piasharn | The Politics of Katrina

This is not "just politics" or blaming for political advantage. This is about the real consequences of what governments do and do not do about their responsibilities. And about who winds up paying the price for those policies.

This is a column for everyone in the path of Hurricane Katrina who ever said, "I'm sorry, I'm just not interested in politics," or, "There's nothing I can do about it," or, "Eh, they're all crooks anyway."

Nothing to do with me, nothing to do with my life, nothing I can do about any of it. Look around you this morning.

(source)

Note: this link will only lead to that article for a short period. If I find a more permanent link, I'll edit this post to include it. Otherwise, you'll need to read the article before a new one is posted.

I've started, and deleted, several posts on Katrina. I've tried writing entries that link to all kinds of stories - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I've tried writing opinion pieces. I've tried writing rants. I'm not totally sure why I haven't gone through with any of them. They just didn't feel right.

Perhaps it's because, like so many people, I'm just looking for someone to blame. I see the images of the dead and injured, and I wonder how we could let this happen. I hear people blaming the victims or jumping to conclusions or making racist comments, and I just want to hit something.

So I'm not sure how I feel and how I should feel. However, I do want you to go read that article that I linked above. I think it raises a very important point that we all need to remember. Elections do matter. Politics do matter. What has happened, and is currently happening, in Louisiana is a direct result of the policies and laws that we have allowed to be put into place.

Get informed. Get involved. To quote a bumpersticker, the future is shaped by those who show up.