These terrible fires that are ravaging the San Diego have displaced many thousands of people, and destroyed countless homes and businesses. The life of many in the area will never be the same.
This reminds me of Katrina a few years ago in New Orleans, especially using the sports arena for a shelter. FEMA claims to have "learned from its mistakes on Katrina" and says they're doing better this time. Like Katrina was the first big catastrophe that they ever had to deal with? Last time, Chertoff didn't even know there was a hurricane. Now, he's there in Qualcomm staduim.
I just can't help but think that it's different this time not because FEMA is somehow more prepared, or that they're somehow better at working with state and local officials. I think it has more to do with the socio-economic profiles of the victims of this tragedy. This isn't a bunch of poor people living in trailer parks, this is a bunch of (at least) middle class people living in (at least) half million dollar homes. Everyone knows the real estate market in that area is inflated, and it follows that you need to be doing pretty good for yourself to be able to live in that area. True, not everyone there is a celebrity living in Malibu, but there probably aren't a lot of welfare recipients living in trailer parks either.
So I am glad that people that need help are getting it there in California, but I just wish that everyone in need of help would get it, no matter what they look like, what they do for work, where they live, or how much money they have.
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