Home > Norcross.Talk > Archives > 2008 > September > 08 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGwinnett, open your arms to evacuees
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As Hurricane Gustav approached the Gulf Coast, I am sure many of you were entrenched in the news coverage fearing another round of devastation the likes of what Katrina brought to those shores.
In the carnage that followed Katrina hitting the coast, streets became canals, homes were leveled, lives were lost and many more changed forever.
Katrina’s aftermath represents what history will remember as the single greatest example of irresponsibility.
Years later and those families are still picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild their lives. Those who fled to all parts of the country to escape the natural terror to this very day have never returned.
Katrina was in some ways a great teacher. She reminded us not to take Mother Nature for granted and she taught us that we should take responsibility for our actions or lack thereof.
When the Katrina evacuees dispersed across America many found their way to Metro Atlanta including Norcross and Gwinnett.
I remember it didn’t take long before news reports of various criminal activity included that they were “Katrina evacuees.” Whether or not it was fair to point that out is a valid question, however, it is still the truth.
Then along came Hurricane Gustav who recently barreled up the Gulf of Mexico and was bound to follow in Katrina’s footsteps, awakening fears and alarming all those in his path.
Watching CNN’s coverage the day before Gustav hit the coast of Louisiana it was evident that most had learned lessons of the past and to respect the awesome power of Mother Nature. They once again fled across the United States.
Many appeared to have found their way to Norcross to my surprise. Within a 5 minute drive up Jimmy Carter Boulevard, I saw no less than 10 different license plates from Mississippi and Louisiana. Hotels along the way appeared to be very busy.
I found myself making one very serious mistake. I immediately expected to see or hear news reports of criminal activity that followed with “Gustav evacuees”. Whether or not it may have been true isn’t the point. There are bad apples in every bushel that doesn’t make the whole bushel rotten apples.
With this turning out to be one very active hurricane season, and Ike in our backyard, we should keep in mind the circumstances by which more may find a temporary (or permanent) home here in Gwinnett as a result - welcome them, offer any support we can and not jump to conclusions.
Permalink | Comments (19) | Post your comment | Categories: Woody Bass
Comments
By Godfrey
September 8, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
Just make sure you’re not inviting the same sort of parasitic elements that found there way up here and many other areas of the country after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans’s welfare state complex.
By Woody Bass
September 8, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
No.. I was referring to a more philanthropic support.
By Rage Against The Machine
September 8, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
This is gonna be fun.
By LT5000
September 8, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this
Woody,
The typical AJC blogger. Apparently Woddy’s mom didn’t read the paper to him last week.
*Officer Polite said three women and one man were caught during a brief foot chase Thursday evening, following robberies at two Buckhead clothing stores. *
“We open up our arms to them,” Officer Polite said about the recent influx of Hurricane Gustav evacuees. “
Remember the Katrina refugees using their government issued cards to buy Chanel and Gucci at Phipps plaza.
These people are parasites sucking America dry.
Of course Woody wants to take them in.
LT5000
By TiredofIt
September 9, 2008 8:12 AM | Link to this
No. Couldn’t disagree more. If they’re coming here to stay/visit with friends or family - fine. Otherwise, a refugee camp in their own state or an adjacent neighbor is where they should go.
If they are coming her to start a new life with a job and means - great. If they are coming here to engage in crime -or stick out their hands for permanent social assistance bottom feeders like a lot of the Katrina “refugees” NO.
By Katie
September 9, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
Why do they have to come to Georgia?? Aren’t there other states that can take these people in?? We don’t need more Katrina ‘victims’. So called ‘victims’.
By DE
September 9, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
We get enough trash that is moving out of Atlanta due to increased property values and rent. So they move to Ghetto Gwinnett where it is over built and cheap! With out of control sprawl!
By Steve
September 9, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
I can care less. They’re going to just as many places as they are here, probably less here. Kind of like the illegal immigration into the U.S., were GA is getting about 5% or less of what everyone else is getting, but the sky is always falling in the South, right? Products of the GA school systems no doubt.
By Twynn
September 9, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
Steve, what was that? You came here basically to say how stupid we are for caring how I our community fares?
Your 5% statistical estimate…what is that exactly? 5% of the gross national number of disbursed illegals? or 5% of the average? Or what? You can’t just throw out a number like 5% without saying it’s 5% of.
Take a look at the Gwinnett County Sheriffs Department docket book. Then come back with an accurate account of the 5% number. I’d like to know more about what you were saying. Thanks.
By Katie
September 10, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
Since we don’t know how many illegals there are in the US, because they come here illegally, how can you put a number on them or a percentage??? You can’t. It’s all estimations.
By Bubba
September 10, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
Why don’t y’all just put up a 20 ft. electrical fence around your house and be done with it? Hell, for that matter we can just put armed state troopers on the Al and Tn border and just go ahead and shoot anyone driving a rickety car. This is Jawjuh, man! We got enough rickety cars driven by po’ folk ‘round here, don’t need no more furners! Hell, the only good thing about Alabama is that it separates Georgia from Mississippi.
Some of you morons would do the world a favor by throwing yourself against the electrical fence you built ‘round your propity to keep them mongrels out. I just don’t think you’re worth the price of wattage.
By Bonedaddy
September 10, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
Woody, how many are you, your mom, and Bubba taking in?
By Soryu
September 10, 2008 4:05 PM | Link to this
Yes, open your arms because Gwinnett obviously doesn’t have enough home grown criminals of its own so it might as well import them from New Orleans—they have a surplus of such I am told. Just ask Buckhead as to the quality of their work, the best smash and grab artists east of the Rockies.
By Soryu
September 10, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this
Bubba:
Mississippi isn’t the problem, New Orleans is. Katrina didn’t hit New Orleans, it hit Mississippi. Not much looting there was there?
Look at the crime rate there and the dismal education system. Not exactly the type of things you want to be importing.
By Tiredofit
September 13, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
@Woody -
Based on the responses, you seem to be at odds with your readers quite a bit.. Is this a requirement for AJC commentators? What made you think that your statements would elicit anything but a majority negative responses? Except for the criticism of those responses by a small minority. Was this your intent?
Most of us just want our town back -free of vermin, congestion, eye sores and noise pollution. Between the Buckhead Village post and this one, I don’t understand where you’re coming from. I for one don’t need you to preach social engineering and wealth redistribution under a thinly veiled plea for charity and an attempt to induce guilt..
Despite the State and Federal representation we have due to gerrymandering, the majority of the people that read and comment here are conservative - both fiscally and socially.
You are certainly entitled to wear any “colors” you want, but your choice of hat says a lot about you. You go out of your way to be controversial. I seriously doubt that a local blog writer for the Gainesville Sun would make it across the newspaper parking lot alive if he were to wear a GA Bulldogs hat in a byline picture for “Gainesville Talk.”
Diversity is highly over rated.
By 4everyoneelse
September 13, 2008 10:37 PM | Link to this
@Tiredofit - You spin well. I agree with what you say, but I think you are too polite and indirect for a lot of people that read these blogs. I am going to translate what you said into plain English for the rest of the people.
*Woody- You are a JackA$$ and a trouble maker. You don’t speak for Norcross any more than the clowns downtown at the paper speak for the rest of Atlanta. You are out of touch with the people of Norcross and throw stuff out to promote your agenda and/or stir the pot..
We don’t want any more deadbeats in our town. Quite frankly, we’ve already got too many deadbeats, illegal invaders and other assorted criminals in our town and we want them all gone.
We don’t want to be the new nightclub district. We don’t want to be more urban or progressive. We want to be less urban and less “progressive.”
Since yo are writing a column that is supposted to be about Norcross, GA, the Gator hat in your picture is offensive to most of your readers, you idiot!
You should apply to write “Virginia Highlands Talk” if you want to continue to write your personal liberal agenda garbage opinions.
Diversity Sucks!*
By Bonedaddy
September 13, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this
Never quite understood the Gator hat either…..or the Koombayah crap either.
By Williamx
September 14, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
I tell ya what Woody, you pay the $7,000 deposit and I’ll make available my one rental property. After all, thats how much damage the fine upstanding Katrina evacuees did before I was able to finally get them evicted. And, that doesn’t even include the lost rent money I lost.
Oh, and I expect that deposit to be in CASH, and with you as co-signer on the rental agreement.
Smoke that in your ‘Kum by ya’ Skull Bong.
And thanks for reminding me once again why Obama will not ever be President of anything, but a terriorist Appreciation Club.
By Yahoo
September 14, 2008 9:19 PM | Link to this
I have been just passing though the South and after reading the responses, ye=haw. only one more day in He!!.