Pastor Ross is a Guest Editorialist
with the Daily Herald Newspaper, Naperville, IL.
Rev. Ross is pastor of the Philip R. Cousin AME Church in Naperville

Click here to return to main news page.

Before Katrina most Americans had never seen so much chaos; the crying, dying, frustration, anger, missing family members, people stranded on housetops for days, daring rescues, grief, devastation, homelessness.

Not even the president of the United States, the former director of FEMA, the mayor of New Orleans and other governmental officials — not even preachers, doctors, teachers, firemen, policemen and just ordinary citizens — had ever seen the likes of Hurricane Katrina.

So given this, how could anyone really accuse the president, FEMA, the mayor of New Orleans and others of not responding soon enough. I do not believe such accusations. There’s no one to blame, just a lesson learned, and experienced gained. The slow response was not a black thing, nor a poor thing, nor a lack of preparation on any one government’s part — our leaders were in a state of shock. This was the nation’s worst natural disaster, so no one had enough experience in dealing with such a tragedy.

But when everyone came out of shock, they all began responding to calls for help from hurricane survivors in the most professional way they could.

The key is that survivors are now on their way to recovery. America is even more beautiful now than it ever was before. Her beauty is seen in people helping people. Americans have opened up their homes, wallets, purses, schools, colleges, churches to hurricane victims like no one has ever seen before.

The city of Naperville has exemplified a true spirit of compassion in its relief efforts. From neighborhood lemonade stands to residents of Naperville organizing campaigns to raise money, collect clothing, water and nonperishable foods, toiletries, etc., to local businesses donating to the cause.

Students in Naperville Unit District 203 and Indian Prairie Unit District 204 raised more than $120,000 between them to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims.

Doctors and nurses who work at Edward Hospital went to the Gulf Coast to provide medical care to Katrina’s victims. They faced both minor and major medical problems.

There have been far more charitable efforts from Naperville; far too many to give them all mention in this space.

Lessons have been learned Katrina — and Hurricane Rita.

Because of Katrina, when people are ordered to leave an area that is about to be hit by a hurricane, most people will now take it more seriously.

When a mandatory evacuation was issued for the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Keys areas in the most recent hurricane, people heeded it — even in New Orleans. Worries went up that Rita could hit the city again, bringing heavy rains that would have caused the levy protecting the city to break once again.

But worry has eased with such a great outpouring of love and compassion. The true spirit of brotherhood, sisterhood, motherhood and fatherhood has risen to higher heights in Naperville and the rest of America.

So we can all sing “America the Beautiful” with even more passion and commitment in spirit of patriotism. Yes, Katrina took a lot from America, but because of Katrina America has become better than before. America is still beautiful.

Pastor Ross can be reached at pastorross@philiprcousinamec.org