Times of crisis and natural disasters bring out the best and the worst in humanity. The natural human impulse is to reach out and help those in need. It has become clear however, that those who are helping the most are not the ones who are in control of government.
Numerous instances abound of average people helping out in the aftermath of hurricane Harvey on Houston, hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico, hurricane Irma on Florida, Mexico’s devastating earthquakes, the horrendous fires in Sonoma and Napa counties in California, and the mass killing rampage in Las Vegas recently.
By contrast, the response of government and our leaders has been sorely lacking, divisive, or outright dangerous. For example, while Puerto Ricans are still without potable water and electricity, and people are dying as a consequence, President Trump chided the Puerto Rican people for being in default to Wall Street, as if to excuse his slowness in responding, and even kept Cuba from rendering help early on. Instead, he shifted his attention to tax reform (for the rich), defunding Obama Care, threatening to defund “sanctuary cities” in the U.S., and tying help for Dreamers and DACA to the construction of the border wall.
Throughout the United States and the Americas the response to the human tragedies that are unfolding has been overwhelming. In Chicago musicians are fundraising for the victims of the Puerto Rican disaster. The healing corner in Chicago is reaching out to disaffected youth on street corners. Fundraising is occurring to help DACA applicants overcome financial barriers. The Governor of Rhode Island is leading efforts in her state in this regard. Even a gesture so small as an 86 year old Oaxacan woman placing flowers on the spot of her grand niece’s death from the recent earthquake, are signs of respect for human life that our leaders so sorely lack.
People are beginning to unite across barriers that previously divided them, as the Mesa Verde Detention article shows with Muslim immigrants reaching out to Latinos. Unaffordable rents are forcing tenants who speak different languages to defend themselves from gentrification. Citizens of different nationalities are standing up against Texas’ SB4 (“Show me your papers law”) that racially profiles Latinos.
All the disasters are man-made, whether from global warming, increased homelessness, unaffordable rents, wasted youths’ lives on street corners, or loners killing themselves and taking others with them.
We can and must take hold of the reins of government for humanity’s sake. We can do things ourselves much better. We are moral and just people. Corporations, and their supporters, whether Republican or Democratic, only care about the bottom line, no matter what the cost to people or the environment.
