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Originally Posted by feelgood
He's not the only one that decided not to leave, hundreds of others didn't leave and that's their own fault. Don't go running around and blaming on other problems like proverty.
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I beg to disagree. Poverty is an enormous factor.
There are three categories of people who did not flee hurricane Katrina. The question is did this man fall into category one or category three. Just because his son says he is a category one, does not mean you can rule him out of category three. On the flip side, we can't place him in category three either because we don't know for sure where he goes. We should always be open minded to all possibilities.
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1) People with proper knowledge of the severity of the storm and means to leave, who decided on their own free will not to leave. People like this who died have only themselves to blame.
2) People living in a state of poverty who did not have the means to leave i.e. transportation and thus were forced to stay behind. This is not their fault. Poverty is to blame here.
3) People living in a state of poverty who did not have the means to know or understand the severity of the storm. These people may have said they have "chosen" to stay, but they lacked the information to make an informed decision and thus it was not their fault. Poverty is to blame here.
In any natural disaster of any kind the people below the poverty line are always the most affected because many of these people lack televisions, radios and cars. Without these essential tools that allow them to make educated decisions, people die. Poverty is to blame here.
If I do not have a radio or television, how do I know hurricane Katrina is coming? If I know this hurricane is coming, do I understand the severity of it? If I understand the severity of the situation, do I have any means of transportation? If no is the answer to any of these three questions, then I am severely hindered from fleeing. People who answer no to at least one question are below the poverty line and their poverty is what is preventing them from fleeing and living.
I know other factors besides poverty played huge roles in who was killed by hurricane Katrina, but you cannot say that poverty is not a factor. You cannot say that poverty is not to blame here.