This just sucks

CNN.com - FEMA chief:�Victims bear some responsibility - Sep 1, 2005

So what now? The victims of the hurricane in NO are now at fault for their situation? This is apparently what the director of FEMA would have you think.

I personally think this is beyond absurd. Last year, FEMA decided to create an action plan for what they imagined the worst possible natural disaster in the US. That disaster? You guessed it, a Category 5 hurricane hitting New Orleans dead on.

This was only category 4. Therefore, FEMA should have been prepared to handle this disaster. Yet all you hear from the national government is that the restulting damage was completely unexpected. Didn't Bush initially say he didn't forsee the levee breaking?

The way the national government has responded to this disaster is completely disgraceful. No matter what propaganda and jargon the administration throws out about their relief efforts, as of now I think you would have to classify their response as disastrous.

Yes, some people in the city are acting like criminals and doing more harm than good. However, we would not be in this situation had FEMA created a plan that actually could be implemented. Most of the looters are only looting stuff for survival. Those that take TVs and sneakers do deserve to be prosecuted, but if you look at the images on TV, most are people taking bread, water and diapers. Furthermore, the looting is getting progressively worse as the situation gets worse. The longer people are stuck in a flooded, disease ridden city without any form of transportation or communication, they will naturally become more desparate.

Had the federal government been more quick to respond, in all liklihood, the violence would not be as bad as it is now. FEMA's accusations are just an attempt to cover up for their own short comings.