Story re: Gretna closure right now on NPR. More than one incident b/w people trying to leave and cops keeping Gretna from being "another Supredome down here".
"Callous racist" accusations - city officials say "reputation blemished" b/c "New Orleans expected us to evacuate their city w/o any prep, notice, or contact". They were "completely unprepared" and not contacted by anyone from New Orleans. Gretna is the first exit after Crescent City, basically.
I'd expect the first time people tried to cross would be sufficient notice, wouldn't you?
However, note that Gretna ferried 5000 evacuees prior to their shutdown (which would also serve as notice, wouldn't it)? Some remark about someone committing arson, too.
Basically, they're saying their responsibility was to *their* people (Gretna, Jefferson's Parish), with the implied corollary that everyone else could take a flying leap. How Christian of them.
Some townspeople support(ed) the closure action, scared of "looting" and "shooting".
Others: "it was the wrong thing to do". People were trying to get across to get to TX.
Sheriff, etc., says would do the same thing again. And ask how long does it take a city to reach the (logistical) limits of its compassion?
New Orleans had a good rebuttal: how were we supposed to escape our drowned city, if you didn't let us through?
I think New Orleans wins the argument on this one.
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