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Blame lies elsewhere

I must take issue with your editorial "Learning respect for typhoons," (Sept. 2, page 8). You have simply taken what you read or was given to you by "US officials" and printed it without question. I wonder who these "US officials" are that you quoted. Are they the same ones around President George W. Bush as he stands in Washington talking about the disaster that he has only seen from his 747?

The people still in New Orleans did not stay inside the city because of a "cry wolf" mentality, nor were they ignorant about the forces of wind. The ones who "ignored" -- as your editorial stated -- the evacuation were the poor. They had no way to get out of the city. It is tough to leave your home, drive many hours away and stay in a hotel for days or weeks, if you don't have a car and you don't have money.

About 150,000 people in New Orleans lived below the poverty line before Katrina, 100,000 of them in abject poverty, making less than US$8,000 (NT$262,000) a year. Your staff should have viewed some other sites to find information about the people still in New Orleans and could have used the editorial to discuss ways that governments can in times of natural disasters help the ones who need it the most, the poor.

I completely agree with Mike McKenzie (Letters, Sept. 2, page 8) Taiwan should send any and all relief to the US now. They should offer to send Taiwanese medical staff along with search and rescue teams. Then when China objects it will add a little talking point for the press when Hu arrives for his visit.

Benjamin White
Touliu City

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