Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a Syrian-American painting contractor, chooses to remain in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina to protect his properties. As the levees fail and the city floods, he navigates the submerged streets in a secondhand canoe, distributing water and rescuing neighbors stranded on rooftops. However, his humanitarian efforts are cut short when armed federal agents arrest him at one of his rental units. Accused of terrorism, he is incarcerated in a makeshift outdoor prison at Union Passenger Terminal, where he is denied legal counsel and medical care while his family in Phoenix fears he is dead.
This narrative appeals to readers interested in civil liberties and the logistical failures of disaster response. It provides a documented look at how racial profiling and the suspension of due process can occur during domestic crises. Readers walk away with a specific understanding of how military and police bureaucracy functioned in 2005. The text illustrates the contrast between individual courage and the systemic paranoia that characterized the post-9/11 security environment in the United States.
- Published
- 2009
- Language
- EN
