Dependence on Government

Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina is showing us EXACTLY what happens when we depend on government and act as though they are to run our lives. For days I've been hearing that people that want to help the victims need to donate money and STAY HOME. If we came down to help, we'd only complicate matters and get in the way. So, like many Americans, I found my desired charity and made a donation, and then prayed. Then the next morning I'd tune in to the news and see that some people still have not eaten or drank anything for days. There's mass confusion. People don't know where to go and they have no communication. But we all wait for the government to come in and fix it. The victims are waiting to hear from the government and they're doing what the government is telling them to do: go to the SuperDome, go to the Convention Center, go to I-10, buses will be coming, food will be coming, etc. Caring people wait for the government to give these people some relief. In the mean time, the suffering continues.

What if we didn't depend on the government? People would do what one Florida man did-take matters into their own hands and help out. The Florida man brought four of his air boats and began rescuing people. He didn't wait for Uncle Sam to give the thumbs up. And the rest of us wouldn't either. Thousands of us would load up our cars and trucks with water, food, clothing, and supplies and we would head down there. How would the disaster look if we depended on each other? If we didn't depend on the government? Individuals don't have to wait to put together a coordinated plan. Individuals don't have to wait for clearance from upper level management. Individuals don't have communication problems with other branches. In the four days that I've watched people dehydrate and starve, how many caring individuals across the country could have gone in and taken care of these people?

Many people will say that we need more tax dollars and more government, but they fail to realize that more tax dollars and more people will not streamline a response, it will not make it more efficient. It will just make our government bigger. This is an opportunity to see exactly why we need a smaller government. I wouldn't be sitting behind my computer, immobolized and unable to help.