Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Every Man (and woman and child) For Themselves

Governments are created and maintained at taxpayer expense to protect and serve the public, right? If they don't fulfill their end of the bargain then why the hell do we send our tax dollars to them? Or pay any attention to them at all?

Last year's hurricane season was vicious and today marks the start of this year's season. The gulf states
have decided to scare people into helping themselves :

"This save-yourselves approach comes after government agencies were overwhelmed by pleas for help after last year's storms and strongly criticized as not responding swiftly or thoroughly enough to the public need. Now, officials have said repeatedly, only the elderly, the poor and the disabled should count on the government to help them escape a hurricane or endure its immediate aftermath."

Now I'm very self reliant and have tools and supplies and back up strategies for any emergency. I'd urge anybody to do the same. But this crap from government spokeflacks is wrong on all counts. First of all it's obvious that this so-called helpful scare tactic is merely announcing in advance that they ain't going to do shit for you if a hurricane hits. It's just cover-your-ass pretension so if another Katrina hits and they screw up again they can say "hey, we warned you, right?"

Also a lot of people just can't prepare very well. No resources, time or abilities. Sorry, losers. Guess it's good for the gene pool. And how are the authorities going to differentiate between their favored citizens who they'll help and the ones they'll ignore? Background checks?

Just more evidence of governmental ineptitude and irrelevance. The prevailing attitude at all levels is increasingly magisterial and disdainful and about as useful as their admonition to stock up on duct tape and plastic.

4 Comments:

Blogger LesleyinNM said...

In a sense I am happy they are finally admitting the truth, which is that if there is a disaster they will not be around to help you. National Guard is almost all in Iraq, they don't even know who to send.
The problem is that many people/families live paycheck to paycheck. I have done this myself and I know there would have been very little chance that I would have enough extra money to spend to stock up on things that I may use later. These as always will be the people who suffer.

1/6/06 4:55 AM  
Blogger nolocontendere said...

You're right Lesley, most people don't have the wherewithal to weather a catastrophe. In a dire emergency that should be the province of the collective administration that has just told us all to go to hell.

1/6/06 6:19 PM  
Blogger Nina said...

even though this disgusts me to the pit of my being (and doesn't surprise me all at the same time), i have had this growing belief that in order to really take back our power, part of that scenario is to come together as neighbors and communities and rely on ourselves and those around us during any disaster. i also have some solace in that after the katrina disaster, millions of americans came forward and gave their time, their talent, their dollars--doing what the government was supposed to do in the first place.

which all begs the question: do we really need our government as much as we and they think we do?

hope you're enjoying your time in utah. :)

v
aka nina

2/6/06 5:36 PM  
Blogger nolocontendere said...

Yes Nina, I think the future is going to be small, interdependent communities, once we shrug off this failed, bloated montrosity that wants to overwhelm us. It'll be much better for us all, won't it?

My one concern is the ugliness that the empire is capable of doing in it's death throes.

Utah was a jaw dropping dreamworld.
How did.....?

2/6/06 10:06 PM  

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