Jackson Free Press

Sept. 23, 2005

Mississippians should be proud of the way we've met Hurricane Katrina's challenges. Since Katrina, we've seen just about everything this world can offer – a lot of good things, some downright bad sights and some very beautiful people.

The Good: Let's acknowledge the good at every turn. Most Americans are good, generous people who help one another. It's our tradition. Alexis de Tocqueville, the Frenchman who traveled and studied early America, said, "When an American asks for the cooperation of his fellow citizens, it is seldom refused, and I have often seen it afforded spontaneously, and with great good will."

Almost two centuries later, it's still true. In fact, our state regularly is first among the 50 in per capita charitable giving. Individuals, donors, volunteers and businesses from our state, nation and world continue pouring aid into South Mississippi. We see that in the event of a disaster this terrible, it is individuals and the private sector who respond most effectively.

Some of the world's top companies and many charities and foundations have contributed to the relief effort in some way. But it's the Good Samaritans who have done the most. The faith-based groups have stood out from the crowd. And I'm not talking just about the big multi-national ministries, either. I'm talking about local churches, like Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson, where my wife Tricia is volunteering. They've been working furiously getting help to folks in need, and I know the same can be said about your church.

Perhaps individuals are making the most difference though. In what's left of my neighborhood, I saw a fellow from Bert, Florida, helping to clear debris. He just came over and started helping people. I didn't catch his name, but he's an example of what's good in America..

The Bad: There's no question that the initial federal response to this hurricane was bad, hampered by missteps and red tape. So let's candidly acknowledge that and change the bad. What we're trying to do in Congress is displace bureaucracy and status quo thinking with clear, common-sense approaches. We're passing legislation geared specifically toward the relief and recovery – tax relief for victims, incentives for businesses to hire people in the disaster zone, protections for relief workers from frivolous lawsuits or unreasonable liability. All these things are geared toward creating a new approach toward disaster relief – one that says "yes" to human needs whenever possible, and reserves "no" only for things obviously suspect.

We're trying to get folks back to work by waiving bureaucratic regulations or rules whenever possible – not because we necessarily want to do away with standards, but because we have to be flexible. To ensure we have, not just a recovery, but a renaissance, we've got to scrap the status quo and think boldly, unhampered by pre-Katrina conventional approaches.

The Beautiful: Admittedly, from a physical standpoint, outside of those eternal live oak trees, there's not much beauty along the coast right now. It looks like a mangled mess. But from a human standpoint, it's more beautiful than ever. That's right. Our people are resilient, resolute and obsessed with once again returning South Mississippi's charm.

A recent headline in The Sun Herald harkened back to John Milton's famous work, Paradise Lost, with a question mark behind it, as if asking whether Mississippi's recent progress and the place we all love will be stunted forever. It won't be stunted; it will be spurred to new heights. Every day we're learning that more and more, the beauty of Mississippi is not really in the things man does or doesn't do, but in the things God creates, in the hearts of people. It's that inner goodness, the lasting beauty, that abounds throughout Mississippi right now. And, it will always endure. (9/23/05)
Senator Lott welcomes any questions or comments about this column. Write to: U.S. Senator Trent Lott, 487 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 (Attn: Press Office)