For Iowa, 'this is our version of Katrina'

The sandbagging came to a halt Saturday and residents in already flooded Iowa City, hoping for the best but fearing the worst, braced for the arrival of peak floodwaters, expected late Monday or early Tuesday.

[Nola]

No, this is NOT Katrina or anything like it. Mr. Sullivan needs to read the papers a bit more.

[Kevin]

George Bush blew up the thunderstorms!!

[Myself]

What is wrong with you people? Whether it's on the same scale as Katrina or not is really beside the point.

People lost their homes and some lost their lives. Show a little kindness. It could be you.

[John J Coughlin]

"This is our version of Katrina," said Johnson County Emergency Management spokesman Mike Sullivan."

I had no idea that the good citizens of Iowa were on a murderous and theiving rampage over this thing.

Has the media neglected to inform us of these matters?

[A Mess McCain]

Good luck getting McCain to lift a finger.

[A Mess McCain]

Mette supporter wrote:

Boo hoo, no sympathy here.

FU!!!

[Yooper]

and all Obama will say is " we will work through this", "we will overcome", "we will succeed with change" blah, blah, blah blah

[Sarah]

If it IS compared to Katrina, let's learn from our mistakes there.
1. President Bush--stay OUT
2. Do NOT send in FEMA

[Amanda]

borrowedladder28 wrote:

The diffence between the 2008 Iowa Floods and Hurricane Katrina is that Iowans are smart enough to know when to leave their homes. They are also not asking for monetary handouts and blaming the Bush Administration for all their problems. They have too much self-respect to act in that manner. Some how I don't see Aston Kutcher going on a Celebrity Telefund and making the claim that George Bush hates White people. As an Ex-Pat Iowan now living and working as an engineer in Silicon Valley, I'm still proud to call that state home.

I totally agree. I amazed at the resolve of the people of Iowa to get through this even without Sean Penn paddling and proselytizing through their flooded streets. Go Iowa!

[Amanda]

A Mess McCain wrote:

<quoted text>
Bash sux and your a retard!

You obviously have strong opinions but neither the grammar nor proofing skills to give said opinions credence.

[Steve]

Being from Florida, and having a brother who was a firefighter in Pensacola during Katrina, I took mild offense to the "This is our Katrina". The toll of missing and dead from across 3 states (Louisana, Mississippi, and Florida) is around 2500.

The devistation in Iowa, tho tragic, is NOT comparable to Katrina.

Yes, there were MAJOR problems with the preparations and response by the governments of New Orleans and Lousiana, including the anarchy that the civil population degenerated into. There is no excusing that. I am glad to see the communites in Iowa and the rest of mid-West pulling together to do everything the can to save their communities.

But to put a proper perspective on things, the flooding in the mid-West is NOT comperable to Katrina.

-S-

[Realist]

No looting, no shootings...I wonder why?

[midwest rail]

Steve wrote:

Being from Florida, and having a brother who was a firefighter in Pensacola during Katrina, I took mild offense to the "This is our Katrina". The toll of missing and dead from across 3 states (Louisana, Mississippi, and Florida) is around 2500.
The devistation in Iowa, tho tragic, is NOT comparable to Katrina.
Yes, there were MAJOR problems with the preparations and response by the governments of New Orleans and Lousiana, including the anarchy that the civil population degenerated into. There is no excusing that. I am glad to see the communites in Iowa and the rest of mid-West pulling together to do everything the can to save their communities.
But to put a proper perspective on things, the flooding in the mid-West is NOT comperable to Katrina.
-S-

Do you think maybe the MAJOR problems exibited by local govts, in addition to the civil anarchy contributed to the overwhelming loss of life ?

[Jackson]

The Trib writers pulled the quote from an AP article, and, hyperbole being what it is, some editor decided to use it in the title of the Trib's report.

Report the quote, fine: it's a county official emotionally invested in the situation. Make it the title of the article (and therefore the focus): poor taste, Trib.

Obviously it's a poor analogy, but you can't blame an exhausted worker for not seeing things from a wider perspective.

As everyone who lives along the Mississippi knows, the river and its tributaries have been doing this for forever...it's nature, devastating nature. Katrina was a horrific combination of nature, prolonged neglect by the Army Corps of Engineers, and poor government organization and intervention (and let's not forget almost 1500 deaths).

[Jon]

borrowedladder28 wrote:

The diffence between the 2008 Iowa Floods and Hurricane Katrina is that Iowans are smart enough to know when to leave their homes. They are also not asking for monetary handouts and blaming the Bush Administration for all their problems. They have too much self-respect to act in that manner. Some how I don't see Aston Kutcher going on a Celebrity Telefund and making the claim that George Bush hates White people. As an Ex-Pat Iowan now living and working as an engineer in Silicon Valley, I'm still proud to call that state home.

Well said. Midwesterners are a dignified people who get things done. No crying over spilled milk, no expectations of a government bailout, no sound bites from racist musicians, and no trace of a mentality that it's someone else's problem to fix. But that's expected of us, so there's not a news story to be told or political gain to be realized.

[Frankie D]

How dare you compare this to Katrina! How many people are dead or missing still there in Iowa, 4? Thats 1,834 dead in New Orleans.$736 million esatmated damage cost in Iowa so far, New Orleans, 44 Billion! We are still looking for missing people! Its been 5 years and we still have no home in New Orleans. I mean it is of great proportion in Iowa but come on, Katrina? The journalists Jason George, Jo Napolitano and Tim Jones needs to get their geography straight and quit exaggerating. Idiots!

[Terry]

A Mess McCain wrote:

<quoted text>
Bash sux and your a retard!

Who, pray tell is this character "Bash" whom you seem to dislike?

And you really should work on your syntax.

[Melissa]

Just a correction: they didn't stop sandbagging because they were "giving up", although some areas of the campus have been abandoned to try and save more critical buildings. A severe thunderstorm and tornado came through the area late yesterday afternoon and efforts had to be halted for the safety of the sandbaggers. They're back at it and are still calling for volunteers in Iowa City and Coralville.

[Melissa]

Sarah wrote:

If it IS compared to Katrina, let's learn from our mistakes there.
1. President Bush--stay OUT
2. Do NOT send in FEMA

Unfortunately, FEMA's already made an appearance in Iowa City.

[Thinking]

As a New Orleans resident who lost it all in Katrina, and is well on the road to recovery, these people have my deepest sympathy.
"This is our Katrina" is just a comparison made by a distraught (and rightly so) citizen.
Rather than quibble because not as many lives were lost, or homes destroyed in Iowa as in Katrina, we should be thankful.
Iowa, we who have hearts wish you the very best, and a speedy recovery.