"For the life of me, I cannot figure out why any human being would even think that the fact that some people chose to stay is worth mentioning or even an issue here"

I disagree. There are reports of people who chose to stay during storm and pass the time getting drunk together like it was some kind of party. I do not feel for those people, they had plenty of warning and the resources to leave. Instead of thinking responsibly, they decided to have a frat party. How many people without the resources now sufffer longer and have to wait for help while we evacuate these idiots?