I am apalled at Dr. Young's callous comments. I don't believe that the government should be able to cut its ties with towns or areas that have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters, unless, of course, it also stops taxing the citizens of those areas so that they can fund their own disaster relief.

My mother's house in Oakland, California was damaged by the 1989 earthquake in the SF Bay Area. FEMA gave her $1000. Why should we pay to completely rebuild in areas that are costantly damaged or threatened. FEMA didn't here in California where earthquakes are frequent. Besides there's not enough money in the whole government to cover all the private disaster losses that occur every year. That's what homeowners insurance is for.

Good heavens.....I hope Dr. Young also put New Orleans on that list of places not to rebuild. Who were the idiot planners who built a city in a bowl umpteen dozen years ago? And how dare he NOT put Miami or Charleston on the list? I thought we weren't going to single out the minorities and lower financial classes anymore? I share your anger, Heather. Shame on him!

I live in a tornado prone area. Is my community next? Does "Dr. Young" have any options for families who have mortgages to pay on homes in towns he wants the country to abandon or do we abandon and destroy these families? My son has a home in Waveland that has been heavily damaged. He is one of the fortunate whose structure stood however, he had to gut the inside. He closed on his mortgage in July. Now, will he have to pay a mortgage on a home in a nonexistant town? Americans need to think about what it would be like for their government to decide there place in the world was not worthy of help to rebuild with the tax money we all struggle to pay. I could pay my mortgage with the money the government requires my employer to match and send to them. Don't get me wrong, I am American all the way and certainly would't want to live anywhere else but it seems we are losing heart.

How dare you Dr. Young. How would you feel if someone decided where you could live. We pay our taxes. We in the south were told many years ago that we could not sucede and now you with all your mighty knowledge decide that we are not worthy of help from a government that is supposed to be by the people for the people. How pompous you are to suppose because you have studied the subject for 20 years that you can make such a decision. Since when has a mere mortal been able to be all knowing? Should Heavenly Father step aside for the great Dr. Young.

Renee Hancock County, Mississippi

I HOPE THIS ARTICLE AND DR YOUNGS REPORT IS PUBLISHED FOR THE ATLANTIC COASTAL RESIDENTS OF NORTH CAROLINA. I WONDER IF DR YOUNG INCLUDES THE SMALLER TOWNS OF NORTH CAROLINA'S COAST. WHEN I SAW THAT DR YOUNG ADVISES FEMA IT PUT HIS VIEWPOINTS IN PERSPECTIVE. I LIVE IN LOUISIANA AND MY HOME WAS CRUSHED BY PINE TREES. SHOULD WE CUT DOWN ALL OF THE TREES IN THE UNITED STATES? I HAVE HOME OWNERS INSURANCE AND FLOOD INSURANCE. INSURANCE DOES NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES I HAVE INCURRED. FEMA IS CALLING PEOPLE THAT STILL HAVE A HOME TO GIVE THEM A TRAILER. YET, I AM HOMELESS, AS MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE IN THIS AREA, AND WE ARE ALL ON A WAITING LIST. I HAVE WORKED FOR THE SAME COMPANY FOR 20 YEARS AND PAY MY TAXES AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS. WHY DO WE PAY THE TAXES AND PREMIUMS IF WE DO NOT GET ASSISTANCE WHEN WE NEED IT? I HONESTLY BELEIVE IT IS SO THOSE WHO TAKE OUR MONEY GET TO KEEP OUR MONEY. WHERE WILL OUR PORTS BE IF WE DO NOT REBUILD OUR COASTAL CITIES? IF I SOUND ANGRY, IT IS BECAUSE I AM ANGRY. I FEEL THAT THE CONGRESSMEN AND US CITIZENS THAT SAY WE SHOULD NOT BE LIVING ON THE COAST ARE REALLY SAYING THEY DO NOT WANT TO HELP THEIR NEIGHBOR. MAYBE WE SHOULD BE TAXING THE OIL AND CARGO THAT ARRIVES AT OUR PORTS AND KEEP IT FOR THE GULF COAST PEOPLE. OUR LEVEES WERE BUILT BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND NOW ARE FOUND TO HAVE NOT BEEN BUILT TO SPECIFICATION AND WITH FAULTY MATERIALS. THE REASON NEW ORLEANS FLOODED IS BECAUSE THE LEVEES BROKE. THE INTERCOASTAL CANAL IS MAN MADE AND IT'S PURPOSE IS TO GIVE THE SHIPS A QUICKER AND CHEAPER MEANS OF TRANSPORTING GOODS. THE REASON THE WATER FROM THE GULF WAS PUSHED INTO THE LAKE AND THEN BACK INTO THE CITY IS BECAUSE OF THE INTERCOASTAL CANAL. OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY LOST NOT ONLY THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACKS AND HOMES----BUT MANY LOST THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR LIVES. NOW WE ARE BEING SENT THE MESSAGE THAT WE ARE NOT WORTH THE TIME, TROUBLE OR MONEY FROM OUR OWN GOVERNMENT. FOR YEARS WE HAVE BEEN DENIED GOVERNMENT FUNDS TO PROTECT OUR COASTAL BARRIERS THAT WOULD HAVE ALSO WEAKENED THE STRENGTH OF KATRINA AND RITA BUT THE GOVERNMENT APPROVES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BUILD A BRIDGE IN ALASKA THAT GOES NO WHERE. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO LOOSE ALL YOU HAVE AND THEN BE TOLD BY YOUR NEIGHBORING STATE CITIZENS AND ELECTED GOVERNMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES THAT YOU ARE NOT WORTH OUR TIME AND MONEY. WITH ALL OF THE STRUGGLES AND NEGATIVES COMING AT US, THE SUPPORT AND HELP FROM THOSE THAT DO EMPATHIZE WITH US GIVES US HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT. THAT HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT ALLOWS US TO LOOK PASS SUCH AN UNAMERICAN PROPOSAL OR SUGGESTION LIKE DR YOUNG'S. WE WILL REBUILD AND WE WILL BE THERE TO DO WHAT WE CAN WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE, VOLCANIC ERRUPTION, FLOOD, TORNADO, OR ANY OTHER CRISIS OCCURS IN AMERICA. WHO KNOWS, IT MIGHT BE SOMEONE FROM WAVELAND, MS THAT PICKS UP DR YOUNG WHEN HE IS DOWN. OUR PRAYERS ARE GOING OUT TO THOSE IN MISSISIPPI THAT TOOK A DIRECT HIT FROM KATRINA AND THOSE IN ALABAMA THAT WERE ALSO AFFECTED.

We will have to watch out diligently for these crackpots or we will have no town left. Unfortunately some of them have infiltrated (?) governor's commission (look at some of wild eyed schemes on "redevelopment") and some of our local politicians don't get it either. We shouldn't build in midwest (tornados, blizzards, drought); west coast (hurricanes, tsunami risk); east coast (blizzards, yes-hurricanes, terrorists).

No one person should have power to influence these type of decisions, if one part of America dies, all of it will die.

It seems to me that there has to be a way to meet in the middle here. I agree that the government can't and shouldn't leave people high and dry, however, aren't they also responsible to ensure that it doesn't happen again? So, regarding rebuilding there needs to be a compromise. Fix levees appropriately, find out which homes survived better and change building codes etc. If people want to continue to live in areas such as the coast then lets make it as safe and indestructable as possible. The government also needs to police the insurance companies that may be trying to avoid payment. If codes and such are changed, then these co.s can either agree to insure the coast or not. My heart goes out to all of you, it's too bad this had to happen during a Rep. presidency-a Dem. would have taken much better care of you all.