September 08, 2005

Who Are The New Orleans Left Behind?

It's only a guess, but I think I know who the forgotten people of New Orleans are. I have no evidence, and I have not done any studies. Other than my own educated guesses and anecdotal evidence from watching the news, here's my guess about who the dead, dying, and left behind are:

-- they are African-American (we'll know exactly how large a percentage, at some point);
-- they are elderly;
-- they are the infirm and the ill;
-- they are dishwashers in hotels and restaurants;
-- they are busboys and waiters;
-- they are hotel maids and janitors;
-- they are musicians;
-- they are handymen and day laborers;
-- they are drug addicts and alcoholics;
-- they are the unemployable;
-- they are people working for minimum wage or less;
-- they are the mentally challenged and emotionally disturbed;
-- they are the carless;
-- they are the homeless;
-- they are single mothers working two or three jobs;
-- they are nightclerks and nightwatchmen;
-- they are horse carriage operators;
-- they are panhandlers;
-- they are street entertainers;
-- they are street vendors;
-- they are prostitutes;
-- they are gang members and drug dealers;
-- they are the poor of our country.

They were this country's left behind.

3 comments:

Lone Ranger said...

And if a storm had hit China Town, they would be Chinese. What's your point.

Stephen McArthur said...

Lone Ranger doesn't seem to get my point. Let's see. Could it be that doctors, lawyers, insurance brokers, bankers, hotel owners, financial consultants, accountants, dentists, stock brokers, real estate brokers, and most everyone else with the financial and transportation means was able to get out? If you don't care that there is such a huge class divide in this country, and if you don't recognize how that fact was played out in the aftermath of Katrina, then I guess you don't get the point, and I am certain, never will.

Anonymous said...

God has a way of punishing those who are worthless in our society.