Well, I'm sorry but I can't get all that exercised about CA fire victims..

[karlschneider]

All the news reports mention "two million dollar homes" either in jeopardy or burnt. Many of which have (had) wood shingles ... no doubt a mark of affluence, but hardly an intelligent choice given their proximity to nearby fuel sources.

I'm sorry that anyone loses his or her home to fires. As I am for those who build on the banks of rivers that often flood, or the outer banks of barrier islands that frequently get devastated by hurricanes.

But really, it's tough shit. You wanna live in a place that is highly susceptible to natural forces, fine. But when the inevitable occurs, don't expect me and everyone else to bail your ass out.

If their insurance doesn't cover the losses, too bad. I'm goddamn sick and tired of contributing to the subsidation of their uber-consuming lifesyles.

[WilliamPitt]

1. Barf

There's a bunch of really good people on DU who have lost their homes, or have had friends and family lose homes. Go read the Lounge if you doubt me. On top of that, about a dozen people have been killed. But they were probably rich, right? Your utter lack of empathy is amazing and revolting, like a slimy bug under a rock.

[booma]

14. Thanks Will, You said it perfectly.

I have a family memeber sleeping in a tent down at the Stadium until its safe for him to go home. He's in his late 20's, in his first home. And trust me, not rich, just a hard working guy trying to make it in the world like most of us.
Can I ask where he should have moved? Out here to the Midwest with me, and live through the Tornados we spent the late spring and early summer experiencing, or back to the East Coast with his grandmother, who is still trying to recover from the hurricane? Where doesnt the force of nature hit?

[DemLikr]

26. What you say is true, Will. And what Karl says is also true...

good god, there's a real tendency on this board to leap to an assumed position of some kind of moral sanctimony, and to put the worst possible interperetation on what other posters write...all the better to enjoy the adrenaline rush of "outrage."

Karl specifically referred to million dollar homes with wood shingles...not an exactly WISE choice in a wildfire-prone area, no?

But because some who are affected are NOT wealthy, one is not allowed to mention the foolhardiness of building in areas where nature is particularly merciless...just what we need to compliment POLITICAL correctness: DISASTER correctness.

People died on the Titanic. It remains STUPID that there was never an adequate number of lifeboats.

[Rose Siding]

2. Fire doesn't skirt less affluent neighborhoods

I'm all for less sprawl but it would be ridiculous to write of So Cal as uninhabitable by sensible people because there are wildfires.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[frank frankly]

4. ridiculous, karl

sorry, but this post is garbage

[dobak]

5. What?

Who cares if the house belongs to a multi-millionaire, or they built it in an area that is prone to fires.

It is still someone's home.

Families lost photos and irreplacable items.

Kids lost toys.

Hell, some people lost their lives.

----

Go whine somewhere else.

[freeforall]

6. Karl...

I, too, am sorry to hear of people losing their homes, but agree that you can't naively ignore Mother Nature, then get upset with the destruction.

Our society just doesn't pay attention to the natural cycles - and then is astrounded and highly offended when natural events occur.

Amazing!

[BurtWorm]

7. Prepare to feel like Southern California

[neuvocat]

8. Somewhat agree

With the prices of homes here being so high though and homeowner's insurance being such a scam, I begin to hope that these people have had some other kind of assets to fall back on because they'll be homeless for sure if they don't.

[madfloridian]

9. Out of line on that remark, Karl. Tasteless.

.

[jiacinto]

10. One thing

Not everyone who is being affected livs in "two million dollar homes". Many of them are working class folks.

[pasadenaboy]

11. Since the rules of DU

won't let me calling you an f#*&ing jerk, I won't. However, were I allowed to, I would.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

13. Nice...

How about a little compassion?

I just read about a man who immigrated to California from Mexico with his family, and lived in a 2 room apartment while he saved money from his $18 an hour painter's job. He finally bought a house, in the hills, and now it's gone.

I don't care if you are a hard working immigrant or a millionaire, it's devastating to lose your home either way.

Your heartlessness is sickening. Take it somewhere else.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

15. Got news for you...when the tax-cut bill was passed you began...

...subsidizing the "uberconsuming lifestyles" of the wealthy, and you'll continue to do so until the tax-cuts get repealed.

As to living in areas that are conducive to fires, fire makes no distinction between the rich or the poor. If you're in the way, you get burned out...it's that simple.

Want to have everyone move out of hazardous areas? Tell me how you do that, and then tell me what area is safe from all forces of nature.

[Forkboy]

16. Well,I'm sorry that I'll never be able to take you seriously again.

[Dookus]

must be nice...

to live with the certainty that you're immune from natural disasters.

If for some reason you're wrong, though, I hope you receive the same sympathy and compassion you've shown here.

[dweller]

17. 'oh, give me a home'

where, Crawford, Tx?
Sugerland?

sad, this thread.
dp

[SilasSoule]

18. Oklahoma right Karl.....Heart of Tornado Alley??

I think that there is not a place that is safe and secure from natural disasters, fires, flood, hurricane and tornados. If your property got destroyed by a tornado, how would you respond to someone who would say that you deserved it for living in tornado alley?

[pasadenaboy]

19. One other thing

Look on a map and see where the fires are. 10% of San Diego county has burned, many of it not in traditional brush areas. These are the worst fires acrearage wise in recorded history in California.

I know facts may get in the way of your selfishness, but try to learn them anyway.

By the way, I'll make sure to tell my sister you are glad her house may burn down down. She is evacuated and doesn't know if her house will survive.

I'm so happy you are glad my young neices and nephew may be homeless.

[economic justice]

20. Not very compassionate

We are no better than the freepers if we allow ourselves to hate because of income and where one chooses to live. I fight for working people every day, but I do NOT win converts by bashing people who just lost their home to a fire. It sounds like you are really angry at their income. I hate the divide as much as anyone but we cannot allow our fight for justice and a living wage to cause us to hate and say we are sick of people who just lost their homes. I lived in California and have friends whose homes are threatened and they sure aren't rich, in fact far from it.

[DemLikr]

21. There is truth in what you say, Karl, but not all affected are rich or

foolish. Some are, some aren't.

Where is the line drawn as far as development goes? I live in Fort Lauderdale, where multimillion dollar condo high rises are going up right and left all along the little slip of sand we call a beach.

Some day a hurricane will waste them; and I won't feel too sorry for those who chose to live there. ON the other hand, if all we care about is safety, we'd live in holes in the ground on the prarie.

As in most things, most of this is grey area, and we as a society hash it out over time.

I appreciate your bringing up one of those "unspeakable" topics. And unlike some, I don't think you are kin to under-rock-dwelling slimey things...:eyes:

[ugarte]

22. Call me cynical, but having seen a few of these fires

it is interesting how the powers-that-be prioritize fire fighting assets. When exclusive communities are threatened, they always seem to be first in line for air support and reinforcements.

I'm not blaming fire fighters. I'm just saying that if two houses are in danger, they'll probably save the big one first.

Flame away.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

25. I met a guy today

who lives near the Reagan Library. He said they had more firefighters surrounding it than they had working the rest of the fire.

Yes I'm sure they prioritize.

By the way, the firefighters are way undermanned for these fires, and our thoughts should be with them as well. Today they were called off some of the fires not because they had it under control but because they were in desperate need of a break. These guys are heroes for sure.

[TSIAS]

23. Locking

2. The subject line of a discussion thread and the entire text of the message which starts the thread may not include profanity , excessive capitalization, or excessive punctuation. Inflammatory rhetoric should also be avoided. Exceptions may be allowed for threads about our shared political opponents and/or policies which we generally oppose.

Thanks,
Taylor
GD Moderator

[Clete]

24. Well, that doesn't help us who don't live

where there were fires but still have to breath the smokey air.