KATRINA: ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY DOES NOT ABSOLVE BUSH'S CULPABILITY

KATRINA: ADMISSION OF RESPONSIBILITY DOES NOT ABSOLVES BUSH’S CULPABILITY

FARHAT QUAM MAQUAMI

When many informed sources and indeed the majority of Americans pointed the finger at the White House, it is not because of their anger at Bush or the Republican war machine. It was the level of response of an irresponsible government that made the blame fit. A government that has invaded two countries and has massacred more than 100,000 civilians in Iraq only on the basis of an allegation and pointing fingers at Middle Eastern Males, suddenly started to ban “pointing fingers”! Specially when the evidence of culpability was so grand that only fools and “true believers” could not see it!

Those critics should keep quiet now that George Bush has admitted responsibility for the events. Remember the Bush administration has never admitted to a mistake in the past. This time they could not deny it and if they let a congressional investigation of the events leading to the breakdown of levees the truth would come out that even at the last moments when FEMA was asking the White House to act, all requests were denied. We should no longer tear each other apart on who to blame for the disaster. Bush has accepted responsibilities to stop criticism, of his obvious wrongdoings .

No American patriot should accept Bush’s apologies to the victims of catastrophe. Anyone who let Bush walk away from this should let all criminals who confess and accept responsibility for a crime go free. Admission of responsibility does not absolve his culpability. To accept responsibility is confession to a crime of negligent homicide. The real contrition comes in acceptance of punishment. There exists tons of research papers, State’s requests, official demands and news prints analysis which points to the upcoming catastrophe if levees are not repaired. It was an obvious failure in the chain of command.

When Clinton admitted his guilt for a simple misbehavior, the Republican pundits and infamous prosecutor Kenneth Star insisted that he should be impeached and even put on jail. Now we ask the same purveyors of the rule of law if Bush’s admission negligence and dereliction of duty, which has caused more than 500 lives and astronomical damages to the livelihood of 480,000 citizens of New Orleans, should be treated the same way. He must be accountable under the same concept of the “rule of law”, otherwise the law itself becomes a farce. Application of law can not be selective or the law would be nothing but an instrument of the ruling elite for preservation of its class domination.

The fact that Hurricane Katrina hit Mississippi then returned to New Orleans is ignored by corporate media because they want to shift the blame from men to nature and God. Look at New Orleans pictures you would see almost no destruction from hurricane. The city went under water, because of years of neglect from Hurricane Bush to repair the levees. Levees could have been reinforced and fixed four years ago. Levees could and should have been fixed before the Hurricane Season. Army Corps of Engineers virtually begged the administration for repair money and it was denied. They were not fixed because Bush cut their budget and ignored the cities request for funding. The White House and the Homeland Security Secretary ignored the warnings from meteorologists who insisted that levees would break in the upcoming hurricane seasons and even presented a scenario as to what exactly would happen.

FEMA had lost its independence under Bush and could not act independently. Officials at FEMA requested the Department Homeland Security Secretary to act and they ignored ( Michael Brown, CNN interview ). All this happened because of callous disregard for life and welfare of poor and blacks which constitutes 60 percent of New Orleans population( According to US census 40 per cent of 18 and under and 20 per cent of 60 and over live below poverty line that is about 320,000 population did not have means to escape, defend themselves, and did not have transportation to run from New Orleans.

It is up to New Orleans Attorney General to expands his investigation and charge all responsible for the death and destruction in New Orleans. From the mayor who did not act and let down 100,000 poor blacks and elderly to Bush must be investigated and charged. Also some lawyer should file a class action suit and do not wait for a white wash commission like 911. Every racist cups ,sheriffs, and Guardsmen who intimidated, lied, fired over head of the victim of Government negligence must be charged with criminal negligence and failing to protect the life ,property and welfare of the hopeless victims of Katrina. People who were running from the flood were prevented by armed police from crossing bridges to the Parishes dry land, just because they were black. The civil rights of these poor blacks were violated by their local as well as their own National Guards. These must be investigated and cannot be shoved under the carpet because Bush accepted responsibility and would allocate $200 billion dollars for remaking of New Orleans.

What the corporate mass media has not investigated is the fact that many decent poor and black citizens were subjected to brutal humiliation by the local police and national army and forcibly uprooted form their emotional home and some were sent as far away as Porto Rico. They would not care for the greater and better New Orleans for the Corporate Multinationals and Casino outlets. What they would care is their lost community and a sense of belongings to the memories of love and affections. They have become refugees in their own land .

What is asked here is that If a Nursing Home health Care provider can be charged for negligent homicide, then why should we be sweet talked into letting the Bush administration go free? It is hoped that the proposed investigation would be impartial and put the blame on Bush who has already admitted in being the culprit. This is not 911, that the blame could be put on Middle Eastern Muslims, who love Americans and never dreamt of harming them. Bush has himself to blame for this mess and the promise of 200 billions out of the nation’s bankrupt treasury should not cover the reality of terror. Now they want to remake the bigger and better New Orleans, without local participation. This is a farce that must be resisted at all levels. the contracts must go to locals and they should be allowed to participate in planning and development. The 60 per cent of poor blacks who suffered most should be uplifted and helped most. They are the one who should be compensated for 300 years of racial oppression which has kept the powerless and helpless three decades after Civil Rights Movement.

Let us stop racial hatred in New Orleans 45 years after Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to attend a New Orleans Elementary School and trust blacks as Americans and lift them out of the circle of poverty and despair imposed on them by racism in Acommunitymerica. Only actions from progressives officials can prevent the New Orleans Development money would go to the community rather the Corporations that do not care for the community.