Teddy bears and hot meals aside, it's an ugly scene in Louisiana

By now, you have probably heard about how many evacuees' access out of New Orleans was blocked by the police in Gretna, Louisiana, who guarded the Crescent City Connection and refused to let anyone on foot cross it. Witnesses say the police shot their guns in the air, dispersed groups who had banded together for safety, and even confiscated their provisions. They also say that evacuees who were in vehicles were allowed to cross.

Today, there were reports of frustrated people in the Baton Rouge area looking for temporary apartments to go with their temporary jobs. These people were told--while they were staring at For Rent signs--that there were no apartments available. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and the Attorney General of Louisiana say they will go after anyone caught violating the Fair Housing Act.

Animal rescue teams have been in Louisiana for days, trying to get into houses and neighborhoods to rescue stranded pets, but only yesterday was the go-ahead given. Today, there was an announcement that the rescuers would have only 72 hours to collect animals before authorities began shooting them.

In St. Bernard Parish, the authorities are already shooting dogs. One woman told of finally leaving her house, only to hear two shots and discover that the "rescuers" had killed her pets. In all likelihood, the woman and her family had stayed in the house because of the pets. Her dogs were pit bulls, and I'm sure the killers' ignorance about the breed contributed to their outrageous behavior.