Thoughts About Katrina

Today is the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I was at the Sisters of Saint Joseph Mother-house in Tipton Indiana when the storm struck. The thing that I remember is not being able to comprehend the devastation that took place.

Ten years after hurricane Hugo, my family drove from Nancy’s parents house down highway 17 through South Carolina and Georgia. What I still remember clearly today is the devastation that Hugo caused along the Atlantic Coast. As we drove through the lowlands, trees were toppled over like it had happened yesterday. Fortunately, that area is largely unpopulated. Unlike our Gulf Coast.

Watching the specials about Katrina renewed my belief that unfortunately, the slow response of this country to the devastation happened for two reasons.

1. Plain and simple incompetence. Brown, the FEMA director was in way over his head and had no clue as to the magnitude of the disaster. I don’t think his bosses understood (or wanted to understand how serious the crisis was).
2. Racism. What happened in New Orleans would never happen in Fort Myer. I hope I am wrong, but I doubt it.

Remember what happened a year ago, but maybe even more important, look in your heart and see what you can do to make a difference in living in a world in which there is neither greek nor jew, christian or pagan, black or white — a world in which we are all brothers and sisters together.