New Orleans Relief

I have recently heard a number of editorials about how we are not doing enough for New Orlean's relief. Demands we rebuild the Ninth Ward for all the disadvantaged citizens who lost their homes to flooding. Some would even suggest the government must step in and "make these people whole".

First let me say that I am a resident of Virginia Beach. I live at the edge of the major hurricane risk area. Every year more hurricanes are going to hit the US, according to the prognosticators. Not just more hurricanes, but more powerful hurricanes as well. Every year we are going to see people who lose everything because of hurricanes.

With what we do for the people of New Orleans, we are going to set a precedent. Anything you do for the people of New Orleans, when (if) it comes to pass for me, I am going to be holding up my hand saying "My turn".

We are facing global warming. Sea levels are rising. As much as New Orleans currently lies below sea level, sitting "in the bowl" the bowl is going to become that much deeper in the future. Current cities that are now above sea level are going to find themselves, too, sitting in the bowl. Are we willing to spend as much money saving every community as we are willing to spend on New Orleans? Remember, my hand is waiting to shoot up too.

What about when the "next big one" (earthquake) hits California? Are we going to somehow tell these citizens they are not worthy of our help because "they should have known"? Can you tell me that citizens of California, facing the risk of earthquakes, should have been any wiser then the citizens of Southeast America who reside along the coasts?

If people insist on living as if they thumb their noses at danger and they are rewarded with a punch in the nose from Mother Nature, just how much money should we provide to them as they continue to insist on not changing?

The American people can not afford to bale out every American who insists on living like a fool. We can insist on shaking our fist at Mother Nature, but in light of global warming, in light of rising sea levels, we are going to lose.

It seems we have done this to ourselves this time, we have ourselves punched Mother Nature in the nose and now we see the fury for what we have done. We better learn to live with what we have wrought.

Should we help the unfortunate citizens of New Orleans? Yeah, I think this would be noble. But we should wisely help them to rebuild somewhere else.