New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said on NBC's Today Show that 10,000 deaths from Hurricane Katrina "wouldn't be unreasonable".
Obviously, the Mayor feels for his citizens who died, but his choice of words is ironic to say the least, because had the city used it school busses to help evacuate the city, 10,000 people need not have died.
The Mayor has been quick to attack the Federal Government for not doing enough, but I say look in the mirror Mayor this was your city and I don't see you pointing the finger at yourself. The Mayor on CNN told the Federal Government to "get off your asses". Mayor, I have seen your backside and it appears you have a pretty big ass yourself, so rather than sitting on it and complaining, get to work. In this world there are two types of people, those that complain about doing a job and those that do it, and clearly the good Mayor is in the first category.
On July 24, 2005, the Times Picayune wrote that Federal Emergency Officials were warning New Orleans that in the event of an emergency the city was on it's own. So why didn't the Mayor use those school busses to help evacuate his city? Was it that his own public servants ran out on him? Is it true, for example, that 200 hundred New Orleans police officers abandoned their jobs and simply ran away?
Mayor while the rest of the country races to save your city, you can show some class and say thank you! The idea that your city has now proposed sending New Orleans police officers and firefighters to Las Vegas, as a reward for not running away, is an outrageous suggestion, as is your cities recommendation that the Federal Government pay for it.
People all over this country are helping your citizens with more compassion and consideration than your administration offered. Don't insult America by cashing in on our generosity. 10,000 people did not need to die in New Orleans, and America should not have been burdened with a chaotic refugee situation had you and your administration been better prepared and more decisive. My suggestion is invest your vacation money in a better emergency plan and get out the pink slips and fire those city employees that went AWOL during a crisis. After you fire the cowards for running out on the citizens of your city, why don't you do the right thing and resign. Maybe it is unfair that you have to pay for the incompetence of your administration, but you are the one pointing the finger, and you should offer your resignation as a public apology.
Author's bio: Gutheinz is a former military intelligence officer and aviator and a retired NASA Office of Inspector General senior special agent. He is a criminal defense attorney licensed by 10 courts to include the United States Supreme Court; and a college instructor for both the University of Phoenix and Alvin Community College. He holds 6 degrees and 8 teaching credentials. He is the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency Career Achievement Award. He is the past top graduate (Honor Graduate) from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Criminal Investigators Basic Course. His prior writings include: In Search of the Goodwill Moon Rocks, Geotimes Magazine; There Will be a Day After Tomorrow, SpaceDaily.com and Hizb-ut-Tahrir is a Scary Group that Needed to be Outlawed, The Conservative Voice.
