saddness

It's hard to write a blog and not write about what is happening in New Orleans. A tragedy and a shame for our country. While thousands of people are slowly being evacuated from the Superdome, 10,000-20,000 are trapped in front of the convention center tonight, for the third day without food or water, surrounded by sewage, trash and the bodies of their family, friends and neighbors. Authorites have been directing them there for the last few days, entire families swimming with their few belongings, seeking shelter and a way out of the city. Unfortunately, they have found no rescue or relief there, and the head of the relief operations said that he just found out about them today. Two babies died today of heat and dehydration, along with some older people who had no access to medicine. A CNN crew reported that they watched a man die of a seizure during their brief visit. Their decomposing bodies are scattered among the living on this concrete island in middle of a sinking city.

The victims are mostly poor and black, many who say they did not have the means to leave the city before the hurricane. (One third of New Orleans' population lives below the "poverty level", which is about $9827/yr these days. Who knows how many make $9828...) There are poor white people there, too, as well as tourists who got caught in the storm. A thirty something year-old blond woman held up her 16 month old to the camera, crying that the baby has been hot and unresponsive for the last few hours. A young black man asked how his 3 month old daughter is supposed to survive without food, water, or medicine for days. The lone nurse who was stranded among her neighbors was attempting to treat a diabetic who was quickly falling into hypoglycemic shock. Fortunately, insulin for the teenage girl was found. At one point, the crowd of thousands began to chant "help us, help us" as the camera crews passed by, the reporters clearly affected by the desperation they saw. One NBC reporter angerly lost his composure as he asked where the help was for these people. He pointed out that there are no authorities anywhere in the area - except for the occasional police and SWAT teams that drive by, pointing guns but bringing no supplies. He added that these authorities were not needed; the people capably keeping order themselves. They just needed food, water, medicines, and a way out of the city.

It is a question that few -who are not currently stranded in the hot, humid and sinking city - are asking. News crews that giddly rode into battle with our soldiers in Iraq seem to blame the lack of help and response on the "chaos" and "lawlessness" that has spread throughout the city. Today's entire relief effort to the Superdome was halted when someone fired a shot at one of the helicopters delivering aid. Apparently, a country that has few qualms about sending men into the line of fire for "strategic" reasons, is more easily put off by the desperate or opportunistic acts of its own people. Thousands may suffer, but at least the lone shooter will be taught a lesson.

What is happening in New Orleans right now is unexplainable. Around the country, people have responded with help and sympathy. Millions have been raised in the last few days and residents around the South are offering their homes to families that have nowhere to go. But there seems to be little understanding of the crisis by the leadership of this country and a hesitancy to respond with appropriate urgency. The President today proudly announced that he has enlisted Clinton and Bush Sr. to go on a fundraising fieldtrip, as if money was the reason why people in New Olreans were dying in the heat today.
And the authorities in New Olreans appear to be much more concerned about keeping the victims of the hurricane in line, than alleviating the desparation there.

It is hard not to wonder whether the response would not have been different had the victims been wealthy and white. More like the characters in movies or on TV that we are so used to sympathizing with. Would the SWAT teams driving by the thirsty people at the Convention Center shown more empathy? Would the focus have been more on relief and rescue than on law enforcement? Tragedies often bring people together, but this one is beginning to reveal just how far apart we still are.