Here are the comments I appended to the petition, for an independent commission to investigate the federal response to Katrina, which has been prepared by Democracy for America:

I am less surprised about the disaster in New Orleans than many, because I already work daily with the poor, elderly, and disenfranchised of my own community.  I have seen how their benefits and entitlements are obstructed and diminished time after time, and I know, if there were a major disaster in my home town, that the poor would be the last people on anyone's minds.

I suspect that an independent commission will discover that the president and his advisors were concerned, for the first few days of this event, with the state of the oil drilling and refining facilities that were at risk, and then with the concerns of major New Orleans property owners regarding the criminal activity in the city.  Only after these concerns had been addressed did they turn to the marginal problem of saving the lives of poor people, and even then, their approach was callous and poorly considered--  a P.R. activity instead of a genuine effort to help people.  The actions of this administration over the years have made their real motives transparent to all who take the time to look closely.

Maybe I am too jaded, and maybe you can prove me wrong.  I certainly hope that this is the case.  I fear, however, that our country has long since stopped being commanded by a government which is either for or by the people; I fear that the government's interests coincide with those of the 5% or so of the U.S. population who command the most wealth.  The rest of us will have to continue fending for ourselves as best we can.

At least we are still a place where I can put these ideas into writing and send them to someone.  If we can hold on to at least that right, then accountability may also be a possibility for these criminals who annually orchestrate these mass destructions of poor people in various parts of the world, in MY part of the world, this time.  I wish no ill upon them, but I would like to see them removed from positions in which they can continue to hurt thousands of people yearly.

Go and sign it yourself. 

6:54:03 PM    comments? []