PressEthic

Emotion, emotion, emotion. . . It’s ironic that the largest barrier to objectivity is by far the best tool of persuasion. Last week the television was riddled with impassioned pleas for help and horror stories in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After watching hours of news coverage and shedding a few tears with Oprah watchers, I was ready to concede that President Bush did it. People were starving, drowning, dying every day, and I was convinced it was all Bush’s fault. . . and I’m from a red state!

In the midst of unimaginable tragedy and disaster it’s human nature to make sense out of chaos by pointing fingers and placing blame. The people of New Orleans, local government officials, politicians, activists, and yes, even the media, launched an aggressive attack on the president immediately following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Clearly, people didn’t have food, water, or shelter. . . because President George W. Bush was a racist.

Almost two weeks after the hurricane struck land, tempers have calmed a bit, shock has been replaced by resignation, and cooler heads are analyzing the problems that led to the slow response. There’s a world of difference between the previous impassioned coverage and this September 9th New York Times article, Political Issues Snarled Plans for Troop Aid, by Eric Lipton, Eric Schmitt, and Thom Shanker. They say, “. . .Washington officials decided to rely on the growing number of National Guard personnel flowing into Louisiana, who were under Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's control.” They confirm that state and local governments share part of the blame for the botched relief effort. Duh! Did we really think it was all Bush’s fault? Or was it. . . wishful thinking?