POLL: A QUESTION OF ETHICS OR MORALS.....

Okay, this is a true-to-life story..... How would you proceed? FEMA will allow you to claim damages on your home due to the hurricane disaster. You do NOT own that home. You rent. FEMA lady says it does not matter that you don't own the home, you can still apply for funds due to the dwelling you live in being damaged - does not matter the extent of damage or the fact that you have lost nothing but food in the freezer and fridge (which FEMA does not cover) - and FEMA will, in all probability award you funds for damage.........How would YOU proceed? Be honest!!! This came about because I had heard that FEMA would pay for lost foods due to the power outages. So I called and asked them. They do not. The FEMA lady then asked me if there was damage to my dwelling. I said yes, but I don't own it, I rent. She said what kind of damage. I told her some (small amount) of siding was off and we had water come thru 2 or 3 of our windows, but NOTHING WE OWNED was damaged. She said I could still fill out an application and would probably get $ - EVEN THO I DON'T OWN THE HOUSE!!! This is scarey to me.....because there are folks that I know personally that have lost absolutely EVERYTHING and need the money from FEMA and I who have lost virtually nothing can still get $ from them for damages to property that I DON'T EVEN OWN! Needless to say, I declined. Or maybe it's not so needless to say....a lot of folks would have accepted the offer - or any other offer of free stuff, I am afraid. On the news each day there have been reports of folks taking advantage of the situation. How insensitive and cruel these folks are! Don't they know God keeps an account of their actions? How can you take money like this KNOWING you don't deserve it? Don't they realize that further down the road when things are more settled, FEMA (and Red Cross and all the other agencies) are gonna do an accounting of things and will find out the truth? Don't they care? I asked the FEMA lady. Fraud on your FEMA application will cost you $250,000 and/or federal jail time. So think about it....is it worth it? Just something else for the good folks to worry over, I am afraid..... Smoochies to all Arlies

WIth all the other assistance being offered right now, I personally would not take the FEMA. If it werent for Red Cross reimbursing for clothes, food, etc.. then yes, I probably would. If you were unable to get any assistance from any one else and I needed it, I would. I know that FEMA will help renters with rent assistance for those who had to leave or whose houses were destroyed but as far as damage to a rental property - its for owners responsibility and not the tenant. My point being...if I had spend oodles and oodles of dollars for stuff and could not get assistance from Red Cross etc, and I needed the money - yes I would take it from FEMA and worry about the repricusions later.. but if I didnt need it and spent that money on diamond rings, beer, etc... not only would I expect to be prosecuted but I would also have a very sick stomach cause I know better. SOme take advatage of a bad situation. Granted I will take the Red Cross money they are offering and the emergency EBT card (I aint ashamed to use it)... mostly because a lot was spent during all of this and to get it back is nothing to be ashamed of. There is plenty for everyone and of course if it were first come first serve and there were a limit naturally I would let the old and worse cases go first, but it doesnt seem to be the case in Forrest County. I did not apply for FEMA.... My friend did and I have tried and tried and tried to tell her she will not qualify since she is a renter and the damage done to the dwelling is not her responsibility and she cannot claim it. If she does, she will get caught most likely when her landlord tries to get FEMA on it as well.

The key word in your reply is "NEEDED". I would have applied for funds to replace the food, IF it was allowable. I have no problem with folks applying for stuff they need or for help, but to not have any personal damage and apply....that is terrible, I think. You may not have lost everything, but you lost enough to need help. I have no problem with that. FEMA says YOU DO QUALIFY as a renter EVEN IF IT IS NOT YOUR PROPERTY that was damaged..... but they will come back on the folks, I believe, when it's over. Smoochies Arlies

I thought that the purpose of FEMA was for home only. It was my understanding that they do not replace food, clothes, etc... only stuff for your home (roof, windows, chainsaw, etc)... most of that if you are a tenant is fixed by the landlord anyway and not the tenants responsibility. Red Cross was for clothes, food, etc... I am just hoping this Rita is not going to hurt us or anyone else. I would love to see it just desentigrate in the gulf! I cant do it again.

Sweetie, if you need help & they are offering it to you.... TAKE IT !!! Take it with pride & your head held high !!! I would & I am. I'm waiting for FEMA to come & look at our damage now. Haven't been to the RedCross, I figure they wouldn't help since we stayed at home durring it all. Even tho it cost at least $35.00 a day for gas for the generator & no telling what we spent to buy food to eat that didn't have to be cooked durring that time. You can't run an electric stove with our generator. Well, I guess you could if you turnned everything else off. But we bought "open it up, don't cook it & eat it then" stuff. Tammy

Tammy, You need to go to the Red Cross for reimbursement on your food, clothes, stuff insurance wont cover, etc... The way I see it working is $365.00 for the first person and $300.00 for each additional person up to 6 people. I got mine and I know alot of wealthy people who werent ashamed to go and get it. My boss did it and our publisher did it. Both of whom dont really need it at all but why not try and recoup what you lost? Thats the way I look at it. Gas for that generator adds up. A lady I work with spent over $800.00 on gas for her generator. Her daughter had just brought home her 4 pound premie when the storm hit. The donations are pouring in from all over the country. The lady at red cross told another girl I work with that it was for her pain and suffering... she is a single mother with 4 kids so she got $1565.00. Yikes... Bless her heart though - she needed it. She was so thrilled too one day when she got her food stamps. This was before the storm and she was so happy. I have become addicted to oysters in a can. Kinda like a sardine can. Yum, so good. Slap it on a cracker and go to town. Are you ready, honey?? Its almost here. Its hard to believe this month has just flown by so fast. I am so excited for you. Almost as excited as I was about mine.

Hi Arlies !! You know, I have been hearing the same thing, people who have really not lost anything, they claim that they did and they're getting 2000 bucks from Fema , then they call the red cross and get more money. I personally lost all food from the fridge and freezer and my husband's car that was uninsured sitting on the navy base. It was an old "beater" he bought for $1000.00 and while he was out on a 6 month deployment ( it DID have a current registration and plates ) I dropped the insurance, it was just NOT worth it to me and heck, it was parked, what could possibly happen to it? Errr.. well hmmm....now we know! I graciously accepted the water and food I was given by my employer the first week, as it was hard to get groceries around here, but I left it at that. I didn't even bother applying for FEMA, and many people were like "Why dont u apply for fema? They give EVERYBODY money!!" Some even admitted they lost nothing, they got money anyways because they exaggerated a little. Yeah, I lost about $250 in Groceries. I spent my last 30 bucks evacuating and then lived at my In-laws for a week, they fed me and gave me room and board. The kids are still there going to school. Their school clothes and school supplies were locally donated by a church, so I didnt have to pay for them, thank goodness. I did have to borrow some money for coming home, getting gasoline and groceries again, and my brother-in-law as well as my sister helped financially, so it felt absolutely inadequate trying to get any more financial help because I didn't lose any personal belongings. I can therefore absolutely relate to your question. I even declined any further financial assistance at work after getting a donation from the company. They offered it, I declined. I feel GUILTY as it is, still having everything I own while others lost everything. I feel like the money I am NOT taking would help someone else *****ally needs it. Some folks I tell that to, they say "If you don't get it, someone else will take what's rightfully yours". I can't do it. I can't justify it to myself to take it. I don't want to lie and I don't plan on going to jail for making a false claim. Morally I just feel obligated to tell the truth and let those who NEED it, have the assistance they should be receiving. Honestly, how lucky that those organizations are helping out !! I mean, it's great, but some folks automatically EXPECT that the government HAS to help them. During hurricane Andrew, a lot of people in LA lied about the food they lost ( yes, I know some of them that used to be my frieds, who claimed losing 500+ in food and they didnt have a fraction of it !! ) and then for the next hurricane ( Lilly ) they weren't giving out foodstamps just to ANYONE. They would check you out and if you had money in a SAVINGS account, you weren't qualified for help. Let's face it. The government is helping those who need it. If those who lie and abuse the system have NO moral inhibitions to take what's not supposed to be coming to them, soon there will be nothing left for those who need it. So I stand next to you and say "I am glad I lost nothing, really " and let those in REAL need have the assistance they need to get back on their feet. Also, I saw a report on TV a few days ago, about some of those affected by hurricanes in Florida last year. Now, a year later, they are facing being kicked out of the government supplied trailers.. one lady said " where are we going to go? where will be live?"... my question is.. the government helped you out in giving you a rent free roof over your head? Why didn't you try to find a place to live, save money so you can purchase a small trailer yourself? They were offering small business loans for those who lost their homes, to make it possible to go out there, find a place to live, purchase a home or property and try to re-establish their lives... or even just save up enough for you to pay a deposit and get an apartment. Come on, that's what the help was meant to be for. HELP to get back up on your feet. Well.. I know it's hard and I might be a little judgemental on those who just take the system for granted and expect it all to be handed to them. Regardless, some people just won't help themselves and expect it all to be served on a silver platter. I hope that the ones who need it, get what they need to get back up on their feet. I won't file FEMA or with red cross. It's just morally wrong. ~Andie~

Those that are still living in those rent free mobile things... hmmm... depends on the situation but if they are able to work and after a year should be able to move on. I dont know though... not all situations are alike. Some do EXPECT the government to take care of everything instead of standing on their own 2 feet. Sickens me! I am glad yall are okay, Andie... Its been a mess.

Whew..... I think that I have to agree with you on this one. FEMA is there to help those who actually need help. If you DO NOT own the home that your living in, you shouldn't have the right to claim anything in the line of "home damages". UNLESS you are the one going to have to pay for any & all repairs to the home. If your stuff inside the rented house gets destroyed then by all means, FEMA should help. And if help is needed to move into a new place they should help. ...Some problems I see with people & the world are... ***Many people out there will steal anything ~~~ even the diaper off of Baby Jesus in a nativity set. ***Trashy folks will come up in your home & steal food, etc. when your not looking ~~~and your there, might I add. ***Liars will say they're living with other people to get any type of "benefits". ...My Thoughts Are & Things I've Seen On The News.... If you truly have a need due to the storm. ASK FOR HELP !!! ~~~~~~~~~~~ If all your doing is looking for a hand out or a freebie- GET A JOB YOU LYING THIEF ~~~~~~~~~~~ Gee, that wasn't TOO HARSH was it ? But that is the way I feel about it. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Just because your in a town with no power, food, or water doesn't mean that people should be allowed to go & steal everything they can get their nasty azz grubby hands on like Big Screen TV's & such. Those people should be shot down where they stand. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Don't give thanks to the thousands that came to help rescue you, instead ***** because the government hasn't given you a debit card yet ~~~~~~~~~~~

ADD ONs..... Other things that tick me off are some of these examples below. Some of them may not be true, but the news media sure makes it seem that way with a few of them. New Orleans was devastated. No other city was affected by the hurricane. Mississippi is reported to have a tree blown down. The hurricane blew a limb off a tree in the yard of an Alabama resident. My favorite for those who just wanted to ride it out !!! ***Ignore warnings to evacuate*** People will come get you & give you money for being stupid.