Wednesday, September 07, 2005
About the Hurricane
It is time to consider our thoughts about the hurricane. All of us were, I am sure, shaken and deeply heartbroken about what we witnessed and heard about this massive human tragedy. Part of it was a feelling of frustration that neither we nor anyone else could really seem to do anything about the incredible suffering which ensued. Part of it was astonishment that our government, which has made such an issue of domestic security, seemed almost totally unprepared to deal with this event, which had long been foreseen as a "bound to happen" catastrophe.
Lawrence Edwards, Ph. D. (Kalidas) seemed to sum it up quite well in a letter he sent to me recently:
"The hurricane disaster. . . has so many dimensions . . .the storm winds blew off the coverings from the shameful shadow side of this country's wealth and power. No plan for evacuating and taking care of the poor, the minorities, the sick, the newborns, the pregnant mothers, the incarcerated, the helpless pets - nothing, nothing, nothing. If you are below a certain level of wealth and power your life isn't worth the effort to save. People better look long and hard at that.
Our shallow politicians will fail to gather all the good that could come from truly dealing with what this storm exposed, including environmental mismanagement."
In another letter, he adds, " This is Kali's work, slaying the demons of ignorance that cause pain and suffering, slaying the demons of unconsciousness that have the President of the United States playing a ukulele at a party on Wednesday night while grandmothers, grandfathers, parents and children drown in the fetid flood waters of New Orleans. May Her grace set everyone free, free from suffering in all its forms."
We must all ask, what does it say about us that we set our priorities in such a skewed manner? What kind of country elects such ineffective leaders? Who would appoint a man to oversee rescue efforts whose primary qualification seems to be that he managed an Arabian Horse Society? Why would such key positions be awarded on the basis of political payoff?
Indeed, what will it take to wake this country up? We seem to be sleepwalking through history (ours) which is leading us closer and closer to irreparable disaster.
Where are the intelligent planners, those who can "connect the dots" and foresee that actions have consequences, and that all levels of society much be protected, not just the wealthy and affluent?
Who is willing to defy the developers who wreck the natural environmental protections (wetlands and barrier islands), and leave an entire region vulnerable to total disaster, all for the sake of the "bottom line"?
And when you are told the disaster is on its way, how can you leave when you don't have a car, don't have money for transportation, and have no place to go? How could we simply dump people in a scene from hell, and leave them there for days, unable to get help through?
Something is indeed wrong with this picture, which is of our own creation.
We must each look in our hearts and come to a more comprehensive understanding of these essential issues. And so must those chosen to lead us. The blinkers must come off, and soon.
Lawrence Edwards, Ph. D. (Kalidas) seemed to sum it up quite well in a letter he sent to me recently:
"The hurricane disaster. . . has so many dimensions . . .the storm winds blew off the coverings from the shameful shadow side of this country's wealth and power. No plan for evacuating and taking care of the poor, the minorities, the sick, the newborns, the pregnant mothers, the incarcerated, the helpless pets - nothing, nothing, nothing. If you are below a certain level of wealth and power your life isn't worth the effort to save. People better look long and hard at that.
Our shallow politicians will fail to gather all the good that could come from truly dealing with what this storm exposed, including environmental mismanagement."
In another letter, he adds, " This is Kali's work, slaying the demons of ignorance that cause pain and suffering, slaying the demons of unconsciousness that have the President of the United States playing a ukulele at a party on Wednesday night while grandmothers, grandfathers, parents and children drown in the fetid flood waters of New Orleans. May Her grace set everyone free, free from suffering in all its forms."
We must all ask, what does it say about us that we set our priorities in such a skewed manner? What kind of country elects such ineffective leaders? Who would appoint a man to oversee rescue efforts whose primary qualification seems to be that he managed an Arabian Horse Society? Why would such key positions be awarded on the basis of political payoff?
Indeed, what will it take to wake this country up? We seem to be sleepwalking through history (ours) which is leading us closer and closer to irreparable disaster.
Where are the intelligent planners, those who can "connect the dots" and foresee that actions have consequences, and that all levels of society much be protected, not just the wealthy and affluent?
Who is willing to defy the developers who wreck the natural environmental protections (wetlands and barrier islands), and leave an entire region vulnerable to total disaster, all for the sake of the "bottom line"?
And when you are told the disaster is on its way, how can you leave when you don't have a car, don't have money for transportation, and have no place to go? How could we simply dump people in a scene from hell, and leave them there for days, unable to get help through?
Something is indeed wrong with this picture, which is of our own creation.
We must each look in our hearts and come to a more comprehensive understanding of these essential issues. And so must those chosen to lead us. The blinkers must come off, and soon.
