Imagine you're driving down the highway one rainy night, and you witness an accident happen right in front of you. A van swerves and rolls onto its top spewing glass and debris all over the road.

Stopping immediately, putting on your flashers, you tell your wife to call 911, and pop the trunk to grab your extensive first aid kit, flash light, and rain tarp. Living in a rainy area, you know to always have plastic sheets available.

As you get out, a police car pulls up, and parks directly in front of the accident scene. The lights are all flickering; the spotlight on the driver window illuminates the scene spectacularly. Another car pulls in behind you, its driver door opens and out comes its driver.

After retrieving your first aid kit and other supplies, you hurry toward the scene. The wheels on the accident car are still spinning slowly in the air. As you make a swerve around the police car, the window rolls down, and the cop yells, "Hey! What are you doing!"

"This accident just happened, nobody has been to help these people, yet. I know first aid!"

"Don't worry about it! I've called this one in. The ambulances and fire department will be here shortly."

"Great!", you say, and you continue toward the van. Steam is coming out from the front, or maybe smoke. Through the drizzle and motor of the police car, you hear several voices coming from the overturned van. The driver of the second car comes up, bearing a fire extinguisher in one hand, and a nylon bag in the other.

"I said, don't WORRY about it!", the cop puts on an irritated face and steps out his car.

Finally registering that the cop is telling you to not to go to the van, you reply, "What?"

The cop chews on a toothpick, "I don't think you should get too near that car, it's smoking and it might explode."

The driver of the other car chimes in, "I've got a fire extinguisher here, get yours and let's ensure it's all right!"

Sighing loudly, the cop turns his head says something on the radio. You and the other driver continue past the police car and approach the van. There is no fire, but lots of vapor or smoke coming from the vehicle. The occupants are clearly past shock, and now starting to panic.

"I SAID, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ON THE WAY! PLEASE GO BACK TO YOUR CARS!"

"I'm a physician", the second driver says, "I can help." You marvel at the good fortune for the van's occupants.

"I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE! WE'LL WAIT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND AMBULANCE!", yells the cop. He's now walking around the front of his car, hand on his nightstick.

"Perhaps you don't understand, officer", the doctor explains, "I am an emergency room doctor at Rivers Hospital."

At the same time, you get closer to the van, and with your flashlight you see several people hanging from their seat belts, including a child in a child seat, and an elderly woman who is not moving.

You drop your kit next to door, and getting on your knees, you try to calm down the accident victims, "Hello, you have been in an automobile accident. Is everybody OK?"

A quick flash indicates the driver is bleeding profusely from the head. The kid in the car seat is crying, and gearing up for bloody murder. The front passenger occupant is on the ceiling, out of the seat belt, trying to kick out the window which amazingly is intact. The smell of gasoline is very strong.

"Here, you take this", the doctor hands you the fire extinguisher. "What training do you have?", he asks.

"EMT Basic. Licensed in Texas a few years ago, but expired at this point. I'm current on CPR."

"Great, I may need your help." The doctor then drops his bag. You hand him your large flashlight, swapping it for the extinguisher.

"HEY LOOK! I SAID IT'S ALL TAKEN CARE OF! PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE!"

The tone changes. It's no longer a polite request. "STEP AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE! DO IT! NOW!"

Just as he says this, a small finger of flame erupts near the far front wheel. "OFFICER, THERE'S A FIRE! ", you scream, pointing the extinguisher at the top of the wheel well, you spray some of the contents of the ABC extinguisher in an attempt to put it out. One of the victims in the car screams after hearing your own.

"GET AWAY! NOW! MOVE IT! MOVE IT! I'M NOT GOING TO GET SOMEONE HURT WHILE ON MY WATCH! GET AWAY FROM THE CAR! NOW!" The cop is frothing now, and runs up and the next thing you know you're on the ground, gasping for breath. Turning around, he grabs the doctor by the back of the jacket and drags him away and deposits him on his butt in the opposite lane.

"GODDAMNIT! I DONT WANT TO HAVE TO ARREST YOU CLOWNS FOR OBSTRUCTION, BUT I'LL DO IT IF I MUST!", screams the cop, spittle flying from his mouth, and water rivulets running down his jacket.

The doctor recovers first, "Officer, we can get these people out before the car burns up! You have a fire extinguisher in your car, grab it and let's dampen the fire! You two can work on the fire, I'll get the people out of the car!

Your wife shows up, "I can help you with the people!"

"YOU'LL DO NOTHING OF THE KIND. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND I WANT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO HANDLE IT!"

"How long until the fire truck arrives?", your wife asks.

"I don't know, real soon now. I called it in as soon as I saw the accident."

The doctor shakes his head, "They'll take 15 minutes to get here! Those people need help NOW!"

"No can do. The van might explode! I don't want anybody hurt!"

Your wife screams and points, "What about THOSE PEOPLE! THEY need help, NOW!"

The cop's face is a mask. He talks briefly into his radio, then, arms spread wide, starts herding everybody away from the car. In the distance, you notice reflections of flashing lights coming around the curve. Two cars going in the opposite direction have stopped on the other side of the van, and three people have jumped out.

Meanwhile, the fire has taken hold and spread from the wheel well, and is marching across the oil and gas splattered undercarriage. The movement is not rapid, but horribly deliberate. There are at least two victims in the van, crying. One asks for help and feebly kicks the window blocking her exit.

Frozen in place for perhaps 30 seconds after seeing the approaching lights, you see another police car approach. Sour with disappointment. It's NOT a fire truck or ambulance. Perhaps this cop will be more reasonable.

Your wife, the doctor, and one of the other drivers take turn peppering the cop with requests and questions - "Why won't you let us help!?", "I'm a volunteer fireman, I'll get my extinguisher." This from a more elderly gentleman who hustles with surprising agility back to his pick up truck.

The second police car races ahead, and stops with a squeal and puts another spotlight on the crowd - not the car. You're blinded, and everybody is shielding their eyes from glare. Vaguely, you discern a very large shape emerge from the car. Again, the doctor speaks first.

"Officer! We need to get these people out of the car! Grab your extinguisher!"

Cop two stops and puts up his hand palm flat, in the universal gesture of stop, "Problem Harry?"

"Yea Joe, we got an unruly crowd here, don't want to take no for an answer!"

"Really?"

Copy Joe then says, "Come along people! Step back! We don't want anybody else to get hurt!"

Between the two cops, they're able to push away the small crowd of people from the car. You turn your head, and notice that the fire is now advancing more rapidly. You can clearly hear the crackling above the rain and big cop engines.

The next 10 minutes are too horrible to contemplate.

By the time the fire truck arrives, there is little left for them to do, except put out the now fully-engulfed car and count the casualties. The lone ambulance that arrives has only one person to pick up. The woman in the front passenger seat had managed to crawl out on her belly, but is badly burned.

10 minutes after that, there are 7 cop cars, with patrolmen directing traffic around the smoldering wreckage. Three fire trucks, five ambulances, and two county cars are all parked alongside. Groups of firemen and paramedics talk about inconsequential things as the news truck pulls up and surveys the accident.

The next day, the paper shows a picture of the scene - in all its glory. Looking carefully at the picture, it's impossible for you to even see the van. All of the trucks and police cars are lit up beautifully. The eager reporter remarks on the large response to a single car accident. It's too bad that 4 people died, but nothing could have been done better - just look at all the assets assigned to one accident!

You shake your head and drink your coffee, and go back to work.

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The above is a fictional account designed to make a moral point. What's known as a "parable". The Christian Bible has many such fictional stories.

The actions of the police officers in the story above are exactly the kind of actions that were taken by the government in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. There are myriad reports about FEMA turning back trucks laden with water, refusing help from a flotilla of 500 (!) shallow water craft for search and rescue; for cutting local constabulary's communication lines.

The critical early responders, the ones who could do the most good - were rejected and sent home.

The most egregious example would be the usurpation of helicopters sent to sandbag the broken flood walls in New Orleans.

The actions of the authorities - from the National Guard at the Superdome, to the Mayor, to the governor, to FEMA itself caused thousands of deaths that could have been avoided.

Thousands of people died directly because of turf battles amongst the three competing governments. None of the three were interested in self help. Qualified people were turned away - even by the Red Cross!

In the above story, I would submit that the two officers should be arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter.

What should happen to the agent that cut the communications line in Jefferson Parish's Sheriff's department?

What should happen to the FEMA guard that told the WalMart trucks, carrying trailers of water, "We don't need it."

What should happen to the person that called off the sandbagging operation on the morning following the hurricane, thereby dooming New Orleans to flood over the next 36 hours?

What should happen to the National Guard general that refused to allow people to leave the Superdome - even after it had run out of supplies, and had become a hell hole?

What should happen to George W. Bush, who demanded federalization of the National Guard from the governor, then withheld help for two excruciating days? While Americans died?

The actions of those people are the same as those two cops preventing "unauthorized" help from getting to the accident victims. Only the scale is different.

It was much more horrible.