Blame being used for political gains

I don't mean to dwell on the tragedy that has struck the Gulf Coast but, to be real honest, it's the only thing on the public's mind right now. Regardless of where I go, the discussion is constantly about the plight of those impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

There was an interesting report out yesterday from the Red Cross that said their organization had truckloads of supplies stationed near the Superdome in New Orleans but were prohibited from making deliveries on orders from the Louisiana Homeland Security office. For those quick to criticize the federal government, this report is yet another example of blame that falls on local and state authorities. But the left-leaning national media seems to ignore such reports. The reason should be obvious.

And let me address the racial nature of this disaster. Civil rights leaders have spent the past week attempting to portray the slow response as an issue of race. Somehow in their twisted logic they want to lay the blame at the feet of whites and more specifically the Bush administration. Their "logic" is that had the majority of those affected been white, somehow the response time would have been less. The trouble with that argument is that not one single fact supports their reasoning. But hey, these same "leaders" have never let a small thing like truth and facts get in the way of some old-fashioned racial rhetoric.

New Orleans residents were warned back in July (by their African-American mayor no less) that a major hurricane would likely leave as many as one million low-income residents with no transportation to flee the destruction. Plans were put in place to use school buses and other forms of transportation to evacuate that population. But those plans were abandoned when the hurricane struck.

The looting, the rapes and the gunfire were not conducted by roving bands of white residents. They were perpetrated by people who held their own self interest above the general population.

I have yet to hear any of these voices of discontent explain just how they would have reacted differently. Not once. Yet when there were gaps in the response time, the problem has always fallen on the local or state responsibilities.

I am getting sick and tired of all issues falling into the black and white debate. Those loud voices within the civil rights movement do nothing but widen a gap that is far too wide as it is. And the sick politicians who seek to gain votes from this disaster will someday get their just reward. You know who they are; I don't need to name names.

I have spoken with literally dozens of Sikeston residents who are all ready and willing to lend a hand to those impacted. Money is coming in faster than you can count it. Food supplies are now more than the victims could ever consume and yet it continues to be collected hour by hour. Volunteers from every walk of life are willing to take time off from their work and head south if given a direction and a chance to help. I have spoken with young and old, rich and poor, who have each spoken of their manner of assistance to those harmed and how they want to do more.

And not once have any of these individuals mentioned one word about the race of those they hope to help. Not once! They hope to lend a hand to a fellow American in need.

That lesson needs to be learned by the civil rights leaders and the politicians of the left.