Katrina chaos: Seeing what you want to

--- by Micheal Shackelford:

Shortly after Katrina hit New Orleans, reports and TV footage painted a nightmare picture of lawlessness. Rapes, murders, and looting were rampant, they said. Stories spread like wildfire of shots being fired at rescue boats and helicopters. New Orleans after Katrina, seemed to reveal a disturbingly dark side of America.

Later on, things were not turning out as savage as they said. (Fear Exceeded Crime's Reality in New Orleans, Jim Dwyer, NYT Sept. 29: Up for Grabs, Christopher Shea, Boston Globe, Sept. 11)

State officials later report that 10 peopled died at the Superdome. 4 died inside the Convention Center, with 20 dying nearby. New Orleans' police superintendent (who has since resigned) said, "We don't have any substantiated rapes." The police were also backpedaling on the murders, saying that no victims of foul play were found either. Many died, but not all of foul play. Looting for food and water is different than stealing TVs. But in the media melee, it all looked the same.

Therein lies the danger. People tended to see what they expected to see in the images of post-Katrina. Elitists see a proof that the lower classes are dregs little better than animals. Those who inwardly fear the poor see a proof of what will happen when (their) civilization breaks down.

Those who favor large centralized government see a proof that government should do more. Those who favor government-sponsored abolishment of poverty use the images to further their agenda. Republicans see proof of local Democratic failures. Democrats see a proof of federal Republican failures.

Even the recent cover of news magazine read: "Who Screwed Up?" which presumes that it is someone's job to making sure our everyday lives are never disrupted. Whose job is it to see that huge natural forces are rendered powerless? (and once you find the guy with that much power, why do you think he should listen to you ?)

The big trouble in post-Katrina, is seeing what you expected, or what you want to see. If you find yourself thinking that Katrina proves that you were right all along, you may be falling victim to your own expectations and not seeing what's really there. We can't fix the real problems if we're really focused on old agendas.