America’s Shame, America’s Hope,
by Judy Wicks, Winter/Spring 2006
The world watched in horror last August as thousands of American citizens, mostly black and poor, many children and seniors, were left behind in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to suffer, and even die, without basic human needs of food, water, shelter and security. After the failed government response, President Bush promised to rebuild New Orleans. More than three months later, little has been accomplished, appropriate funds have not been allocated and hundreds of thousands of evacuees are left in limbo, separated from their homes, jobs and communities.
Katrina has brought to light urgent issues facing Americans – the injustice and tragedy of our race and class divide, which has left a large portion of our population abandoned and vulnerable; a deteriorating infrastructure and natural environment such as the levee system and the coastal wetlands and barrier islands that had sheltered New Orleans from the sea for hundreds of years; and global warming which has caused higher ocean temperatures, escalating the power of hurricanes and extreme climate change which forebode a future of displaced populations and extinction of wildlife. Yet how does our government respond?
In the recent Montreal summit, more than 150 nations signed a watershed agreement to open talks on mandatory reductions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming, but the United States wasn’t one of them. “Coast 2050: Toward a Sustainable Coast,” a plan devised in 1998 calling for the rebuilding of the barrier islands and wetlands, was approved by a wide range of government offices, community groups and environmentalists, and moved forward after Katrina, only to be dismissed by the White House. According to the New York Times, the total cost for protecting against a category 5 hurricane, so that the citizens of New Orleans can rebuild their homes and live safely, is $32 billion, only a third of the $95 billion in tax cuts for the wealthy recently passed by the House, and a tiny fraction of the cost of the war in Iraq.
In November, I traveled to New Orleans with Sue Ellen Klein, Director of White Dog Community Programs, to plan a community service trip for our customers and staff who want to help with the rebuilding and relief efforts. Driving through the devastated neighborhoods was an unforgettable experience - block after block of wrecked homes, fallen trees, overturned cars and mountains of debris. There were no living creatures, only stillness and an eerie silence - no children laughing, dogs barking, or radios playing. It was as though a terrible disease or war had struck the city and taken all lives.
Through friends we learned of Common Ground Collective, a community-run relief group and free medical clinic. At their headquarters in the home of grassroots activists, we found a beehive of activity – an intergenerational, interracial group of volunteers from all over the country, coming and going to pick up supplies and get assignments for cleaning out homes for returning families, driving people and equipment, cooking meals, and helping with legal and medical problems. A partner organization, Rebuild Green is making plans for a sustainable and just future by focusing on green building technology, renewable energy, mass transit systems, and green community development that empowers local people to take control of their local resources and rebuild New Orleans as a model city.
Here we found America’s hope. While the attitude of the Bush administration and conservative-controlled Congress is “every man for himself,” American citizens can demonstrate that we are all in this together, regardless of race and class - that we care about each other, and our natural world, and will take responsibility for our future. But citizens working in small groups cannot accomplish such a massive task without help. That is what government is for - to do as a country what we cannot do alone – in this case to restore the environment, rebuild the levees, support the citizens of the Gulf Coast in rebuilding their communities, and cooperate internationally to reduce the causes of global warming. This calls for reclaiming our government for its people and continuing the great American experiment to show the world that a diverse population can self-govern through participatory democracy to build a just and sustainable society, not just for the rich and powerful, but for all citizens.
Judy Wicks
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