Will any of us with a normal psyche and belief in a good God ever forget this image? I think it is forever seared into my brain. As a native New Yorker for a while now I have processed these images with a personal sense of grief that “home” will never be the same. Unfortunately, that has really been true for a long long time now. 9/11 just brought it all back.In church today, our Rector made some parallels between the devastation wrought by Katrina and that of 9/11 – and the marked differences. Then, we had a common “enemy” who had done this to us. The people affected by 9/11 were part of a vocal workforce, perhaps from different parts of the middle and upper middle class, but able to get compensation – monetary and treatment – for their losses. Now, the victims of Katrina – on the other hand – are a witness to our country’s treatment of our poor. We have seen the enemy and s/he is us……
I love my country. It’s my home. But like the people we love, sometimes it disappoints.
On the other hand, there are so many stories of people helping others through both of these tragedies, that you cannot help but think that there’s a greater spirit afoot.
I pray so.
