anthrovolution
09-14-2008, 09:12 PM
Has anyone else noticed the relentless media push to show how stupid people were to not heed evacuation warnings. Although it is true that many naive people were scared almost to death by riding out IKE, it is also true that there has been very little loss of life, so far only 2 in Texas. From the rhetoric you would expect hundreds of dead bodies washing up on the beach and thousands of arms and legs sticking out of the rubble of destroyed homes. Here are a couple of quotes from a report by in the Denver Post.
"Some emergency officials were angry and frustrated that so many people ignored the warnings."
"When you stay behind in the face of a warning, not only do you jeopardize yourself, you put the first responders at risk as well," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "Now we're going to see this play out."
My concern is that events like this will be used to stiffen the resolve of Federal and State agencies to corral the population and herd them in the direction they want them to go. Once they assess the 'social cost' to the government for the now ongoing search and rescue missions I would expect the next time to see recalcitrant residents led away in hand cuffs if they don't follow orders.
Will that make us all safer?
"Some emergency officials were angry and frustrated that so many people ignored the warnings."
"When you stay behind in the face of a warning, not only do you jeopardize yourself, you put the first responders at risk as well," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "Now we're going to see this play out."
My concern is that events like this will be used to stiffen the resolve of Federal and State agencies to corral the population and herd them in the direction they want them to go. Once they assess the 'social cost' to the government for the now ongoing search and rescue missions I would expect the next time to see recalcitrant residents led away in hand cuffs if they don't follow orders.
Will that make us all safer?