We are faced with a reality usually reserved for third-world nations. In the event of wide-ranging devastation, a certain subset of our population will turn against any efforts to stabilize the devastated area. They will not only loot and pillage, they will also carry out acts which border on terrorism. In the recent New Orleans chaos, we've seen rescue vehicles- and even military personnel- fired on.
The media have already begun to offhandedly excuse a lot of it as merely part of the human condition, or the fault of general socioeconomic imbalance. It is, however, neither of these things. One thing is for sure: this cultural condition- whatever it is- combined with a worst-case scenario disaster on a national level, is what causes great nations to crumble. While, of course, we all hope to never find out what would truly happen if this toxic mix were to be stirred up, it is high time we address cultural issues along with the more physical, procedural issues within the realm of national security.
Who are these people that apparently live amongst all of us? The question is not what specific individuals were looting and killing in Louisiana during the hurricane aftermath, the question is which specific people would do the same in Chicago, New York, Des Moines, and Portland. How do we either change their psychological makeup, or remove them from society?
Maybe it means a criminal justice system that is less bent on relativism and forgiveness, and more on future security concerns. Maybe it means a government movement to get people thinking about the community and its security before themselves, similar to what was done in the 1950's.
- THE NEXT TEST, THE REAL THING -
Admittedly there are a lot more questions than answers right now. The answers require a shift in culture, which is never an overnight project. I am sure we'll come at least somewhat close to solving the issues of readiness and disaster procedure. The media and the government will most likely focus on this simpler issue.
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina showed no signs of a nation in the midst of any sort of war. If we're not going to take the war on terror seriously, then let's stop talking about it. If we are- and I believe by all counts we should be- then we must be a nation built for the worst case scenarios of a war. This means the military, the government, and most importantly the culture.
New Orleans in August, 2005 was a test. We failed that test. Our next big test may not be a drill- it may be the real thing.
