What I meant by "chose" was choosing to be a resident there for the past ten, twenty, thirty years -- not choosing to stay there over the weekend that the hurricane struck. I'm well aware that many who were stuck in New Orleans when it flooded were too poor, old and/or disabled to evacuate.
And I'm well aware of what it feels like to be left behind, ignored, abandoned and made a target for the worst possible scenarios just because I've lacked basic resources, sympathy and respect from my surrounding community in times of need --- just not in the face of a hurricane heading my way.
I'm not saying it isn't a tragedy or that it's by any means fair and acceptable. I just don't see how it's "ALL the federal government's fault", which has become a national and irritatingly narrow-minded cry. Several things could have been done on a local level, as well, that were not done. And the roots of this tragedy aren't anything unique to the city of New Orleans. Poor people EVERYWHERE are targets for the lowest possible priority list. And it's frequently not only and not even primarily the federal government who makes that list. Just something to think about.
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And I'm well aware of what it feels like to be left behind, ignored, abandoned and made a target for the worst possible scenarios just because I've lacked basic resources, sympathy and respect from my surrounding community in times of need --- just not in the face of a hurricane heading my way.
I'm not saying it isn't a tragedy or that it's by any means fair and acceptable. I just don't see how it's "ALL the federal government's fault", which has become a national and irritatingly narrow-minded cry. Several things could have been done on a local level, as well, that were not done. And the roots of this tragedy aren't anything unique to the city of New Orleans. Poor people EVERYWHERE are targets for the lowest possible priority list. And it's frequently not only and not even primarily the federal government who makes that list. Just something to think about.