Where's the compassion?

To the editor:

My letter addresses the recent Speak Out comment, "Rescue expenses."

It sounds like someone needs to be set straight. Hurricanes are unpredictable. Forecasters can never tell exactly where a hurricane will hit until it's almost too late. For some people, it was.

This comment says, "The people in Louisiana and Mississippi had plenty of warning to evacuate."

Did they really? Considering that there are almost five million people in Louisiana and almost three million in Mississippi, it's not possible to completely and safely evacuate everyone. The standard of living in some parts of southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi are exceedingly lower than what most individuals are used to.

The comment's second statement is the most disturbing: "They should be responsible for paying the expense for their stupidity." Their homes are gone. Their family will never be the same. Some are even left dead. Have they not paid enough? They didn't evacuate because they had no money, no transportation and nowhere else to go. Their home was the only possession they had.

The person who made this comment is most likely in the comfort of an air-conditioned home. It's sad to see a person with such a selfish and heartless attitude. Where is the compassion?

RAMONA B. BLANKENSHIP, Kelso, Mo.