The Observer, September 9, 2005
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 2
The Right Stuff: Katrina disaster a result of poor planning; should not be the subject of political mud slinging
The extent of Hurricane Katrina's destruction won't be effectively measured for months, and the devastating effects of the hurricane are being continually compounded by the irresponsible actions of individuals in government, in New Orleans, and in the media. The death toll and damage to the city will probably eclipse any event on American soil in the past half-century, perhaps longer. Yet one of the unspoken tragedies stemming from Hurricane Katrina is the manipulation of the disaster by all manner of public figures attempting to further political agendas.
Anyone who doubts the strength and domination of nature's power will hopefully let this catastrophe stick in their memory. I have no doubt that droves of pseudo-scientists salivate for the opportunity to illustrate the obvious relationship between global warming and severe hurricanes. Yet I doubt any of these experts will note that a pocket of hot, dry air assisted in deflecting some of the storm's brunt from New Orleans and sapping some of its strength, or that the number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes per decade has shown no increasing trend over the past 150 years. The hours leading up to the storm were filled with coverage of news personalities attempting to report on the hurricane's ferocity outside various New Orleans hotels in a kind of absurd cat-and-mouse game that hardly inspired the respect Katrina warranted. Couple that with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin appearing on television the eve of the storm making landfall in New Orleans describing the city's atmosphere and optimistic outlook, and one would think he was hardly braced for light flooding, let alone a powerful hurricane.
In hindsight, it would be nice if Mayor Nagin's jovial demeanor and the comical news coverage proved appropriate. But with thousands dead and damage estimates soaring north of billions of dollars, Americans demand accountability. Validated by celebrities like Kanye West and Celine Dion, whose unabashed emotional responses and anti-Bush agendas blind them to any semblance of reason, many Americans are quick to criticize the less-than-ideal federal response. Nagin has been quick to jump upon this bandwagon, and why shouldn't he? Why would he want Americans to recognize his lack of preparation and leadership in the face of imminent disaster? Whether the negligence that allows public school buses to sit idle while part of the population cannot evacuate the city due to lack of transportation constitutes a criminal act should be up to the Louisiana court system to decide. But the idea that President Bush, rather than the incompetent Mayor Nagin, is culpable for the loss of life in New Orleans is absurd.
Much to my surprise, I now find myself agreeing with Senator Hillary Clinton. Somewhat. Senator Clinton has echoed demands that the federal government investigate the reason for its slow response to the crisis in New Orleans with a committee probe similar to the 9/11 commission. This could be a worthwhile investigation under two conditions: first, that both parties agree to seek out the facts and analyze them in an unbiased fashion, unlike the methods employed by the Democrats on the 9/11 commission. Second, that such an investigation should not be limited to the federal government's response, and has the ability to hold Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and Mayor Nagin accountable for their lack of preparation and action prior to Hurricane Katrina's arrival.
The residents of New Orleans have lost so much as a result of Hurricane Katrina. In the wake of the destruction, salient questions require consideration ranging from the feasibility of rebuilding a large city in a flood-prone region, to the capabilities of the Homeland Security Department, and the way gasoline is refined and distributed in the United States. Rather than using the plight of New Orleans to further political vendettas, leaders should look for the best ways to assist refugees coping with the possibilities of homelessness and unemployment, as well as those still stranded in the city. Hopefully, Katrina will also serve as a warning to anyone considering remaining in the path of a natural disaster, as nature's power should never be underestimated.
