Katrina has brought and is steady bringing changes to my small city--Port Arthur. Many families who lost everything to the violent hurricane have been relocated to this small place. They've been spread out among the various apartment complexes throughout P.A.(Port Arthur)with guaranteed rental/utility payments for up to 6 months...in cases with larger families those payments are extended to up to a year.
This actually turns a terrible and horrific event into a blessing in disguise for many who would have never had a chance for a new start if New Orleans would NOT have gotten hit. Those families most affected were definitely the poorest of the poor...who just happen to be Black
My heart pours compassion out to all those who have lost loved ones and my advice is to make the best of the new beginings now being given. One good way to honor those who lost their lives is to NOT give up!
If we carefully study history we will see that things on this earth cannot be rebuilt until the old has been destroyed...unfortunately lives are always lost during the process. But despair NOT...for many lives --just like other things on the earth-- shall/will be rebuilt! This has always been the WAY of our Universe.
One thing that frustrates me is the negative tension amongst already P.A. residents and N.O.(New Orleans)residents. Some locals feel greatly neglected as far as recieving assistance because all attention along with resources seem to be going ONLY to N.O. refugees. Many are also worried about the crime&violence increasing.
To P.A. locals--of which I am one: understand the ramifications of this disaster...how would you feel if you were in the shoes of someone who lost everything? You would want HELP from wherever you could get it. We must stop thinking patterns that are imbedded with negativity and replace them with those that contain compassion.
It's no secret that this current world structure has always been SLOW when it comes to helping the poor. This is supposed to be the wealthiest nation on the planet who immediately gave BILLIONS to Tsunami victims far across the oceans,yet was VERY slow to give to Katrina victims right here! This has led many to believe class and race were the factors for this and it definitely looked that way.
This led to a revelation or epiphany if you will: since for many years the poor and truly downtrodden --especially Black people-- were denied the justice of recieving any type of reparations such as that which was given to other races of people this world has did evil to...the forces of nature(GOD) has literally forced them to give!
I see this as SUPREME JUSTICE!
To the N.O. residents now here: any time a new entity is inserted into an existing structure there is always tension...call it "fear of the unknown" if you will. The best thing we can do is respect one another's cultural differences;thereby,evolving our entire culture here in Port Arthur as a whole...embrace the new. To goto war with it will destoy the whole of us altogether because the new is already here.
As for the potential rise in crime&violence...there's always the possibility of that simply because of the high rate if dissatisfaction with life itself. As long as disatisfaction exists there will be those who will do ANYTHING to be satsfied. The bottom line is that we must learn to repect one another. Although I know the destruction isn't completely over yet...we don't have to allow ourselves to be agents in/of the destruction.
Let us do all we can to help our people overcome this tragedy and rebuild lives.
About the Author
Owner& Operator of AnyThingYouNeed.Blogspot.com --> Use this site to find AnyThingYouNeed in life!