It's interesting that President Bush has taken to emphasizing the outpouring of donations and support for the victims from religious organizations. That fits in neatly with what Greedy Corporate Republicans want (we'll donate, just don't tax us) and with what Evangelical Republicans want (church as the cornerstone of society, not government).
But these victims are not refugees or charity cases. They are citizens. Furthermore, they are citizens who paid into our society by laboring and building and paying their taxes. Admittedly, these from red state citizens that grumbled about their taxes and voted for GW. But that doesn't take away from their claims that they are citizens deserving of human dignity and new start. Their government owes them that. It's another Christian value called justice that we've not been hearing so much about in the rush to say that it isn't the government's fault and the government won't have to fix it.
And by the way what are former presidents Bush and Clinton doing raising money for state governments? Are governments charity cases too? Are we going to stop taxing and start donating to our government?
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2 comments:
The state governments of Mississippi and Louisiana are definitely charity cases at this point. Both states were already poor, and in their current state I don't think they could raise enough tax money to rebuild.
I agree with everything you posit,
except the red-state analysis. While "Loosiana" is a red state, the folks trapped by Katrina probably either didn't vote or didn't have their votes counted.
Sad.
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