Idiocy Rules in the Big Easy

Let me just preface this with: I feel very bad for everyone that is and will suffer through Hurricane Katrina, and I wish no one any harm, but...

There was a mandatory evacuation order given to the residents of New Orleans, yet some idiots decided to stay, and lo-and-behold, they got stuck on the roofs of their houses (not the photo at left). CNN was reporting that police had received over 100 reports of people stranded in the 9th Ward.

I realize that there has been some debates about the have and have nots and where they are riding out the storm (far away for the haves, in the city for the have nots), but the city made the Superdome available for all residents. It was not full, and as far as I have heard they didn't turn anyone away. Yet some mavericks (or just plain idiots) decided to stay home and then when they needed help they called the cops, causing the already strained public services to waste their time to save their dumb-asses; let hope that other people don't die because of this senseless transfer of manpower.

As soon as I heard about this, it made me think about the law that Arizona passed back in 1995, being called the "Stupid Motorist Law." Arizona, in their wisdom, decided that if a motorist - usually an SUV driver - decides to do something stupid with their vehicle in questionable conditions (such as in a state of emergency or closed roads), the state or local government can now charge them for the rescue operation. As if the lack of insurance on formally closed roads wasn't enough...$2,000 per person would make me feel better about this rescue operation.