Blame game not to be played
Published: Thursday, September 8, 2005
Article Tools: Page 1 of 2
Editor Hupp, with his consistent application of seemingly accidental insight and stunning ignorance, has done it again. (Parthenon Eds. Sept. 7)
He admits to "just guessing" about New Orleans evacuation plans. The Mayor of New Orleans did not have to guess. The city of New Orleans charter states very clearly that proper evacuation is up to the governor, the mayor and local authorities.
Hupp's cheap shot at President Bush was just that. Mayor Ray Nagin only declared mandatory evacuation after President Bush called him at his home and told him he better do it NOW. The Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor for Louisiana did more to set up a total disaster than the hurricane itself. I hear the general population of Louisiana is poised to get rid of them as soon as they are done cleaning up.
Everybody knows, but seems to have forgotten that it takes at least three days for the huge federal machine that is FEMA to crank up and get to a disaster site. Mr. Hupp is correct that the primary responsibility is local, with FEMA stepping in for the massive assistance later.
The other naive assumption is that food and water could have been dropped at many locations. The first Blackhawk rescuers were shot at, which delayed rescue and no Guard commander in her right mind is going to send aircraft into an area where there is no traffic control. New Orleans was under water and out of commission.
more at:
http://www.marshallparthenon.com/media/paper534/news/2005/09/08/Opinion/Blame.Game.Not.To.Be.Played-979131.shtml