This is the part that dropped my jaw to floor:

"Unfortunately, our sinking feeling (along with the sinking City) was correct. Just as dusk set in, a Gretna Sheriff showed up, jumped out of his patrol vehicle, aimed his gun at our faces, screaming, "Get off the fucking freeway". A helicopter arrived and used the wind from its blades to blow away our flimsy structures. As we retreated, the sheriff loaded up his truck with our food and water."

I read the original and a summarized/commentated version from http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/006754.html

Cities creating barriers and competing with one another creating situations where on one side of a road lies the 3rd world and on the other the 1st continues to be at the root of huge problems in the 21st century. It's incredible, a crime against humanity, and it has been happening all over this country for too long, but rarely as acutely as this.

I think what is really getting to me about this is that I know it's a direct result of the way the upper classes ride on the backs of the lower classes in this country. This disaster has forced me to face the bleak realities that I usually turn my back to in order to continue my comfortable existence. And so I'm disgusted with myself not just for how I'm not doing anything about this right now, but for how I've ridden along on privilege built on the backs of these people my whole life.

I'm reluctant to write this next part, but fuck it. Please know that I am not trying to criticize anyone. I'm trying to work this out and my thoughts are bouncing around in here and I can't make sense of any of it until I get some of them out.

I have not given any form of donations or aid to the victims of this disaster. And I don't know if I will. Because I feel like the way we give aid is just as fucked as all the rest of it. I'm reluctant because (ah fuck fuck fuck) because I fear I would be using this disaster as an opportunity to relieve my societal guilt. Like if I give when someone needs it the most, then I'm okay to continue contributing to their exploitation and degredation as soon as I write that check. I wonder if people give mostly to help themselves feel better about how we've all fucked these folks for a long time. Do we pay out so we can turn our backs again? Can I buy peace of mind?

Oh god, how disgusting of me to think that. How cynical can I be? Fuck.

No, I think you're right on. The response is just too late. Money should be spent on preventing related things from happening in the future not for setting it all up to happen all over again. At least if you want to get the most from your money.

" but for how I've ridden along on privilege built on the backs of these people my whole life."

Karen, I don't really see how you have ridden on anyone’s back. I don't really see it. In general if you are born rich, you stay rich, if you are born poor you stay poor. There are only rare opportunities to change that.

One thing is certain, when disaster strikes rich people have opportunities, and poor people have obstacles.

Our society depends on poor people and it depends on rich and middle class. I think the biggest crime isn't that there are poor people it’s that there is a lack of opportunity.

Opportunity is increased though education. Real education only requires access to information. However acknowledgement of being educated requires that you pay a university. It’s a crime to have such a monopoly on opportunity.

I believe that Universities and acknowledgement of their degrees is one of the major things that keep the lazy rich, rich, and the motivated poor, poor.

From this disaster I didn't learn that the poor get screwed. That is always going to be true. I learned that we are less prepared then we were 4 years and billions of dollars ago for catastrophe.

From all kinds of terrorists attacks (neclear, biological, chemical, conventonal), to natural disasters (earthquakes, fire, huricane, plague). The one way you can generally reduce any kind of disaster is to have a rapid response medical, and specialist team to get to the scene anywhere in the us. This is a simple and general way to improve the outcome of any disaster. From playing SimCity, we all know that some kind of disaster is bound to happen, and you need to respond quickly. This is not specific to hurricanes. There is absolutely no excuse for spending billions of dollars and not even taking the first obvious step.

Having 5,000-10,000 people on disaster call would cost somewhere between a single cluster bomb($14k), and a single bomber($1.4b) and far less complicated to build and manage.

We have been scammed. The rich have been paid, solders and civilians have died in trade for our safety.

From playing SimCity, we all know that some kind of disaster is bound to happen, and you need to respond quickly.

I always played with disasters turned off. I suggest we do that in real life.