The news has been plastered with Hurricane Katrina lately, but I haven't found anything too surprising.
I was not surprised that there was widespread looting, even among police officers. In a society that largely ignores any religion or accompanying morals, there is nothing to prevent someone from a desire to take available goods. Even for those who have religious beliefs against stealing, if you're out of food and water...
I was not surprised that it took the government a few days to get relief flowing. Just because a hurricane hit doesn't mean that they didn't lose all their other responsibilites. Plus, the huge extent of the hurricane's damage added to the difficulty of organizing a sufficient response.
I was not surprised that the government was criticized for their slow reponse, especially President Bush. Criticizm of Bush often stems from an apparent belief that he is a king who can do whatever he wants whenever he wants. Either that or a belief that buses and bottled water spring out of the ground ready for use.
I was not surprised that celebrities donated money as a publicity stunt (I mean, really, how much of a sacrifice is $250,000 for Hilary Fluff?).
I was not surprised that gas prices spiked with a decrease of supply and that they are already dropping as the supply is slowly reinstated.
It's all about cause and effect.
OK, so there was one fact that has surprised me. The rate at which money is being donated and collected is equal to and even exceeds the rate at which it was gathered for 9/11 or for the tsunami victims. I might have guessed that with higher gas prices people would have less money to give to homeless people they don't know. I would have been wrong.
Yes, selfishness and greed are healthy and alive in America. But compassion is too.
Edmond the Hun
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2 comments:
What frustrates me is how pathetic so many people are down there. I know they've been through a tragedy worse than I can imagine, but so many of them didn't bother to save themselves. They are too dependant on the government for help. Imagine if this had happened a century ago. People would have an independant spirit, the father of every household would lead his family to safety, and they would help their neighbors as best they could. Today (thanks largely to the babying by liberals) people don't listen to warnings, but then afterwards they demand immediate assistance from the government and whine when it doesn't come right away. Often there is not even a father of the household, and people have the mentality that they will survive at others' expense. So much of this IS, actually, the governments fault. It is the effects of years of tolerance. Loose morals have taken over. It seems that no tragedy we've ever seen has even been close to turning our nation back to where it started and where it belongs.
-The Swedish Eskimo
Lots of people are being retarded, but who says they would've acted any differently one hundred years ago? Ever read Fever 1797? It's historical fiction about the yellow fever epidemic that hit Philidelphia, the nation's capital, in 1797. Some people fled while they could, but many thought that they were cool enough to stick it out. Anyone who looked remotely sick was forcefully kept away from any other town. Soon the city became much like New Orleans- half empty, and those who were left were starving because no one would send food in. People killed for a hunk of bread. The sick were often left to die in the streets. It was every man for himself, and occassionally every family for itself. And what did the government do to help? The federal government fled- packed up and left the city to fend for itself until the winter killed all disease. So, no, people wouldn't necessarily have acted better if Katrina hit a century ago. People were always people, and barbarians when they thought it was necessary.
-Sarah Haas
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