When should we help?

No power. Nothing but darkness. You are huddled with strangers, joined only by the common bond of helplessness. Your husband is missing and there has been no word from him. You gather everything you can to sustain you until help arrives, but its been 2 days and no one is here yet. You can only hear the sounds of the crying.

When these events tear through the lives of our fellow man, what do we do? Do we have a calling as Americans to help? Is there an obligation? Does unavoidable catastrophe on such a massive scale require a different perspective when deciding whether one should do what they can to help? Would you feel different if it were you who were the victim, stranded in New Orleans, family gone and nothing left of your home? Would you wonder why someone would choose not to help?