The editorials come buzzing up from the pages of newspaper like a squadron of F-15 fighter planes, blasting America's leadership in the wake of the death and destruction wrought by Mother Nature. Most amazing of all are the comparisons to the attacks of September 11th, in New York City. The devastation of New Orleans renders 9/11 to little more than puddle on the beach of any ocean. Lower Manhattan is nothing, compared to scope of area that was the City of New Orleans.

The greatest difference between the two events, that no one seems to note, is the moment the first plane struck the first tower, the leadership of New York; the Mayor, the Police Commissioner, Fire Commanders, EMS, were all out in full force -- acting reassuring and sacrificing life in an effort to save lives. Katrina left New Orleans on Monday afternoon and the leadership of New Orleans never showed up. Was this absence of leadership a racially based decision, or a monumental collapse of that city's elected and appointed officials? Should this be an opportunity -- for those who fail to understand the way a system is supposed to work -- to broaden the racial divide?

There is a proper chain of command that goes into the response of any event, be it a petty crime, a terrorist attack or a natural disaster. It is the responsibility of County Government to respond, assess and appeal. By Tuesday evening, it became apparent to the entire world that the leadership of New Orleans didn't have a clue and the Governor of Louisiana, needed to step in. When did he step in and how long did it take him to realize that there was nothing his state could do? Only then is it a Federal matter.

The Fed stepped in, in full force and far too late, but with respect to the chain of command. This does nothing to ease the pain and suffering of those forced to watch loved ones die, waiting for food, water, medical supplies; a lousy blanket from the wealthiest nation in the world. An entire city has been wiped off the American landscape and the effects of this loss are being seen in the South by rising gases prices, layoffs, and delays in deliveries to local grocery stores. This storm, that came a month before the peak season even begins, can be felt from coast to coast. The ill effects are not going to quickly disappear. It is just beginning to rip through the economy and every American is going to feel it.

Is America a terminally ill nation or on the road to recovery? We are threatened by those outside of our borders as well as those within. We are a nation with major problems from our fuel addiction to poverty. This nation in which I grew, was once a thriving nation, a united nation, finding real solutions to real problems before disaster struck. We were a nation of real leadership, the kind that emerged one September morning in the City of New York. The leadership that ran from the beautiful city of New Orleans was absent long before Katrina came to town. From the smallest community to the largest city, are we going to find the cure for what ails this nation, or do we merely throw up our hands and watch the slow, horrible death unfold on the evening news?

Find a cure. You can make a difference and you can start now. It begins with a discussion; a topic that addresses the potential scenarios that would translate into a disaster, both natural or man-made. The conversation should be carried from the kitchen of your home, to the PTA meeting of your local school; from the religious institution you attend; to the neighbors that live next door. Who are the elderly? Who are the strong? What are their needs? All questions waiting for you to answer.