April 4, 2006

Karl Malone Bulldozes Over FEMA

Finally I have a reason to root for the Mailman:

Malone Bulldozes over Katrina red tape: NBA star brings trucks to haul away debris despite resistance from FEMA.

When former Utah Jazz all-star Karl Malone brought his logging company in Arkansas into Pascagoula, Miss. to clear out debris left behind by Hurricane Katrina, his team was met by a brick wall named Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and orange cones nicknamed the Army Corps of Engineers. Both said Malone wasn't authorized to bring his machinery into the area to clear private property.

The Mailman wasn't trying to hear it.

...''There was a lot of red tape, and I ain't got time for that,'' he told AP. ''I found out that if you're going to do something good, just go ahead and do it. Once I get in my machine, no one is going to get me out. We just said 'the hell with it.' FEMA didn't approve, but we did it for the people.''

...Malone, an experienced truck driver and logger born in Bernice, La., spent 12 hours a day behind the wheel of his heavy machinery clearing 114 lots via the 18 vehicles he brought into Pascagoula, including a backhoe, three bulldozers and several RVs for him and his crew.

...Malone said landowners were told that debris had to be moved out to the street before it could be hauled away. ''How is a landowner who just lost everything going to pay $15,000 or $20,000 to have a lot cleared?'' he asked. ''I mean, there were two or three houses on top of one another in some places.''

''My mom died two years ago, and in our last conversation, she told me that one day I would have to step up on a grand scale and help people. I knew this was it.''

Posted by jsmooth995 at April 4, 2006 12:01 AM

Comments

What has John Stockton ever done for Katrina victims?

Posted by: Max at April 4, 2006 1:04 AM

phenomenal.

Posted by: veronica at April 4, 2006 6:51 AM

God Bless Karl Malone! Good for him! The government is playing games anyway. That's the reason they are rushing the elections down there without the real people being there. They are trying to push poor and minority people out, and rich white folks in. No one is stupid, we all see what's going on.

Posted by: The Balance at April 4, 2006 12:18 PM

Big up, Smooth. I appreciate this. I know I've ragged on you in the past for non hiphop related issues but this is beautiful reporting. When all of the majors are talking about Saddam and skinny celebrity chicks.

When did Karl do this?

-Black People

Posted by: Black People at April 4, 2006 2:39 PM

Yeah, sorry about that B.P., I had to turn those links off because of the bandwidth charges.. hopefully will find a better solution for them soon.

Posted by: Jay Smooth at April 3, 2006 08:20 PM

Posted by: Black People at April 4, 2006 2:56 PM

Karl Malone cares about black people.

Posted by: The Cipher at April 4, 2006 3:54 PM

"Karl Malone cares about black people.

Posted by: The Cipher at April 4, 2006 03:54 PM"

this isn't true

karl malone cares about human life

Posted by: Vilesn at April 5, 2006 1:54 AM

wow

Posted by: JLS at April 5, 2006 4:32 AM

Pretty friggin' cool.

Posted by: mns at April 5, 2006 2:43 PM

I always thought Karl Malone was whiter than John Stockton at heart.

Posted by: sf at April 6, 2006 3:39 AM

ALLAH U Akbar. I love it.

By the way! This is protected! By the Red! THE BLACK!! AND THE GREEN!! With a KEY!!! Sisseeeeeeeeeezzzzzz!!!!! - Professor X (L.O.F.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNyQRMYw_lI&search=cos%20seven

Posted by: Cos Seven at April 9, 2006 12:52 PM

Way to go Karl. Nice to see a celebrity force getting his hands dirty...and not just from check ink. Bravo!

Posted by: Thelma at April 10, 2006 11:17 AM

Just Wonderful! What a great person to care that much.

Where is the government? Oh! overseas is more important?

Posted by: Mary Lee Harris at April 13, 2006 4:38 PM

the mailman delivers once again!!

Posted by: stockton's short shorts at April 14, 2006 6:29 PM

I needed to hear this
to see there are real people out there.
Watch for Media Blachout!

Posted by: SR at April 17, 2006 9:50 AM

I grew up in Pascagoula, Miss and I have been through quite a few Hurricane's.
The worst I went through was Hurricane Camille. I know the death and destruction, the waiting for the normal things to come back like your electricity and water, the construction to have things fixed and how prices are jacked up on peopple that have already been hit so hard. I still have family there and I want to thank Karl Malone from the bottom of my heart and may God Bless him for the good things he has done for the people of Pascagoula, Miss.
Bertha McLeod
Bakersfield, CA

Posted by: Bertha McLeod at April 23, 2006 7:40 AM

Are there any pictures which can be posted? This is great stuff!!!

Posted by: Mel at April 23, 2006 8:08 PM

You go "boy" The Mailman. You have always been one of my hero in bsketball. I knew you were a good person.

Keep on giving and sharing.

Posted by: GDRICH at May 2, 2006 12:01 AM

Karl Malone did not do this for black people, he did it for PEOPLE! why does it always have to be about race? I don't want to hear this "What did John Stockton do" Just because he's white crap! I'm tired of racism from both sides, read what MLK jr actually said! its phenomenal.

Anyway, good on ya Karl Malone! By the way, Stockton does tons for everyone, but he refuses to have recognition for it.

Posted by: Jason at June 22, 2006 12:57 AM

Karl Malone is a stand-up human being. Karl Malone "whiter" than John Stockton? That is completely ignorant of the person who posted that.

Now--Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera who try to use a black urban dialect ARE NOT BLACK! The last time I checked Karl's skin color, it was/is burnt umber (dark brown). What--you have to be in Hip-Hop or wear Bling to be a Black Person? How insane.

KATRINA: Karl has the financial means to help out--so he did. The Mailman delievered.

Karl Rules!

Szugye

Posted by: Szugye at August 11, 2006 6:58 PM

thank you all for the support..it ain't easy being karl malone.....

Posted by: steven at October 27, 2006 2:57 PM