Focus first on helping, not on race, class issues - The Clarion-Ledger

Focus first on helping, not on race, class issues - The Clarion-Ledger: "At the convention center, starving babies were exposed to corpses, violence, lawlessness and general chaos. Residents were dropped off and abandoned. When the media arrived, evacuees chanted 'help.' Conditions were similar at the Superdome, which became unfit for human habitation.

The images were chilling and sad. Still, some of us, in the comfort of our living room, could only see race and class. We couldn't resist the temptation of passing judgment on people struggling for life. This is unAmerican.

Rescue the priority

President Bush on Friday acknowledged the obvious: the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina was poorly executed. Assistance was too slow in arriving in New Orleans as well as locations on the Gulf Coast. Good for the president."