I'm watching the news. I'm seeing New Orleans.
I'm seeing volunteers passing out food and water and offering medical help. I'm seeing people smile and wave and be grateful. I'm seeing relief workers sharing meals with lost dogs. I'm seeing men and women who were hurt while venturing out into contaminated water to check on their elderly neighbors. I'm seeing concerned citizens directing doctors to homes of people who may be hurt, and who for some reason or another can't venture out of their homes. I'm seeing aid workers cooperating with victims to help worse-off victims. I'm seeing good.
And you know what? What I'm seeing, I'm seeing from black people and white people and all people, and I think this is what I'm gonna choose to take from this tragedy, and I think I'm gonna let this shape my view of the world. People helping people.
But I feel like I have to add something: I saw both black and white people helping and being helped and being grateful and courteous and warm. But I saw more black people than white people. I mention this in the hopes that those few that rushed to judgment after seeing mostly black looters will use that same logic in this situation. I don't particularly like that logic, the one that judges all members of a race based on the actions of a few, but as long as I see it's prevalent, I may as well try to turn it in a positive direction, even as I try to put an end to it altogether.
But that's not my point here. My point here is people are helping people in New Orleans, and you'll find all people helping all people in New Orleans. That's the worldview I'm gonna take from this. I hope you do the same.