Breaking News: 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti

[Darth Wagtaros]

True.  I believe it is the racial assumptions going on here though. Any society is gonna be three meals away from revolution.  I think in any American city we'd see civil breakdown begin within a few days of a major disaster and the elimination of authority.

Like if there were an earthquake in San Francisco or a big fire in Chicago?

Civil authorities survived both, and there was the state and federal governments with a great deal of resources to draw upon. 

[alfred russel]

Remember how sensationalized the stories coming out of New Orleans were.

[Kleves]

Haiti had a ruinous earthquake? How could they tell?

[Admiral Yi]

Civil authorities survived both, and there was the state and federal governments with a great deal of resources to draw upon.

Was civil authority eliminated in Haiti?  And Haiti has a great deal of resources to draw on from the international community.

[katmai]

Was there civil authority to be eliminated?

[Razgovory]

Remember how sensationalized the stories coming out of New Orleans were.

Indeed people were saying that it was fake and just a way for the media to embarrass Bush.

[jimmy olsen]

It's a legitimate point.  Rioting and shooting after a natural disaster don't make things any better and they hinder the people trying to help you.

But it's not a black or white issue, level Stockholm and leave the survivors for days without food or water and the same violent behavior will ensue.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Civil authorities survived both, and there was the state and federal governments with a great deal of resources to draw upon.

Was civil authority eliminated in Haiti?  And Haiti has a great deal of resources to draw on from the international community.

For most of the people that will be days away. 

[alfred russel]

Remember how sensationalized the stories coming out of New Orleans were.

Indeed people were saying that it was fake and just a way for the media to embarrass Bush.

I was referring to the lord of the flies type stories of the katrina aftermath that were indeed b.s.

http://articles.latimes.com/2005/sep/27/nation/na-rumors27

[jimmy olsen]

Civil authorities survived both, and there was the state and federal governments with a great deal of resources to draw upon.

Was civil authority eliminated in Haiti?  And Haiti has a great deal of resources to draw on from the international community.

Is this a serious question? Anyone who knows anything about Haiti or has just watched the news over the last few days would know that it has been eliminated. The government had little authority to begin with. It was propped up by UN peacekeepers whose command staff was decapitated when their HQ collapsed. The national police have evaporated as the survivors struggle to help their families. The national army was disbanded by the peacekeepers.  Report after report has emphasized the absolute lack of any sign of civil authority or aid organized by the government. The only sign of the government in action that has been seen is the burial of the bodies in mass graves, but that only began in earnest yesterday.  Haiti is now a failed state to greater degree than Somalia. At least Somalia is divided by warlords who control their territory.

The aid is stuck at the airport or being distributed by foreign aid workers or the US military. How does that show the Haitian government has authority? 

[Admiral Yi]

For most of the people that will be days away.

How quick did aid get to San Francisco and Chicago?

[Darth Wagtaros]

For most of the people that will be days away.

How quick did aid get to San Francisco and Chicago?

Very. 

[grumbler]

For most of the people that will be days away.

How quick did aid get to San Francisco and Chicago?

How long are you going to play the Yi game of all questions and no statements?

[DGuller]

It's a legitimate point.  Rioting and shooting after a natural disaster don't make things any better and they hinder the people trying to help you.

But it's not a black or white issue, level Stockholm and leave the survivors for days without food or water and the same violent behavior will ensue.

I think we should try that and see what happens.

[Alexandru H.]

It's a legitimate point.  Rioting and shooting after a natural disaster don't make things any better and they hinder the people trying to help you.

But it's not a black or white issue, level Stockholm and leave the survivors for days without food or water and the same violent behavior will ensue.

You can't see the fucking difference between a civilized city and Haiti