Do you remember Miss Cleo -- the television psychic? I think the officials involved with the evacuations related to Hurricane Gustav should have consulted her.
The front-page headline in Wednesday's Dallas Morning News blared, Officials overreacted, some evacuees say. "As the first of the 2 million people who fled Gustav began to trickle home Tuesday from shelters, many grumbled about the food, the heat, the overcrowding, the uncertainty and the frustrating wait for the all-clear. Some evacuees, particularly in Texas, on the far fringes of the storm's path, suggested authorities overreacted in demanding that they leave their homes." How ungrateful can people be?
I can see the headline if the authorities had not ordered evacuations, and hundreds were killed -- Democrats call for investigation of Bush's handling of Gustav. Let us remember that despite the most technologically advanced weather detection systems, a hurricane is still an act of nature. Its path cannot be pinpointed with certainty and whether or not it will increase or decrease in strength cannot be determined with certainty. The best the authorities can do is say, "We think this may happen, and for your safety you should . . . ."
And let us also remember that at least eight people died in this storm. I would say that validates the decision to evacuate. In fact, Michael Chertoff, Homeland Security Secretary said, "The reasons you're not seeing dramatic stories of rescue is because we had a successful evacuation."
The next time, guys, just call Miss Cleo!
"Officials overreacted, some evacuees say." The Dallas Morning News; September 3, 2008; p. 1A.
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