New Orleans

“A narrow and biased vision of the world leads to an ineffective response: In the case of New Orleans 2005”

After reading the numerous entries regarding this topic. I would now like to express my deepest thoughts. I base my arguments from a theological perspective. Natural disasters are apart of the climate conditions that shape our natural ecosystems.
The first statement that I would like to make in my case is that: “Man will be the cause of its demise”. Let’s take a trip down “history lane”. With the advent of technology-in particular the Industrial Revolution- the consumption of fossil fuels has no doubt degradated the natural environment. The hole in the ozone layer will and is causing a rise in ocean levels, through the melting of polar ice capes, or in brief the Greenhouse effect. The Greenhouse effect is impacting on the natural climate pattern-this change in climate is known as the El Niño effect. This then dictates the “extreme” weather patterns that the world is currently facing. Drought in Australia, floods in Europe, bushfires, tornadoes, the Tsunami of 2005, and now Katrina of New Orleans.
Natural disasters are considered from a theological perspective as a ‘natural evil’ (taking an Augustian perspective). Natural evil are such evils that occur without the intervention of man. Evil connotes sin and suffering.
It would be logical in arguing that the actions of man through the exploitation of the natural environment (to support our economic-capitalist systems) have acted as a catalyst for the occurrence of erratic natural disasters such as hurricane Katrina. To an extent there is some truth to this statement, in the drive for economic gain we have placed an opportunity cost on the natural environment-the consequence-the endangerment and potential extinction of our species, or even on a scale that toggles our imagination-the destruction of the Earth.
There is another type of evil-moral evil, which originates from human beings such as cruelty, malicious thoughts and greed. Our moral evil of greed that is embedded in human psyche has prompted a global economic machine that puts profits before people and the environment. An example; The Brazilian government continues to destroy the Amazon rainforest for timber logging, mining and farming. No doubt critics such as David Suzuki have stressed the importance of these forests as “the lungs of the earth”.

I have outlined mainly the causes of the New Orleans disaster. In my opinion the response has been ineffective due to a number of reasons. Firstly the magnitude of the disaster toggles our imagination; the size of the disaster area is “as large as the country of Great Britain”. Secondly I find the American government too proud to admit the extent of the disaster. America is the only remaining super power, their pride and arrogance has blinded them. It is ironic that they can send troops to invade other countries in the name of democracy (and oil, which relates back to my arguments on the environment).

To put it quite simply America can help others but they cannot help themselves.