i got a call this evening from a friend of the family. she lives in a small town east of me. in that town is a national guard training base.it was also used to hold italian prisoners of war in wwII. well it has become home now to 2000 katrina survivors. well my friend called cause she wanted me to come fix a lock on her back door and to put a couple new ones in for her. she said that the refugees are roaming the streets of the town at all hours of the night and we arent talking about sick old women. she said most of them are 18 to 30 gang member lookin hunks of human waste.and there have been a few problems with them,mostly trespassing but the residents are affraid of it escalating. now normally this problem would be regulated by local police,but there is one city cop in this town and the state is offering no help. this town has maybe 400 families that live there and they are mostly elderly retired people. she is going to a meeting tuesday at the town hall to ask for more security. the state no longer keeps any cadre at this base for training so it is way undermanned for housing so many people. i dont have anything to ad to this. just wanted to run it up the flagpole and see what kind of salutes it gets.
Ya gotta wonder who's doin the thinking in this matter. No matter what the Katrina survivors look like, or how they dress, who plunks 2,000 people in a town with 1 LEO?
And what are the survivors supposed to do for amenities? What are the residents supposed to do to feel safe?
Yeah, my city Baton Rouge went from 300,000 to 500,000 over night. Big suprise there are some crime problems arising. Not to mention shortages on everythnig from gasoline to bread. Fast food joints are closing because they have no food left. Its bad.
__________________
Eric
"The secret to life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made"
i know what ya mean sniper. i can see arguments in either sides favor. but there does need to be some more thinking in this situation. that friend of mine is a retired nurse,her husband has passed away and shes all alone and scared half out of her mind at what these strangers may do in the night...and im sure that most of the refugees dont mean anyone harm,but their restless and want to move around. personally i dont see why they dont just lock them in the gate. there are thousands of acres of that base to wander all they want to . the state has flown in pretty much all the supplys they need on the base. there are barracks showers exercise facilities etc. i just dont know whats going to happen. the people in my friends town can not assume that just because their hurricane victims that they are all great wholesome individuals,and the refugees shouldnt assume that the town is theres to do with what they will will. their guests and should respect their hosts....i just dont know man....sad deal all around
Every house, office building, and apartment in the area was snatched up. You cannot buy or rent anything. Lots of buisnesses are relocating and getting housing for employees. Permanently I bet.
It makes me wonder what is going to happen to the original citizens who were living paycheck to paycheck before the storm. Landlords are going to double rent as leases come due for renewal.
__________________
Eric
"The secret to life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made"
not much time now but had to tell ya...just got back home from fixing her locks. the government gave the refugees 500 bucks a piece yesterday and last nite she said there was a huge line at the local beer store! they have also started a curfew (sp?) for the towns people to be off the streets by nine pm,but the people that run the base will not impose a curfew on the refugees stating in the paper that "...the refugees are not prisoners,they are still american citizens" but i guess the people in the town are the prisoners! when i drove up there their wer groups of 20 to 30 of the refugees just walking in the middle of the friggin highway! traffic had to swirve over to the oposite lane to not hit them! ugh...this aint good! i am going to call my congressman in the morning.
Sounds like they are shell-shocked. They need to be kept from roaming like that. First driver that hits one, the 'racist' remarks will start flying again.
Just giving money to folks in this condition just causes trouble. Where the heck are those caring Liberals with their psychiatric workers to give these people the counseling and 'closure' they need? :nod:
i agree big dog. ya know something?...if it were me that was displaced and given some cash as a buffer,id be dang'ed if id buy beer with it! and your right bout the racist remarks comming if someone gets run over by some 60 year old farmer. the riot will be heard round the world.
i got a call this evening from a friend of the family. she lives in a small town east of me. in that town is a national guard training base.it was also used to hold italian prisoners of war in wwII. well it has become home now to 2000 katrina survivors. well my friend called cause she wanted me to come fix a lock on her back door and to put a couple new ones in for her. she said that the refugees are roaming the streets of the town at all hours of the night and we arent talking about sick old women. she said most of them are 18 to 30 gang member lookin hunks of human waste.and there have been a few problems with them,mostly trespassing but the residents are affraid of it escalating. now normally this problem would be regulated by local police,but there is one city cop in this town and the state is offering no help. this town has maybe 400 families that live there and they are mostly elderly retired people. she is going to a meeting tuesday at the town hall to ask for more security. the state no longer keeps any cadre at this base for training so it is way undermanned for housing so many people. i dont have anything to ad to this. just wanted to run it up the flagpole and see what kind of salutes it gets.
If I were in that situation, personally, I'd really want a Remington 870 with a tactical flashlight and/or a laser. If you loaned her one of those for if people decided to break into places, she probably wouldn't even have to shoot it - just rack the pump and point the laser/flashlight at whoever she sees. I've heard plenty of stories of when cops put a laser on a drunk guy with a gun who was about to shoot them - the drunk guy literally starts crying because he's so scared.
wow practical! i didnt know that many went to baton rouge! dang!
I actually saw a more official number. In the greater Baton Rouge area, the population swelled from 400k to 750-800k. The officials can't get a firm number becaue many are staying with relatives, not in shelters.
As a result, EVERY house under $300k has been bought in the last week, EVERY apartment has been rented regardless of size and price, and businesses have snapped up almost all commercial property.
Some may leave, but its looking like Baton Rouge may be the largest city in LA permanently.
__________________
Eric
"The secret to life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made"
Too rapid city growth is no boon. You can expect serious traffic, crime and population pressure problems for years to come, Practical. For some, the sudden growth may seem great for their businesses - but I don't envy y'all.
We are in the middle of a growth boom here in the south and west of my county - I think of your area - maybe five times what we are seeing. Whoowee!
Had I-10 not been wrecked or blocked, we would be seeing many of them here. Texas is getting the heat too.
My fiance and I had been contemplating moving to Wyoming where I work. This has helped speed the decision and the timeline. Baton Rouge WAS a nice, affordable, low crime middle class city. Now it is an overpopulated, overpriced, crime ridden refugee camp. Looks like Cheyenne unless my interview in Houston in a couple weeks goes very well.
__________________
Eric
"The secret to life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made"
Looks like Houston will be fitting the same description as you just gave Baton Rouge.
Houston is over 4,000,000 people IIRC. Increasing the populateion by 5-10% is not nearly the same as increasing it by 75-100%. Not to say 5-10% is insignificant, because it isn't.
Unfortunately though, the oilfield is centered in Houston, so if I want to move up, I have to move in.
__________________
Eric
"The secret to life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made"
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