Re: Hurricanes/Evacuation -- can we attempt to avoid blaming the victims?

[moriah]

I will be the first to admit that staying on a barrier island or direct beachfront property is absolutely stupid, and most of those people have the money to evacuate to higher land.

Unfortunately, there are cities not obviously on the beach, but have impoverished areas that are also low-lying and vulnerable to surge. People in New Bern/Havelock/Morehead City often don't realize the danger of what seems to be placid water nearby vs obviously direct ocean.

Wilmington, too, has many low-income residents. It's *somewhat* safer from my personal observations and historical storms, and it's normally where Carolina/Wrightsville Beach residents evacuate *to*. But it also has areas significantly vulnerable to flooding and surge from the Cape Fear River.

And too often, we fall into a "blaming the victim" mindset after the storm. Yes, we need to encourage people to leave before the storm, for their safety.

But not everyone in a hurricane-prone area has a beachfront house and the money that comes with such status. Those people leave. It's the poor, the ones who know their landlord will not give them back half their September rent even if they leave and their properties are uninhabitable after, who stay.

Let's focus on hope for those who had to remain now, not condemnation. Even if they made a stupid mistake, even if they did have the funds, they're still people. And also, they don't interview public housing residents about why they're staying, they interview the most stubborn. Let's at least remember most of the people needing rescue aren't in the group interviewed on TV.

Thanks.

[jberryhill]

1. Of course not, this is DU

Anyone who commits any sort of social transgression must be condemned and punished, regardless of what their unknown circumstances or background may be.

[DBoon]

2. If They are aware of an evacuation order and are capable of following it

they are responsible for the consequences

[Hortensis]

4. Who said they weren't? Just don't assume we

that know everything and that it all justifies badmouthing them. We don't.

To ward off pent-up frustration, a dog whistle to replace it could be frequent expressions of intense worry about the wellbeing of heroic rescue workers out in the storm. They are and they are, after all.

[Mariana]

8. My sister used to be one of those rescue workers.

This is the nature of the job. They know very well, when they take the job, exactly what it entails. A big part of the job is saving the lives of people who are suffering due to their own bad decisions - driving drunk, smoking in bed, climbing on slippery roofs, boating without life jackets, ignoring health problems, etc. etc. etc. Since she was in a hurricane-prone area, the job includes rescuing people who stayed put when they shouldn't have.

[backtoblue]

3. Rec.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

5. My favorite so far is the guy who says he's gonna ride it out on his boat.

This is from Katrina:



Bon voyage, dude!

[cwydro]

7. This is the kind of thing that makes you happy?

Wow.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

9. Sorry. I meant to include the sarcasm emoji.

I just had never heard of someone who had chosen to ride a hurricane out on a boat. Using "favorite" was a bad word choice on my part--"interesting" would have been better.

I don't wish him or anyone ill. I was questioning his judgment, given the results I've seen on television and other media of what happens to boats of any size during a hurricane. The only ones I know of that have remained untouched are those who have been moored at marinas far inland, and I got the impression that he wasn't in that position. It sounded like he was located on the Inland Waterway.

Once it's underway a hurricane is like the biggest roller coaster at Six Flags -- you can't stop the ride and get off in the middle.

I wish him and his boater friends good luck.

[Siwsan]

6. People who could have evacuated but stayed are taking time & resources away from those who couldn't

That's the problem.