Mary E. Rogers
IS THIS AMERICA?
I watch the pictures flash before my eyes. My mind cannot comprehend what I am seeing.
Dead bodies trapped beneath rubble and debris; people alive with nothing but the clothes on their backs; hospitals with no electricity; generators failing because of rising water; no medicines for life threatening illnesses.
Hours have passed… now days. Ships are on their way. Five to seven days?
No food… no water… no shelter.
Armed gunmen – looters… roaming the streets.
People alive… trapped in the last air space in the top of their attic. Screaming for help… begging to be rescued. The rescuers come and go… their pleas go unanswered.
The death toll is 50… now it’s 100… now it could be 1000… now several thousand or more.
A War… a bomb… no an act of God! AN ACT OF GOD? I don’t want to believe that.
A third world country… no resources or money to help those lost souls. NO MY GOD… THIS IS AMERICA! WHERE IS THE HELP? Where are the choppers… the planes? Why can’t they air drop water, food, and medicines… at least the bare essentials to sustain life?
MY GOD! IS THIS REALLY AMERICA?
©Copyright August 31, 2005 by Mary E. Rogers
Dr. Leo Seoane, left, and Laurent Guérin try to navigate a route to Dr. Seoane's home in New Orleans