Two disasters, two football stadiums housing evacuees -- but what an extraordinary contrast! In the N.O. stadium, chaos and mayhem; in S.D., community and good spirits. Why?
Many will bring ready-made explanations, theses just waiting for data: note most evacuees in N.O. were black, in S.D. white -- hence, racism! Note most in N.O. were poor, in S.D. at least middle class -- hence, classism! Or both!
Many will say the N.O. and LA governments were corrupt, hence gross mismanagement there.
4 years ago S.D. didn't do it so well, so some will note that they learned a lesson. Sometimes you actually do learn from your mistakes.
Others will blame the media. In N.O., rumors became headlines -- raping gangs are in control of the stadium! In the S.D. reporting, arsonists and looters are mentioned as a sidebar. Again, the media are racist, classist.
Whatever the causes, how refreshing to see evacuees pulling together and forming a sense of community in the midst of disaster. But why couldn't this have happened in New Orleans?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment