Letter: Lack of planning is appalling

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 | 9:12 a.m.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin should receive accolades for his outburst blasting the federal officials for failing to provide timely aid to the thousands of citizens victimized by Hurricane Katrina.

Our government officials' failure to adequately plan for a disaster in the areas they knew were going to be severely affected by the hurricane is inexcusable, at best.

The concept of creating an office of "homeland security" sounds great, but the events in New Orleans have shown us that there is a very real and significant difference between concept and execution. This administration has failed miserably in executing that concept.

I find it appalling that administration officials are spending so much time attempting to justify their lack of effective planning and leadership rather than dealing with the fact that the system failed miserably.

They should be pledging to the American people that immediate corrective measures will be taken to fill the holes and provide adequate, adept leadership and disaster relief plans in the future.

God help those poor, suffering people and God help us should we ever need to rely on the Homeland Security Department for our survival!

SHARON BROWN