By the way, if it wasn’t for the evacuations, many would have died.
One will never know that; statements such as that have been used for centuries to justify the arbitrary use of power.
People aren’t so stupid as to stare death in the face when convinced, what we have recently witnessed may prove to be counterproductive along the lines of saving lives as well as injuries.
This is from an AP release 2 hours ago; compare the top half (lead) with the second part - having any trouble separating the speculation from the stark reality here?
“Sep 13 2008 7:56AM
Associated Press
Ike’s grinds on...911 calls...Train collision death toll
GALVESTON, Texas (AP) Hurricane Ike is making its way through southeast Texas after making landfall in Galveston with 110 mile-per-hour winds this morning. Nearly 3 million people are without power. Galveston Fire Chief Mike Varela says the storm “was a 10” compared to hurricanes in the past.
GALVESTON, Texas (AP) A spokesman for Houston’s mayor says 911 operators have received about 1,250 calls in 24 hours as Hurricane Ike made landfall as a Category 2 storm early today. Several fires are burning untended across the city. Shards of glass are falling from skyscrapers that were hit by Ike’s ferocious winds.
LOS ANGELES (AP) The death toll is now up to 17 as emergency crews found more victims in the mangled wreckage of a commuter train that collided head-on with a freight train in California. A medical director says 135 people have been taken to hospitals and about 85 of them are in serious or critical condition.”