The Lessons of Hurricane Katrina Were Obvious From the Moment It Struck

"dazed refugees wad[ing] through the filthy water,"

"I been hearing about this is gonna happen for my whole life-how could they not have a plan?"

"ripped off the facade that for so many years allowed the nation's political class to betray its citizens without consequence,"

In late August 2005 a massive hurricane struck the Gulf Coast, inundating nearly 100,000 acres, destroying neighborhoods, and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee. Evacuation orders arrived too late for many and some lacked means to leave. Nearly 2,000 people died. Images of families stranded on rooftops, elderly residents left behind, and crowds packed into the Superdome made visible deep inequalities in poverty and race. Initial on-the-ground reporting described refugees wading through filthy water and decomposing bodies in the streets. The storm exposed a political system that had failed citizens without accountability.

Read at The Nation