Am I to understand this correctly? This is what I'm piecing together. Reports of looting, violence, etc. have been waaaaaaaaay overexaggerated. This makes sense and is completely in keeping with research I pointed at the other day. The rumor mill is flying, filling in for the utter lack of communication. The rumors are compounded by racism.
Consequently, there are supplies, but no one will drive the stuff into the city because they believe they will be jumped by the 'darky hordes' (sorry to offend, but I think asterisking it would mask how truly disgusting this situation is, if true).
If you haven't seen it, make time to watch the first half hour of Count Down on MSNBC.com
The cameraman gives one of the most moving, honest accounts I've heard to date.
Basically, he says that the people at the convention center have followed all the rules and they have been abandoned, left there to starve, dehydrate, and die. There are people dying in front of his eyes. HE's been all over the world, he's never seen anything like it.
These people aren't inaccessible or surrounded by water.
Harry Connick Jr. was the only person in any position of authority who has visited them. They did not horde him. They did not shoot him. None of these people were interested in harming anyone. They were organized. Someone had taken a position of moral leadership. They were cooperating and helping each other. They sent out people to retrieve food and water. The camaramen said they were supportive and tight-knit.
They've been abandoned. They've been abandoned b/c, if what I'm hearing is right -- a bus was explaining why no one would drive in there -- they are afraid they'll be shot.
yet, if this cameraman is right, these reports have been blown out of proportion. The so-called looting of Charity Hospital never happened. The sniper was a desperate man trying to get help for his family.
Is there something else going on here? IS my interpretation off?