[planekT]

Well, it's understandable to evacuate your house if a big fire is heading your way. It sure wouldn't be understandable if they had confiscated your guns.

I've learned a couple of things watching this awful situation.

1. I will run, not walk, in the opposite direction of any government "safe" house in the event I would need to evacuate my home. I can't imagine being disarmed, locked up in a hellhole like the Super dome became, and then bused out to another state. I'll take a tent or a hammock, a little food and water, and a rifle and my chances with that any day of the week.

2. The government is full of crap. Just how dangerous is the water in NO? Oh, it's polluted all right, but I haven't seen any of the rescue workers in anything special to protect them. A few had rubber gloves on and I saw a couple folks with painters masks, but that's about it. Stay out of the water, and wash your hands and you'll probably be okay. Sure, there's crap in it, some dead bodies, probably some chemicals, oil, etc. But it's a lot of water. All of that stuff has got to be diluted to a large extent. Look at all the people who walked through it trying to get out, and so far I've only seen about 4 or 5 deaths attributed to it.

3. You can't own too many guns or too much ammo (yea, I knew that already, but I'll throw it in just for prosperity).

[happinesswithoutpeace]

"Oh, it's polluted all right, but I haven't seen any of the rescue workers in anything special to protect them."

Exactly, I have seen LEOs and NG in cammies and short sleeves. I have not seen one in MOPP gear.

[George W. Bush]

Just how dangerous is the water in NO?

Yesterday, they were showing them taking samples and made the claim that there was 20,000 times as much fecal matter in the water as would be allowed in any water supply.

I thought that wasn't too helpful. No one was suggesting they should drink black water to begin with. It seemed irrelevant at the time but that is part of their justification.

They're also making noises about Hep A and cholera. And the presence of petroleum products and pesticides. But they didn't provide any very frightening info on that. They mentioned it will take a few weeks for the larvae to incubate which could cause the spread of disease. And the danger of Hep A is something they all need to get shots for. I expect this will be mandatory vaccination.

It seemed that if they didn't drink water out of the streets and got a Hep A shot, they should be fine if their houses have been on dry land throughout the flood.

[Nov3]

Look at all the people who walked through it trying to get out, and so far I've only seen about 4 or 5 deaths attributed to it.

Those have been people who drank it, pretty much an obvious no-no.

[CharlesWayneCT]

They said it has 10 times the maximum safe level for some pollutants.

That really isn't that much. They have had some people get sick, but not thousands, so it can't be so bad that you are certain to get sick.

Now, if you are living in an area still under water, maybe you could justify a forced evacuation by pointing out that if you go to the bathroom you are polluting the water more and therefore violating the law.

But that doesn't cover those who live where they have private bathroom facilities.