Anarchy in the USA

"Now with all this happening in the U.S. we can easily see where the civilized part of the world's population is."

The world has watched amazed as the planet's only superpower struggles with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with some saying the chaos has exposed flaws and deep divisions in American society.

...many have also been shocked by the images of disorder beamed around the world -- looters roaming the debris-strewn streets and thousands of people gathered in New Orleans waiting for the authorities to provide food, water and other aid.

"Anarchy in the USA" declared Britain's best-selling newspaper The Sun.

"Apocalypse Now" headlined Germany's Handelsblatt daily. full

My shock and disbelief are slowly succumbing to anger. Each year, the United States is pounded by several hurricanes, and though not as large as Katrina, we have never seen anything like this chaos. It has brought out the best and worst in people. The good news is that most Americans are doing everything they can to help. Generosity has always been a mainstream American trait to the extent that there is a mainstream America anymore. The bad news is the divisions in American society have been exposed.

Comments from the Free Republic:

"I hope somebody buys a bunch of Eddie Murphy and Cedric the Entertainer DVDs to put on the Jumbotron. That might just keep things down to a roar."

"...we need the zeroist of zero tolerance when it comes to behavior in these refugee camps. I'm not in any mood to put up with bussed-in criminals. We've got enough grown in our own backyard."

These and more ludicrous rightwing comments were discovered by Pam's House Blend.

Maybe this disaster will provide the stage we so desperately need to talk about race in this country. I have seen "criminals" used to describe the survivors more times than I care to count. Because they're BLACK? The radical right loves to say that poor people are poor because they are lazy. So, it's just a coincidence that much of the black population of New Orleans and the rest of the country are all lazy, right? I don't know if it is stupidity, ignorance, or prejudice that makes the right believe this. The chaos that has ensued after this disaster is an example of how America is not invincible. There are areas of this country that are just like third world countries; indeed, one could argue that many places in the South, especially some of the poorer black communities, are like third world neighborhoods.

It will be difficult to start a civil discourse on race in this country when much of the radical right views blacks as "lazy" or "criminals." The "me, me, me" attitude of these people is such that they can't see beyond their own picket fences. While the neocons senselessly create Islamic republics in foreign lands, the problems in this country go ignored. It may take a national tragedy to wake them up, but then again, rationality is scarce in their land of make believe.

So, here's a wake-up call to you radical righties. This disaster is very much about race. No, there are no firehoses and lynchings (although there are fingers on M-16 triggers right now.) It is not overt or even conscious racism, but the fact that one race has been disproportionately affected by this disaster should make you see that there ARE race problems in this country. I guess it still can't make you care, though.