How would you respond to this?

[GaYellowDawg]

I saw this on a different board w/ respect to Katrina victims losing everything:

That is their damn fault, not ours.. and when I say "ours," I'm talking about my tax dollars being used to rebuild some losers home who didn't take the responsibility or initiative to protect themselves in the first place. I'm sorry, but I do not feel sorry for most of those people at all. Sure, I'm upset that Katrina occured, and yes, I have donated a lot of my own money and time to help Katrina victims; but dammit, at some point we all need to quit blaming the gov. and blame those who were irresponsible in the first place. However, I will say this---I do blame the gov. for having in place such a craddle to grave welfare program that allows people to essentially do nothing and act as leeches on society for years on end.

Many Katrina victims were getting gov. assistance and/or subsidized housing, yet even then they chose not to protect themselves but instead spent their money on tangible items instead. Again, they'll tell you they can't afford insurance---but you'll soon find out they somehow were able to afford tvs, cable, cell phones, stereos, alcohol, cigarettes, nice clothes...the list goes on and on. Its just like all the Florida residents down here who cried to the gov. when their non-insured homes were destroyed by hurricanes in recent years. In the end, responsible people like you and I had to bail them out with increased taxes and property insurance rates.

This subject really hits a nerve with me, as I have no sympathy for those who chose to live a worthless life, and blame others for their irresponsible actions. We are the wealthiest country in the history of civilization, in which anyone can live a great life with hard work and sacrifice. Also, millions of hard working people in any number of poor countries around the world would kill to live in America---yet we have a certain percentage of leeches who choose the live a worthless life, then come to you and I with their hands out when they need something.

[Vincardog]

1. How would you respond to this? "Sit down and shut up ya biggot."

[Liberal Gramma]

2. Obviously one of those

Republicans who just didn't understand why the Katrina victims didn't just throw a case of Perrier in the Lexus and head on up to their summer homes. This post is a smug, callous and indefensible response to human suffering.

[MrCoffee]

3. Does the other board have an ignore button? That's the only response

to that stupid bullshit.

[ComerPerro]

4. I hope this person gets an incurable, terminal disease

and is forced to drain all of his/her family's assets on the medical care.

Then they can talk to me about the virtues of hard work, and refusing to reward laziness.

[Mojambo]

5. This person cannot be reasoned with

They are a miserable, angry, wretched sort and you should offer them nothing but pity (or scorn.)

[BootinUp]

6. Ask him to review what other countries thought

when they saw what happened in the wealthiest country in the history of civilization.

Secondly, suggest that he has a very distorted view of the underclass, and ask him to explain how he knows so much about them. He will respond by saying he knows this person here for instance, but he will not have read or watched anything authoritative on the subject.

[MadMaddie]

7. This writer seems to think that all of the victims were black...

this person is what is wrong with America....

Probably never had a hard day in their life.....

When that day does come this person will blame everyone else except themselves.....

How to respond.....it's not even worth responding to.....

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

He's stating an assumption without validation (only losers)

So he's putting the burden of proof on you to 'prove him wrong', he should not be able to do that.

Description of Burden of Proof
Burden of Proof is a fallacy in which the burden of proof is placed on the wrong side. Another version occurs when a lack of evidence for side A is taken to be evidence for side B in cases in which the burden of proof actually rests on side B. A common name for this is an Appeal to Ignorance. This sort of reasoning typically has the following form:


Claim X is presented by side A and the burden of proof actually rests on side B.
Side B claims that X is false because there is no proof for X.
In many situations, one side has the burden of proof resting on it. This side is obligated to provide evidence for its position. The claim of the other side, the one that does not bear the burden of proof, is assumed to be true unless proven otherwise. The difficulty in such cases is determining which side, if any, the burden of proof rests on. In many cases, settling this issue can be a matter of significant debate. In some cases the burden of proof is set by the situation. For example, in American law a person is assumed to be innocent until proven guilty (hence the burden of proof is on the prosecution). As another example, in debate the burden of proof is placed on the affirmative team. As a final example, in most cases the burden of proof rests on those who claim something exists (such as Bigfoot, psychic powers, universals, and sense data).

[silverweb]

8. What Vincardog said.

There really is no other adequate response for that kind of naked bigotry.

[blogslut]

9. why bother?

oh, okay. throw this at them:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

[filer]

10. How does one respond to a flatulent asshole?

Hold your nose and move on.

[MissWaverly]

11. the government is supposed to provide for the common welfare

of it's people, that means in time of disaster, the people of New Orleans did not volunteer
to have Katrina hit them, a great deal of our domestic oil supply comes from the gulf coast,
I believe there are ways to pay for this w/o picking the pockets of the American people and
I think that the National Guard, Army and civilian volunteers should built homes rather
than toss money at do nothing contractors but we should still intervene. That's the purpose
of our government not to build a half billion embassy in Iraq against the wishes of the
Iraqi people not to build 14 mega bases in Iraq against the wishes of congress and not
to eavesdrop on the calla of innocent Americans with another huge price tag and again w/o
the consent of our courts, our congress or our individual citizens.

[pooja]

12. And how is it that the very politicians that we elect are allowed

to live the high life like leeches, beg of you your dollars, and do better than the avg. working person and get pay raises?

I do believe in a little bit of self-perserverence. But in the Katrina catastrophy, people were turned away. Ice trucks were turned away. Medical service personal were turned away. The reason why Katrina really did work, is because for a week we watched OUR AMERICANS die on tv. We sat spell-bound by the atrocities taking place. Then we screamed for help. And the national guard was deployed for the first time in American history, Martial Law was on. American soldiers not defending Americans, but becoming their enslavers. A lot happened in N.O. that was not seen on t.v. You have to wonder why 50,000 body bags were first ordered and then 80,000. You have to wonder what is happening with these people's land. New Orleans had a lot of black people, who although poor, owned their own land. How is it that you are going to make a new disney land for rich white people. And when they say there is a conspiracy in New Orleans that the levies were blown--think past your noses. MSM lies about everything. Listen to the people in New Orleans. They might, just might, have a better clue.

Tin Foil Hat Trick of the Day.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. "Walk a mile in my shoes" or for the religious,

"There but for the grace of God, go I" Or a hand up isn't a hand out. This person is a selfish and self-serving, self-absorbed a$$. Oh and clueless too boot! Typical republican attitude! Bet this person would be the first person in line for government assistance if some tragedy side lined him/her. They always are.

[shadowknows69]

14. Is "With a two by four" the right answer?

Because that's what people like this make me feel like. I know I know, violence doesn't solve anything etc etc etc but some people are just begging for it.

[CrispyQ]

15. I'm still getting that hateful shit, too.

Send them this:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0112-15.htm


Ask them what they think about corporations that pay no income taxes, or minuscule taxes at best. Isn't that sucking off the system? They do it to the tune of millions & millions of dollars. If they paid their fair share of taxes, maybe people like this mean-spirited asshole would not have to "bail them out with increased taxes and property insurance rates."

http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=45142


I am so sick & tired of mean people!

[Horse with no Name]

16. How about by stating the obvious

Insurance companies wouldn't insure them.
The ones that did won't pay.
I have yet to see a Congressional resolution to force the insurance companies to pay their policy holders.

[Scoot420fla]

18. True...plus

the insurance companies have a loophole...most policies do not cover FLOODING - and if you live in an area that is prone to flooding - guess what? You cant GET flood insurance! They won't let you buy it!

[Scoot420fla]

17. soo...let me get this straight...

Someone should spend everything they earn to pay for insurance on their house and belongings (and remember, most of the people in question here do not OWN houses but RENT them and renters insurance doesn't cover a lot)...but they should stock up on all this insurance just in case that storm of the century nails them dead on, and in the meantime live without a phone, TV, cable or nice clothes, and god forbid they should spend $3 on a pack of smokes to help them deal with their miserable life. As long as they have insurance, they'll be ready for anything. Who needs clothes anyway??

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. Crazy isn't it?

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Catherine Vincent]

20. Typical.

A friend of mine told me that her friend who is a realtor said that some Katrina victims are able to buy a house or have a new one built for only $1. I told her I don't believe it. She says it's true and it's not fair for hard working people out there trying to make ends meet. My friend needs help.

[Ezlivin]

21. Gee, this must be a cheery fellow to live near

He seems to have a chip on his shoulder.

Let's take a look at some of his statements.

"That is their damn fault, not ours.. and when I say "ours," I'm talking about my tax dollars being used to rebuild some losers home who didn't take the responsibility or initiative to protect themselves in the first place."

Okay, what if they did take "responsibility or initiative to protect themselves"? What then? How do you know how to separate the irresponsible from the responsible? If you do, then you need to share this wisdom with others.

"I'm sorry, but I do not feel sorry for most of those people at all."

I hope you don't have/never have children, lest they make one mistake in their lives. Compassion apparently is not your strong suit.

"Sure, I'm upset that Katrina occured, and yes, I have donated a lot of my own money and time to help Katrina victims; but dammit, at some point we all need to quit blaming the gov. and blame those who were irresponsible in the first place."

Why are you upset that "Katrina occured" (sic)? Mother Nature is known for her capriciousness.

You were upset that your tax dollars are being "used to rebuild some losers home", yet you donated "a lot" of your "own money" to help out Katrina victims. How did you separate the winners from the "losers"?

"However, I will say this---I do blame the gov. for having in place such a craddle to grave welfare program that allows people to essentially do nothing and act as leeches on society for years on end."

So would you be against corporate welfare? Would you support the removal of all subsidies to the oil and farm industries?

"Many Katrina victims were getting gov. assistance and/or subsidized housing, yet even then they chose not to protect themselves but instead spent their money on tangible items instead."

When you say "many", can you point to a single published report that backs your claim? And could you please explain the problem with buying "tangible items" as opposed to, say, intangible items?

"Again, they'll tell you they can't afford insurance---but you'll soon find out they somehow were able to afford tvs, cable, cell phones, stereos, alcohol, cigarettes, nice clothes...the list goes on and on."

Even those with insurance cannot get their homes rebuilt. Even those with the proper, paid-up insurance with the correct coverage are having great difficulty in getting their claims filled. Do you expect people to sacrifice everything in their lives to take out insurance?

"Its just like all the Florida residents down here who cried to the gov. when their non-insured homes were destroyed by hurricanes in recent years. In the end, responsible people like you and I had to bail them out with increased taxes and property insurance rates."

My parents live a mile from the coastline. Their insurance rates are going up to cover the homes that are built on the coast. My parents could never afford to live "on the water", but they will have to pay more for their insurance to cover these well-to-do snowbirds.

"This subject really hits a nerve with me, as I have no sympathy for those who chose to live a worthless life, and blame others for their irresponsible actions."

Socrates said "An unexamined life is not worth living." You should examine your life and ask yourself why you have lost all sense of empathy and compassion.

"We are the wealthiest country in the history of civilization, in which anyone can live a great life with hard work and sacrifice."

You have to be white to say that. Otherwise you'd know better than to say "anyone can live a great life with hard work and sacrifice."

"Also, millions of hard working people in any number of poor countries around the world would kill to live in America---yet we have a certain percentage of leeches who choose the live a worthless life, then come to you and I with their hands out when they need something."

Millions of Mexicans stream northward daily to live and work here. Unfortunately they are driving down wages and taking jobs away from the very people you berate.

Let me close by saying this: If you are ever in trouble, if your house is swept away in a flood or sucked into the sky by a twister, we will not turn our backs on you. We won't judge you and we won't shortchange you.

That used to be the American way and it still is for a lot of us.