By: Charles Geraci Hurricane Charley headed for Tampa Bay last Friday, expected to hit it head on. On Monday, newspapers in that area reflected on their good luck on their editorial pages, but took a radically different tone in discussing the attitudes of evacuees.
The St. Petersburg Times praised the manner in which Floridians reacted to the storm by saying, "Most residents showed a proper sense of perspective in responding to Hurricane Charley's approach. They concentrated on protecting themselves and their loved ones and paid less attention to the fate of their material possessions. They looked after their neighbors and treated strangers as instant friends. And once they had done everything they could to prepare for the storm, they had time to reflect on the fragility of our daily routines and the folly of our pretensions of control over our destinies."
But the Tampa Tribune took the premise that not enough residents evacuated as they should have, given the severity of the storm. Searching for an explanation, the Tribune asked, "Specifically, what made so many of us resist leaving our homes with danger barreling down upon us?" The paper urged: "Those of us who stayed should take a good look at the photos of homes destroyed, neighborhoods shattered and lives ruined. Remember those images the next time you are asked to leave."
The St. Pete Times, meanwhile, stressed a responsibility to help its "neighbors in need." The paper said, "Such generosity of spirit is its own reward; in this case, it also will be a down payment in anticipation of the inevitable day when a devastated Tampa Bay will be desperate for similar help."
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