Cynical Nation

This site has been accused in recent days of (surprise, surprise!) "clamoring to Bush's defense." Believe it or not, that's not my primary concern at the moment.

True, I expressed disgust towards those parties who couldn't wait to make political hay out of this tragedy, even as the rains were still falling. Neither was this reaction confined to the usual suspects, of whom I expected no less. Some of these sentiments originated from more balanced and rational sources from whom I did expect better.

To be clear, I am not objecting to those who are simply asking, at this late date, why more was not done sooner. I am asking those questions myself, as is everyone else. I just don't pretend that I have all the answers.

In the fullness of time, however, we will have answers. There will be investigations and special committees six ways from Sunday to examine what went wrong and what went right. I don't know for sure, but I expect such investigations will indicate there is plenty of blame to go around. But to the extent that we find gross negligence or criminal incompetence to be the primary culprits, then heads must roll, quickly and ruthlessly, from the president on down, if necessary. But the point is that I lack enough information at this juncture to render such a verdict myself. And guess what? So does everyone else.

I first visited New Orleans when I was eight years old, and I was puzzled as to why I couldn't see the Mississippi River. I couldn't see it because it was above my freakin' head. I think people who are less familiar with the city and its layout are having a difficult time understanding why relief efforts are so logistically difficult.

Because of New Orleans' peculiar and precarious geography, a major American city has turned into a fetid lake. Like everyone else, I want the relief efforts improved drastically and immediately, but the notion that any amount of government planning or any level of preparedness can lead to a quick fix to this nightmare is fatuous in the extreme.

But the grimmest part to me has been the public reaction. No longer, apparently, can we Americans rely on being able to come together in a time of grave national crisis. The current political environment is poisoned to the extent that we are no longer able or willing to set aside our partisan squabbles for another day, at least long enough to help survivors and rescue the imperiled. That's a damn shame, and it may well be the single most tragic aspect of what is already an epic American disaster.