Disaster Bares Divisions Of Race

What would happen if the world as we know it was destroyed? Would there be panic and total ciaos or as human beings, would we have the instincts to stay controlled and work with the resources we have to stay alive? Would we join as one and work together or would it be every man for himself? Well all these questions are something of the past, so to say, pondered by some of the most well known philosophers (Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean- Jacques Rousseau). All in which came upon their own theories of what it would be like in a 'state of nature'.

Some may say that these theories do not apply to today's societies, but when looking at the situation happening in New Orleans right now, with Hurricane Katrina, you can clearly see the out come of what happens when the state no longer exists or in this case turns its back on the people.

In the article written by The Globe and Mail reporter, Christie Blatchford writes about what the situation is really like in New Orleans for some of it's citizens, the stories that aren't being told. New Orleans is seen as a rather diverse society in which 62% of the population is black and 28% is white. When the hurricane struck New Orleans many were trapped in their homes. While the white people evacuated the city many black people stayed behind, and as stated in the article 'not because they didn't want to go, but because they couldn't.' The people that were rescued from their homes and rooftops were all herded to Ernest Morial Conventional Centre, where you can't see a white person anywhere. The conventional Centre is packed with injured people who need medical attention, but there is no one to help. They were promised 300 buses but they never came. There is no authority, which adds to the severity of the situation. People are having a field day. Two girls were raped as well as a little boy, who also had his throat slit, and a women was attacked and assaulted. In the process she snapped both ankles, and though she pleaded with the police officers outside no one listened to her. There was one man who had enough and appointed himself the medic, Mr. Traham, who is relying on a high school first-aid course. The president, George W. Bush, talks about all the aid going into New Orleans, but the victims in the conventional centre have barely seen any. A man was almost arrested for taking a car that was parked with the keys still in it. He was trying to help his family, but after they refused to leave their homes out of fear he returned the car right where he had found it. Nine people have died Mr. Traham says, they have been placed in what has come to be known as the 'fridge'. Authorities or the police did not bring them there, they were brought there by strangers, who before this incident had no part in each other's lives but have become family.

Taking into consideration the state that New Orleans is in and comparing that to the Natural Law Theories of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau, there are some startling connections. As of right now New Orleans has no real form of government, no authorities and no one to lead them. Hobbes suggests that humans, in natural law state, are asocial creatures (avoidance of others), they do not like or want to be part of the group. This is reflected in the divisions of race in this situation. The whites separated themselves from the blacks (anything that wasn't white). The author also brings to light the segregation going on inside the centre. The Vietnamese have designated their own section within the centre. Hobbes' theory that in a natural state individual interests are incompatible with one another is seen as relevant in aspect of the government's neglect of it's people trapped in the Conventional Centre. It is not of convenience to the government to help out these individuals. The lack of government and authority is making the situation worst. Some individuals in New Orleans see this disaster as an opportunity to do as they please, knowing that there probably will be no consequences for their actions because there is no authority to enforce the laws. They can rape, murder and steal and there are no consequences because there is no one individual who has taken that responsibility to enforce the laws to insure that all human rights are preserved.

Locke's views are quite the opposite from Hobbes. Locke stated that in a natural state of law individuals would be social, working together to form a society and to establish co-operation. He also goes on to say that a state of nature does not have to be a state of war. This is reflected in the victims co-operating to make the best of a situation. In Mr. Traham who may not know much about first aid but who volunteered what he knows to help out the group in healing the wounded. You also see a glimpse of this when those two men came to Mrs. Hamilton's rescue after she had snapped both ankles escaping a man who was about to rape her. They were all brought together by Hurricane Katrina, many not knowing each other, but now they are all the family each other has for the time being. It is the realization of the need for other people and the need for co-operation in a situation such as Hurricane Katrina.

Rousseau believed that in a state of natural law social and natural could find a balance, that both could be in harmony. When looking at the case of Hurricane Katrina, there is no harmony between the two.

The overall state of New Orleans is one of disorganization. The government and the authority are not doing their part in maintaining the people's rights, which the people