It is 9/11-- and a couple of weeks has passed since Katrina wreak havoc along the Gulf Coast of the USA.
I am challenged not to be overwhelmed by the enormity of what is happening to our fellow Americans.
There are nearly half million people who have or will shortly undergo forced migration. The cause is not economic, nor religious/ideological, or civil strife. A natural catastrophe happened. Could the lost of life, the lost of land back to the lake/river/gulf, an iconic city under water have been lessened. Clearly much finger pointing and there can be plenty of blame/fault that can pieced out -- a dominant media fodder or material for casual conversation.
Personal ruminations from the wake of Katrina are obscure. Back to the old question of integration.
How do we as a nation address the many evacuees who will be in our midst? They will populate or perhaps over populate our poorly resourced schools; compete for jobs that are scarce for those with limited skills, or limited education; and the irony of the image centered on bus transportation shortage as one of the first early warning signs post hurricane.
In the past few days, I have awaken from my early shock and initiated dialogue with friends and colleagues about the potential ramifications of Katrina on many systems (family, church, work life, government, education, healthcare) and the complexity of its impact for many thousands of people who have lost what they believed to be material representation of their life.
How will we establish identity, when paper records or micro-fiche files are potentially lost, or those who never had the opportunity to see a dentist.
How will we address land rights i.e. inheritance, land values, who will get to rebuild?
What will we do with the kids sent temporarily to our communities. Some may not have family who can claim them rightly or to be re-unified with.
Our initial actions guided by good will, and compelled to "help," can we sustain it? It is highly likely evacuees will not return to the area that was their home.
more musings to come...
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