The United States is a strange nation. We pride ourselves on being a free-market, capitalistic country, and yet in countless instances our government fails to provide adequate social and economic services that any modern, well-funded government should be able to provide. Our problem is that everything in the country revolves around money and pleasing private companies. The example in the article about Hurricane Katrina is a perfect instance where the government undoubtedly failed to protect and provide for its citizens. You’d think that with such a well-funded military (a bit too well-funded, in my opinion) and our practically unrestrained access to doctors and medical care, that our country would be more well-prepared for a hurricane. I remember when Hurricane Katrina happened, I was about 9 years old and I distinctly remember being so let down and confused by the fact that on the news I saw people with children being stranded in the streets with no food or shelter. And then where there was shelter–at the Astrodome–the living conditions were filthy, crime rates were high, and it basically seemed as though the government had no idea what it was doing. Even at 9 years old, I could recognize that there was something off about the countries so-called “disaster relief” programs and services.

Sometimes, however, our country seems to be able to unite when tragedy strikes. I can’t speak for the rest of the country, but I remember the city feeling like a different place after 9/11. Not just in everyone’s shell shock and horror, but in the way that everyone seemed to realize that in the face of foreign (or at least we think) threat, we must stick together and provide for one another as a community. My family was forced to move for a few months, since our building was only a couple of blocks from the Twin Towers. Every week or so, the Red Cross or another government service would show up to the school we were moved to, and make sure we were okay. They gave us stuffed animals, books, meals, and hand-written letters from children across the country, sending us their wishes for a brighter future and quick recovery. Although at the time, I could not fully understand why or how these things got to me, it was one of the first times I ever felt as though I was a part of a bigger picture–a city, and a nation. These are the things that cannot be allowed to be controlled by private companies hungry for money and advertising.