Introduction & Thesis
It should be left up to the government when it comes to natural disasters. They are something that government agencies can predict and are able to give warning for. The government should be the main focus when it comes to natural disaster safety measures and abatement.
Argument
The government is not able to predict all natural disasters, and so should not be held accountable for death tolls or the damage caused by natural disasters.
Counter Argument
The government is in a far better position to protect people from natural disasters then they are on their own. Plus, they have access to weather monitoring devices and warning systems that they can use to help save lives. We have seen what happens when a government does nothing from when George Bush Jar did nothing to help the millions affected by hurricane Katrina. The funny online pictures of George Bush Jar fishing in the floodwaters of New Orleans accurately summed up what happens when the government does nothing about natural disasters.
Argument
Natural disasters are the work of god and so cannot be abated or guarded against by humans. Like the story of Job, the bad times should be endured whilst giving thanks for what we do have.
Counter Argument
God helps those who help themselves. God did not give us the capacity for thought and lateral thinking so that we could not use it. It is our job as children of god to use his gifts to cure disease, help the suffering, make safe ourselves from natural disasters and abate their devastation. God did not punish Noah for building an arc to avoid the floods.
Argument
People can help themselves. It is the people who are ill prepared for hurricanes that sustain the most damage. People who stay in their houses and are killed are responsible for their own deaths; the people who do not board up their houses or leave glass items lying around, or do not switch of their water and gas lines. These people are proof that people can take care of themselves during natural disasters if they try harder.
Counter Argument
It is up to the government to give ample warning about things such as hurricanes. If they did not, then people would not even get the chance to board up their houses and secure them. Nor would they know anything about how to make a house safer if the government did not give enough warning and advice. It is up to the government to warn people and to give advice on what to do.
Conclusion
The government is not expected to do all of the work when warning for a natural disaster, implementing safety procedures and abating further damage. But, they are responsible for a lot of it and should be accountable if they do not do a good enough job and do not warn and help to abate the damage. Death and damage is going to happen if the government fails to act beforehand and afterwards–such as with hurricane Katrina and New Orleans.
