Re: To ALL Louisianans

I have a good friend who worked hard all his life. But he was self-employed
and as a result he never enjoyed a retirement program or pension of any
kind. He lives on a small Social Security check and, of necessity, lives in
a government subsidized high rise housing project in one of the poorest
sections of Jackson, MS. He doesn't complain about his situation, even
during the best of circumstances, but it would be a very humble one compared
to most others.

Now consider that he has been without electricity for the last five days due
to Hurricane Katrina. Moreover, he has no idea when the power will be
restored. He can't even use a fan so he is left to swelter in the oppresive
heat and darkness. He is nearly 80 and in frail health but must walk up and
down outside stairs to get to his small 10th floor apartment as, of course,
the elevators need electricity to work. The water (and sanitation) didn't
work for the first two days, and he hasn't had a hot meal since the storm
hit.

The power company estimated that 97% of those in the Jackson metro area lost
power during the storm, but, since we were among the fortunate few with
electricity, I naturally invited my friend to stay with us. With the
independance and toughness characteristic of his generation--the "greatest
generation"--he has declined our standing offer of help.

I have read many postings that usually begin with, "I'm sad for the victims
of the hurricane, but..." and then go on to express the opinion that the
victims are somehow complicit in the tragedy that has occurred. While I can
understand that there were people who had the means and should have
evacuated the area when warned, I know, too, that not everyone had this
option.

My friend and I live 150 miles from the Coast and I can assure you that no
one envisioned these problems reaching this area. While I wouldn't argue
with the wisdom of the old adage to "be prepared," I'm unclear how one
prepares to be 80 or how one prepares to be in poor health, or just what
power my friend had to avoid the circumstances that now engulf him.

There is a very human tendency to confront a problem by asking, "Who is to
blame?" Often, though, the better question is, "What is to blame." Many
times it is more productive to focus on the institutions involved and to
wonder how they might be improved. What might there be, for example, about
our criminal justice system, our top-heavy educational system, a medical
system that has made health care unaffordable, or the monument to tenure
that our legislative system has become? I suggest that an examination of
these issues will provide more answers to the future of New Orleans--and,
not incidentally, to the future of our entire country--than singling out
individuals for blame.


--
Edward Hutchison
Madison, MS

Objective reviews of Internet poker rooms and
starting hand info at: www.ERHutchison.com



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