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Some of my sympathy is tempered by reports of widespread looting and shooting. Some of my sympathy is also tempered by the simple fact that many of those "trapped" in New Orleans could have left when they were told to evacuate before the storm hit. Having said that, I have a lot of sympathy for the children and elderly who really didn't have a choice in the matter. That is tragic.

"Some of my sympathy is also tempered by the simple fact that many of those "trapped" in New Orleans could have left when they were told to evacuate before the storm hit."

Has it occurred to you that a great many of these people had nowhere else to go, no money and no means to travel? The mayor warned everyone to leave before the hurricane hit land, but to those with no money, no vehicle and no means, he provided no place for them to go to.

You can't blame everyone who's poor for their own poverty. Capitalism is the greatest economic system on earth, but even capitalism inevitably lends to a case system of wealth distribution, from the wealthiest to the well off, to the middleclass to the poor, to the poorest of the poor. No economic system is perfect, and no economic system can prevent poverty for some of the population.

I have got to agree with the things you said. I too have a hard time feeling sympathy for the people that didn't leave when they were "ordered" to do so. But I also can't believe the late evacuation orders by the government in NO. I heard the President had to call the mayor and tell him to evacuate.

I too feel sadness for the elderly, the sick, and the children that couldn't leave on their own.

I blame the people in charge there for this disaster in the first place. Given the location of NO, the history with Camille, and the major population of the city...why would they only have levees strong enough for a cat 3 storm? I don't understand that at all.

The looting, shooting, and sniper attacks are absolutely disgusting. I can only condone the looting if it is for food, water, or maybe baby supplies. I hope all the people that have been shown on tape, including the 2 female police officer looters, will be arrested and prosecuted sometime soon for their crimes. As for the sniper shooting at the hospital when they were trying to evacuate critically ill patience...hang him by the testicles.