No laptops per child

Here's the reply (after several deletions of my question) from One Laptop Per Child about New Orleans participating in the program:

New Orleans and Katrina

- Why can this program not be used for the New Orleans area, devastated by the failure of the federal levees? We are so close to the death of this great American city, and the school systems are in dire straits. This could help because the school system is devastated. We have little if any computing infrastructure. We currently have a free local wireless network. Finally, it would be a big PR event for the organization

- In the FAQ, you quote: "However, our priority is to make the laptop available first where there is the greatest need." Have you toured the ninth ward or Gentilly lately? Do you know the difference between Hiroshima and New Orleans? Japan rebuilt Hiroshima.

The OLPC project offers the laptop to any country, although emphasis is put on underdeveloped countries, willing to participate. But it's upto them to decide, not the OLPC. Maybe you should check OLPC4USA, its FAQ and keep an eye on the Category:OLPC USA for future developments specific to the USA, or News and the OLPC FAQ in general.

Reposting your question in several places from a previously edited entry could be considered spamming. Specially after efforts have been made to deter questions about the availability of the OLPC outside government agencies.

Personally, I find a bit disturbing the careless way by which you compare Hiroshima to New Orleans; which btw took quite some time to rebuild and will always bear the scars and stigma of its (man-made) tragedy. A quick search gave me this article about it.--Xavi 01:40, 20 December 2006 (EST)

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To quote Greg Peters: "Nothing.  They know nothing about what happened here."

Comments

[saintseester]

Ashley, if they won't provide laptops then perhaps we can find our own way. If you can identify a teacher or classroom that can benefit from a laptop or two, I will help you raise money for it. I will personally pledge at least $100. We can get a basic Dell for less than &700. When we have a contact down there, I will take it to my kids school and see what we can do.

[Aaron]

Callousness. Just callousness.

[Lisa]

Wow....that reply was simply ignorant, in every sense of the word. He obviously has no concept of what happened in NOLA....

[Aaron]

New Orleans is a manmade disaster too. Army Corps of Engineers. If I'm not mistaken, the U.S. military for both of those events.

[ashley]

That's exactly what I posted there, Aaron. That will probably be deleted, as well.

The fellow that responded is in Buenos Aries. Maybe he's been watching Fox News Argentina.

And seester, I have grand designs, but to do anything like this we need to be very well organized. I'm working on it.

[Loki]

Ignorance is a constant. Lackwit.

[saintseester]

Ashley, anything I can do to help - I will gladly.

[Donnie McDaniel]

Ashley, if you get something started for donations on the laptops, let me know. I will spread the word. That asshat needs a boot to the ass for that reply!!!!!!!!

Manmade? Fuckin' pricks!