In Which You Agree I Am In Fact, A Terrible Person
So. Hurricane Ike. All that damage. So many people having to evacuate. Terrible. Shouts out to everyone's favorite Texan nurse who housed 3,927 people during the hurricane.
It's been a difficult time for our Southwestern friends, and J'fluffer if you're reading, I'm still waiting to hear that you and yours are alright.
But here's my problem. Oh shut up, you knew it was coming. My problem is, all these people were told to evacuate. Some did. However, some did not. Which meant that rescue services had to go in and put their lives in danger to save people who refused to save themselves.
This pisses me off. Somebody is too stupid to save themselves from obvious danger. When I was a kid, my parents were fond of yelling at Golden Boy and I that, "no little birdie is going to tap you on the shoulder," encouraging us to think for ourselves. But these people got the birdie tap! They actually had people telling them to leave! Yet still, they chose to stay.
It's a bit harsh to say that people who are stupid should die, but is it right that others should be putting their lives on the line for the stupid people? Yes you say, because that's a part of what rescue services sign up to do. Well ... when you become part of a rescue crew, aren't you intending that you'll be helping people who were unable to help themselves? Little old ladies in wheelchairs? People who can't afford gas for their car to drive away? Those who have no friend's houses to go stay at?
So I'm thinking these people should be charged. Not for the cost of the rescue but more like a Stupid Fine. Like $50 or $100. Just a little something to punish them for not realizing their dumb decisions affect other people.
It's been a difficult time for our Southwestern friends, and J'fluffer if you're reading, I'm still waiting to hear that you and yours are alright.
But here's my problem. Oh shut up, you knew it was coming. My problem is, all these people were told to evacuate. Some did. However, some did not. Which meant that rescue services had to go in and put their lives in danger to save people who refused to save themselves.
This pisses me off. Somebody is too stupid to save themselves from obvious danger. When I was a kid, my parents were fond of yelling at Golden Boy and I that, "no little birdie is going to tap you on the shoulder," encouraging us to think for ourselves. But these people got the birdie tap! They actually had people telling them to leave! Yet still, they chose to stay.
It's a bit harsh to say that people who are stupid should die, but is it right that others should be putting their lives on the line for the stupid people? Yes you say, because that's a part of what rescue services sign up to do. Well ... when you become part of a rescue crew, aren't you intending that you'll be helping people who were unable to help themselves? Little old ladies in wheelchairs? People who can't afford gas for their car to drive away? Those who have no friend's houses to go stay at?
So I'm thinking these people should be charged. Not for the cost of the rescue but more like a Stupid Fine. Like $50 or $100. Just a little something to punish them for not realizing their dumb decisions affect other people.
Labels: People watching, Rage Against the Green
posted by Green at 9/14/2008 08:17:00 PM
11 Comments:
I'm with you on this one. They are not only risking their lives (which hey, if you want to die, that's your prerogative) but they are also risking the life of all the rescue teams that have to go into the areas in order to get these people out. There is no excuse for anybody who is body-abled not to get out when they were warned to do so with time.
If every effort had been made to reach these people, every warning has been made, buses or other transportation have been provided to evacuate car-less people, etc.
Then I say, leave whoever is left and refusing to budge behind. If they are that stubborn and thick-headed, then they can figure their own problems out.
I agree 100% with what you say about rescue workers. My opinion is that they sign up to help people who honestly need help, not people who should have known better!
As a resident of Houston, I say amen. I was so mad watching television, seeing these rescues. I think the "fine" should be much more than just $100.
We had plenty of warning with this storm. The roads were quite clear and aid was provided to get people out of harm's way. To hear that 40% of people did not evac Galveston made my head explode. Absolutely ridiculous.
And to make sure that I am hated as well, can I just point out that there are a ton of people calling the radio stations complaining that their power is out, they can't find gas, someone needs to HELP THEM!
I start screaming at the radio for them to shut up. You have a house. You are alive. Shut up and help yourself. Quit relying on the govt to save you. They are busy helping those that actually need it.
/rant
Having professionaly fought Natural Selection for over 30 years, I have to agree, except it's good practice, and a tad fun sometimes.
No argument here. I've got a blog post working in my head at the moment about this very issue. What part of "facing certain death" did so many of these people not understand ahead of time? Lack of money is not an excuse. There were plenty of buses and shelters (I know, they suck, but they're safe) waiting to take people in from the mandatory evacuation areas.
Not until Ike was kicking our state's coastal ass did those people who refused to leave finally get it, and in the midst of the storm, they called 911. I can just hear the frustrated responders hunkered down in safety during the hurricane wondering aloud WTF these people were thinking?
Wanna know what really chaps my ass? The pictures I see of people being rescued off the island carrying babies and small children. It's one thing to be stupid about your own business, but think about your children FFS.
My friends (evacuees at my house in Austin) and I cringed as we watched people being interviewed on the news or being photographed doing stupid shit like, oh, driving though flooded freeways and then - shocker - getting stranded and needing to be rescued.
"I learned my lesson this time around" is a common refrain. "Why can't they interview any smart Texans so the nation can see there actually are some in the state?" one friend asked? I responded "Because the smart ones left and aren't around for comment."
If you're a terrible person, then see you when we get to Hell. We'll ride the bus down together.
i feel the exact same way!
i just don't get it. your mayor, your government, is telling you to get the hell out days in advance, and yet there's reporters talking to people that are going to "party through Ike" like it's the season's biggest kegger.
and of course, if we don't send people in to fish them out, the government looks like a huge ass when in reality, we told you to leave, and anyone that has a tv could see how ridiculous Ike was about to be.
Hurricane Katrina didn't happen that long ago...did that not teach anyone a lesson?
We are not invincible. And when a swirling vortex of water death is headed your way, what is it in people's brains that say "screw you Ike, we're staying"??
When did people become so arrogant in thinking they could take on Mother Nature?
I just don't get it. I mean, last time I checked, the word evacuate meant get the hell out of dodge.
I have to agree with you on this, and if that makes me a terrible person, so be it. My husband told me about a new story in which rescue workers came to evacuate two elderly people who were insistent on staying in their home. After much back and forth, one of the rescue workers handed them a black pen and said "Then please write your name and social security number on your arm so we'll be able to identify your body"
Funny enough, they relented and decided to go.
if agreeing with you makes us terrible, maybe we can all ride the same bus to hell . . . but at least we'll be riding TOGETHER and NOT putting rescue workers in unnecessary danger!
there have been A LOT of evacuees here in san antonio and for the most part, i'm glad the city could help and they got out safely, but i have VERY little sympathy for people who were bused in after the storm and are now basically demanding help. not cool.
I used to feel the same way. But then I read this:
http://brownfemipower.com/archives/2876
Drunken Housewife has a guest post that has some insights I had not considered before which make it somewhat more understandable.
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