Our Gulf War

As to be expected, reports are coming in indicating this gulf coast tragedy here in the US could have been averted. Having no control over Mother Nature's inclinations, we ought to have some control over the infrastructure we build to protect ourselves and our citizens. In order to make sense of the Gulf War abroad, I've tried at times to rationalize that in the future looking back, sense will be found in what often seems like a senseless war. My fantasy is that we will say (or our children and grandchildren will say) "A dictator was eliminated and a democracy was installed." I try to look at the loses with that degree of projected optimism.

But today that's changed. To live in a world where the end justifies the means is inhumane and doomed. It’s one thing to focus on progress but how do we rationalize the cost to current generations? We are putting too much of our man and woman power and dollars into developing another region’s infrastructure when here in our own country our residents are suffering or living in vulnerable conditions. Take the levees for example. Documents on the books predicted this kind of disaster pending certain conditions. Who was in charge of gambling with Mother Nature? Projections declare it’s only a matter of time, due to global warning, for example, much of our coasts will be below sea level. Brings me back to Mother Nature. Could our choices, both personal and legislative, put Mother Nature and us back on the same team where ever possible?

In today's news a city representative declared that the upside of this disaster will be a surge in employment opportunities to rebuild these coastal towns. I'm willing to bet my beachfront property he didn't lose his home or his family members.