The Treatment of Refugees in America

I am waiting, and watching, with almost unbounded curiosity, to see if the rich white people of Southern California are treated as badly as the poor black people of New Orleans in their time of crisis. We can even have the battle of the football stadiums, since the field where the San Diego Chargers play football has been opened up for people evacuated from their homes, as was the Superdome in New Orleans.

I read today that little George was sending the “chiefs” of FEMA to the fire zones. That undoubtedly struck terror into the hearts of the people of Southern California. The military, such as is left after little George has sent all the people and equipment to Iraq, have been mobilized to help out. Heck, there may be a dozen, and maybe a few more, National Guardsmen still in the Western United States between tours of duty in the Middle East.

I remember the horror stories of New Orleans. The fire situation in Southern California is not precisely analogous. For one thing, the people who live in the homes that are in the path of the fire have enough money to evacuate, something that could not be said of the poor people of New Orleans. They are also getting more notice; these fires have been burning for days. The proof of the pudding will come after the fires are burnt out and people need help in reassembling their lives.

Even if the numbers of displaced people are equivalent, I am willing to bet that the treatment of these new refugees are better than the last bunch. I am willing to bet that very few formaldehyde-infused trailers are shipped to house the rich evacuees in Southern California. I am also willing to bet that very few of the burned houses will remain un-replaced years and years after the events of this week, as all those houses still are in New Orleans.

I will refrain from calling our current administration racist. I am not completely sure that it is true. But it certainly is elitist. Little George comes from a long line of elitists in the Bush family, and I will guess that there will be many more to follow. I hope that none of the current or future elitists are elected President. I cannot imagine, really, a more damaging trait for a President, or any politician, to have.


Comments

The Treatment of Refugees in America — 4 Comments

  1. Personally, I hope these rich SoCal people will raise holy hell with the insurance companies if they try to weasel out of their policy obligations.

  2. That will be interesting to sort out, AJ. I have not yet seen any figures on dollar losses, but having lived in CA for 25 years, I can tell you that those houses are *expensive*. The government has been a little lenient on insurers in the past and I, too, hope it does not happen again. Until every nickel that the carrier, and it’s holding company owners, has is gone, they should have to pay. That is supposed to be why they have reserves.

  3. Keep in mind, this time there is more awareness for the implications of natural disasters, Bush or no. Let this event be an example of people. New Orleans accepted everyone was to blame except their own mayor, who promised to then build a ‘chocolate’ city, and then reelected him. If they will accept this kind of stupidity… So again I say, let’s see how these folks treat their needy…

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