Since our government has been taken over by those who "hate" government and want it to shrink, we now see a complete erosion of any commitment to infrastructure, community or the public good. The rich live in gated communities with private security forces, private pools, privatized power (generators), bottled water and endless food supplies, while the poor are floating on broken doors down the sewered streets of New Orleans. Why? Follow the money . . . money that should have been spent shoring up the levees. Who cut it off and why? Just guess!
It is clear that many of our leaders can't imagine people without the resources to evacuate. Where have they been? For many of the homeless and poor people who survive Katrina, this storm could actually be the best thing that ever happened to them. They might actually be able to gain some ground. As long as they slept in alleys and pushed shopping carts, no one cared.
The outpouring of sympathy for the "suddenly" impoverished always confuses me. When people lose everything all at once, we turn on the cameras and can't get enough of the images of suffering. However, when people are regularly victimized by systemic poverty, we quickly look away and change the subject.
I hope people begin to realize that it is a priviledge to be able to ignore politics--it means you have the resources to sheild yourself from injustice. Maybe $5.00 a gallon gas will wake you up.
1 comment:
Mom - I love your blog. Your writing is intelligent, hilarious, serious, and provacative all at once. Just like you! (I knew I must have gotten it from somewhere). ;)
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