On Wed, 7 Sep 2005, Dave Smith wrote:

> Lena B Katz wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> I was merely giving an example of the thinking... allowing someone to die
>> when you could have prevented it is a crime. not just in attempted
>> suicide, there are all sorts of malpractice cases where a psychologist
>> allowed a suicidal person to leave the premises without recommending
>> treatment.
>
> Criminal negligence? That might apply if you left an invalid in your house when
> you bailed out ahead of the flood. It's a far cry from being expected to go on a
> search and rescue mission among strangers when your own life is in danger. While
> some of the people who stayed may not have been able to leave, many of them chose
> to stay for one reason or another. I saw a guy being interviewed yesterday who
> has been there for more than a week and has no intention of leaving, even though
> the water is still 5 feet deep on his street.

20% of the city didn't have access to a car. You do the math. Most of
the people didn't have a way out.

So, is it criminal negligence for the nurses who left babies in cribs in
the hospital? or is it criminal negligence for you to leave your
neighbor, who you knew was diabetic?

Don't raise the strawman of needing to do a "search and rescue
operation"... most of the people who left did so well before the hurricane
hit. They could have easily contacted strangers who needed a ride.

Lena