[at-l] so many conflicting thoughts re the tragedy down in the bayou

[icw at esisnet.com (Clark Wright)]

p.s.  in my ramblings I was less clear than I should have been - my main 
angst was with those who say everyone should have so easily gotten out 
ahead, given the logistics, economic differences, not having vehicles, 
not having money for gas, huge raffic jams, government representations 
of "safe" places to stay, desire to stay with infirm relatives, etc.  Re 
those, like Jim, who make the valid point that folks in good health 
should get off their butts more often and easily, I agree, but still 
with some of the same caveats re "no man is an island" . . . it would 
simply be hard for me to walk away alone with all the ties I think I 
would feel for so many I know in my own community, and een re strangers 
if I saw them in need as I slogged along . . . sorry if my choice of 
words in that 1st para. was a bit strong . . .

Jim Bullard wrote:

> At 08:09 PM 9/2/2005 -0400, Clark Wright wrote:
>
>> I am reading my digest of recent AT-L posts re the incredible tragedy 
>> (tragedies) down in and around New Orleans, and wanted to say a few 
>> things "out loud:"
>>
>> 1)  To those who observed that the people had advance notice 
>> beforehand, and should take things into their own hands in the 
>> aftermath and simply leave and not wait for the government to help 
>> them, I can scarcely believe I am hearing this . . . I am very much a 
>> believer in the need to take responsibility for one's own actions, 
>> but surely we all can recognize that: (a) not everyone could get out 
>> - we are talking about evacuating close to a million people, many of 
>> whom were sick, infirm, without cars, etc. - and many of whom were 
>> told to go to "safe" places like the Superdome; (b) if alone, I 
>> guarnatee you I would have hiked, swam and crawled my way out the 
>> very same day, and assuming I did not get entangled in debris, 
>> electrocuted, or burned in a natural line leak, I would have made it 
>> out long before now . . . BUT, can you honestly expect everyone to 
>> have done that on their own in areas surrounded by flood waters, dead 
>> bodies, stinking water, crackling power lines, burning buildings, 
>> etc?  also, what if YOU were healthy, but your spouse, mother, 
>> grandmother, roommate, etc. was infirm - do you stay or do you go for 
>> help?? not an easy choice . . .; and (c) the standard refrain from 
>> the government early on to those stranded behind who could get any 
>> information was to "sit tight, we will come and get you soon."
>> To me, even the toughest believer in self-reliance should have great 
>> empathy here . . .
>
>
> As one of those TT is upset with I feel I should expand what I said.
>
> First I wasn't talking about trying to hike out during the storm. That 
> would be the height of foolishness.
>
> Second I was talking, as I said, about those with 2 good working legs. 
> I don't know how many times rescue workers have been shown telling 
> someone that they have to deal with the infirm first. In a situation 
> as huge as this the helpers MUST go for those in greatest peril first. 
> If you are not one of them what's stopping you from starting to walk 
> instead of waiting for the bus? I'm sorry if that sounds like a lack 
> of empathy but it is reality.
>
> I guess as I was writing my post suggesting that I would be doing 
> whatever I could to get my butt out of there I was having flashbacks 
> to the guy several years ago who froze to death in his truck somewhere 
> out West. On a whim he had strayed from his planned route and taken a 
> seasonal road (during the off-season when it wasn't maintained) over a 
> mountain pass and skidded off the road on the ice. Despite the fact 
> that he had driven by large signs saying that maintenance ended at a 
> date prior to the date he turned onto the road, he waited for help in 
> his truck, writing a diary as he slowly died recording how he waited 
> until he was too weak to walk back down the mountain road before 
> realizing that was what he needed to do. The media treated the story 
> as a tragic story of a brave man courageously meeting his death. All I 
> could think was "He knew he was on an un-maintained road. Why didn't 
> he think to simply get out of the truck and walk back down the road 
> before he became too weak to do so?"
>
> If you are capable of doing something, however small, toward helping 
> yourself, IMHO you should be doing it and leave the rescue workers to 
> help those who can't help themselves.
>
>
>
>



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