Open house

Sep 1, 2005

Once, in college, I expressed to my professor, Linda Seward, that I thought the United States of America was too big a country, and would be better broken into a few nations. (I don’t recall my reasoning at the time.) Linda replied that while regionalism may be best under some instances, during a tragedy in one part of the country, it’s a blessing to have the full resources of the big, great USA.

I’m thinking of Linda’s wisdom tonight, as well as the gospel reading Erin and I chose for our wedding:

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.

Only the thought that Americans will comfort each other through the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is keeping my rage from boiling over. I’m angry tonight, so angry that our national resources have been pissed away on tax cuts and sucked dry for a war in the desert. It’s an outrage that two former presidents are being pressed into service to beg private Americans for relief money, when five years ago our nation had billions of dollars in the bank, the proverbial rainy day fund.

I’m angry that the vacationing George Bush would say on television this morning that “I don’t think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees.” God damn it, Mr. Bush, when dozens of experts on television and radio last week were suggesting breached levees, they weren’t offering a “historical” perspective. And why wasn’t the federal response immediate, and planned, and perfect? You’ve had years to prepare.

I’m mad.

Erin, meanwhile, has offered our home to one or two of the American refugees through HurricaneHousing.org. You can, too.

Anton Zuiker ☄