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Distinguished Professor Dr. Charles Figley provides expertise to article on Puetro Rico a year after Hurricane Maria on
Dr. Charles Figley, Paul Henry Kurzweg Chair in Disaster Mental Health and Distinguished Professor at Tulane School of Social Work, was quoted in a Detroit Free Press article on "The hidden injury Puerto Ricans still feel a year after Hurricane Maria."
“Overall, the sense for both places was, ‘Does anyone give a (care)? We’re here without all of this, we’re part of America, and it seems like we’re treated as second-class citizens. We don’t count. And when we speak up, there’s pushback and it gets worse,” he said. “The lack of hope, sense of abandonment, diminished confidence in the government.”
As a former Marine, Figley said the neglect toward families that have given so much to America during World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, is a disgrace.
“Our elected officials like to appear to care about our military families, but they don’t really care,” he said. “It’s just a good thing people have spirituality and religion. It’s important during times like these.”