Yes, I said it last year, but I don’t think you were listening. That’s okay because that’s also par for the course for the American populace. When E.F. Hutton spoke, people listened…remember that? Well, when God speaks, people hear what they want to hear.

I - and you too - witnessed another round of winter tornadoes (are winter tornadoes worse than summer ones?). It’s been a couple weeks and the non-stop media coverage has waned, but my heart still aches for the Indiana, Kentucky, and other Ohio Valley residents affected by the devastating weather. Many believe that God is the maker of all things - including tornadoes.

I recall respected Christian evangelical leaders attributing hurricanes and earthquakes to God’s wrath on a “single people” namely Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the earthquake in Haiti in 2009. I was appalled, as were many in this country that anyone could be so presumptive - in light of all the hell America has wreaked on people of color worldwide. Taking that judgment to heart, I’d give evangelicals the benefit of the doubt. If they were right, then it would be simply a matter of time before justice would come this way, that is, come to the USA. Hence, the God of politics…

If I were to take evangelicals seriously, then I have arrived at the conclusion that God is a respecter of political boundaries. With that in mind, I imagine God looks down at the United States and sees the same map on the wall that I see - just a smaller version - and, commences to plan the device of justice; in this case, tornadoes.

Is my theory questionable? Maybe - but, humor me for a few minutes. The recent tornadoes crushed Americans in both Henryville and Marysville, Indiana, and forged a path of destruction in West Liberty, Kentucky (where it immediately snowed after the tornado). Overall, the twisters killed 39 people and injured dozens more. God’s handiwork touched five states - Red States - in the country’s heartland. This only confirms my assertion from 2011’s spring tornadoes that God is watching the course of political events. With that said, is God getting our attention?

We’re quick to claim that “God is on our side” at sporting events - think Reggie White, Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow - or at war - think the Fort Bragg evangelical event or soldiers undergoing Spiritual Testing. We claim God’s “hand of protection” when we send our troops to kill, but who’s side is God on when natural disasters decimate our homeland? Do we have the heart to take responsibility for any wayward conduct that might have brought the devastation upon us? Does God have our attention?

I don’t find it ironic that the states hardest hit are states that voted Republican; the populace is mainly conservative - especially in their social policies, that is, policies that hurt the most vulnerable of our county’s citizens: poor people. Republican policies that drape Red States…that empower and enrich corporations and bankrupt the people (and no, I won’t invoke the “99%” right here) are policies that lower the taxes of the top income earners over the interests of the poor and working class. It appears God saw fit to even the scales. God is a God of justice, you know.

I just don’t see God standing silent while 1.4M Americans are forced to live on $2-a-day, or less, in the richest country on earth, the same space where the wealth of 1.8M Americans tops $2B. Don’t get me wrong: In a country of 330M people, those stark facts leave lots of people caught in the middle. I can guarantee you that those affected by the tornadoes are not in the top income bracket…funny how that happens.

I think God is trying to tell you something. Coincidentally, in Ohio’s Super Tuesday primary, Republicans Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum took the lion’s share of votes. All four “front runners” espouse policies h armful to America’s most vulnerable of God’s people (God didn’t create ALL people equal?) including those who will surely be disenfranchised by the Republican’s dogged push for voter ID laws. Cuts to affordable housing and threats to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act are just a few of the policies that won’t affect the rich but will affect the victims of these tornadoes. I hope Red State folk understand that. I hope that in the midst of their recovery, they vote for their interests and not against them, based on some superficial loyalties from days past. Rebuilding their towns and lives after a tornado, like rebuilding America’s broken economy and twisted revenue-generating scheme won’t come overnight. I hope these Red State voters remember this come Election Day this November. Even more so, if they listen to “anyone,” I hope they hear God and realize God is trying to tell ’em something.

BlackCommentator.com Columnist, Perry Redd, is the former Executive Director of the workers rights advocacy, Sincere Seven, and author of the on-line commentary, “The Other Side of the Tracks.” He is the host of the internet-based talk radio show, Socially Speaking in Washington, DC. Click here to contact Mr. Redd.