Gustav evacuees staying in Knoxville, TN., are complaining. Are their complaints legit? Is this a case of bad host or bad guests? You decide…

From a Gustav evacuee:

“Look. Look. It’s all sugar,” said New Orleans evacuee Wilmer Pappie, Jr. as he displayed a box of pastries and cookies.

He and many evacuees say since coming to the shelter, they haven’t had a decent meal. They say they aren’t getting meat, the food is cold and they’re eating so many sweets, diabetics are being hospitalized.

“I haven’t had a hot meal yet. It’s just been donuts, sugar and coffee,” Pappie said. “Sweets, this is it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

From the Knoxville Red Cross:

Red Cross shelter manager Mike Battershell says their goal is to serve two hot meals a day and a continental breakfast. He says all the pastries and cookies are supplements.

“Yesterday, we had hot lasagna for supper. We had fried chicken for lunch, which was hot,” Battershell said. “Today for lunch, we are serving hamburgers with all the fixings.”

I suppose there will be friction in situations like this. I also imagine if I were in their shoes, I myself would be proud to get whatever food they gave - period. But I’m not in their shoes, so I don’t know.

I will say though, a big “Thank You!” to all that offered up shelter for those in need.