It is my opinion, also, that whenever people are suffering society and the government have a responsibility to try and help those people. It is my opinion, also, that poor people in America are frequently not to blame for their plight. And it is my opinion that it's our responsibility to help others who have less than we do even *if* we suffer, ourselves. So our opinions on those fundamental basics are not as diametrically opposed as they might seem at the first glace of a comment thread.
Of course the local and federal authorities could have done more. I could have been nicer to my neighbor, today. I could have visited and volunteered at the local homeless shelter, as well, but I didn't. The point is that sometimes we ALL fall short of ideals and responsibilities not because we don't try or don't care. The framework that we work in, daily, is flawed because we are human. And sitting behind our computer screens in our comfortable homes while doling out absolute blame after the fact of a natural disaster seems presumptuous and cowardly to me. Of course more could have been done that wasn't but *nothing* was not done. Some important things were done and thank goodness for that. And what about the hundreds of thousands of people who *did* have the means to get out of town and didn't bother giving a ride to someone that didn't? Aren't they to blame, as well? I've read accounts from people that witnessed others driving by in SUV's full of luggage that refused to give rides to other *people* because their cars were full. Don't hold the government responsible for what you don't hold your citizenry responsible for.
Cynicism has nothing to do with it. It more a matter of realism. Maybe I just started off with less faith in the government's ability to mobilize than most Americans did before this hurricane hit. Maybe I had a deeper appreciation for the fragility of human life than to believe that fewer would suffer from such a force of nature as hurricane Katrina when they are crammed like sardines along a coastline, some of which lies below sea-level. I don't know.
no subject
Of course the local and federal authorities could have done more. I could have been nicer to my neighbor, today. I could have visited and volunteered at the local homeless shelter, as well, but I didn't. The point is that sometimes we ALL fall short of ideals and responsibilities not because we don't try or don't care. The framework that we work in, daily, is flawed because we are human. And sitting behind our computer screens in our comfortable homes while doling out absolute blame after the fact of a natural disaster seems presumptuous and cowardly to me. Of course more could have been done that wasn't but *nothing* was not done. Some important things were done and thank goodness for that. And what about the hundreds of thousands of people who *did* have the means to get out of town and didn't bother giving a ride to someone that didn't? Aren't they to blame, as well? I've read accounts from people that witnessed others driving by in SUV's full of luggage that refused to give rides to other *people* because their cars were full. Don't hold the government responsible for what you don't hold your citizenry responsible for.
Cynicism has nothing to do with it. It more a matter of realism. Maybe I just started off with less faith in the government's ability to mobilize than most Americans did before this hurricane hit. Maybe I had a deeper appreciation for the fragility of human life than to believe that fewer would suffer from such a force of nature as hurricane Katrina when they are crammed like sardines along a coastline, some of which lies below sea-level. I don't know.