After sifting through today's news from New Orleans and vicinity, ever worsening in human, cultural and economic toll, I am as torn up as I was after 9/11.
The complex and near-paralyzing mix of sadness, dread, rage, helplessness, and energy that I now feel is further fueled by reading reports of defiant words from BushCo and their apologists: "Stop trying to politicize this?" "How does this look for the Democratic local leaders?" etc.
Where does the buck actually stop, here?
I have not been so angry in a long time. For my personal psychological survival, I am responding the way I did after 9/11: trying to write down, as clearly and as unequivocally as possible, what I think it all will mean when the dust (or in this case, water-mud-feces-blood-oil) settles.
My in-the-moment big-picture predictions, subject to change once we really know what has happened:
- New Orleans as we have KNOWN it will never return.
- The direct and indirect loss of life will far exceed 9/11.
- The direct and indirect economic impact will eventually exceed 9/11.
- The US will become the world's largest locus of refugees for a while.
- The environment will be locally toxic for years.
- The implications will take longer to percolate through our collective consciousness, but the event will change our country just as much as 9/11 did.
Oh, and one more:
7. The Bush Administration will not only NOT take any responsibility, but they will pin it on others. And take that opportunity to trash those others.
I cannot name a single example of someone in this Administration losing a job over mistakes, apologizing for bad judgment (or even bad luck), or taking responsibility for the consequences of his/her actions.
Let me put point #8 in the form of a question, to seed some discussion:
8. How will the public consciousness view the Bush Administration's responsibilities in this matter?