New Orleans Flashback: Officials Warned Residents ‘You’ll be on your own’

Before residents had ever heard the words "Hurricane Katrina," the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE ran a story warning residents: If you stay behind during a big storm, you'll be on your own!

Editors at TIMES-PICAYUNE on Monday called for every official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be fired. In an open letter to President Bush, the paper said: "Our people deserved rescuing. Many who could have been were not. That's to the government's shame."

But the TIMES-PICAYUNE published a story on July 24, 2005 stating: City, state and federal emergency officials are preparing to give a historically blunt message: "In the event of a major hurricane, you're on your own."

Staff writer Bruce Nolan reported some 7 weeks before Katrina: "In scripted appearances being recorded now, officials such as Mayor Ray Nagin, local Red Cross Executive Director Kay Wilkins and City Council President Oliver Thomas drive home the word that the city does not have the resources to move out of harm's way an estimated 134,000 people without transportation."

"In the video, made by the anti-poverty agency Total Community Action, they urge those people to make arrangements now by finding their own ways to leave the city in the event of an evacuation.

"You're responsible for your safety, and you should be responsible for the person next to you," Wilkins said in an interview. "If you have some room to get that person out of town, the Red Cross will have a space for that person outside the area. We can help you."

Developing...

www.drudgereport.com...

Crustas



Mod Edit: to remove ALL-CAPS title and add quote box. Please next time add a little commentary of your own.



[edit on 6-9-2005 by kinglizard]

Uhhh... yeah...
but that doesn't say a thing about why NOTHING was done to help people afterward...
Of course evacuate as many as possible... but unless you have buses, you are going to have some stay...

and any of the numerous things that could have been done, weren't
neglect... pure and simple...
tragedy made worse by irresponsibility on the governments part

They had busses evacuating people to the superdome. People still chose to stay. People are still choosing to stay. How do you provide emergency relief to 90,000 square milles of devetation by the next day? Should FEMA have localized on NOLA and left everyone else for a later time?

Actually you naive idealist... that says everything. The government of New Orleans is one of the most corupt and backwards governments in our country. Why do you think they are the number one murder capital of the USA? Hmm... let`s think about that for a second shall we? If their officials tell them way before we even new about Katrina that they weren`t going to do anything to help, then why does everyone have to point the blame to the Republican president. That`s always how it is... you stupid, idealists. How you irk me, with your petty communistic ways. I hope you all learn from this crisis. Look which party was in office in NO when this happened. Sure wasn`t the Republican Party... Oh, and I guess if I have a typo in my post you are going to attack me and call me an idiot... Have at morons.

Uh...As an idealist, albeit a capitalist neocon idealist, I'm troubled by your insults. Am I to understand that "realists", also known as cynics, have been the movers and the shakers throughout history? Idealists are who formed this country, believing that free people would be able to drive a nation far beyond what the current "realists" believed possible. Turns out they were right.

I guess I'm a little confused as to what makes a "stupid idealist." Most major world events that were controlled by humanity were lead by idealists. Granted, generally a realist would take the reins, but the idealists were usually there in what we would call cabinet functions. They were advisers after the ideal was born. I just don't understand why idealism is a bad thing...

By "In the event of a major hurricane, you're on your own." he must have meant the President, FEMA, and the military...

Originally posted by wbingham07
Have at morons.

Bing,

Ease up on the personal insults (of which you had a few). Yes emotions are high so lets call this a lesson, but we don't tolerate namecalling insults directed at any member here.

Next time could get you a warn flag and a point deduction to further action like banning depending on severity.


Back to the discussion.

Originally posted by wbingham07
Actually you naive idealist... that says everything. The government of New Orleans is one of the most corupt and backwards governments in our country. Why do you think they are the number one murder capital of the USA? Hmm... let`s think about that for a second shall we? If their officials tell them way before we even new about Katrina that they weren`t going to do anything to help, then why does everyone have to point the blame to the Republican president. That`s always how it is... you stupid, idealists. How you irk me, with your petty communistic ways. I hope you all learn from this crisis. Look which party was in office in NO when this happened. Sure wasn`t the Republican Party... Oh, and I guess if I have a typo in my post you are going to attack me and call me an idiot... Have at morons.

I hope that your post was not directed at me. I am neither an idealist nor am I naive. I am a realist. I used to live in that area and know that NOLA claimed to have the best politicans and cops that money can buy! If you're gonna call names, please let us know who the name calling is directed at.

Originally posted by wbingham07
Actually you naive idealist... that says everything. The government of New Orleans is one of the most corupt and backwards governments in our country.

Try camptom(sp) NJ.

[edit on 7-9-2005 by SpittinCobra]