A Call to Arms
Hurricane Katrina burned indelible images in the minds of all Americans. We watched in horror as social chaos and martial law took the place of a vibrant and storied American city. Now, as people move back into the community and lay the first stones in re-establishing what’s been lost, we’re greeted with all too familiar images of police beating a 64-year old man. The question is simple: What have we learned from our national experience?
The aftermaths of recent natural disasters have often been characterized by periods of looting, rioting and general civil unrest. Shall we bow to a Hobbesian view of human nature for an excuse, or are there other forces at play? More importantly, are they forces we can control if we’re willing to recognize that they exist?
I suspect that Professor Warren’s extensive studies regarding a disappearing middle class play a large role in these circumstances. As the gap between the lower class and upper class increases, so too does the likelihood that disruption of an already fragile social network will lead directly to a breakdown in social norms and civility.
Tensions that are often obscured in times of relative calm and “normalcy” are strained beyond the breaking point when natural disaster strikes. Nowhere is this more evident than in the streets of New Orleans. A latent but deep-rooted class divide has emerged into the spotlight due largely to tragedy and the ineptitude of the governmental agencies charged with responding to crisis.
Sadly, it seems to take a disaster of devastating proportions to thrust these issues to the forefront of the national conscience. As floodwaters recede, however, do we forget what we witnessed, write our check to the American Red Cross and then go on with our usual self-absorbed days? How long can we continue to ignore what are obviously systemic failures of epic proportions in favor of some idealized notion of an “American Dream” that is within the grasp of all those who are willing to reach for it?
It’s time to let past experiences serve as an impetus for change. Change doesn’t need to come in some vague, elusive package, either; the conversations that have punctuated this blog and so many others like it suggest that specific reforms in policy areas such as housing economics, credit lending, bankruptcy and health care are simply unrealized gains.
Perhaps this is just a rant based on the visceral response of a very frustrated individual. Perhaps, however, it is more than that, and I hope that we as a society collectively open our eyes and our minds to constructively pursuing change.
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Comments (1)
January 4, 2006 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink