Reality As It Is (ASB Day 3)

The Declaration of Independence emphatically proclaims that, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I would argue that the now notorious assertions made by the Declaration of Independence have become bankrupt in their application to reality. How can one have Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness without being given the tools to preserve them? American democracy thrives on the notion that the least among us have the same opportunities and rights as any citizen, however, the vestiges of Hurricane Katrina denote the more than apparent fact that societal and governmental hypocrisy is alive and flourishing. I have always known that oppression and discrimination existed in American society, however, this trip has shown me that an overflow of both can be detrimental not only to the citizens affected, but to the community at large. Appropriate policy implementation can only be held liable for a portion of the devastation seen in the greater New Orleans area, at some point the essence of humanity was forgotten, either purposely or through human error. The basic structure of humanity relies, to a certain extent, on the goodwill, compassion, empathy, and cooperation of all individuals within a society. This trip has shown me that that dependency is no longer a viable expectation; it has merely become an intangibility. Each morning as we drive to the work site of the home we are helping to restore I cannot help but become angry, frustrated, and downright pissed off. When did it become acceptable to leave entire neighborhoods bare of resources? I find myself lamenting on my inability to give a plausible explanation for this occurrence; My entire life has been built on the notion that the government cares about its constituents; that it was unfathomable to believe that government assistance was not readily available to any citizen. I now know for a fact that governmental assistance is stipulated upon ridiculous benchmarks and inconceivable social constructs of race, creed and mainly socioeconomic status. I am extremely proud of the work we have accomplished, the relationships I have forged and the dialogues I have had the pleasure of partaking in. Despite all the devastation and inhumane conditions we have been exposed to, we have all rallied around one singular and profound goal: Helping Another Human Being.


Devin O'Neal, Sophomore
Political Science
Resident of Building 10