JUST A PERSONAL OBSERVATION

[pam]

Frank I don't know where you got the idea anybody said you were racist? Sounds to me like we were ALL sharin experiences we have HAD with racism and our ignorance of the depth of it because we all grew up where it wasn't really an issue in our lives!

[Catwoman]

Frank, no one who reads you would ever call you a racist.  Far from it.  You have an extremely objective, pragmatic viewpoint that is a delight to read and absorb.  I am not surprised to learn of the extent to which you have traveled...you have always posted such literate, thoughtfilled items...and I am also not surprised that you are someone who has enjoyed the company of people from other lands and persuasions. :-)  I have spent a great deal of time dealing with foreign nationals and have found that it was like taking a trip around the world without having to leave Kansas.  Now, granted, there were a few apples with rot spots in there, but the experience has been so gratifying, overall, that I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I applaud you, Frank.  And keep the observations coming...you give me something else to think about other than my topsy-turvy life!

[Tobina+1]

After reading this post from first to last, and then going back to read Frank's original post... I think my opinion is that this may be the difference of living in the midwest vs. larger cities and urban areas.  I know that there are large cities around/along the current flood plain, but the towns that are affected the most seem small in comparison to New Orleans and that area.  I'm not sure racism or color has anything to do with Frank's original observations; just the difference in area of the US and what type of areas are affected (farm ground and small communities). 

[sixdogsmom]

Also there was a great difference in response by government, both local and federal. Nobody wanted to be compared with Katrina and the complete failure of that infrastructure. The people behaved poorly with no leadership as well as the local authorities. A lot of lessons were learned with Katrina, and hopefully they will not be in vane. My heart goes out to those who lost their homes in the flooding.

[twirldoggy]

I am living in St. Joseph,  Missouri after living in Howard for two years.   I went to a car wash here in St. Joe to go through the automatic wash and then went to anothe car wash to vacuum the car as the vacuums were not surrounded by ice and snow.  When I had the trash all out of my car, I leaned against it to rest for a moment before vacuuming.  I noticed a slender black man about 35 years old cleaning his car which was a white Cadillac with black leather interior.  He appeared to me as someone I should be afraid of, someone that might be a drug dealer.   He came over to me and offered to vacuum for me and when he finished he wiped down the outside of my car just like he was doing to his own.  I offered him money and he would not take it.  All this was help from a perfect stranger of another race.  Susan

[pam]

A couple of us just got off on our own side discussion, that's all.

[frawin]

Tobina, I think it is the difference in cultures and attitudes of the Rural and Midwest Verses the City and New Orleans in Particular. To me New Orleans and it's culture was a WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD, I have been to New Orleans on business in the past and Frankly I was disappointed.
The Midwest and Rural attitude has always been: "IF IT IS TO BE IT IS UP TO ME" or as Larry the Cable Guy says, "GIT'ER DONE".
Frank

[pam]

Why were you disappointed?

[frawin]

 In the French Quarter and on Bourbon Street the crime, smell, panhandlers, hookers and and other things I won't mention here. I will say the food was absolutely fabulous and the people that I was dealing with were very hospitable, it was an unforgettable experience and one that made me thankful I lived in the Rural Midwest and I was raising my family in Bartlesville verses New Orleans.
Frank

[pam]

I got ya. The smell WAS awful, but the architecture and the atmosphere was awesome. I loved Jackson square. But yeah there were some buildings I had to keep my 12 and 13 year old boys from readin billboards on