Katrina, One Year Later

Anniversary’s are times to reflect. Katrina and its aftermath have given us many things to reflect upon. I think the biggest lesson to be learned when talking about the 'failures' of the government in its response to Katrina is that Republicans don't see it as a failure. The gut wrenching images we saw unfolding on our televisions were in actuality a vivid reflection of the philosophy of the Republican Party come to fruition. This is a party who doesn't believe in government intervention or government programs. They don’t believe in a tax system which allows for the funding of such things. Although they don't say it out loud - they are about the dismantling of the kind of government that American’s have relied upon and have come expect will be there if needed.

Rather than spark a national movement to hold the government accountable for its failures in the aftermath of Katrina and demand the righting of wrongs, Americans seem to have embraced the philosophy that "the government can't help you". So when we talk about the failures of the government post Katrina - keep in mind that the Republicans have actually enjoyed great victory in the aftermath of Katrina by burning that philosophy into the psyche of America.

A full one year after Katrina and the 9th Ward of New Orleans has no electricity and no running water. In the America I love - that is simply unacceptable. We can afford trillions in tax cuts for the wealthy and billions per month for our futile war effort in Iraq but the government in this country can't bring the basic comforts that most of us take for granted to the brown skinned residents of New Orleans. NOT ACCEPTABLE!

Katrina and the horrible aftermath should be the spark of a debate this campaign season about what kind of country we want America to be. Do we want a country that Republicans envision where the have-nots struggle to meet every adversity on their own with limited resources? Or do we want the kind country we like to imagine that we are? An America that truly values every human being and helps them to achieve their full potential? An America that’s there to help its people put their lives back together when powers beyond their control shake the very foundations of their existence? Do we want a government of rhetoric and slogans or a government that acts on behalf of its citizens?

Katrina, more than anything else that I can think of, accentuates the difference in philosophy between the two parties. The citizens of this country should recognize that Katrina was more than a natural disaster - it was a look into our future.

It was in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that I began posting to this blog I'd created some months before but had not figured out what to do with it up until then. The article below was my very first attempt at blogging so I thought it fitting on this one year anniversary that I post it again.



Blaming the Least Among Us

By EAPrez

Since Katrina blew through the gulf coast I have been saddened by the 'blame the victim' spin heard since citizens started questioning the response of the federal government to the tragedy. Most of this kind of talk is from our friends, the Republicans - also known as the 'religious wing' of the population. Some of the things I have heard on right wing radio is enough to make those of us fortunate enough to have food and water - loose it. Here are a few examples heard on my local right wing radio station while I was stuck in traffic in the span of about 10 minutes:

-"Why are there so many poor people in New Orleans? Isn't it a blue state? How come so many people in a blue state don't have cars?" (Translation: If Democrats were such good leaders, there wouldn't be so many poor people in LA. We are seeing a failure of Democratic Leadership. It didn't occur to this unthinking caller that he was implying that no one in the red states lived below the poverty line. Imagine my surprise to learn this new 'factoid'.)

-"If I had to I would have taken my kids and walked to keep them safe. ANYTHING to get them out of harms way." (Translation: These people are not just black and poor - they're bad parents. They should have hit the road with their kids in 100+ heat lugging their food, water and clothing with them. Funny thing is - I doubt the man who made this comment would have been able to lug two toddlers and an infant through an air conditioned mall - purchase shoes, feed, change and hydrate them without loosing his mind. Easy to talk the talk when you're not the one facing the walk.)

-"If those people had to go to Texas to file insurance claims I'd bet they'd find a way." (Translation: These are lazy but greedy people motivated by one thing...MONEY! Gee, I'm motivated by money too - as I am sure this caller is as well. Unless of course all of his life's work is volunteer work for which he's never paid a dime. How appalling that people would try to get what they're entitled to! What's to be done about this travesty?)

-How come those democratic officials failed so miserably? (Translation: The Republicans would have done it better. Oh really? Have you seen the pictures on the news over the past two weeks????? If that were the case then the Republicans could have swooped in, saved everyone and received their just praises.)

That was about as much dialog as I could stomach during one drive home. I was cursing these people as I turned them off opting for the sounds of music instead. I would have liked to have been able to tell these members of the Republican party that I find it ironic that they are the party who likes to nail the ten commandments all over the place, pray at public events and wrap the flag around their head as a sweat band - yet nothing I heard them say reflected the spirit of America or the spirit of the Christ they want to compel the rest of us to worship. I would have also liked to have told them of the Jesus I am familiar with - but rather than quoting scripture I'd tell them that the Jesus I am familiar with would not be standing around blaming the victims for the circumstances they find themselves in. The Jesus I am familiar with would be rolling up his sleeves, no questions asked, and plucking every one of those New Orleaneans from the muck and mire. He'd move mountains to do so without making judgments about who was deserving and who wasn't.

There is absolutely no excuse for food and water not being air dropped into that city after the storm. NONE. If we can drop propaganda leaflets into a war zone to tell people we are dropping bombs on what to expect next - then we can certainly drop food and water into a flood zone in less than 5 days after a storm. If we can airlift food, water and medical supplies to refugees in other countries then we certainly have the right to expect that our own citizens receive the same consideration in a timely manner. If one removes the issues of race and class as the reason for the operational failures then one must then conclude that the system is a total failure and the people at the helm are bumbling idiots.

This administration campaigned on their ability to keep us safe. Safe from terrorists, safe from dirty bombs, safe from biological weapons. Appears they were not able to keep their campaign promise regarding biological agents since they failed so miserably in helping people survive an attack of the biological agent H20. In fact, many people died needlessly for want of a drink of water. You should be outraged - not making excuses for them by demonizing the victims. Blaming the victims is not the most constructive course to take at this time. Questioning the administration however, is a matter of life and death.

Then the king will tell those on his right hand, 'Come blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me drink' I was a stranger, and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.

"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord when did we see you hungry, and feed you' or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in' or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'

‘The King will answer them, ‘Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:34-40