thoughts about Katrina

I hope that when disaster strikes Singapore, things will be much better managed than the atrocities of Katrina. I hope that when shit hits the fan, we have capable leaders able to address pressing concerns and needs.

I was studying today when I (finally) decided to explore some of the free podcast subscriptions available on the apple website. And one of them is the free online video podcast, Democracy Now!, an independent political current affairs program. As I watched the latest episode, I was so disturbed and stirred by the events related that I felt I had to write something here, to get my emotions out of the system, in the hope that I can help to promote the issues that concern the victims.

This latest edition focused on the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I’m sure everyone knows a little bit about the tragedy, and the implications on the environment and how inept the federal government has been in responding to the victims’ aid. But all the white noise about America’s use of torture, about the extraction of American troops from Iraq, about President W. Bush’s visit to China and its implications, and so many other news have drowned out the cry for help for many of the victims of the hurricane still suffering from the effects of Katrina. The episode highlighted a congressional hearing by the House of Representatives on the issue of the influence of class and race in Hurricane Katrina Relief; how the black victims were left behind in the area while white Americans and tourists were picked out from the crowds for extraction first; how the lack of water and food in the days immediately after the hurricane struck brought on partly by the late aid provided by FEMA resulted in the deaths of hundreds; how the military was given the “shoot to kill” order in an area where the history of blacks being ruthlessly persecuted has been very prominent; how soldiers took photos of the victims (almost all black, since anyone of any other color has been evacuated) while they did nothing to help them; how the people left behind are mostly poor, black people as the rich ones have already gotten aid; and many more. In this day and age, of course I am wise enough not to be swayed by one-sided stories. So many publications, so much of the media has been tainted with allegiance with political bias that the term trustworthiness doesn’t really apply to most of the members of the media anymore (the New York Times anyone?) that doesn’t, however, negate the relevance and honesty of the personal experiences related at the congressional hearing I’ve seen. Given the track record of this administration’s need to cover up past mistakes and proven false evidence when needed, pardon me if I bear a certain bias into thinking that the administration has indeed committed grievous errors here.

I really don’t know how Americans can continue to be proud that they are from the “land of the free and the home of the brave” when day in and day out, they are being lied to by their leaders, people of their same nationality are suffering due to negligence from the government, and how racism is so deeply ingrained in their lives even though everyone seems to be very good at covering it up now. I just hope that being a Singaporean doesn’t bring on these similar connotations at any point in my living existence.