A National Day of Blame

When I was in Houston last week doing my part as a member of the liberal – elite –media, I had the pleasure of attending a Sunday service at a predominantly black Methodist church in Southeast Houston. The minister was an insanely charismatic and dynamically entertaining speaker who knew how to grab his audience by the bible and never let go. The choir rocked like an Earth, Wind and Fire concert, and the two leads could easily have made it to the final rounds of American Idol. The pews were filled with men, women, and children whose passion for Jesus seemed to ooze from their skin and they were often unable to contain their excitement. I heard more calls of “Oh God!” and “Oh Jesus!” than I had since the last porno I watched on the web.

In fact, the whole spectacle was so interesting that I told myself that if I could convince my wife to attend a similar church at home (she is a Methodist herself) I would possibly go with her.

Nevertheless, beyond the sheer freak show factor of it all, I was also engaged by the minister’s actual sermon. The reason we were even at this church was because a number of hurricane survivors were also in attendance. Therefore, the minister knew he had to bring this week’s message somehow around to Katrina. He explained that often in times like these people ask some very troubling questions:

1. Where was God?

2. If God was around, why did He do this?

These were very good questions, I thought and believe it or not, this minister had an answer. “God,” said the Reverend. “Did not do this to the poor people of New Orleans. When the storm came and went the city was still standing. Katrina did not destroy New Orleans. It wasn’t until the levees broke – the levees that man made - that all hell break loose in New Orleans. It wasn’t until the people went to the Superdome and the Convention Center and there was no food and water that all hell broke loose in New Orleans! The only reason any of you survived…” An with that he pointed to the twenty or so forlorn faces in the pews who had been shuttled over from the Astrodome. “Was because God was there and he saved you!”

The pews erupted with applause and screams and “Amens!” The minister’s face widened into Cheshire cat grin as he prowled the pulpit like a mountain lion who just bagged a jogger. “Home run,” he must have been thinking. “Out of the park!”

Now this all sounds good if you don’t think too hard about it. Sort of like the President’s proposed National Day of Prayer on September 16th (do we get that day off?). But I always think it is strange that on one hand this God character is supposed to be in charge of the whole universe and he gets to take credit for all the good things that happen while at the same time when something really terrible occurs he gets let off the hook. He is very similar to our President in that sense. Like Bush, it appears that God is blaming the local and state authorities for the disaster. I’m not sure that’s fair. If God can whip up storms, help the Patriots win the Superbowl, and influence the Grammy votes, then how come in thirty years he couldn’t convince Congress or any Presidential administration to authorize significant funds for repairing the levees? How come he couldn’t whisper into someone’s ear, “Hey let’s drop some food and water at the Superdome.”

I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that there were many people praying just before they went belly up in the floodwaters. A lot of good it did them. Since most of the white and wealthy people in New Orleans lived - many of whom I can assure you don’t pray – while so many poor, black, and church-going folks died – I can only assume God simply likes wealthy white people better and that God simply hates poor, black people and that’s why he makes them poor in the first place and then he layers on things like drug addiction, crime, and natural disasters. That these same miserable people are often the most devout is a curious dichotomy but no less curious than a burning bush, a talking snake, or an arc. So in plain English what I maintain is that He’s a racist. Forget the separation of church and state – Bush's proposal for a National Day of Prayer is a much worse affront. It is essentially state sponsored support of racism. It is as if Bush advocated National Klan Day.

Instead, I propose a National Day of Blame. Whether it’s Ray Nagin, FEMA, Bush, or Jesus, we need to pin this thing on someone. Once we do, as a nation, we can move forward. That is the American way. If nothing else, that is what our President and that minister have taught me.

You can always pass the buck.