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I have watched the news coverage of the destruction of hurricane Katrina all week. I am
devastated for the people of New Orleans. I am disheartened and ashamed of myself and of my country for the delay in an active response for the relief of my fellow countrymen.
Among the other coastal areas ravaged by this disaster I single out this city because, as hard as it is for me to admit, I am forced to realize that these people (the majority of whom are Black Americans) have indeed been denied their inalienable American rights. I watched aid pour quickly into the other storm wracked regions. So I can only surmise that the differences are, indeed, issues of class and race based largely on economic geography. I am greatly disheartened to think that in our country, in this time we are still capable of engendering so much mistrust and hostility amongst one another because of these issues.
For five days women, children, elderly citizens, the desparately ill, and thousands of other displaced people have been left to suffer and die in excruciating heat, in highly toxic conditions, without life- saving medicines and little or no sustenance of any kind!
The United States of America invaded another country in a matter of days. We reached the suffrage of the Tsunami victims in a foreign country in a couple of days! Yet, we let our own people, our babies, our parents, our grandparents, cry and die on hot, polluted steaming streets.
Please forgive us...
P.S. To the Governor who invited all the churches to adopt at least six families each from the storm. How about you Governor, will you open your home??
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