Centuries ago, before there were modern harbors, ships had to wait for the flood tide to provide the momentum needed before a large vessel could make it to port. The term for that situation in those days was called op portu. And during those days, boating and fishing were always considered laborious occupations that only the daring, those that loved the seas, and the most oppressed people would take. However, during those times it became evident to those that were trying to get to port that if they missed their OPPORTUNITY (the derivative of the Latin term op portu) to ride the flood tide to port, they would have to wait for another tide to come in before they could advance their position.

Since modern technology has advanced to the point where docking a boat at the port does not carry the same challenges of yesteryears and the information age has been able to give us some advanced hurricane warnings and valuable information on flood tides, why don’t we seem to benefit more by solving some of today’s problems – the same problems that we could not master in those medieval times? Therefore, how much of today’s government planning for disaster relief has led to failed policies, poor planning, or misplaced priorities? And how much of government responses to disasters (of any kind) is really the fault of bad management or may be related to subtle acts of racial discrimination?

The recent catastrophes caused by Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast region of America’s shores and the 2004 Tsunami that arrived on the coast of Asia are the most recent events that have given the public a closer scrutiny of those questions. Both catastrophes were classified as natural disasters. And in both situations, those natural disasters seem to have changed the lives and/or caused the demise of some of the most economically oppressed people in this world. And to say that oppressed people are usually the ones that more than likely do not have the means, opportunities, or the resources to escape disastrous situations in a timely manner, and are generally men and women of color, is an understatement.

The tsunami that affected Thailand, Indonesia and India in December, 2004, has claimed more than 226,000 people as dead or missing. Along with those figures, 1.7 million were displaced and more that 500,000 lost their homes. It should surprise no one that the beaches and shores where the tsunami erupted also claimed the area where some of the most depressed living conditions in this world happen to be. The numbers of casualties and fatalities are still rising from the damage left by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast region of this country. The entire city of New Orleans, La., with approximately 450,000 citizens, had to be evacuated after the storm left the region. A large percentage of those people also lived below the poverty level. And living below the poverty level means daily choices are always few and opportunities for choices are even less.

A recent poll shows that public opinion has now criticized this government’s slow response to Hurricane Katrina that hit the Gulf Coast August 28, 2005. It devastated New Orleans and killed possibly thousands in the region. And according to a study taken from Black citizens across this land, it indicated that racism has contributed to the slow response, dismal relief effort, and misery to New Orleanians.

Dennis Hastert, the speaker of the House of Representative, and an Illinois Republican said, “it makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that’s seven feet under sea level. It looks a lot like a place that could be bulldozed”. Barack Obama, the only African-American in the U.S. Senate said that “the administration has excellent responses when it comes to P.R., more detachment and less effectiveness when it comes to governing. I think that’s been true in Iraq. It’s been true across the board. And whoever was in charge of planning was so detached from the realities of inner city life in a place like New Orleans that they couldn’t conceive of the notion that somebody couldn’t load up their SUV, put $100 worth of gas in it, put in some sparkling water and drive off to a hotel and check in with a credit card”.

Without adequate resources most people have limited choices, sketchy evacuation plans, and even fewer opportunities. This is where the government is expected to provide financial support as the safety net to many citizens. And those that do not admit that the amount of opportunities that we receive depend largely on the society (affluent, progressive, or depressed) that we live in, are out of touch with reality. Therefore those who missed their chance to leave New Orleans in a timely manner experienced THE REAL EFFECTS RELATED TO A FEW OPPORUNITIES and had to wait for another tide to come in (or government assistance) before they were able to move to higher ground. Isn’t is amazing how much time has changed -yet how much seems to stay the same?