Playing the Blame Game

In 1871 in the city of Chicago, Mrs O'Leary's cow got restless in the middle of the night and knocked over a lantern. When the fire was put out 300 Chicagoans were dead, 90 thousand homeless and 200 million dollars damage had been done. Who was to blame? Was it the Cow who accidentally started the fire? Was it the lack of decent building codes that allowed the fire to sweep through the city? Was it the Fire Department that was ill prepared for such a calamity?

On September 8th 1900, at about 3:30 in the afternoon, the Great Galveston Hurricane made landfall in Galveston. It was a Category 4 hurricane! The city had been warned of the impending storm but few listened. Somewhere between 6 thousand and 12 thousand people would die in that storm. The entire city was devastated and over 25 thousand people left homeless. The cost of that storm is estimated at 25 to 50 million dollars (1900 dollars not 2005 dollars). Who was to blame? Was it the citizens of Galveston who chose to ignore the warning? Was it the civic leaders of Galveston who thought a sea wall was not necessary? Was the National Weather bureau to blame? Was the President to blame?

On the morning of April 18th 1906, in the city of San Francisco, the earth began to shake. The death toll from the quake and subsequent fire is estimated at over 3000. 225 thousand people were left homeless and 400 million dollars damage had been done. Who was to blame? Was it the building inspectors who allowed people to build on an active earthquake fault? Was it the Fire Department that was ill prepared for the fires that ravaged the city following the quake? Was it the Gas company that ran natural gas pipelines under the city that were not strong enough to withstand the Earthquake?

On August 28th 2005 Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. So far the death toll is unknown but predicted to be immense. So far the final figures are unknown, but it is estimated that a half a million people will be homeless. So far the final figures are unknown, but it is estimated that the property damage will exceed a BILLION dollars. Who was to blame? Was it Mayor Nagin for NOT order a mandatory evacuation of the city prior to the hurricanes arrival? Was it Mayor Nagin for NOT sending out the busses (that we have all seen video of) to rescue the people at the Super dome? Was it Governor Blanco for NOT calling up the Louisiana National Guard (Her responsibility) in time to evacuate the city? Was it the local officials who refused to allow the Red Cross caravan of trucks, filled with food and water, access to the Super dome and thus relieving their misery? Was it the local officials who closed the major westbound bridge out of New Orleans, thus trapping the people in the city? Was it the people of New Orleans for NOT leaving when they heard a Cat 5 storm was closing in on their city? Was it the Levees that were only built to survive a Cat 3 storm? Was it President Bush for not violating federal law and sending in the military to evacuate the city? Was it President Bush because FEMA did not respond to the disaster fast enough? Who is to blame?? Who is to blame for the incompetent and corrupt New Orleans city government that mishandled this disaster from day one? Who is to blame for the incompetent and corrupt Louisiana State government that mishandled this disaster from day one? Who is to blame for the incompetent FEMA management personal that mishandled this disaster from day one? Who is to blame for the people of New Orleans, who knew their levees were not built to withstand a storm of this intensity refusing to leave a city that was under sea leave? You Decide!

However, I do know who will pay to rebuild New Orleans. The American Tax Payer! I do know who opened their hearts and wallets to comfort and aide the refugees of this Storm. The American People! I also know who has been on the Television every day trying to "Blame" someone for this disaster! I hope every American remembers who moved heaven and earth to help the victims of this storm and who wasted time playing the blame game.

Bill "Unk Hiram" Hocutt
Disagree or Agree feel free to add your own comments.

Please send any feedback to UnkHiram@BHocutt.com