You are correct.
They are tourists from other countries who were stranded, one woman was a manager of a housing building and brought along 25 residents, lots in wheelchairs, several with babies under a year, those who spend more time trying to make it day to day and don't grasp the danger, and those who are just too poor or too scared.
The folks you want to scoff at are in the French Quarter partying - not the ones dragging along their lives belongings stuffed in a bag waiting for several hours to get inside. These people were let down by their elected officials.
Well said.