Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.

there has also been quite a bit of partisan noise on the right. I have seen several sites that seem more concerned with ridiculing Bush's critics than with refuting them - in other words, as thousands of our countrymen die, it is silly business as usual. This demeans the situation, in my opinion. Have some class.
American media pundits and bloggers have also felt free to take verbal pot shots at the international community for its lack of visible offers of aid in the first few days after the storm hit. That's cheap. The world doesn't view this nation as one that could need help after a hurricane. We are known for taking care of ourselves, and everybody else - not for needing assistance. Heck, one of the biggest complaints about the US is that we are too unilateralist - we handle everything without help. In the Netherlands, they are incredulous that the USA could have levees that would fail. (Army Corps of Engineers comments on the levees here.) They can't believe it any more than you can.

But once the international community realized that US citizens needed help, they came forward to help. The issue isn't that they are callous - it's that, well, when was the last time this country needed aid because of a natural disaster? Or for any other reason?

That said, the government response has been completely inadequate, and there is no denying that, whatever your political stripes.

Even the most libertarian person must recognize that it is the responsibility of the government to establish order for the safety of the citizenry financial institutions.

For the city governments, including Biloxi, Gulfport, and especially New Orleans, the response was immediate but ineffectual. At that point, the state must step in. Louisiana and Mississippi have not been able to establish order quickly. At that point, the federal government must step in. The requests for this should have come more quickly, and the response should have been better organized and should have come more quickly. It is your responsibility as a citizen to demand better planning than this. There is no reason for people to die in these ways, this long after the storm. Especially here in the USA.

I hope there is no discussion necessary on this. I cannot imagine anyone disagreeing, so I won't expand on this point. I just hope people can stop feeding the partisan fires, and pull together to help the people along the Gulf. Start at home - your community may have some of those who have been displaced. For example, there are displaced families enrolling in the schools near my home, and the kids don't have supplies, clothes, friends, or an ounce of hope. This will play out all across the nation - possibly down the road from your house.

You can point fingers all you like, and I will argue the politics of it all with you - once the streets are dry, the electricity is back on, and the fresh water is flowing.

Once the dead are buried.

Want to help Katrina's victims? Please do.