Criminal Justice Forum

Our hearts ache for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. The loss of lives, homes and businesses is almost inconceivable. But since most of the loss of life occurred after the storm the questions people are asking now are: “why?” and “How could we be so unprepared?”


The fact of the matter is that most people knew days in advance that a category four or five storm was coming. The sorry state of affairs which residents of Mississippi & Louisiana, particularly around New Orleans, found themselves in after the storm and flooding was a direct result of the failure of FEMA, Homeland Security, the federal government and most of all our President.

Was the necessary equipment there to evacuate the elderly, ill and handicapped? No

Only three hundred members of the Louisiana National Guard were available. Where were the rest of them or their much needed equipment?
In Iraq.

Over one hundred thousand guardsmen were called up from other states. But they should have been summoned and in place three days sooner.

The loss of life is by itself inexcusable. But, effects of this disaster will escalate and continue for months and perhaps years. For starters the lack of natural gas, gasoline for our cars, and bankrupt airlines will devastate our economy. What is even more aggravating is the fact that the president’s tax cuts and spending in the Middle East have taken away much needed monies from FEMA and from the Army Corps of Engineers who wanted to bolster and repair the levees which burst and flooded New Orleans.

To pour salt into our open wounds after giving Homeland Security a blank check, is realizing we obviously bought a pig in a poke, so to speak. Not only is our Treasury depleted and the economy seriously wounded but now our anxiety is at level red knowing how insecure we actually are.

It saddens me to say it but we have not seen the end of the sorrows caused by this failed national policy. From the President on down to the ill qualified head of FEMA it has been what we called back home “a goat rope”. This has been the first true test of our readiness since 9-11 and our federal government has failed its “Preparedness FCAT”.

Osama Bin Laden must be wondering how he can effect a third term for our president. He has done more harm to America’s citizens and economy than anything Bush and his minions could ever come up with.