So amazingly, there was no mention in George Bush’s speech about the largest humanitarian disaster the United States has ever seen. None of the dusky heroes waving from the gallery were Katrina-related, although Dikembe and Wesley’s stories are admirable. There were no updates on assistance. No commitments to re-build the region. Just nothing.

Maybe if we ignore the Gulf region, they’ll go away and stop asking for help. Maybe people will stop caring. I don’t think that’s true though. Both Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D) and Susan Collins (R) — powerful Congressional women — has looks of pure, barely disguised hatred/disgust smoking from their faces during the speech.

I think politicians who think that the American people have forgotten about Katrina are deluding themselves. The people of Houston and New Orleans certainly haven’t forgotten. The compassion and commitment to support those impacted by Katrina, both inside and outside the black community is there. But the leadership, save for John Edwards and his announcement from the region, is not. Why is that?

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