[Alberta's Child]

We're talking about two different things here. Rescue operations and disaster relief are certainly important functions, but nothing a government can do is more effective than what people can do for themselves. In this case, I'm talking specifically about advance warnings and informing people about the dangers they face.

You can call me cruel if you'd like, but as far as I'm concerned someone who refuses to evacuate a disaster area and then climbs on a roof expecting to be picked up by a helicopter is not a "victim" in any sense of the word -- he/she is a public menace who is putting other lives at risk through their own ignorance, stupidity, arrogance, etc.

[ican'tbelieveit]

What if they didn't have a way to evacuate? Maybe they didn't have cars, or not reliable enough to make that long of a drive. Maybe they didn't have enough money to go to a motel room for days on end.

Part of the problem for many of those who didn't leave is the government fostered reliance on the government, then essentially abandoned them when this threat surfaced.

[SoothingDave]

You can call me cruel if you'd like, but as far as I'm concerned someone who refuses to evacuate a disaster area and then climbs on a roof expecting to be picked up by a helicopter is not a "victim" in any sense of the word -- he/she is a public menace who is putting other lives at risk through their own ignorance, stupidity, arrogance, etc.

As another said more better than me can, that is not the way Americans operate. We have compassion even for those who are in dilemmas of their own making.

Your analysis requires a prejudging of people. I know many tried to evacuate but returned when the highways were impassible. Others may have medical conditions that made travel difficult. Still others might have stayed intending to be a help to others, only to find themselves a burden.

We can't simply dismiss all as arrogant or ignorant.

SD