Gustav

Tropical storm or hurricane, Gustav is snapping power lines and clogging drains in New Orleans, which is still suffering from the lashing it took back in 2005.

Almost three years ago to the date, Hurricane Katrina all but wiped the city off the map.

In 1803, the United States received a number of states from Napoleon Bonaparte in what was called the Louisiana Purchase. Bonaparte had bilked the indigenous people of the land in a famous swindle. Many American Indians warned the greedy white men who forcibly ejected them from their lands that the elements, controlled by a deity they know as the Great Spirit, would not allow their theft and indignations to go unavenged.

New Orleans has been hit by solid storms many times over throughout its history and remains below sea level. Current mayor, Ray Nagyn, has flirted with controversy throughout his term for his racist beliefs and incompetence. Though he called for a city-wide evacuation in advance of Gustav's landing, the storm has since been demoted to a Class 2 storm. Following Hurricane Katrina, the United States government fumbled relief efforts time and again.

Many accused the current administration of discrimination for their lack of response to Hurricane Katrina. Talk of reparations for slavery continues to rear its ugly head in current politics; American Indians have never been paid any amount of reparations, though America's European conquerors committed genocide on their race and culture.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008