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As different as fire and water

Posted: Thursday, October 25, 2007 2:16 PM

By Martin Savidge, NBC News Correspondent

SAN DIEGO – There is a lot of buzz about the comparison between the natural disasters in the New Orleans area after Katrina and currently in Southern California – and which handled the emergency best and why.

Most of it doesn’t mean much at this stage. The disaster is still unfolding here and the most controversial and testing part is still to come – the recovery.

But California has plenty to be proud of and grateful for. Much of the gratitude is owed to common folks who saw a need and stepped in – not so much government leaders.

The same was true in New Orleans. For example, the Cajun Navy just sort of instinctively materialized in the hours after the storm struck. Air boats and john boats hauled by pickups manned by people who knew they were needed and came. They saved thousands of lives and most got no credit.

Their amazing achievement was lost in the hell that New Orleans became when state and federal officials couldn’t seem to do what a person with a 12-foot boat and an outboard could. Simply put – help.

Firefighters in California pulled off similar miracles soon to be forgotten. So did average volunteers who worked in the pre-dawn darkness caring for strangers at Qualcomm Stadium before heading into their day job.

California was more organized. It is, after all, much more practiced with disasters. Earthquakes and previous fires have honed the edge of preparedness here. It is also a much wealthier state and rich with voters who can make or break a candidacy. And it was quickly determined that it would be no Katrina when it came to a federal response.

No comparison
You cannot compare these disasters. They are as different as water and fire. The loss of 1,300 homes in Southern California so far is awful, but pales to homes and business lost to Katrina. In St. Bernard Parish alone they lost almost five times as many. We aren’t even touching New Orleans or the often overlooked Mississippi coast.

Much of Louisiana's infrastructure was compromised or destroyed. In California much of it was left intact. They could talk on phones to coordinate relief in California. They could barely find a radio to call for help after Katrina.

Qualcomm Stadium where thousands sheltered was never threatened. The Superdome was heavily damaged. It had twice to three times as many people and no electricity, no ventilation, not much food, limited security, no water, no sanitation and absolutely no information.

Then there was the loss of life.

Don't compare these disasters; that would be grossly unfair to the people of California and Louisiana.

The biggest concern is that many will – and then say, "See we have learned from Katrina and fixed what failed." If leaders believe that, then that really will be a disaster.

Check map for fire locations.

Martin Savidge has reported extensively for NBC News from New Orleans - both during Katrina and on the city's ongoing recovery. Click here to watch some of NBC News reports from New Orleans.

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Comments

Why are you comparing natural disasters as to which is more horrific? Does it really matter? This is debate is a mockery onto anyone that has lost during these tragedies… a pure disgrace…

Brian, Del Mar, CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:05 PM)

The only one's comparing the two disasters is the news media. Anyone with common sense knows there is a big difference between a hurricane and a firestorm. Now that we know the difference why isn't there more local resources to help fight fires in the future. We were lucky the Santa Ana winds died down. If we two C130's based here to respond quicker or a couple of more fire trucks. Isn't cheaper than having too pay the damage after the fire (over a billion).  

J Garcia (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:06 PM)

There is no comparison between the two.  New Orleans, pretty much entirely was destroyed, and under water for weeks.  These California towns are pretty much still functioning as usual.  A small portion being affected.  My city flooded again Monday due to RAIN, I live and work in Uptown NO and we had 2' of water on the street.  I digress, being in the Q stadium with people able to come and go and being surrounded by water in the Super Dome for days are two totally different situations.  Of course people are behaving differently, heck,they have massages, more than enough food and clowns for heaven's sake!  They could even leave and go to the local McDonald's for a burger.  There was no McDonald's open during Katrina. Give me a break!

P. Greene, New Orleans, LA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:07 PM)

Martin, you did a nice job intricately comparing disasters in a piece that tells us all not to compare these disasters.  Nevertheless, you are right that the two situations are entirely different, but I am offended by your implicit argument that the Superdome mess was somehow justified and had Qualcomm Stadium had worse conditions, we might have seen the same reaction.  What we saw is how people can work together and think of helping others rather that just who can help them.  People in California have been through worse in the past and will be in the future and my guess is no matter how similar the comparison of the disaster may be to Katrina, the similarity will end there.

Mark Rappaport (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:08 PM)

The only people who compared this to Katrina was the national media.  The citizens of Southern California, including San Diego, never did. What is the point anyways.  "I suffered more than you did."  Throughout human history people have suffered through natural disasters, but for some reason people only feel a need to compare to the most recent past.   So, if this is game of comparisons, New Orleans was tragic but not close to the tsunami.  Now who has suffered the most?   All are tragedies and all of the victims deserve sympathy and prayer.

San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:08 PM)

Had the govenment not failed New Orleans in the mismanagement of the levees, almost NONE of the death and damage would have occured.  New Orleans was a disaster simply because of the levees.  The often overlooked Mississippi Gulf Coast is where the true wrath of the storm hit and wiped out many towns along it's Gulf waters.  Neighbors helping neighbors stepped up to the plate even before the last winds subsided not, waiting for any governmental handouts.

Lily (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:09 PM)

Although both are certainly disasters, they cannot, as Mr Savidge rightly points out, be compared. The key elements in a disaster are electricty and communication of information. California has had both, while Katrina and the flooding destroyed key infrastructure. Try going days on end without electricy in stifling heat and humidity. Lets not forget that Katrina was not just a New Orleans event either. Many thousands of homes and businesses were lost across multiple states.

R Phoenix, AZ (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:10 PM)

No New Orleans was not on watch a week early. No one knew where the storm was headed until a couple (like Fri to Sun)days prior to landfall and storms do turn last minute. There were no empty modes of transportation waiting for people that refused to leave. I was there. I know. The only similarities are the loss of life, home and such.

Mary Lou Horrobin (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:11 PM)

It hurts me to come across this way, but I can't help myself in this situation....What happened in CA is a real honest to God shame.  Homes were burned to the ground and people lost everything.  I think, however that it let's officials off easy to simply say, "LA is no New Orleans."  We know this. We know the mistakes that were made. STILL, TO THIS DAY, NOTHING IS BEING DONE IN NEW ORLEANS!!  People are still displaced.  Businesses are not being reinvigorated.  

We don't want to be in the position of comparing miseries...but which community needs help most?  And why hasn't their government stepped up to resolve this inequity and save New Orleans and bring it back to its previous 'glory?"

Jane Doe (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:12 PM)

California is no katrina because there are too many white, rich, pro-war snobs in southern california to ignore for this corporate welfare white house.

Scott T, Norman, OK (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:12 PM)

Thank you for putting in writing what I've been thinking all along. The people in CA had cars to drive themselves away from their homes to safe areas, whereas, the people in LA depended on public transportation of which there was NONE. Big difference when you have insurance and money.

Lynn Rizzo (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:14 PM)

How come no ever mentions Mississippi? I drove through Gulfport a few weeks back and it was just wiped out, but everyone talks about New Orleans like it was the only place destroyed. What about the people in Mississippi?

Carla, Tulsa, OK (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:15 PM)

No comparison. Most of central San Diego untouched and never lost power with ideal weather.  People still going to work in half of the city. Only the south and north sections were affected. Cell service and Internet still up. Remember in NO the fiber cables broke and there was no cell, Internet, or phones.  People were driving their BMWs out of the evac areas to friends or expensive hotels or 2nd homes.  They also have home insurance and most own their homes. NO a little different!

Bob, San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:16 PM)

I also think this article is right on. The comparison of the events is like comparing the wealth and power of CA and LA and there is no comparison. CA is use to having natural disasters all the time and has more funds and aid available during tragic times. As I have always said-there is the state of California and then the rest of the US. CA is in a world of it's own.

Danielle-San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:16 PM)

Let's not overlook or minimize the obvious: the people affected in Katrina were poor and black and many didn't have the financial resources to leave.  The fire victims in San Diego are well-off and white and can get in thier cars and drive away.  There is no comparison.  And blaming the Katrina victims as not being proactive or helping themselves during the flood is wrong.  People in Katrina did not even have their basic needs met...food, shelter, water, clothing, medical care for the sick and injured.  See how sane you stay when you are denied these essentials and are watching people die around you and you're having to live in your own and others' excrement.  I'd be looting beer and the pharmacies!  The social structure and niceties of society break down when people are denied basic needs.  I'm glad the fire victims are getting the help they need but lest we forget "the greatness of a nation should be judged by how we treat the most vulnerable in our society".      

Janell Horton (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:17 PM)

Well put article. Katrina meant 250,000 people had to travel hundreds of miles to Houston or other cities. So. California has thousands of places to house people within 5 miles. If 900,000 were displaced with an average of 3 people per household, it meant 300,000 households had to be evacuated. If only 1300 were destroyed, it is .0004%. Don't compare the two. And the news sources must report this as well. Yes the fire was devastating, but most of it was barren land. Only a very small percentage of people were affected with actual loss of property.

Gerry Korkin, Cincinnati, OH (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:17 PM)

You are absolutely correct!  The two cannot be compared.
   In San Diego, the moment disaster struck and began to unfold, the mayor and emergency personnel were available and on the job.  In New Orleans, the mayor went to a fancy dinner the night before, and the next day, blamed everyone else for the problems.
   In San Diego, when people were told to evacuate, they listened to law enforcement and safety personnel, and did so.  In New Orleans, they ignored the government warnings and then blamed the government when they were trapped.
   In San Diego, people patiently waited in line for services and only took what they needed.  In New Orleans, they all screamed, complained, and then looted their neighborhoods.
   You are right – the two are different.  San Diego, (99.99% of which are NOT rich or celebrities) showed character, dignity and personal responsibly in a crisis; New Orleans…not so much.

Daniel, San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:17 PM)

It is by the grace of God that all evacuees, in New Orleans or CA, have made it through.

S Wilson, Cedar Rapids, IA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:19 PM)

its amazing to read the comments from some of these people.  as a white female, i'm saddened to see that racism is still extremely rampant from coast to coast.

Michelle, Pensacola, FL (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:20 PM)

The people in California don't EXPECT the government to take care of them.  They will take care of themselves.

Cassie Ainley, Houston,TX (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:22 PM)

Why are some of the people on this topic is so concern about the looting in
San Diego vs the looting in LA. Is that so important to you. We all know that crime happens in most poorer communities and when there is a stituation like, black out, riots and natural disasters some people look at it as a opportunity to prey on victims. People lets not inject our own "personal beliefs" and I think you know whatI me on these two tragic events. I pray that GOD bless those that lost homes and love ones in Californa and may the same GOD bless those that was hit by Katrina

Charles, Dallas, TX (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:24 PM)

The immediate response of GWBush is completely different compared to his non-chalant attitude after
Hurricane Katrina.

The folks in Louisiana were poor African-Americans.
While the people in LA are affluent WHITES!!!!!

Linda D Bryant, Philadelphia PA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:24 PM)

Here's the difference for the Bush administration:

White People, Red State

Black People, Blue State

Mike Cannon, Lake Worth Florida (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:25 PM)

With regard to the comment of G Fletch "I love you people that don't live here commenting on how this is no comparison to Katrina.  Have you been here, or here now? do you see what is going on?"

In response:  Have you been to the gulf coast of Mississippi?  Have you seen what is going on?  I live in Biloxi, Mississippi and see the devastation every day.

KLind (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:25 PM)

People make all the difference.  New Orleans people complained and waited for someone to come to make everything alright, while California people helped each other and themselves. Two different events; two different cultures and two different local and state officials.  Whatever did happen to Mayor Chocolate city anyhow?

Bob Sherwood (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:29 PM)

How can anyone in the right state of mind would even try to compare the two? In San Diego, they were able to drive around town and help with the affected, but in New Orleans, you had to use paddle boats and buckets ( okay, so they had choppers too).

I live in the heart of San Diego, Its not as bad as the Media make it out to be.  The majority of people did not evacuate because of the fire itself, it was because of the smoke.  

Over 1 million people ( 1,000,000 ), ONE MILLION PEOPLE had to evac on the day I had to go to work, yet my drive was not effected by evacuees.  ONE MILLION PEOPLE. That's alot of people. I've never seen ONE MILLION PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.  

Joe Blaze, San Diego, CA. (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:30 PM)

So tell me, would you rather be drowned by floods, or incinerated by wildfires? No good choices there.
San Diego had a plan for the worst case scenario- they activated it and it worked. New Orleans planned on the levies holding the water back. Once the worst happened San Diego's government activated their plan and coordinated relief efforts. New Orleans government looked around for who to blame. Fire and floods are not racist, they are blind to a families wealth or poverty. My heart goes out to everyone who lost their homes, by flood or by fire. Every family left homeless is a tragedy. The biggest tragedy is the loss of hope. That is the difference in California, we never lose hope.  

Steve, San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:31 PM)

Thank you, Martin, for some very sound observations. As a displaced victim of Katrina, I can empathize with the evacuees displaced from their homes in California and especially with those who lost everything in this tragic fire. But, as you say, the scope, politics, effect on infrastructure, the heroism of volunteers (which continues in New Orleans) are very different as between Katrina and the California fires. I would question your distinguising California's preparedness because of its experience with earthquakes from Louisiana's lack of preparedness. Louisiana and New Orleans SHOULD have been prepared. Hurricanes are nothing new there. They are no more novel than earthquakes in California. We all knew that a storm like Katrina could happen, but few really thought it would happen (even in the few days before the storm), and the level of preparedness reflected that. New Orleans is the Big Easy, and it was just easier to forego the sort of preparations that might have saved lives and property when Katrina struck. Hopefully, the big one, an earthquake akin to Katrina in damage potential never will expose a similar attitude and lack of preparation in California.

Jim Popham (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:33 PM)

Being a resident of the often forgotten Mississippi Gulf Coast, please let me clarify:  Hurricane Katrina was the size of the entire state of Texas!  When we left work that Friday, all we knew was that the storm was in the Gulf of Mexico (not that it was headed directly for us).  California has been evacuating neighborhood by neighborhood for over a week, not 500,000 people in less than 48 hours!

lyn bailey, Pearlington MS (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:35 PM)

I am glad someone finally acknowledged the politicians flew in their fancy helicopters after the trouble had past. It was the volunteers on the ground that did the work, not the government. I worked at Qualcomm and the Government was more of a hinderence than a help!

Bottom line:

People in NO stuck their hand out and many still have it out looking for something for free.

SoCal, and most of the Gulf Coast (MS Al GA and FL) solved their own problems.

Nuff said

John Doe (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:35 PM)

But remember, the fires are still burning.

NJH (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:36 PM)

What I've read mostly so far on this post is the same neo-conservative rhetoric over and over "People of New Orleans didn't help themselves" "Californians didn't wait on anyone else to help" So on and so forth. The simple fact is that there was almost a 24 hour response to the fires in Southern California by the government and a inept, delayed 5-day response to Katrina victims in New Orleans. The differences are night like night and day. A majority of the population in Southern CA is white, New Orleans predominately black. Yoga and meditation sessions are happening in at Qualcomm, while people had no access to water, ventilation and food and were dying at the badly damaged Superdome. Money, race and influence definitely had something to do with the different responses to the two disasters.

Kraig Smith, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:36 PM)

Lou Torres wrote:

"the people in California took care of them selves along with help reveived and the Stadium didn't look like the Dome did, nobody is going to have to sanitize the stadium."

The people of CA took care of themselves? They got a reverse 911 call and were told to leave immediately. What exactly did they "take care" of? Many were lucky enough to know people nearby whose homes were not in the fire line. The people of the Gulf Coast had no such resources, because Everything was flooded. Look at the neighborhoods now in CA - one house is charred, but next door might be fine -- it was NOT like that during Katrina. Everything was flooded with no utilities -- including the Superdome. The reason you won't see QualComm Stadium needing to be sanitized is because there are still working toilets, running water and most importantly, no one is dying and decomposing on the floor.

The ones who "took care" were the heroic firefighters. The people of CA only had only to walk outside their front door and jump in their car to escape. Hardly the same as wading through human feces and bodies, no? Face it - only large amounts of aid coming from OUTSIDE could help.

70 years of living and you're that self-righteous and ignorant? I feel sorry for you. :(

Chloe, Phoenix (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:37 PM)

awwww all the rich people and hollywood stars lost their homes in a fire. Go to your other 2 vacation houses to live if you need to.... others do not have the luxury of doing so.

K (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:37 PM)

Well said Martin.  

Please let me add - loss is loss. Whether your home is flooded or burnt to the ground.  What makes it greater in some areas is the numbers of those hurting.

Sick and tired of those words used to split us all - rich, poor, educated, stupid-dumb, race, religion, politics - the human spirit and soul is truly defined in times of need.  Nothing breaks down barriers faster than our desire to reach out to others - as we here in CA did when Katrina hit - how fast could we get there and what could we do on an individual basis.  Have no doubt the good people of New Orleans would do the same.  Doesn't need to be in person - a thought sent is fine with me/us.  

What bothers the absolute hell out of me is watching our government stepin for the photo op - a hug for the cameras - kind of like a bad haircut - you've got to live with it - your hairdresser nods in agreement and moves on to the next customer - soon forgotten - hollow words.  

It takes each one of us to put one foot in front of the other to move forward - each of us meeting on some ground - at some point - some where.  We - individual Americans - moving as one instead of comparing catastrophe to catastrophe - pain is pain, loss is loss.  All real - all humbling - all doable - Damn - this is OUR loss - Katrina, socal, tornadoes in the midwest and we've got to remember that.

PJ (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:37 PM)

Weird, I didn't see any report of San Diego residents shooting at fire fighters or helicopters. I haven't seen any pictures of San Diego law enforcement looting stores/houses along with other looters.

I wonder why that is?

San Diego (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:39 PM)

I agree with you completely. I was watching the news and seeing Bush hugging these poor people, and thinking there is no comparison here to Katrina.Most of these people are celebrities or wealthy and more than that they have to have been aware that they were living in a place where there are fires and earthquakes. I do not have much sympathy for them.

Jeri Thomas Cincinnati, Ohio (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:40 PM)

Thank you for your sane perspective, Mr. Savidge. Katrina was a far worse catastophy. I an saddened by people affected by both disasters but Katrina destroyed so many more lives with many more people lost to that horrible storm and the aftermath. The govt. response to Katrina was appalling and immoral. It should never be repeated. And, we are still waiting for justice to be served to those who lost much, if not everything, from the Katrina fiasco, and it's been over 2 years since that storm occurred.

Let's hope and pray the relief to the people in California will not be delayed. Let's hope and pray that those still waiting for relief from Katrina will get what they rightly deserve to go on with their lives.

Nick, Ohio (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:41 PM)

Katrina.
No power, store's open, businesses closed, people could not drive 10 feet because of water and destruction everywhere, supplies could not get in, people could not get out.

Callie fires.
People drive 2 miles to a differennt part of the city and it's business as usual.
The city is not destroyed, businesses are up and running, restaurant's, hotels, supplies are all at the people's fingertips.

There is no comparison to a hurricane that whiped out an entire region from the Mississippi/Alabama coast to the Texas coastline and fires that are basically located in different places leaving 90% of the area untouched and unaffected.

D. Lilly, Jackson, Mississippi (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:42 PM)

Right! Let's keep letting the Louisiana state and local officials off the hook. Local people were the force behind dealing with the disaster in California.

Bob, Yorba Linda, CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:43 PM)

Let's set the record straight!  Both are tremendous disasters with huge soial and economic consequences for each area.
All the discussion about insurance is also relevant.  It is perfectly reasonable for an insurance company to assign rates based on risk.  Living in a flood plane carries higher rates than living away from a flood plane.  Both sets made the personal decision to insure for the risk or not.  Those deciding not to insure the risk-carry the risk.  Remember that those living in New Orleans were still in a flood plane-irregardless of the discussion re: Army corps of Engineers.
The telling difference is the way the local governments handled each situation.  That is the job of the local, state government.  You don't call Uncle Sam when yur house is on fire-you call the fire department.

Pat Flynn (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:43 PM)

Perhaps someone has already pointed this out, but New Orleans was not destroyed by the rain or the wind -- it was destroyed when the levees broke. That fact alone casts an entirely different light on what happend before, during and after the hurricane blew across the Gulf Coast.

No similar situation exists in California.

Ara Rubyan (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:45 PM)

You know whats just sad about all of this...we are sitting here, comparing which disaster is worse when the only thing that matters is that they both happened and are still happening and instead of fighting about this we should help one another out to the best of our ability.  Katrina happened and it was awefull and I did everything I could at the time to help including praying. Now the fires are happening and instead of pointing fingers, I would suggest doing everything in our power to help just the same. Also, we are not all wealthy people here in California and just in case you havent noticed, one of the largest fires is on the border of Mexico...yes, I can see ALL the WEALTHY people living on the streets!  You should be ashamed of yourselves!

K, Temecula, CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:45 PM)

Sorry, but I have to think that you're trying to alibgi for the abysmal failure of local officials in New Orleans, and of the local population, to heed warnings of the approaching hurricane, and take prudent steps to save themselves. Both groups were heavily black; the people who did save themselves, but lost their homes, in California, were mostly white. Who is self-reliant, and who takes the attitude that it's the job of "the man" to look after them?

Wayne Engle, Madison, IN (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:45 PM)

Well done, how can we begin to compare a city that lost everything - businesses, electricity, water, sewage, road systems - including those belonging to the common citizen to those belonging to police, firemen, doctors, on and on.  Everyone had no where to do to get help.  California indeed lost life and property, but there was a base to go from and to build from.

Ben Williams, Clewiston, FL (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:46 PM)

The City of New Orleans and it's leaders had days to prepare for the coming disaster.  Southern California did not.  However the leadership of the state of California has come through for it's citizens.  

A frequent visitor of both I can tell you that New Orleans had it coming.  Every person in NO would always talk of when the big one hits.  It has and the massive corruption throughout the leadership of New Orleans and the rest of Louisana abandoned it's citizens because they weren't going to get their take. 1500 police officers walk of the job because they weren't getting their take.  Now with billions of federal dollars they are sure to come back.  

Both natural diasters are horrible, but when you elect leadership with direction, compasion, due diligence, Intellect, and a moral compass that understands between right and wrong, it will always be there to help you.  Louisana should take a good hard look at California, and encourage it's leadership to follow it's lead.  That's what it was elected to do in the first place.

Skip , Baltimore MD (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:46 PM)

You know what the difference is, Katrina affected mostly poor and Black people who are of no consequence to this government, the fires in California affected the rich and white.  Guess how long it will take for those affected by the fires to get their homes built and lives back together.  

Sarah Wallace, New York, New York (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:46 PM)

Compare? No.

But it is encouraging to hear a common cord that local, state, and national resources are making progress in support of the affected residents and natural resources.

Time will prove or disprove theses observations. My thoughts and prayers are with all.

Don, Chester, VA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:46 PM)

The vast majority of citizens in New Orleans acted appropriately and dealt with the complete lack of basic human services morally and decently.  Some criminals who exist in every big city in the world took advantage of the situation to loot.  That is not a reflection on the culture but rather on the reality of cities.

But I would ask everyone here how they would act and feel if for days on end they were packed in with thousands of other people without water, a bath, food, care for their children, medicine, a real place to sleep and fearing for friends and pets along with the certainty they have no house, job or real positive outlook for the future.

Would you really say "well, I don't need any help from the government, I will do it all myself"?  When your bootstraps are under filthy floodwater, it's kind of hard to pull yourself up by them.  

Johann, Columbia, MO (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:48 PM)

Very well said. I am very happy someone in the media has stepped up investigated this dichotomy.  This is a completely different disaster and a much smaller one.  The biggest difference being the locations.  New Orleans was hit the urban areas head on where many people were unable to escape in time.  San Diego has fires in suburban and rural areas where the people are prepared for this type of tragedy and are able to leave.  There were massive fires just four years ago so they what to do when and can expect it.  As a native San Diegan I grow sick to my stomach hearing people bash the poor residents of New Orleans as they complement themselves on how much of a greater community they are.

Champ Nash, Berkeley CA (Sent Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:50 PM)



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