Monday, May 22, 2006

Katrina Fatigue

Now that the New Orleans mayoral election is officially over, Americans can once again push thoughts of this city and the devastation of the Gulf Coast region to the back of their minds. On to the next tragedy: Will Barbaro's leg heal enough for him to avoid the death penalty?

How easily we tend to forget things that do not affect us directly. I was proud to read this, which is Sports Illustrated's Peter King, tackling the subject head on (thanks, Gary). I was also proud that CNN's Anderson Cooper kept showing us all, months after the disaster, that there was still so much to be done. And don't get me started on the trailers sitting in Hope, Arkansas - I could write reams about how incompetent federal agencies are with their bureaucracies and red tape.

No, we're spending money to secure our borders (something I don't disagree with). We are spending money to fight the terrorists "over there," or maybe to create a democracy for them. (I've lost track of what our current mission is in Iraq.) But who is taking care of our own? We have been assaulted as a nation, and the help just isn't coming. Still. After nine months.

I, like Peter, am furious. We still think about 9/11, as well we should. But now, the movies are coming to a theater near you. If you want to experience an ongoing disaster taking place today, all you have to do is drive South.

1 comment:

Anna said...

And hurricane season is almost here again, I am hoping that it stays away from this area this time! What would New Orleans do if it happened again.
I didn't get hit bad with Katrina, but Ivan kicked out butt!!