Logging into Yahoo! to see what movies the boys might like to go see, an article caught my eye: Son sues over Katrina wheelchair death.
He 'accuses numerous state agencies and the city of New Orleans of gross negligence and willful misconduct in the death of his mother' because 'he was ordered by New Orleans police to seek shelter at the city's convention center, even though no aid was available and there was no way out'. His attorney's assertion is that the storm did not kill her, but the rescue did.
It's terrible that she and others lost their lives in the tragedy that was Katrina. I don't believe that the government should be given a complete pardon in this case. But it's not like the government didn't even try:
"Because of her fragile health, her son said he thought it would be imprudent to move her when the city called a mandatory evacuation, one day before the storm made landfall on Aug. 29. The two waited it out in their house, but were forced to leave Aug. 30 when rising water from breached levees began lapping at their doorstep."
So, he felt it wasn't the right thing to do to move her when the government said he must. He changed his mind when it became obvious that the officials were correct in their assessment. Were they supposed to force him out? Is the city government (and FEMA, since he will bring suit against them soon) responsible to ensure the removal of him and his mother ahead of the storm?
This was his choice. He endangered his mother, he didn't line up other methods of evacuation in case he was wrong. The government is not blameless; they were very disorganized in the "rescue" attempts. But were these even necessary if people had heeded the warnings ahead of time? There's no mention here that he didn't have the time or means to remove her, just that it 'wouldn't be prudent' (reminding me of an SNL skit, here).
I'm sorry for his loss. It is a sad thing, for sure. But what is he going to do with the "unspecified monetary damages"? Personal gain? Or will he donate it to other victims, or use it to fix New Orleans, or even help to overhaul the very government agencies that he felt let him and his mother down? Sadly, I imagine a selfish answer.