It has been asserted by scholars of human characteristics that conflict in life is inevitable, and it is a process that goes on every day and time that we live. They further note that conflict is healthy and what needs to be done is managing it constructively and objectively. Failure to do that it creates enemies between and among people from different places and regions. Humanity entails people from different regions that practice varied cultures with diverse cultural elements. The statement “the construction of an enemy dehumanizes those defined as enemy” carries more meaning and shows the developments that happen in society regarding various humanity elopements and attributes such as race, ancestry and ethnicity among other used wrongly against each other subjectively. However, my goal in this paper is to present an analysis of the stated statement by giving out examples in the lives of African Americans and Americans from the Middle East during and after hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Katrina occurred in the year 2005 the month of august that resulted into much destruction of property and life. Its effects were so devastating that it took long for people to recover and some have not recovered up to the current times. Issues that describe and define humanity such as race and ethnicity used wrongly that have propagated and enhanced hatred between and among the varied societies and people not only in the United States, but also across many other parts of the world (Bagch, 12). In the present times and days there is open discrimination, stereotyping, prejudicing and even intimidation based on what is termed by others as the natural givens. This gets noted to be done openly. It has penetrated so much into the society that it affects to some extent how services offered and response in terms of emergencies.
Most of the communities affected by the hurricane were blacks who formed the majority the people affected and Americans of Arab origin. There were people from other races who got affected too. The relationship between races has never been because of the stereotype and prejudice that dominates the societies (Rothenberg, 9). Dehumanizing people along their natural and human attributes only worsens the situation. This is what got felt to be replicated during the hurricane times. This is because the amount of response and help from the state and other private institution were minimal. It was also so slowly especially in communities that got affected and dominated by blacks and Arabs. Experts and human rights groups have tried to analyze the manner and the way in which responses done and conducted between and among the differences societal groups. There is clear evidence that it got done along communal lines. It is imperative to note that this was an emergency, and desperate times that people and the state should have come together without any fear or favors related to race, religion or social class and help all those who felt victims to the devastating effects of the hurricane Katrina.
International humanitarian principles require that emergency services have to be offered fairly and impartially without any discrimination of whatever kind. This philosophy and ideology has shaped much more humanitarian organization and encompasses them as part of the culture and principles that guide the conduct of the humanitarian and emergency organization in doing their work of alleviating human suffering (Calabrese, 5). This is to be done during, before and after disasters caused by natural events such as the Hurricane Katrina realized or caused by human attributes.
Poverty increases the vulnerability that, in turn, affects the magnitudes and impact of such devastating events. Most of the people affected by the Hurricane were poor who had vulnerable structures such as housing. This contributed to the highest number of victims who affected by the hurricane. Critics of the past governments and society relating to issues of human rights point that the society structured is a way that it limits the opportunities and potentials of people to succeed and give them a fair playing ground and the chance that can increase their potential in life, and thus they have remained in vicious circles of poverty. Poverty and lack of opportunities also makes one reside in an area vulnerable to a certain danger. From the mentioned statement at the beginning of the piece, it tells encourages us to put the fundamental principles of humanity before anything else (Stein, 1). Therefore, that should be the key issue that shapes actions at all times in relating to each other whether at the crisis time or not. The differences in society had been there over time. This scenario made it possible for the people of the entire world to see and analyze what society has to offer in terms of humanity principles.
In conclusion, the principles of humanity should be put first before anything else before, during and after an emergency event or even during times of calmness and quietness. All individuals have a responsibility to play in one way or the other regarding enhancing positive relationship between human beings. Humanity differences and characteristics should be used for the better and positively and not on the negative manner as noted and seen in across many parts of the society. Institutions both government and the public must put in measures that enhance positive development between the different people of the world. This can be done through establishing policies that foster good relationship and corporation between and among different people of the world.
Works cited
Bagchi, Amiya K. Perilous Passage: Mankind and the Global Ascendancy of Capital. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2008. Internet resource
Calabrese, Joseph T, and Susan Tchudi. Diversity: Strength and Struggle. New York: Longman, 2006. Print.
Rothenberg, Paula S. Beyond Borders: Thinking Critically About Global Issues. New York: Worth Publishers, 2006. Print.
Stein, Eleanor. Construction of an Enemy. Vol 55( 3) PG 1. Accessed on March 27, 2014. Available at: http: // monthlyreview.org/author/eleanorstein . 2003. Internet resource
