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{1}"This morning I woke up in a curfew
oh God, I was a prisoner too -- yeah
could not recognize the faces standing over me
they were all dressed in uniforms of brutality
How many rivers do we have to cross
before we can talk to the boss
all that we got seems lost
we must have really paid the cost"
--Bob Marley; "Burnin' and Lootin' "
There has been a lot of discussion about the behaviors and treatment of the thousands of poor people who have had their lives devastated by the hurricane. I think it is worth taking a step back from some of the emotional debate, and to take an objective look at the situation, in a sociological manner. This should not require anyone to change their values as far as they relate to issues such as stealing or racism. But it may help to step back from our more passionate beliefs, and to look at the picture from outside the frame.
Throughout history, when large, urban nation-states have experienced either natural or man-made crises, those people who live on the margins of society often participate in behaviors we describe as "looting." If these people at the margins are culturally, racially, religiously, or ethnically different than the majority of the population, the "looting" becomes more aggressive and violent. A good example of this is when the Roman Empire began to crumble, and the Germanic tribes were burning and looting on the edges of the society.
This type of behavior becomes far more pronounced when the structures within the society break-down. What we might call "sub-groups" begin to impose their own "order." We see this with the gang activity that is being reported. This is one of the ugliest potentials for human behavior. This is something we want to avoid, not because we should be wringing our hands, obsessed that an unemployed thief is going to steal a nicer television that the one we worked for. This is actually about a luxury that we can't afford, and that is to become true warfare.
{2} "The great evil with which we have to contend is not the physical evil of famine, but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse, and turbulent character of the people. It is not the intention at all to import food for the use of the people of Ireland. (This is the) only way to prevent people from becoming habitually dependent on government."
-- Charles Trevelyan
The British government put Charles Trevelyan in charge of its "Irish policy" during the Great Starvation, when the potato crop failed. He viewed the starvation as "God's work." He believed it was a divine plan to get a lesser class of people off the land, so that it would be open for the aristocracy from England to take control of it.
Trevelyan believed in an economic theory put forth by Thomas Malthus in 1805. He noted that human beings were multiplying at a geometric rate, while natural resources were produced at an arithmetric rate. Thus, he concluded that an "elite" was destined to survive in luxury by exerting a powerful control over those resoures. This theory has a down-side for poor folks, however, because it is important that large numbers of them die at a fairly constant rate. Malthus identified things such as warfare and genocide as being as acceptable in the scheme of things as earthquakes and floods.
So, when there was a great starvation in Ireland (remember, there were bumper crops for everything except potato crops, and Ireland exported record amounts of food while people starved), the "elite" recognized it as God's way to clear some shanty Irish off the land. Now, we all know that was a century and a half ago. And things have changed. It's not like the US government would turn a blind eye to a famine in Africa, right?
For many people, this type of thinking is so foreign that it is rejected out of hand. They do not believe that it is so much evil that is creating the suffering in the south, as it is the hurrican plus the government's incompetence. Yet, even republican Joe Scarborough noted tonight that our government was very competent when a series of hurricanes hit Florida last year. And he said any politician who says they had no warning is a liar, not to be trusted.
{3}Q: Don't you incite, Malcolm? Don't you incite?
A: I don't think so. How are you going to incite people who are living in slums and ghettos? It's the city structure that incites. A city that continues to let people live in rat infested dens ... and pay higher rent ... than they pay downtown. That is what incites people. Who lets merchants outcharge and overcharge people for their groceries and their clothing and other commodities.... while you pay less downtown. This is what incites. A city that will not create some kind of employment for people who are barred from having jobs because their skin is black. That's what incites it. Don't ever accuse a black man for voicing his resentment and dissatisfaction over the criminal condition of his people as being responsible for inciting the situation. You have to indict the society that allows these things to exist. And this is where I differ from Dr. Hall."
-- Malcolm X; "Confrontation with an 'Expert'", from Malcolm X Speaks
I've read DUers say that this situation has nothing to do with race. I respect their right to their interpretation. But that is a dangerous lack of insight, in my opinion. It doesn't make those people "bad," it just means they are missing an important part of this picture.
I had a person I usually respect, though I often disagree with him, tell me that looting has nothing to do with property. Again, people are entitled to their interpretation, but it is missing the point entirely.
We have some choices. I am convinced that in the next few days, it will become clearer that Charles Trevelyan will be President Bush's choice to handle the situation created by the hurricane. The federal policy will put a great deal of attention on "property rights." And that threatens to take focus away from the human rights involved.
Ignorance and stupidity, which seem to come natural from Washington, DC, does not fully explain the failure to meet the human needs involved here. We need to offer people hope. We need to let the victims of the hurricane know that we will not allow the vultures in Washington control their destinies.
We need to use this as an opportunity to change the values in America. We cannot afford to allow the social fabric to unravel. We cannot have thousands of people starving and dying of thirst. We can't have gangs instituting a violent disorder, and making this country as dangerous as Iraq.
Do what you can. Thank you.
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