Any thoughts on this story

This hoax has already been proven to be a COMPLETE FRAUD. You did not include the full signature with the physician's professional credentials that appeared on the original piece of this defamatory garbage. But the doctor whose signature appears on it has denounced it and publicly stated that it is a forgery.

Didn't this even appear suspicious at all to you before you posted it here. Checking the veracity of questionable things like this is ridiculously quick and easy to do.

Sheesh

OMG!!! I can't believe how some of you people can believe everything that comes across your computer screen.

Apparently you haven't noticed the number of hoaxes and frauds circulating around the internet that wind up on this forum after having been posted here by "reliable" posters. It doesn't matter who posts it, misinformation is just that and if I know it to be so, I will identify it as such, even if it's something I posted myself, which is entirely possible.

I'm not gonna debate the authenticity of the article, but I will tell you about my personal experience in Shreveport. I went there back in July for a mini vacation. We ended up with a flat tire and spent most of Saturday in Wal-Mart. I encountered some of the rudest people. For example, when you're rounding a corner and nearly run into someone it's just common courtesy to say "excuse me" or "sorry". Well this happened numerous times to me and I always apologized whether it was my fault or not (that's how I was raised). I was greeted by the most hateful looks and comments. I know it sounds petty, but it just reinforces what the above article states! I finally told my friend if I say sorry or excuse me to one more person to just kick me. After thinking about it I finally told them never mind, because I refuse to let rude and inconsiderate people change who I am. So needless to say, I'm not at all surprised by the ungrateful people who think that we as individual people (not the government) owe them anything.
As a matter of fact, we have evacuee's in the area that I live. Me and a friend were gonna volunteer, but we talked to one of our other friend's who had volunteered previously. She told us stories much like those conveyed in the above article. So, I feel that my time would be better spent helping other's within my community (such as the homeless or the people within the women's shelter) that are a bit more grateful.

So now it's reached to the point where we no longer care whether something is genuine or fraudulent, a truth or a lie?

Wasn't that supposed to be the point of the campaign against plagiarism. People were fooled into thinking plagiarized poems were written by someone who stole them and published them here. In simplest terms it comes down to the same thing: The Truth vs. a Lie.

At the same time Lydia O I wouldnt entirely dismiss what this story is saying. That would be just as foolish as taking it all in as truth.

So what do we do. Watch the Daily Show to get real, accurate, in depth news without the media bias. lol

You didn't just ask for thoughts on this story, Bob. . You also said "this was written by a volunteer."

The story was not only a hoax. but it contradicts published accounts given by nearly all the volunteers who went to the aid of the Hurricane Katrina victims. Sure, not everyone they dealt with was polite, cooperative and grateful. But isn't that what you always find in dealing with large numbers of people? And often it is the few bad experiences that leave a larger impression than all the favorable ones.

Along with many other members of the news media, the AP and the Houston Chronicle have carried story after story about Katrina volunteers. They all gave the opposite viewpoint and none of them expressed anything like what was contained in the fabricated story. And the stories I'm referring to are still on the news websites, so anyone who cares can check them out.

The Houston Chronicle is also reporting today that nearly all the stories of violent crime that supposedly took place in the Astrodome and the Convention Center have now been checked out and have no basis in fact.

I'd like to know how the tally of one million comments over the internet was determined. And I would also like to see reliable sources indicating where all the alleged similar remarks from other volunteers were published.

--Lydia, BS detector

Maybe I'm missing something here. If so, then just what is this supposed to mean, if not what it says?

"this was written by a volunteer*** for the relief victims"

Are you saying that the insertion of three astrerisks means this was not supposed to be taken as fact?

Angelina, you didn't comprehend my post above. I stated:

You didn't just ask for thoughts on this story, Bob. . You also said "this was written by a volunteer."

If you read this correctly you would have clealy seen that I acknowledged that Bob asked for thoughts on the stoty. That IS what I said

As an independent, objective onlooker of all the above posts, I have to state that not once did Bob Shank ever say that this was fact or fraud, nor did he ever state that you were to take it as fact or fraud. He only asked your opinion as to the content. Therefore, I must say that Lydia O has been almost completely out of line throughout most of her posts. But I also believe that all of those whom attacked Lydia O were also out of line. That being said, I will give my own opinion on the content of the letter.

Personally, I couldn't care less if it were fact or fraud. Don't tell me to try looking it up, I won't. I have better things to do with my time. But as for the content, it wouldn't surprise me. I have been to quite a few of the South-Eastern states and have noticed that most of the people there gave off a hostile air when I was around them. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I was harrassed, attacked, or anything else while down there, but I was regarded with contempt by a majority of the people. As the majority of the people in the places I was at were black, I tacked it up to racial contempt seeing as to how they would have no other reason to act as such. Now, I'm not white. I am half-Korean. Most wouldn't even think of me as white. Now, I'm also not saying everyone was like that. There were quite a few very nice, cordial people down there.

Now, that was a few years ago. And I've never been in a situation as a volunteer for such an epic disaster, but I have been a volunteer for many things. I have experienced all sides of how people react in stressful situations. But given my limited knowledge of the people and the situation down there, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if all that was said were true. Again, I'm not saying it is, I'm not saying it isn't. I'm just saying it wouldn't surprise me.

Now, for an additional reason why it wouldn't surprise me. From my limited knowledge of the welfare system and how the government handles poverty and need, I have come to the conclusion that our government has created an era of people who are unwilling to work for what they need. Multiple generations of people who feel they deserve what they haven't earned. Millions upon millions of people who expect the hard working, respectable people of the nation to support them. In short, our government has babied the people into a gilded age of laziness.

But, that's just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

Timothy Bledsoe

Lydia O: "The Houston Chronicle is also reporting today that nearly all the stories of violent crime that supposedly took place in the Astrodome and the Convention Center have now been checked out and have no basis in fact."

I was just debating someone about this earlier today. I don't buy it! I think the media is just trying to do some damage control so the evacuee's will have a place to go. I don't think other cities want the violence and gang activity moved into their community's!
As a matter of fact, in my area after the first five or six hundred people were brought here, we quit taking evacuee's. There was a write up in the local paper about the violent behavior and stealing going on amongst the evacuee's. Of course, not all were acting this way but a good majority of them were.
After a few week's, evacuee's were once again bussed to the area again. But there is alot more military and police on hand at the base where they are being housed.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_so_i_volunteered.htm

Bob, I have no idea why you would direct me to this web page since you were taking issue with me. The material on that page pretty well confirms everything I was saying in the posts abpve.
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I agree that the welfare system has created a subculture of government entitlement and opened a pandora's box of social ills. Unfortunately, any fundamental change would be difficult because 1.) all the recipients of the giveaway programs form huge voting blocks, and 2.) entire industries have risen up to either directly or indirectly cash in on the welfare bonanza. And that includes the handouts given to businesses as well as to individuals.

Lydia O,

We all understand what you are saying. The letter was not written by the person whose name is on it. We get it. But here's the clincher; we don't care. We don't care if it was written by the doctor whose name is on it. We don't care if it is written about an actual person's account of his or her time spent there. We don't care. There is nothing that is up for discussion here. The only thing asked of people was to put their opinions about the content, not whether we thought it was truth or fraud. So I ask on behalf of Bob Shank, myself, and everyone else who doesn't care if it's fake or not, please just drop it and leave it be.

Timothy Bledsoe