Deciphering the Symbolism of Katrina
It's often instructive to view the world in terms of symbols, knowing there is truth to be deciphered in the symbolism in everything we experience in our lives.
Today I'm thinking about the disaster we are witnessing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. As the body count rises and help for victims is so slow in coming, and our leaders are so befuddled, it is becoming apparent that our country had much of the necessary information beforehand that, if we had paid attention to it, could have prevented much of the devastation and lost lives.
In other words, our country is not as strong and prepared to take care of itself as some of us imagined. The problems we are seeing were rooted long before Hurricane Katrina came to town. But our attention was somewhere else.
Our leaders have committed our country to spending thousands of lives and trillions of dollars in Iraq. With evidence showing that Iraq posed no military threat to our borders, it has become fashionable to justify our military presence in Iraq by stating that we are making that country a better place for the Iraqi people. (Never mind the monstrous irony that we are having to kill thousands of Iraqi civilians in the process.)
In essence, as a country, we are quick to find fault with others but do not apply that same scrutiny to ourselves.
Americans, both as a country, and as individuals, would do better to start casting their critical eyes within themselves, finding each and every imperfection and working to correct those before trying to fix the faults of others. To do otherwise is to leave oneself unbalanced and unprepared.
Before the hurricane New Orleans--with its good music, good food and good times--was considered to be a place where Americans could find our country's essence of soul. Now we know just how fragile that soul really is.
Today I'm thinking about the disaster we are witnessing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. As the body count rises and help for victims is so slow in coming, and our leaders are so befuddled, it is becoming apparent that our country had much of the necessary information beforehand that, if we had paid attention to it, could have prevented much of the devastation and lost lives.
In other words, our country is not as strong and prepared to take care of itself as some of us imagined. The problems we are seeing were rooted long before Hurricane Katrina came to town. But our attention was somewhere else.
Our leaders have committed our country to spending thousands of lives and trillions of dollars in Iraq. With evidence showing that Iraq posed no military threat to our borders, it has become fashionable to justify our military presence in Iraq by stating that we are making that country a better place for the Iraqi people. (Never mind the monstrous irony that we are having to kill thousands of Iraqi civilians in the process.)
In essence, as a country, we are quick to find fault with others but do not apply that same scrutiny to ourselves.
Americans, both as a country, and as individuals, would do better to start casting their critical eyes within themselves, finding each and every imperfection and working to correct those before trying to fix the faults of others. To do otherwise is to leave oneself unbalanced and unprepared.
Before the hurricane New Orleans--with its good music, good food and good times--was considered to be a place where Americans could find our country's essence of soul. Now we know just how fragile that soul really is.
posted by David C. at 8:49 AM
2 Comments:
Perhpaps I buried my main point, that we need to look and work on our own problems before trying to fix those of others.
I agree that now is the time to try to fix the problem rather than casting blame.
But for years the Army Corp of Engineers warned that the levies surrounding New Orleans would not withstand a Level Four hurricane and that a Level Four was likely. As I understand it, rather than addressing that assessment, our current administration CUT funding for maintaining the levies.
As for the current situation, it is Republican leaders in Congress who have been as vocal as anyone in criticizing the response to the problem.
And you seem a very sad and desperate right wing apologist for President Bush when you need to call on Bill Clinton's name to help bolster your argument.
George W. Bush has not proved to be an effective leader in any venture (even traded away future home run king Sammy Sossa during his failed tenure running the Texas Rangers.) Does anyone have any doubt that Bill Clinton would be handling this situation better?
At this particular time, wanting to have a new Commander In Chief is not casting blame, it is a wish aimed at fixing OUR dire problems at home and abroad.
Lompoc Lamb/Ron Fink:
I'm not sure what your point is.
I'll make mine brief: The United States would be better off today if the billions of tax dollars spent in Iraq were instead spent within U.S. borders. And a lot less U.S. citizens, both civilian and military, would be dead or dying.
It is a fact that money ear-marked for improving the New Orleans levies was cut and used to contribute to funding the war in Iraq.
Forgive me for going a bit further: The money the Bush administration will continue to spend in Iraq would better benefit our country's economy and save more U.S. lives if it was instead spent within our borders, shoring up our infrastructure and homeland security.
I'm sure you'll want to get in the last word, so here's your chance: Answer me this: What aspect of the United States is better off now than before George W. Bush became president?
Post a Comment
<< Home