Okay, I'll play along. They want to push this talking point, let's go!

[SammyWinstonJack]

It never fails to amaze me how adept the RW is at putting out a talking point to draw attention away from their total screw ups. They put it out there, repeat it until everyone believes it and the Left is forced to defend it and the attention is now focused away from their party's incompetence.

So here we go. They now want Americans to believe the reason people are stranded in NO is because they refused to evacuate when they were told to do so. That the poor, disabled, sick, elderly, every single man, woman and child stranded there now, chose to stay there and refused to leave. It's bullshit but okay, for the sake of argument, let's say it's true.

If the wealthy stay behind to protect their property for whatever reason, that's acceptable and isn't questioned. Why not the same reasoning for the poor to stay behind for the same reasons. They can't afford to replace what little they have, therefore it would make more sense for them to stay and protect their property. After all , chances are they don't have homeowners insurance or flood insurance, their belongings won't be replaced.

It's silly to even debate this, while people are dying, whether they chose to stay behind or were stranded because they didn't have the means to leave.

For whatever reasons they are stranded, do they not have the right to be rescued? Do they not have the right to water and food and shelter while waiting to be rescued? Who cares why they are stranded at this point? Just Get Them Out Before They Die! It that too much to ask?

[Maple]

1. Blame the victim

a time-proven strategy

[aquart]

2. Not, however, working.

The dead granny in the wheelchair kinda ruined it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. And it seems to work. Every single time.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. The RW is all over these looting stories too

I turned to Faux to see how they are covering this tragedy and saw one story after another about the looters and the shooters. After about a half an hour, I couldn't stand it any longer and turned the channel.

They are turning the victims into worthless human beings who don't deserve help. This is proof that the RW has no heart and no soul.

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. Well we already knew that, no heart and soul. The World is now

seeing it first hand.

[fearnobush]

5. So that explains why Grey Hound was grounded on Saturday!!!!!!!!!

That explains why no National Guard aided in the evacuation? Ohh, what National Guard - all being forced to steal for Bush in Iraq.

[bluethruandthru]

6. They chose to stay

Rush, Sean and the other hate-talkers are going to pound that into their listeners heads day after day. They chose to stay, it's their own fault...
Oh, and don't forget...they're all evil looters!

[Inland]

7. But if they actually get out, they can contradict Bush's story.

Like the doctors and patients at two hospitals, for instance.

Not that Bush wants them to die. He can just see both sides to it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. If they actually get out. How sad to even have to think of that.

[speedoo]

10. Plenty of white folks decided to stay behind in Mississippi.

How come we don't hear this talking point about them?

[Barack_America]

11. It's pointless because those with money...

Don't understand what it is to be without.

Perhaps the best question to ask these people is, would they have evacuated if they had no credit or debit cards to fall back on?

Would they have attempted it with money only for a tank of gas or maybe two when traffic is basically at a stand still?

Would they have tried if the hurricane could miss (as they often do) and they would lose their jobs if they didn't show up because they were stuck out of town?

I doubt any of the people asking this question have ever considered these issues because they can't even fathom not having money and resources readily available.

This is class disparity in America.

To the journalist who said, "this is not the America I grew up in?", I disagree. This is that America, just a very ugly display of a hidden side of it...

[jayctravis]

12. The people in charge were on vacation and seriously not

paying attention. That is why they did force the emperor out to make the ambiguous suggestion that people might want to flee. That is their backdoor of absolvability.

Notice we have absolutely no idea of what's going on? The news channels have been doing an admirable job of trying to get a view but they seriously don't wish to risk their people down there. See...they plan ahead. There are survivors who I'm sure will be more than happy to relay just how ridiculous it is right now.

Serious serious fumble, Administration.

Terra happens and you don't expect it. Aren't we supposed to be all zipped up in that regard under the current rule?

Would you like to blame the media, who are exonerable since they're always all over any impending weather situation? They had the space of the Gulf of Mexico to notice that the weather situation was bad. Bush knew that they wanted to rebuild the levees, but nope...oil more important. He'll do something when he's back in the office next week, probably just need to sign some papers to let the insurance adjusters move in. If a terror attack happens in the blink of an eye, Katrina was a long wait in the bank line.