Posted by Meri-Tuuli on September 12, 2005, at 5:23:36
In reply to Poll - 52% think Katrina relief not handled well, posted by KaraS on September 11, 2005, at 20:34:56
I was wondering, and I hope that this doesn't come out too strong, but do you think if American society were more egalitarian, and socially aware, and was less about the individual making it, the rescue efforts would have been different, or at least people's reaction, as in they wouldn't have looted so much etc? There would have been more of a collective effort to help each other, rather than steal, rape, kill each other etc. Like if people had faith in the welfare state then they wouldn't perhaps have had to have such an extreme reaction to it? Some of the tales inside the dome are very horrific. I just don't understand why everyone wasn't like 'we're in this together, lets help everyone as much as we can'.
I don't know its just a thought.
For example, in the 1960s venice flooded really badly and all the young people of Italy travelled to Venice to volunteer to help people get out and save precious works of art etc.
There seems to be a very big divide between the rich and the poor in America and everything's fine if you're rich, but very bad if you're not. I was shocked to discover (I think this is right) that 30% of people lived in poverty in New Orleans. Thats alot of people if the statistic is true. Don't people feel bad about it in America? Do people feel socially responsible to help the poor ones out in any way? Or do they think its the individual's fault, they need to work harder to bring themselves out of poverty etc? Are the rich people in America willing to pay taxes to help the people below the poverty line?
How do you think the Katrina situation would have been handled in Canada/Europe??
poster:Meri-Tuuli
thread:553914
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20050728/msgs/554083.html