To the editor:

Katrina dropped a water bomb on America and eroded more than shoreline; Katrina eroded the edge of American civilization. Being at war in Iraq and hearing, daily, about man’s inhumanity to man seems to have inspired a new wave of Americans to act like terrorists. In New Orleans, the aggression toward aid institutions has revealed a seething underculture of disenfranchised, discontented poor. As we protect our “right to bear arms,” we also should be prepared to deal with those powerless people determined to use their guns as a way to wield power during a time of crisis.

Unfortunately, the aftermath of Katrina led to a state of anarchy. I worry that continued cuts to social programs and a forthcoming depression will send this country into the ugliest civil war ever seen. With a country divided so severely down the middle, how can we heal the rift? I’m preparing myself, mentally, for the day when I, too, will need to invest in a gun to secure my family. I’m afraid it will happen soon. Many people in the world believe that Katrina was sent to the United States by a god avenging the American destruction and occupation of Iraq. I guess what goes around comes around.

Megan Helm,

Lawrence