Zeitoun: Part 5

It was the kind deed of a missionary in the jail that enabled Zeitoun to begin the process of bail. Zeitoun had asked him to call Kathy and he did, all it took was one phone call. The justice system should have allowed Zeitoun his phone call from the start, but he wrongly was never given one. Finally, Kathy knew the prison Zeitoun was held at, but no one would tell her the whereabouts. This worried Zeitoun's brother because he knew "a Syrian in an American prison in 2005 -- this was not to be trifled with...he had to be freed immediately." (Eggers 274) It's an unfortunate truth that he's right about that. Post 9/11 was an unfair time for people from the middle east. They were discriminated against and suspected for almost anything anywhere. The justice system would treat them unfairly like Zeitoun. Kathy was outraged she couldn't be told the whereabouts of the jail, but once she got the press involved they told her right away. However, they didn't allow her or anyone else testifying in the defense of Zeitoun in the court hearing. How could anything like this happen in America? At times, I wonder what is wrong with our justice system. Kathy had to get proof Zeitoun owned the house he was arrested in, she found the papers and he was soon released. What if that piece of paper had beed destroyed in the destruction of the hurricane? "Her husband might fall deeper into the abyss of this broken judicial system for lack of the paper." (Eggers 286) Without that paper, Zeitoun, innocent and highly respected citizen of the United States could have been in jail for years. How could our justice system have these major malfunctions? If there is one thing I've learned from reading this book, its that our justice system isn't perfect because innocent people can be thrown in jail. 

When Zeitoun was released, he and Kathy pursued information on the reasoning behind his arrest and the jail he stayed at. The government worried that "terrorists might target evacuation routes, creating 'mass panic' and 'loss of public confidence in the government.'" (Eggers 308) After 9/11, it seemed like the government, or at least George Bush's top priority, was terrorism. Sure there are terrorist out there somewhere, but that doesn't mean you put all your recourses toward finding them. Thats a whole other issue, but the point is that the government seemed to be more concerned with terrorism over saving its own people in its own country. "This complex and exceedingly efficient government operation was completed while residents of New Orleans were trapped in attics and begging for rescue from rooftops and highway overpasses. " (Eggers 311) This quote pretty much sums up the governments role in the devastation of New Orleans. It is true that the government is capable of doing many things very efficiently when its on top of their priority list, obviously New Orleans wasn't at the top. How could the people of the United States not be at the top of their own governments priority list? This book has really opened my eyes to see the faults in our, what I thought was near perfect, government. Zeitoun was an average man, and his experience could happen to anyone, and have happened to many. Its a scary thought.