katrina = reality check

we're americans and we're used to winning -- lou dobbs

sorry lou; that's probably why you're losing now.

i don't mean to sound flippant regarding what's been going down down south but man, it's hard. and all this discussion about who's at fault, who was slow, who has been inefficient, etc., isn't getting anything done except adding to the hot air supply. let's deal with the "who" later, when everyone's been adequately housed and fed. and even though i'd love to slam the president, i'd rather talk about this:

readiness. if a hurricane can be tracked and categorized before it hits and yet thousands are left, due to their poverty (and/or race), to suffer and die, how prepared are we for anything? and who are we most willing to service, to love? when will we decide that spending billions on actual people we can find is more important than spending on a man we can't? what drives our priorities?

and yes, part of this is racial. now listen. how relief efforts work right now may not be racial. BUT. how long has new orleans had such a high rate of poverty among it's african american population? and how much of a desire has the local to federal government had to change that all these years? and how much of that desire has been funded and actualized .......................................... yeah, that's what i thought. not good enough. so now, when all these black folks can't afford to leave home, it's racial. suffering has to begin somewhere. we'd rather go to africa and teach women and children how to read, than educate black folks. yes. it's the truth. and yes, we all reach an age of accountability and should be held accountable for every wrong action we commit to, but when we can't drive black, can't shop black, can't eat black, can't go to a decent school (though no child should be left behind), can't date anyone we like, can't get recognition unless we sing, dance or dunk, can't live anywhere we like, can't, can't, can't...how can we be expected to pack our bags, hop in our toyota and head to higher ground?

step by step. that's often how things grow. that's often how things are torn apart.

am i ready to die? do i have the knowledge and have i lived a godly life that will permit me a quick and safe trip out of this mess one day? and what about others? have i payed them enough active attention to help them leave? will they be ready? yeah, this is a sign of the time and no, we don't have much time.

if i have one, i'm going to name my daughter Katrina. it actually means "pure" but (to me) it now means "reality check" -- my child will walk around with her head high making sure folks know what's what. she'll have a presence that's unprecedented. she'll shake up the status quo causing all sorts of disasters and she'll do it all in the name of love. and in a way, that's the purest thing i know.