Astrodome now in chaos with refugee crisis
 

After trumpeting all day on every news outlet that Houston would welcome 25,000 NOLA refugees to stay in the Astrodome, they're turning the buses away. The Dome has fewer than 10,000 people in it. :distress:

No one knows what's going on. No one communicated to the buses. They're sitting outside the complex, unsure whether they're going to San Antonio, Dallas, or Huntsville (a small town about an hour north of Houston).

Apparently, Houston fire marshals intervened, or re-evaluated, or who knows what are to blame. But info is still coming in.

I feel so sorry for these people. First, trapped in a devastated city. Now trapped on freakin' buses (some without air conditioning) *outside* the refuge they were offered.

Those poor people have been through enough. :distress:

There are more than 30 buses already in town. They may let them stay. Maybe not.

It's official - all the people "in charge" of this whole crisis are complete IDIOTS.

Oops - typed too soon - there are 108 buses waiting.

Yes - One Hundred-Eight.

108 times how many people on each bus?

They're estimating 60 people per bus.

Houston news is seriously freaking out. :nod:

That's 6080 people that have just endured a 12 hour bus ride. Oh man. These peole need a hot meal, a shower and a good night's rest. I hope they get it.

They sure do. So do the people who are still in NO. :(

Earlier today, the officials refused to let samaritans drop off food, water, and supplies/goodies to them. One guy showed up with two entire barbeque pits of fully cooked barbeque, and several coolers of hot dogs, and they wouldn't let him take them inside or hand them out on the ground.

So, he set up across the street on the sidewalk, and people walked across the street (in the mid-day blazing sun, mind you) just to get a bite.

Why? I'm glad some people were able to get food.
oh, it's on my news, now....
it says they already have all the refugees that the workers can handle....
God, seeing all those elderly people sitting outside...they just said, with no power or medicine, the sickest are left to die. :(
It's too much to bear. There will be a reckoning.
Bush is saying no one could have predicted levy would break, NO says they have been warning of exactly that since the 1960's.
Gov. has given national guard permission to "shoot to kill" if they see anyone shooting, or violence against someone else.

I seriously have no idea why. I'm sure some Fed official will come up with a terrorist-related excuse.

The people in the neighborhoods surrounding the Astrodome are also freaking out. After seeing a week of looting footage in NOLA, they're afraid their homes will be broken into, etc. (But you know that's not the REAL reason, considering the ethnic makeup of the neighborhoods ... 'nuff said.)

OHMIGOD - they don't even know if they have enough food to feed everyone who's already here, much less the people they're still deciding whether to let in. Yet, they're turning away food and supplies from the public.

(blood vessels in brain popping)

I hear you with the blood vessels. As I said in my post, they say rescue workers have all they can handle. :shrug:
I know what you mean about the looting, but it really is out of control. Did you read my post about so much violence in NO that the gov. gave permission to shoot freely if someone perpetrates violence??? Though, around the astrodome, that may not be the case. But those people are angry, I tell you what...
Turning away food and supplies? WTF? My news didn't tell about that! It's absurd! have you heard any kind of reason? Can't the people outside eat the food? (blood vessels popping).

I think they're gonna let the people already in Houston now into the Dome. But still, that's only about 16,000 people - not 25,000 - and everyone else will be turned away. It seems the media fury made the fire marshals reconsider, or made the Mayor step in, or something. It certainly made them realize what idiots they suddenly looked like.

I really don't know why they're turning away citizen donations, unless they want them to go through a clearinghouse to be safety-checked. No explanation was ever given.

And I can't believe about the shooting order from the LA governor. I can kinda see why, but not really. Especially when it's the govt's fault the situation got so bad in the first place. I mean if it's someone who's being violent, sure. But at this point, what does looting matter? The whole city is a write-off at this point, and they can't take the loot with them anyway.

Man, there's no way I'm sleeping tonight - f-u-r-i-o-u-s. Every time I look at the TV, the thought runs through my mind that the same exact situation could be unfolding right here in the Houston area. And I have no confidence that when/if Houston is hit by a hurricane that we'll get help any sooner.

Thanks for the info.
About the shooting order - it's not for looting, it's because gang-like violence has broken out. People are shooting at rescue helicopters, cops have been shot, other regular people have been shot - some cops are resigning because it is too dangerous. Normally a shooting order would make me sick, too, but it appears the people have become like rabid, panicked beasts....the extreme conditions are bringing out the worst in some people's human nature, as it always does. :distress: Tragic.
Yes, I no longer feel that I am in any way "safe", or will be helped, should there be a natural disaster here. *earthquake*. It's a shame.

I was thinking the same thing today... it's pretty scary how fast a civilized society degenerates into anarchy. If the "Big One" hits here and I couldn't get out of the city for whatever reason, I could be in trouble. I only have enough food and water for maybe two days. A cupboard full of canned food and bottled water might be a good idea.