Fools and cowards

The great thing about the internet era is the ability to go back to primary sources and news events prior to major events and see how the present spin fits with documented fact.

One of the most shocking parts of the post-Katrina actions by elected officials is the unhinged attacks and unglued behavior of the Mayor of New Orleans - and to a lessr extent the lack of leadership of the LA Gov.

At first, I gave the Mayor some slack, but the more he attacked the Federal Gov'munt, the more I started to be reminded of some of the best of my Liberal Arts education.

The (Mayor) Protesteth too much
- Shakespeare's Hamlet

Thanks to the good folks at Powerline lets go back to 28 AUG report following the Mayor and Gov.'s news conf.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding.

"There doesn't seem to be any relief in sight," Blanco said.

You mean to tell me the if it wasn't FOR President Bush's personal appeal you would have not ordered an evacuation? Gov? Mayor? Who is closest to the problem? Who has the most responsibility for LA and NO? Any you complain about the Fed gov'munt's response when you yourself took no action? Hypocrite. "J'accuse!" All those hundreds of busses in N.O. and you have the gall to attack others?

He told those who had to move to the Superdome to come with enough food for several days and with blankets. He said it will be a very uncomfortable place and encouraged everybody who could to get out.

Warning, out of your mouth, and still you act afterword the way you did? You knew what would happen, but when, as always, reality drifted off plan or the plan wasn't being executed: you did not lead. You did not act. You lashed out like a child blaming others for your own failings.
Oh, lets go off subject a bit and let's talk about one of LA's Senators.

Sen. Mary Landrieu threatened the president of the United States with physical violence on Sunday, saying that if he or any other government official criticizes New Orleans police for failing to keep civil order in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina - “I might likely have to punch him - literally.”

“If one person criticizes [our sheriffs], or says one more thing, including the president of the United States, he will hear from me - one more word about it after this show airs and I - I might likely have to punch him - literally,” Landrieu railed on “ABC’s ”This Week."

You mean we can't shame the 200 NO police that have gone AWOL because it is "too hard?" I would like to say more but can't: MilBlog ROE.

LA voters have a lot of work to do.

"We are facing a storm that most of us have long feared," Nagin said.

The storm surge most likely could topple the city's levee system, which protect it from surrounding waters of Lake Pontchartrain, the Mississippi River and marshes, the mayor said. The bowl-shaped city must pump water out during normal times, and the hurricane threatened pump power.

...and you had a plan. You knew this could happen. You knew you were only ready for a CAT3 storm. You ignored or did not execute major portions of your plan. THIS should be emailed to every citizen of NO (or snail mail) still alive, and the image put on billboards across from every place you stay in for the next 12 months.

Also I want you to note some of the citizens of New Orleans. A lot more needs to be talked about personal responsibility here. There were good people in N.O. There are lots of very poor people in MS and LA that behaved properly and took care of themselves. They pulled together. I will let the quotes speak for themselves.

In a neighborhood in central city, a group of residents sat on a porch. It was almost a party atmosphere.

"We're not evacuating," said Julie Paul, 57. "None of us have any place to go. We're counting on the Superdome. That's our lifesaver."

She said they'd spent the last couple of hurricanes there. They would wait for a friend who has a van to take them, because none has cars.

The buses. The plan. The Mayor. The Leadership. The failure.

A sharp lesson to all who refuse to be self-governing. When you make yourself a serf to the gov'munt and are treated as such, do not be surprised. When you allow lawlessness and lack of accountability become the norm in your neighborhood, do not be shocked when it turns on you next.

Fools led by cowards will always be brought to a nasty, brutal end.

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NB: for a dose of clue, as always, make sure and read Ben Stein on the President, and see the good points by Captain Ed about how the MSM is getting onboard about local responsibility, almost.

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