This posting is from a fellow resident of St. Bernard Parish, Patrick Dettwiller.
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The POOR Victims of Katrina
By Patrick Dettwiller
Unfortunately, the Press is, once again, portraying an incomplete view of a major tragedy to the Nation.
The latest story is how the “hardest hit are the poor.” However, I will like to give you the picture of another, extremely devastated group: The Middle-Class.
While the face of Katrina was the thousands left in the city without help or food, where were America’s hardworking taxpayers? Most of them evacuated, some were left behind to care for the poor, but all were losing everything they had!
To help clarify this tragedy, I will like to tell the story of St. Bernard Parish. As the nation was given images of people exposed to the elements at the Convention Center, images of those enduring the agony and fear of the Superdome Shelter, or images of looting for non-food items, the press questioned whether there was discrimination. What was missing were images and information on St. Bernard – a primarily white, middle-class suburb.
St. Bernard Parish had the misfortune of being destroyed by a tidal surge that crested the levees of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet; a man-made Shipping Channel that residents had pleaded the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to close and fill-in for over 20 years. As Local Officials, Police, Fire, and Citizens were busy trying to “Save Their Own,” the Press and Federal Aid were nowhere to be found. Luckily most had evacuated! But, as a matter of insult, the Royal Canadian Mounties arrived to help in Search and Rescue, prior to any U.S. Officials. An effort to become Canada’s Most-Southern Province will begin soon!
However, other tragedies were taking place for the Refuges who did evacuate. Yes, we are refuges, not displaced citizens – this is not the time to be PC! Many of us were being informed we were losing our jobs (luckily I was not); many of us were not able to get food or clothes from Red Cross Shelters because we were not staying in the shelters; and now, many of us are having to rent homes while continuing to pay mortgages on homes that have been destroyed. To add insult to injury, if these homes are deemed to have been destroyed by flood rather than a Hurricane, rental assistance will not be available to insurance holders – however, many of us do not know if this determination will be made as were are dealing with another tragedy – waiting!
As I look at the outcome of the storm – my home destroyed, my brother’s home and all of his in-law’s homes destroyed, my other brother’s home and all of his in-laws homes destroyed, my parents home destroyed, my sister’s home and all of her in-laws homes destroyed, my uncle’s home and business destroyed, my aunt’s home destroyed, my cousin’s home destroyed, my other cousin’s home destroyed, another cousin’s home destroyed, all my neighbors destroyed, all my kid’s schools destroyed, the park the community built together destroyed, I am truly thankful that we are all safe. But, I guess the Press was right, “the Hardest Hit are the Poor.” I just did not realize I was amongst them.
To Take the Words of the St. Bernard Port Authority, “Think Positive St. Bernard, We Do!
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Be good to yourself,
Westley Annis
westley@da-parish.com
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posted by Westley at 9/19/2005 10:27:00 AM
