Disasters At Hand Ignored By President Bush.

True to form and with a long-standing apathy for Americans in need, our esteemed president has dropped the ball once again when offering help and support for the victims of the California wildfires. A few words of sympathy and a vague promise to help victims was all Bush could muster at an already scheduled speech. Only after presidential aides scrambled to deliver facts and figures did Bush schedule a last minute and hurried trip to California. The disengaged attitude of Bush is reminicent of his poor handling of the Katrina disaster. The desperate cries of Katrina victims were heartbreakingly televised and painfully obvious for every viewer besides the president. Only then did Bush make a hasty trip to the Gulf Coast in order to dispel the impression of detachment and insensitivity. And to make matters worse, Bush was quick to place the blame on the local government.

Perhaps the Bush administration has lost the momentum and drive of a politician who’s running for presidential office. Despite the promises made during his bid for re-election, his “efforts” have fallen short and dissapointing to those he promised to serve. And to this day Bush continues to turn a deaf ear on the victims still in need in New Orleans. Thanks to Bush and his administation, residents are still left helpless in the aftermath of Katrina. The fate of the victims of the California wildfires is still yet to be seen.

Harboring A Pedophile?

It’s no secret that the Catholic church has been paying out millions in damages as a result of allowing pedophile priests to continue molesting innocent children. The church has a long history of harboring child predators and enabling them to continue to come in direct contact with their victims. After decades of sweeping these hideous secrets under the Catholic rug, the church has been forced to acknowledge, at least in the form of monetary compensations, that child sexual abuse has long been running rampant behind the secrecy of the pulpit. So, with all this said, what kind of self-respecting politician would allow an accused predator to be part of his organization? Apparently Rudy Giuliani because he’s hired an accused pedaphile to work in his consulting firm.

Although Monsignor Alan Placa has been accused by several altar boys and students of molestation during the seventies, Mr. Giuliani finds it acceptable to pay this man for his services. “I know the man; I know who he is, so I support him,” Giuliani said. “We give some of the worst people in our society the presumption of innocence and benefit of the doubt,” he said. “And, of course, I’m going to give that to one of my closest friends.” Right Mr. Giuliani, apparently you’re the only one left in the U.S. who knows that pedophiles are our friends, neighbors, relatives, teachers and clergy. Haven’t you been following the news lately?

Although several alleged victims have come forward, Mr. Giuliani isn’t taking this nearly as seriously as any responsible politician should. “This man did unjust things, and he’s being protected and employed and taken care of. It’s not a good thing,” said one of the accusers, Richard Tollner, who says Placa molested him repeatedly when he was a student at a Long Island, N.Y. Catholic boys high school in 1975.

At the very least Mr. Giuliani has a responsibility to look into the accusations made against his “long time friend”, the “honorable” Monsignor. It’s deplorable that any man, let alone a politician who is currently running for President of the United States, would blatantly ignore such serious charges. Perhaps Mr. Giuliani isn’t taking his political campaign nearly as seriously as he should be. I, for one, would never vote for a candidate who ignores his responsibilty to protect and serve those who’ve put him office.

Prejudice Is Alive and Well and Living In America.

Why do so many Americans forget what our country was orginally built upon? Immigrants from many countries settled here for economic reasons and to escape religious prosecution and political struggle. But now, over 200 years after the birth of our nation, we still hear stereotypical, racist and prejudicial remarks about certain ethnic cultures.

Depending on the geographical location, the prejudice varies. California residents are often quick to blame Mexicans for all that is wrong in the country. Floridians, many times, make derogatory remarks about Cubans. It’s not uncommon for New York City residents to make racist remarks about Puerto Ricans. Often stereotypes are so commonly used, they are assumed to be factual. According to Gustavo Arellano, author of “Ask A Mexican”, “what Americans know about Mexicans are tequilla, borritos and illegal alien savages.”  They fail to accept that Mexicans are hard working members of society who, like other immigrants (including their very own ancestors) who came before them, are simply looking for all the opportunities that native born Americans take for granted. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the way African-Americans are still being treated in the U.S. This ethnic group didn’t come here willingly and are still victims of intolerance and prejudice.  Take a look at New Orleans and you’ll have to admit that, if these were whites, these American citizens would never have been ignored and left to die.

Is prejudice something that will never go away? Are Americans always going to be mistrusting and unaccepting of every group of new immigrants? Is this just a right of passage that each group has to endure before becoming accepted as a true American? How sad that prejudice has become an American tradition.