After the wrath of Hurricane Katrina, the Gulf Coast was left a disaster area, filled with angry and homeless citizens. First of all, I am very empathetic toward the evacuated citizens of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama who no longer have homes to return to. What I don’t understand, however, is how those that chose not to leave are upset at the government.

Why would a person not evacuate an area that rests below sea level? These people had ample time to leave the coast, but chose to ride out the storm. They had three days to evacuate the area when the storm was deemed a Category 3 hurricane. Once the storm grew to a Category 5, the citizens of the Gulf Coast still had another day and a half to leave. Thus, thousands are stranded in the Superdome in New Orleans.

Why would anyone want to put their lives or their family members’ lives at risk by trying to “ride out” the storm? They had the money to leave, since most people brought expensive luggage to the Superdome. There was no excuse to stay. The area already experienced a Category 5 storm when Hurricane Camille struck in 1969. When hundreds of people are killed from a storm, the citizens should know how dangerous a hurricane is.

To make matters worse, the citizens blame the government for lack of aid. What do they expect? New Orleans is underwater, while riots and uncivilized people are destroying property and stealing from crushed buildings. The government can’t even get into some of these cities, because they are underwater. If these people had left, then billions of tax dollars wouldn’t be spent on people that refuse to evacuate.

When citizens are making statements such as, “This doesn’t happen in America. This is only something that happens in foreign countries,” then you know how ignorant they really are. Thousands of lives could have been saved if people had evacuated. If people are not going to heed the warnings given to them, then they should not be given so much compassion.

Bill Locke

Junior

Accounting