[raven6mt]

Okay, since it seems that a lot of nonpolitical threads get hijacked for people wishing to make a political statement, I've decided to start one up for that express purpose.
First off, I want to express my condolences, prayer, and thoughts to all of those affected by Katrina. This is an unparalleled disaster for anyone to endure, and these people need the unequivocal support of the rest of the country to get back on their feet again. That said, there are a few things that have been occuring in the aftermath that really bother me and I want to discuss them with anyone willing.
The first is the looting, lawlessness, and general mayhem that took place after the flooding. I understand that tragedies tend to bring out the best and the worst in people, but seeing what was happening in NO just absolutely sickens me. I don't care what race you are, I don't care how poor you are, the United States is supposed to be a civilized country and its citizens should act according to our laws. There is NO justification for looting people's TVs or other luxury items. Food, water, and medically necessary drugs I can understand, but taking someone else's things when they were forced to leave is unexcusable. It is NOT an acceptable way to protest against the government; it is NOT an acceptable way to protest against your perceived place in society, and it is NOT an acceptable way to improve your life...it is THEFT, plain and simple. I have read so many articles by various community "leaders" who have tried to justify what happened and say those enforcing the law are "kicking" the downtrodden; no, they are just enforcing the law. That being said, I fully support the fact that NO police and National Guard personnel did not deal with the looting at first while they focused instead on search and rescue. I value life more highly than any physical thing and I would gladly trade the security of my physical possessions for a chance to save a life, and I hope that most feel the same way.
Almost as disgusting to me is the rapidity with which this disaster was politicized and used as a platform to launch hate-filled attacks. I am not going to defend or attack the government for its response to this tragedy because this is not the time for that. What I will fight against is the fact that people are wasting energy pointing blame while people in NO are still dying. Not only is the criticism ill-timed, much of it is just plain looney hate-mongering that has no place here. Saying that Bush, or the Republicans, or any other person or group is responsibe for this natural disaster is to me no different than the Third Reich telling all of Germany that the Jews were responsible for their hardships. The government is doing its job, it is trying to save people and help them, and although it may not be *OUR* image of perfection it is doing more than most of us could hope to do and we should support it and help. There will be plenty of time to figure out what went wrong and fix the problems after the emergency is over. After all, if I have a heart attack, do I want the doctor performing surgery on me being yelled at that he isn't working fast enough or that he should have advised me not to drink so much or smoke so much, etc. before the attack? No, I'd just want him to do his job.
Finally, I have to say that I am pretty disgusted that so many people are or were unwilling to help themselves in this tragedy. I mean, people were notified well in advance that this hurricane was going to hit NO. There was a "mandatory" evacuation ordered. To me, this means, "Leave NOW!" Why did so many people refuse to leave? I understand a small portion may have been physically unable due to age or medical condition, and it should have been these people being picked off of roofs or porches. Instead, many able-bodied homeowners had to be rescued instead of those who truly had no way. You can argue that the poor could not afford to leave, and that may be true of the homeless, but not the majority of those who stayed in their homes for whatever reason. Come on, if you live in a flood zone, anyone with a brain should have their OWN contingency plan in place. Skip a pack of cigs once a week and save up some money for a bus ride or a plane ticket or even an extra tank of gas. Give up that case of beer or dimebag once in a while. I'm not trying to say that all of those left in NO are smokers, drunks, or drug users, but I am trying to say that even the lowest people in our society often have something they can trade off for their own peace of mind and safety. I mean, I want my government to fight wars on my behalf. I want them to keep me safe from terrorists so I can take my wife and daughter to the movies without worrying that someone with a suit by Semtex will ruin the party. I want them to help build roads and do all of the things that I cannot do myself. But do I trust them to do things for me that I can do myself? Absolutely not. These people waiting for the government to pick them up in a bus when they can just as easily walk out of NO is one of the most ridiculous sights I ever saw.
In conclusion, I just want to say that for all of the horror and despair that this tragedy has brought, I firmly believe that there is hope. What things do the attack on Pearl Harbor, the attack of 9/11, and this disaster have in common? In each we were taken by surprise and confronted with a situation for which we were not prepared. And although after each there was plenty of blame to be passed around and plenty of things to be fixed, eventually we picked our a$$es off the ground, dusted ourselves off, and in the end became stronger.