Make Them Pay

"Hello, Sir, welcome to the Astrodome... I see you have a car registered in your name?"
"Yes"
"Here is your cot, your blanket, and your bill. Have a nice day."

"In Arizona, under the so-called "Stupid Motorist Law", municipalities and rescue agencies can charge people for the cost of being rescued if they fail to observe posted warnings"
This means for those idiots who choose to try to drive across flooded roads, the drivers will be charged for the cost of their rescue, up to $2000.00.

Now I may get shit for this- but of the 100,000 people left stranded in New Orleans, how many of them REALLY had no means to get out? Probably not many... If they could get to the super-dome, they most likely could have gotten to Baton Rouge. Excepting of course those in wheelchairs and beds, taken there from nursing facilities an hospitals... how many could have left but didn't? There may no have been an open room where they went- but hey, they are sleeping in a stadium now, so what's the difference of sleeping in a car?

I am not saying this blindly mind you. We used to live close to Pontchartrain... Even close to the 17th street levee that broke. We met people there. Never in my LIFE have I seen a community so very steeped in arrogance and poverty... and more than happy to stay that way. Up until the last minute, I am sure there were those thinking they were going to "get lucky again", and decided to stay. I remember driving through the suburban areas way outside of the French Quarter, to see folks sitting in their rocking chairs on ramshackle porches, with yards falling to complete shit, and peeling paint on their homes.... they were just a'rockin. Not one or two houses- whole neighborhoods... these weren't even the "slums". It is just the attitude there. They are "Southern Folk." It's the way it is, leave it be.

Hey, Genius- you live in a canyon surrounded by water, so, why not stay when the experts say the levees probably won't hold a category 4 storm? Because it is arrogant and stupid, that's why.

The people left behind who are indigent and were unable to evacuate, my heart goes out to them. The geriatric, the bed-ridden... But the rest of you dumb bastards? I hope the city and state charge you for your ignorance, just like Arizona does to assholes who drive across flooded roads. I will happily give my taxes to help clean up the town, repair the levees, and get New orleans back on it's feet, but it pisses me off to know part of those funds are going to pay for frickon busses to get your dumb ass out of town 5 days after a mandatory evacuation was called for.

I can't watch the news anymore... I don't want to have to throw a damned shoe at the silly bastards who didn't leave New Orleans when they were able.