When the Boxing Day tsunami hit Southeast Asia late last year the whole world was shocked and visibly shaken. So many innocent people lost their lives. Fingers were pointed at the world community for not having an inexpensive early warning system. That kind of blame is good, because one will certainly be purchased now. Not one victim was warned about the impending doom that came that day. All victims were innocent.
I hate to be so insensitive with what I am about to say, but someone must say this.
"Many of Katrina's victims had fair warning and have only themselves to blame for their own death."
Please note that I said "some" and not "all".
Many poor, mentally and physically challenged could not evacuate and therefore cannot be blamed. Nor can those that tried to get out and could not and of course, no child or elderly person carries any blame.
However, able-bodied adults are a different story. It was quite well known that a BIG storm was coming. Many stayed behind for ridiculous "macho" reasons, or to keep looters from stealing property or even worse, in order to loot themselves. Some even put their own children at risk for these idiotic reasons. It's completely inexcusable.
I also blame the media for focusing so much on New Orleans. The areas that took the brunt of the damage may have had the idea that New Orleans was going to be ground zero. Fueled by sensationalism instead of science. The news media focused completely on the New Orleans "doomsday" scenario. Again, inexcusable and sickening.
I feel the media shares the blame for those who lost their lives in Mississippi.
However, for those in New Orleans who stayed, I can’t help but feel anger as well as sadness.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Silas Kain
I understand where you're coming from, Mr. Burke. I'm more concerned about the low-life scumbag looters. We should have strict laws in place specifically for people who capitalize on natural disasters in this way like life imprisonment with no chance a parole. Sounds too harsh? Tough shit because if I had my way it would be nothing less than the death penalty.
2 - Robert
I agree with severe penalties Silas, although I would not be as harsh as you with the penalty. I would make them pay off whoever they stole from 3 fold. In money or work.
3 - Dave Nalle
In Louisiana I'm pretty sure the state police just shoot looters and leave the bodies to be buried with all the floating corpses.
dave
4 - Robert
I just heard that Marshall Law has been declared, so I think your comment is true at this point.
5 - Nancy
This whole situation was a teeth-grinding situation in lots of ways: the MSM was intent on making this out to be the End Of The World For N.O., & IMO made things worse; people in MS & AL weren't as prepared as they should have been, because it was supposed to hit N.O., not them ... but you're talking a hurricane how many hundreds of miles wide, what did they think it was going to do, just hit within the immediate neighborhoods/parishes of New Orleans? The tourists were stupid, too: who the hell takes a vacation in hurricane territory (FL, LA, the Caribbean, Honduras)at the height of hurricane season? Or STAYS on vacation when a hurricane is headed their way, right up to the very last minute before waiting to book a flight out - a flight that, dollars to donuts, is going to be cancelled? If that isn't rank idiocy, what is? As for looters, w/them it should be shoot to kill, I agree w/Silas. Also, any able-bodied adult who had to be rescued or use emergency services, should be sentenced to community service - a LOT of HARD community service, preferably cleaning up debris - for wasting time & endangering needlessly rescue workers. Pity the hurricane isn't selective, & couldn't be persuaded to take out stupid or criminal people.
6 - Silas Kain
Right on, Nancy. Those who remained behind and had to be rescued should be forced to gather and bury corpses.
I am grateful to all the forces of nature for sparing the French Quarter (the irony is just so too delicious for words), but my heart goes out to everyone who has been devastated by this storm. This is a time for all of us to come together and pitch in. And while I'm at it a contribution from the House of Saud would be nice, too.
7 - Shark
Hotel and gasoline gougers should also be shot -- including the CEOs of Exxon/Mobil et al.
Shark,
Almost a Liberal Pacifist
8 - Robert
I'm with you guys. Let it out. Vent. I guess the one good thing is that people will be more apt to leave during a hurricane after this. At least for a while.
9 - Georgio
what I am shocked about is WHERE ARE THE RESCUE BOATS..I have not seen one rescue boat going up and down the streets to rescue ppl ..and that Levee breaking helloooooo why didn't N Orleans prepare for this..they have had years to plan for it..and where is the national guard ..man I don't see anyone coming to the rescue other than that red cross helicopter geezzz do they only have one..
10 - Temple Stark
Why should we vent? Why can we not mourn? (the passing of sanity and compassion in America)
11 - Temple Stark
And before any says, "We can do both."
Nope - not effectively or sincerely. One undermines the other.
- Temple
12 - Dawn
The areas hardest hit areas were rural and full of poor people, I doubt anyone with the means to leave didn't do so, so it would seem that the poor were the ones who were forced to remain behind.
Yet another crappy factor to being poor. I can't see blaming anyone for a natural disaster they couldn't escape.
All looters should be beaten and forced to help in the clean up effort, especially those involving raw sewage.
13 - LegendaryMonkey
We can mourn the dead and vent over the looters?
I don't know. It is a terrible, terrible tragedy. It is difficult to understand why anyone would stay; my husband's aunt and uncle live there and they left and arrived safely in Tennessee, and for that I am grateful.
Me, I would certainly leave. Things can be replaced. Husband and beloved kitties could not. Bills can be dealt with. I would sacrifice a mortgage payment and take the debt in order to save my life if I had no savings.
But I am not there, and I have no experience with such, and thus I cannot say what I would do in the crunch.
14 - Robert
Not effectively or sincerley?
According to who? You?
That's the most laughable thing I've heard all day.
Please explain Temple, to those of us without your in-depth grasp on psychology, how one can "effectively grieve"?
Since you obviously have a hard time with simple concepts, let me explain something to you.
Anger, is in fact, the second phase of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross'seven stages of grief.
Grief and Anger are not mutually exclusive as you so ignorantly suggest, but anger is indeed a natural part of the grieving process.
And by the way, mourning won't stop this from happening again.
I appreciate your comment, but you damn well better be able to back up such absolute bullshit, because you will be called on it.
15 - Rich
Is this a time for blame?
People are still in grave danger.
Write out a check to the Red Cross, or something constructive that will help.
Do the "righty" thing, get a gun and shoot those people looting food for there families.
How insensitive.
16 - Robert
Dawn Said "I can't see blaming anyone for a natural disaster they couldn't escape."
Hey Dawn,
I thought I made it quite clear in my post that I did not blame those who tried to escape, but could not. I blame the idiots who stayed behind to "protect" their property, or because they wanted to throw a "hurricane party", etc.
They brought it on themselves and take resources from those who were hurt by no fault of their own. And those who who would put children at risk are the lowest of the low.
17 - Silas Kain
The stark reality is that living along any shore comes with its risks. New Orleans has known this for years and those who live there have done so at their own peril. I do agree that the poor are probably the ones victimized the most by not having the means to escape. That being said, I hope that the mistakes born out of this tragedy will create an even better system in the future.
Having experience in emergency management I can personally testify to the fact that these folks get the shit end of the stick no matter what. During the down times when they seek more aid, they don't get it because the taxpayers and politicians look at emergency managment as somewhat of a necessity only when it's needed. That's an intrinsic problem with our society. We're reactive as opposed to proactive and, folks, that only changes when the voter does something about it.
One thing that can be said for the Louisianans is that when push comes to shove, they come together like no one else. They're a strong bunch who can withstand the harshest of nature's fury. As one French Quarter resident said today, "they don't call 'em the Saints for nothing!" Amen to that, my Cajun cousin.
Turning from the Big Easy to Biloxi and Alabama, I think we'll see that these folks are going to need us even more so. Mississippi doesn't have the best of reputations but it does have the best of politicians in Senator Trent Lott and Governor Hayley Barbour. As one official put it, this is their tsunami. I'll go one better: America's tsunami. Our fellow countrymen are in trouble, my friends. Their governments at the local and state levels will be tested as they never have before. Assistance is going to be demanded from the Federal government. The thing we have to remember, though, is that this is not just a governmental issue. There's plenty that folks in the private sector can do to help in the aftermath.
As I look to countries across the pond and beyond I certainly hope we will see aid come from our friends especially Britain, France and Spain who all have had a vested interest in this part of the continent for centuries. And, finally, there's the House of Saud. Americans have invested billions in the Middle East; it would be nice to see some positive reciprocal gestures.
18 - Temple Stark
Robert you sound defensive. I didn't really think you'd respond so badly or so, um, well badly. Didn't know you had it in you. Now I do.
Attack mode so quickly?
Mourning effectively means, for just one example I can think of, not damaging yourself or the rest of your family in your grief.
Why do you seek to assign blame so quickly? Why are the victims now no longer the victims in your eyes?
"Poor" is a relative term, state to state, though FEMA disaster relief depends upon a federal level of poverty. That's not fair either. Should we do away with all FEMA disaster relief because of that unfairness?
I guess I'll have to remove myself from the conversation if you respond the same way again - victory is yours and discussion dies.
What would you suggest, anyway? A lot of this hurricane seems to have hit pretty far inland. Should everyone along the 800-mile plus San Andreas Fault just back that ass up?
Besides that - the original post misses half the story. I'll leave someone to guess for a while. The last two words in word in the three word phrase, however are ... industry bailout. There would be no federal savings.
Thanks Robert.
Temple
19 - Duece
I was in the Coast Guard for Hugo, and Floyd and a few more disasters. It is FAR worse than a TV camera will ever portray.
Those people in the gulf had a hard day yesterday. Have a little compassion.
Looters are looting what? Food, spoilage. That stuff is going to be under water in a day or two. NOLA is sinking fast. What is a 200 foot breech in a levee, will scrub out to 300 feet in a day or two.
This city is underwater, much lower than the water table. Perhaps it's time to say goodbye to the big easy.
20 - tung lov
i remember about 25 years ago, when the USA woke up one day, and realized that all the talk about evacuating our cities in the event of imminent nuclear war, was a complete hoax, that our transportation system could not even begin to provide for.
and yet you want to believe that everyone can just get up and go.
you ought to just blame the loss of life on our political leaders for not ordering an abandonment of the gulf coast and a ban on the return of human habitation in these areas. including florida.
or perhaps its time to demand a federal tax surcharge on all persons living in texas, louisiana, florida etc. to cover the annual disaster relief expense ?
21 - RogerMDillion
I'll still trying to figure out why you had to say this now. Were you waiting until a certain death toll or dollar amount of damage before it was right? Why didn't you write this yesterday while Katrina was still classified as a hurricane?
At one point you write "Many of Katrina's victims had fair warning and have only themselves to blame for their own death." And then go on to blame the media as well. Which is it?
The hurricane by all accounts was supposed to hit New Orleans, but turned as it hit landfall. Any examples of how the predictions were "fueled by sensationalism instead of science." What about examples of the "macho" people that stayed behind?
If you were so smart, more so than the National Weather Service, why weren't you blogging that it was going to change course and head east? Or were you too busy making out your sensitive Hurricane music list?
Instead of drawing people's attention on how to help, you feel compelled to give your oh-so-important opinion of the obvious. That should really help current and future victims you don't have the power to read it.
It's usually at times like these that Nature and the Universe remind people of just how insignifigant they are, but I guess your ego and self-worth are just too massive to be affected.
I sincerely doubt you hated being so insensitive. By the way it's martial law. Learn the terms before you get all uppity and righteous.
22 - Robert Burke
Temple, first of all if you feel attacked, I'm sorry.
But I cannot disagree more with your statement, which you still have not adequately defended.
The only way to "mourn effectively" is to mourn in which ever way helps you make it through the grieving process. Period. That includes anger. It includes screaming. It includes yelling at the government. It includes blogging about mush-for-brains, idiots who stay behind in the path of a category 5 hurricane in a city that is below sea level. You're comment was that people cannot mourn and be angry. You're wrong. If you don't believe me talk to any grief counselor. Or you could continue to show your ignorance.
Why do I assign blame so quickly? Well, let me try to explain...
INNOCENT PEOPLE FUCKING DIED!
That's why!
Children are most likely among the dead because their parent were idiots. Nothing wrong with morning, but if we don't look at why people ignored MANDATORY evacuation orders or how we can improve public outreach, or how the media can help in a more productive fashion then we are as stupid as those that stayed behind when they could have left.
I have no clue why you are talking about FEMA. I said nothing about FEMA.
>>>QUOTE: "Should everyone along the 800-mile plus San Andreas Fault just back that ass up?"
Huh? That's quite a stretch, don't cha think? As far as I know, there is no early warning system for eathquakes. I never said people should not LIVE in New Orleans only that when you're told to leave because a hurricane is coming that you pack up and leave.
Seems absolutely reasonable to me.
23 - Robert Burke
QUOTE: "and yet you want to believe that everyone can just get up and go."
OK.. Did you folks even read the article? I went through great pains to make it quite clear that I wasn't talking about those who tried, but failed to escape, or the poor who did not have the resources or the disabled who could not. I was talking about the Yahoos that were able to leave and did not. I saw at least two people intervied before the storm hit that were not leaving. When asked why? They said, "Oh, I've been through this before." Or the guy on MSNBC when asked why he has not leaving actually said "Fuck you it's none of your business" Well it is OUR business, because these people do not only put their own lives at risk, but the lives of others including rescue teams and those who do not get help in time.
The event was a horror to be sure, but I will not defend those who chose to ignore the MANDATORY evacuation order.
24 - Robert
Hey Roger,
You said,
"At one point you write "Many of Katrina's victims had fair warning and have only themselves to blame for their own death." And then go on to blame the media as well. Which is it?"
Read what I wrote again. You know how to keep yourself from mistyping "Martial", but you have a problem with the definition of the word "Many"?
I said, "MANY of Katrina's victims.." not "ALL of Katrina's victims.." Do you understand the difference Einstein?
No? Let me explain, since I did not say "All" that means I am not blaming EVERYONE who perished. Get it? If you need more help on the definition of the word "Many" please see dictionary.com
Also, drawing attention to "how people can help" is great, but I didn't realize I was required to focus on that. Please point me to the rules on what I can and cannot write about and I will promise to do better.
In fact, money and time is what people need most right now, but it will be anger that makes real changes happen for the future.
25 - Silas Kain
You're absolutely right, Robert. That being said, America has an opportunity.
For the first time since the Civil War, a major American city is to be evactuated. Here is a project that urban planners can only dream of. From New Orleans to Mobile and all the way in between along the Gulf there is an opportunity to try new technologies. There's an opportunity to create an efficient and effective mass transit system that will encourage the natives to adopt a new lifestyle. There's an opportunity to create new refineries with technologies that are environmentally friendly. The entire electrical grid of New Orleans will have to be rebuilt. This is the time to implement bold new initiatives.
Americans have a reputation for stepping up to the plate in our darkest times. We need the Army Corps of Engineers, laborers unions, craftspeople and, yep, even Rosie the Riveter. What Americans accomplish on the Gulf can serve as a model for other cities as they are renewed over the next hundred years. We've squandered so much since the Japanese surrendered 60 years ago. Let's do it right, for once. We must demand and expect excellence from our elected officials. We must encourage the creative minds within and outside of civil service to bring us into a new age. Out of this disaster can rise something so great, so classically American.
As I've said this is not a problem for Louisianans, Mississippians and Alabamans. This is an American problem which can be solved with American ingenuity. So conservatives and liberals, shut the fuck up. Let's put aside all our differences. Let's look toward all the other peoples of the world we have helped over the years and see just how much they appreciate what we've done for them. This is a test, America. This is our tsunami. For once, let's not squander an opportunity to do something great.