Thurvey is back after virtually no demand. If you wish to comment on the question or some resulting tangential thought, click on "comment" below, type your wisdom in the message box. Click on the anonymous button and then click "publish". If you wish to be know, include your name at the end of your message.
Governor Bob Riley recently announced that the state of Alabama would limit the number of refugees it would accept in the event of a Hurricane. In fairness to the governor, the announcement was in the context of assuring that the needs of Alabamians displaced by a storm would be met. http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/alabama_gov_bob_riley_state_wi.html
How do you feel about the limitation? How do you feel about the public pronouncement of the policy?
Personally, I don't know what this can effect other than simple politics.
ReplyDeleteI guess what I mean is I can't imagine the state forcibly removing evacuees or hampering federal efforts within the state to give aid. I should prolly read the article =)
I think we should extend our help to anyone needing it, but not to the extent of neglecting aid for our own residents while providing for others.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I do believe we can help all those needing it in such a situation.
I am not sure of Governor Riley's rationale, but there is a logical argument to not encouraging evacuees to stop in Alabama. While I do not think Alabama should turn away evacuees from other areas, it should not encourage them to stop in Alabama either. I would say no southeastern state that has a hurricane threat itself (which Alabama does) should encourage hurricane evacuees to stay there. Hurricanes bring heavy rain, flooding, high winds, and often spinoff tornadoes hundreds of miles inland. You want to have to move displaced people again? We should try to avoid that. The argument that shelters could be needed for coastal Alabama and Florida panhandle evacuees also is a serious and valid issue. As we know, hurricane season is a long haul (at least six months), and once an area evacuates, it is difficult to predict how long evacuees will need to stay (as we know from Katrina). I would recommend accommodating evacuees from other states to the northern part of Alabama but encourage evacuees to keep heading north, away from the coast, for those who can.
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