Katrina Reflections #4
One public forum contained numerous posts objecting (actually, that's very much a euphemism) to one official who noted that many affected by the catastrophe in New Orleans could share the blame for their difficulties because they had refused to evacuated the city when ordered.
I can fault the guy for discussing this angle so close to the event in question, while there are still people suffering and dying -- while the horror continues.
But I wasn't much for the hate speech (some unrepeatable), which I found to be worse than the man's original comments. The truth is a very complicated thing.
The truth is that the federal government took the threat far too lightly and really wasn't concerned with Louisiana's problems... until now.
The truth is that New Orleans (as a city located 6-20 feet below sea level) was never "safe," despite partial precautions.
The truth is that some people chose to live in New Orleans because they liked it, while others lived there because that's where they were born and raised and (emotional roots) or couldn't afford to relocate (physical roots) -- just as in any other city in the United States.
The truth is that some people evacuated the city when asked, and some left even earlier.
The truth is that some people did not evacuate, some because they didn't accept or understand the degree of danger and others because they did not have the time (traffic congestion) nor the resources (cars, gas) to leave the city.
The truth is that, if more resources were dumped into this by private corporations and citizens (the mayor, for example, suggested commandeering fleets of public buses down there to get people to medical facilities), things could be resolved more quickly and without so much suffering.
The truth is that people are still dying, and right now none of the energy spent by the media and public determining who might or might not be to blame is worth as much as spending it on helping those in need.
I can fault the guy for discussing this angle so close to the event in question, while there are still people suffering and dying -- while the horror continues.
But I wasn't much for the hate speech (some unrepeatable), which I found to be worse than the man's original comments. The truth is a very complicated thing.
The truth is that the federal government took the threat far too lightly and really wasn't concerned with Louisiana's problems... until now.
The truth is that New Orleans (as a city located 6-20 feet below sea level) was never "safe," despite partial precautions.
The truth is that some people chose to live in New Orleans because they liked it, while others lived there because that's where they were born and raised and (emotional roots) or couldn't afford to relocate (physical roots) -- just as in any other city in the United States.
The truth is that some people evacuated the city when asked, and some left even earlier.
The truth is that some people did not evacuate, some because they didn't accept or understand the degree of danger and others because they did not have the time (traffic congestion) nor the resources (cars, gas) to leave the city.
The truth is that, if more resources were dumped into this by private corporations and citizens (the mayor, for example, suggested commandeering fleets of public buses down there to get people to medical facilities), things could be resolved more quickly and without so much suffering.
The truth is that people are still dying, and right now none of the energy spent by the media and public determining who might or might not be to blame is worth as much as spending it on helping those in need.
posted by Fortunato at 12:07 PM
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