Someone in the media mistakenly called the evacuees from Hurricane Katrina "refugees," and they were very quickly reprimanded by the language police. But after some consideration, I've determined that many of these folks are indeed refugees--from third world USA--a place many other, more successful Americans, have not had much contact with before this tragic event.
The human and material costs emerging here are astronomical--and should remind us how expensive it is to ignore the problems of poverty and discrimination in our country. If a baby is unlucky enough to be born into a poor family in this century, he can expect to live in unsafe housing, to be exposed to all manner of environmental pollutants, to enjoy little if any medical attention, let alone basic coverage, and then to receive a substandard education. He can also be expected to be blamed for all of this once he's old enough.
America needs to wake up -- we can and should be a better country. Authentic patriotism stems from the unshakable belief that we can and shall live up to all our ideals and that they will be made manifest in our citizens and our communities. (cue John Phillip Souza!)
1 comment:
Detroit Gail,
I read your article and couldn't find any spelling or grammar edits to fix. Nice job. I agree, it's too bad it takes a hurricane to knock us to our senses. We have over 20 families from New Orleans in our little town in northern Michigan and a local restaurant/tavern is doing a cajun dinner donation event with a silent auction...they expect to raise over $10,000 and already have over $6,000 5 days before the event. There will be a silent auction, entertainment and a huge cajun buffet... a chef from New Orleans that lost his restaurant to Katrina and has relocated here is going to prepare the feast....it should be a real hoot...you should bring George up and dine on some crawfish with Kathy and I....
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