The wake of a storm

As I'm sure everyone knows by now, Katrina posed a threat to Central Florida only briefly and instead took her wrath (and I don't use that term at all lightly) to Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama. When I turn on the news I wonder if it's Baghdad or New Orleans I'm seeing. When the news toggles between Iraq and the Bible Belt, I notice how the desperate looks on human faces are deeply imbedded on the faces of the Iraqis and the Deep South. When we feel sick at the human desperation we see here on our own soil, a tragedy far greater than 9/11, that's lasted only a few days I wonder and marvel at the strength of those living in Iraq.

A newscaster today said that Floridians have some point of reference to relate to the victims of Katrina. I paused to think about that and if we have a point of reference, it's a very vague one. Yes, there was a time where we had no power, no food, no gas and no water. I remember driving around trying to find some food but when I did, there was no desperation to get it. Nonetheless, the stress and anger of three hurricanes had taken a toll on all Floridians and I remember just bursting into tears at times. So what they are going through in the Deep South is not a life changing experience only, it's a matter of basic human survival and complete loss of diginity.

I am not going to try to get too political here because I know that for every angle and opinion there's a partisan view someone can take against it. But I will say this much. As American's, we judge and judge very harshly the behavior and morals of the Arab east. We look at how they live and things they do with such disgust saying "American's would never do that."

Well, guess what? When faced with babies having to defecate in flood waters instead of diapers, watching bodies float down city streets, facing typhoid and waterbourne disease, dehydration and no food we see American's behaving desperately. They kill each other, they scream at each other, they are stealing TV's and radios as well as food. They are trashing their local businesses and there's lawlessness every where. Can you blame them?

I don't blame anyone for stealing food, water, clothes and medicine. I do, however, blame and am disgusted at the people who are using the chaos to shoot a gang member without consequence, who are stealing non essentials like computers and TVs. When these images are beamed around the world, do you want the world to judge you by the actions of those? Should you judge an Iraqi by the images beamed around the world by Al Jazeera?