IN THE wake of Hurricane Katrina, some individuals in the public spotlight have used the disaster to advance a political agenda or play the race card in an inappropriate manner. This type of behavior is nothing short of selfish and reprehensible. However, thankfully, this is not true for the majority of Americans, including those here at our University and in our community who have strived to make a positive difference on the lives of those affected by the storm.
I'm not advocating for a complete disregard for race in this natural disaster; after all, according to the Associated Press, out of the three dozen neighborhoods in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama most severely hit, about 60 percent of the total population of 700,000 people were minorities. But this demographic breakdown doesn't translate into a justification to claim without substantive evidence that race and even racism was causal in the slow response to relief aid. We can and should have a detailed inquiry into what went wrong on the local, state and federal levels -- but these statements don't contribute to that initiative.
Last Friday, rapper Kanye West declared at a benefit concert, "George Bush doesn't care about black people" and said America is set up "to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible." West even went so far as to say, "they've given their permission to go down and shoot us."
Rev. Jesse Jackson lamented that a New Orleans shelter looked like "the hull of a slave ship," claiming that race was "at least a factor" and that "we have an amazing tolerance for black pain."
These heated proclamations are nothing but a political ploy, and they are unnecessary and counterproductive in a time of crisis. To make these statements when people are in dire need of actual assistance reveals the true intentions of such individuals --to stir up racial resentment and spark divisive sentiments, which doesn't solve the problem of finding people housing, jobs and helping them back on their feet.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a native Alabamian, put it best when she said in two separate appearances in response to criticism, "That Americans would somehow, in a color-affected way, decide who to help and who not to help, I just don't believe it ... Americans are generous to each other ... Americans don't want to see Americans suffer. Nobody, especially the president, would have left people unattended on the basis of race."
The racially charged rhetoric of a few shouldn't overshadow the tremendous spirit of the American citizenry, and this university as a microcosm of society must ensure that it doesn't in our community. To this end, it's evident that many have heeded the call to help out in any way possible, advancing positive and constructive ideas and solutions. The Charlottesville Fire Department has dispatched its interoperability unit to Mississippi and Louisiana to help repair communications systems. Community members and churches have collected donations to drive down to the area. The Charlottesville Hurricane Relief Initiative is providing housing and medical care for victims.
Our University, as well as several other institutions of higher learning, is admitting students displaced by the hurricane. Families across the country are opening up their homes and their wallets to restore some semblance of normalcy.
At this University, students are working tirelessly to raise funds and welcome visiting students. I had the opportunity to sit in on a planning meeting this past Monday of the Katrina Aid and Relief Effort. Members from other student organizations, such as the Virginia Service Coalition and the Asian Student Union, as well as Assistant Dean of Students Clarybel Peguero and Assistant Director for Student Involvement Stephanie Goodell, were also present. Two students from New Orleans are also playing an instrumental role in KARE.
The group already collected donations at Saturday's football game, hosted a benefit concert and it mapped out a strategy for coordinating with school councils, dorms, CIOs and local community groups, as well as organizing and publicizing a few large events over the course of the next two weeks.
What stuck out to me the most in the meeting was the repeated mention of ideas e-mailed to the group by dozens of students, all backed with enthusiasm, initiative and creativity. Amir Shahien, one of the co-founders of KARE, stated "All we're doing through KARE is channeling the efforts of other students that have been overwhelming." He commented on the immense generosity of the University community. Goodell summed student response up in two words: "overwhelming compassion." She also highlighted the role of the Office of the Dean of Students in encouraging collaboration between different student efforts so they will "all be more successful."
The synergistic effect of different organizations working together for a greater good was palpable. It was inspiring to witness such a strong, unified effort unfold. Let's hope that the sincere actions of many across this nation and on Grounds will drown out the impure and opportunistic motives of a vociferous minority.
Whitney Blake is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. She can be reached at wblake@cavalierdaily.com.
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