The true moral failing

Barbara Santee, head of Tulsa Interfaith Alliance, writes the following:

Some people of faith are viewing this catastrophe as being caused by a moral failing by the people of New Orleans. It is a moral failing, but not on the part of the people of that devastated city. It is the moral failure of an impersonal government that did not heed warnings, that put valuable resources in what many people believe to be an immoral war, and cut budgets critical to protecting our citizens from this kind of overwhelming catastrophe. This is not a partisan issue. There is enough blame to go around for Democrats and Republicans. This is an issue of not caring enough about our fellow human beings to invest in protecting them. We have spent billions on so-called "home-land security" at the airports looking for nail clippers carried by 80-year-old women, and neglected to set up the minimal communication system for a disaster like this. I know many people on this list will not agree with me, may even get angry at me, but this is too enormous to let it pass and ignore the root causes. That's tantamount to pretending it's not happening. People of faith have and will rally to help in every way possible. The blame-making can wait. We need to help our fellow human beings in this time of dire need. I hope every church, synagogue and mosque attendee on this list will suggest to their house of faith that the collections this week go to disaster relief for these people.

--Barbara Santee, Moderator