National News Roundup: This is still not Katrina

I'm noticing a disturbing trend in news reporting about the great fires of 2007. It's a "this is not Katrina" and "since we are doing such a good job lets pat ourselves on the back and forget all about that pesky Katrina stuff." From CNN:


President Bush will visit the area Thursday, the White House said. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff arrived in San Diego on Tuesday afternoon. Chertoff promised a different federal reaction from the one in New Orleans in 2005. "We have been preparing and planning and training together for the last 2½ years," he said. And the scene at Qualcomm Stadium on Tuesday did seem to live up to Chertoff's expectations as volunteers cheerily handed out chairs, food and water.



You're right people, this is NOT Katrina. Lets just ignore the fact that they are two completely different parts of the country, that they are two completely different kinds of natural disasters and that they are happening in two very different ways. Lets even gloss over the idea brought up on CNN this morning about "the difference in socio-economic status" of a lot of the evacuees. Heck, lets even ignore the lessons that probably were learned (heard something mentioned about having ALL resources available immediately after the disaster rather than in phases? Really, that took you that long?). Ooo, lets even ignore the fact that Mrs. Bush Sr. hasn't showed up yet to tell those at Qualcomm how happy they should be to have such good accommodations and how they probably like it better there.

No, lets just focus on this. The San Diego city center is in tact. It has mostly been homes destroyed in these fires, not businesses. In a city of suburbs, expansive and connected by freeways there has been ROOM for people to run. It is not a city underwater with little to no way out. It is not people stranded on rooftops with signs asking for help.

Apples and oranges and all that, just let it go. Give California it's props for reacting so quickly, for wanting to help, for banding together, for offering 420 friendly accommodations via Craigslist. I love San Diego, and will continue to tell everyone it is THE place to be, but we are NOT Katrina, and what's the point in letting us know that every 20 minutes? Thank you for all your help on this one Federal Government and News Media but guess what, you still can't get out of the whole Katrina debacle.

So concentrate on the now... and concentrate on still hoping for some New Orleans forgiveness, because when the Supreme Court is STILL denying insurance claims, well, don't tell me you're doing EVERYTHING you can do for those survivors.