Scheer’s assessment of who’s at fault in disaster

Re “The real costs of a culture of greed,” Opinion, Sept. 6

Only Robert Scheer could put such a distorted new twist on the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. According to Scheer, it’s our entire economic system that’s to blame. Of course, the present administration is singled out once again as the government of “big business,” but I don’t believe that our economic system began with George W. Bush’s first term in office. That Scheer has turned this natural disaster into a chance to make another screed for his socialistic views is the height of absurdity. As the blame game continues in Washington with the bloggers and pundits, it might behoove the rest of the nation to begin seeing this tragedy in its true light. Hurricane Katrina was a disaster caused by nature, not by a political party or our capitalistic system.

CHARLES REILLY

Manhattan Beach

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Bravo, Mr. Scheer, for telling it like it is. His column illustrates how little we have done -- what we have even “undone” -- for the poor and marginalized in America, brutally exposed by Hurricane Katrina. What makes a bad situation even worse is that the majority of people supporting the Republican right-wing culture of greed say that they are Christians. Jesus said, “I tell you, whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me” (Matthew 25:45); apparently, these so-called Christians have abandoned Jesus.

JESSICA KRUG

Manhattan Beach

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Sheer is clever enough to observe that the hurricane has ripped off “the affluent mask of the United States,” but not so clever as to realize that what undoubtedly will be an unprecedented re-construction of New Orleans will quickly reaffix America’s “mask.”

ROBERT JOHNSTON

Rancho Palos Verdes

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Scheer said what I haven’t been able to say but felt. Where was our federal government last week? Where was our president? He’s supposed to lead -- but we don’t have a leader. God help us.

ANNIE LLOYD

Culver City