMA reps out of certain communities. There is certainly a difference of mindset between the two areas.

As one person told me:

“The problem I have with the people in New Orleans sitting around waiting for the government and for handouts to give them what they want is that the day before the hurricane they were sitting on their porches doing the same thing.”

I’m not saying that this is right or wrong, but I am saying the shift is going on. It’ll be interesting to see the end result of all this. It will also be interesting to see the reports of fraud in the coming years.