I want to clarify for everyone that my last post was about visiting the area, not so much about getting aid to the area. I feel that it is the duty of the president to go to a major disaster ASAP to quell the fears, assure people that the country cares about them, and that action will be taken in making things better. People in a such a HUGE disaster need to know that the country is behind them, leadership is there, and things will be taken care of.
By waiting SO LONG to go to the area, and instead running around campaigning his causes and going to parties, he gives the impression that these people are not worth his time. And I believe he might actually feel that way, so why shouldn't the people devastated by Katrina feel that way?
When the people feel that their own president, couldn't give enough of a shit about them to come and try to bring them some leadership and comfort, well, as we have seen, it becomes everyone for themselves- utter anarchy.
Maybe a twenty-seven B-stroke-six form wasn't properly filed, but DAMMIT! This was a fucking catastrophe! The president should at the very least reach out to the people and let them know that he is doing everything in his power to help; that he fucking cares! And THAT he was NOT!!
I'd also like to reinterate that not everyone had a simple "choice" to leave. (see my previous post on looting). The people who are blaming those who got left behind have obviously never been really poor. Now I've never been so poor that I didn't know when or where my next meal would come on a regular basis, but I've been pretty close. When you are poor, NOTHING is easy! Evacuations cost people money. That is not something that poor people have the luxury of taking chances with.
I think I understand some of what DrMax is getting at. The people that are suffering right now are suffering because they are poor. And blacks and other minoirties carry a disproportionate weight of poverty in this country. This is an issue that whites like to ignore in this country; or worse yet, like to blame on the minorities themselves. Poverty is part of the institutional racism in this country. This is far too complicated an issue to address in this post, maybe another day. But I would like to agree with DrMax in that this issue needs to be addressed and that this disaster, in some way, brings the issue to the surface. People need to quit pretending that it doesn't exist. I'm not saying that I think that aid isn't getting to these people because they are poor black people or that the hurricane was racist and hit that area because it hated black people. Or that the president didn't go and show his face there because they were just a bunch of poor blacks who most likely didn't vote for him anyway...well, maybe just a little on that last one ;) just cause I like to cause trouble sometimes, and I can't help feeling like he just really loves rich, white guys.
I didn't see Bush off galavanting across the countryside waiting for the proper paperwork to be filed after 9/11. I din't see that pompous smirk on his face when answering questions from the press after 9/11. None one in his administration seemed to be unaware of the scale of human suffering going on on that day.
September 05, 2005 3:43 PM
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Posted by Deanna Zandt at 11:54 AM on September 5, 2005. The DHS chief evidently wasn't alarmed by the Tuesday morning headlines.
Hey, you have a great blog here! I'm definitely going to bookmark you!
I have a cardinal health blog. It pretty much covers cardinal health related stuff.
Come and check it out if you get time ;^)
September 05, 2005 3:53 PM
I was surfing online this morning for information on recording artists and their efforts to help Katrina victims. Then I landed on your blog and got a little distracted reading your interesting posts...
Could help spread the word on the latest news regarding music artists and helping Katrina victims?
Hurricane Katrina - southern United States - 2005
Over one million people lost their homes, their livlihoods and the numbers of those who lost their lives is yet undetermined.
Green Day, Alicia Keys, Usher and Dave Matthews have already agreed to be involved in a relief concert.
The concert will air live on three major music networks - MTV, VH1 and CMT. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross to aid US victims.
Thank you for helping to spread the word to the world, and, if you're interested in music downloads you might like this site for mp3 music...
September 05, 2005 4:35 PM
Hey thanks Music. So kind of you to leave us that info. It's not often a computer spreading ads through comments fields shows that kind of consideration. Kuddos to you.
September 05, 2005 5:21 PM
The host of a radio talk show told a story from a past flood when an old newspaper man was going out with copies of the paper. The host was appalled at the callous self promotion. But he went out with the old guy and when they found people who needed help, the old guy was asked,"Is that a newspaper there? Give me one." They wanted news of what was happening more than they wanted rescue.
As I watched my local coverage, the anchor asked the on scene reporter if the people there at the Convention Center in New Orleans knew the scope of the disaster and the reporter replied, "I don't know. No one has told me anything." I was thinking 'You are a reporter, go tell them!'
News should have been provided by the media on scene. The people of NO were still part of their demographic and should have known what we were seeing, too. Knowing that SOMEONE was on the way, even if late, would have made a lot of difference to the Katrina victims.
September 05, 2005 7:40 PM
Sylvana, I have ranted enough on my own blog that I didn't think I had anything left in me, but your words here "The people who are blaming those who got left behind have obviously never been really poor. Now I've never been so poor that I didn't know when or where my next meal would come on a regular basis, but I've been pretty close. When you are poor, NOTHING is easy! Evacuations cost people money. That is not something that poor people have the luxury of taking chances with." struck a chord with me. This latest slimy tactic by those selfish bastards in this administration of blaming the victims, makes me just want to scream. All they are doing is trying to cover their own inadequacies. My government here in Canada offered help the day of the disaster and they would not even consider accepting it until yesterday.
That is a crime and that little dictator and his band of thieves should be held accountable for it.
September 05, 2005 8:55 PM
SSB, to be fair to Bush, I saw the smirk after 9/11.
Richard, there were condolences and offers of aid coming in from all over the world by the 31st.
DrMax, I had to delete some spam on this post, but I decided to leave Music up because it was actually helpful and appropriate to the occasion.
Indigo Red, one of the most fearful things is the unknown. I think that information is one of the most important things to give these people right now. Those national guards could be passing out flyers- or even the news people. SOMEONE! ANYONE!!
Canuk, I'm touched that I touched you. Having come from poverty, I see this tragedy in a way that many others do not. I can't stand the way that they are portraying the victims. Tragedy and stress can make people do some very strange and often horrible things. Those who have not walked a mile in their shoes should not be casting judgement on them.
But you know, it's that damn bleeding heart liberal media doing this. Right?
September 05, 2005 9:26 PM
I can't get past the fact that everyone watched what the tsunami did last year and yet somehow managed to delude themselves into thinking that the levees would hold against Katrina's storm surge which is a tsunami. That's the real crime. People died needlessly. People are now suffering needlessly. They had enough warning time to evacuate the entire city. No one should have been allowed to stay in New Orleans. There should have been buses and planes and National Guard and all of that BEFORE the storm struck. There was time.
September 06, 2005 12:06 AM
So right, Old Roses. Whatever those people needed in order to get out should have been provided. This is a black-eye for the US. My friends outside the US ask how something like this could happen to the richest, supposedly most prepared country in the world. I tell them I don't know, and that scares me. It scares me that now other countries know how vulnerable we are, and it scares me that this administration, despite all the big talk and stomping of the feet and the asking for sacrifice and the spending of our money have yet to secure this country!
September 06, 2005 12:21 AM
I have been reading and watching all the coverage since it happened and although I don't know much about U.S. politics or policies I do know that aid came to these people too late. Sure they can say it was dangerous too soon, but how long could they really say it for? Besides, even it was too dangerous for them (so they say) couldn't they have dropped off food and water from helicopters? The whole situation just seemed disorganized; no one knew what the other organizations were doing and everyone was just taking too long to organize and plan. And I definitely think Bush should have arrived much earlier (wasn't he on vacation at the time?) to survey the damage. What does that tell the survivors when he manages to finally show up, take a quick look around, speak to a few people and leave? I wouldn't have much faith in him and the government either.
September 06, 2005 9:55 AM
As everyone has already said ive followed the coverage and read peoples opinions on other blogs.It seems everyone agrees that the poor people there have received second rate treatment.
September 06, 2005 4:29 PM
Jennifer, the very sad thing is that this administration is already spinning it into a "big liberal government is inefficient and dangerous" thing, when the real problem was that the President gutted FEMA after 9/11 (real smart, right?) and he didn't get off his ass fast enough to make sure that everything was running smoothly. This was a national crisis, not just a small localized one. He should have been there to lead. BASTARD!
June, they most certainly did get second rate treatment, but then, that is this country's policy concerning the poor.
September 06, 2005 7:02 PM
I received this from one of my readers who lves in Biloxi/Gulfport:
"Living in Gulfport Mississippi, our officials always tell us to have enough food, water, and money on hand for 3-5 days when hurricanes strike. It took exactly 3 days for the first trucks full of water and ice to reach us. If you are prepared, you can make it. I usually keep on hand a three week supply just in case. You never know.
What happened in New Orleans was incompetence on the part of Nagin and Blanco. Our governor called in federal assistance and had it in place and started coming in when needed. In fact, some of the supplies that were stockpiled for Mississippi at Stennis in Hancock County, hit hardest in Mississippi, had to be diverted to New Orleans."
Just thought you might like to hear from someone closer to the devastation.
September 08, 2005 12:45 AM
Thanks, Indigo Red. I do want stories from people that are there. I've been looking them up since last week.
Well, it's easy enough to tell people to be ready for an emergency, but what if you are living an emergency just about every day of your life? When they are struggling to get the things they need already, how are they supposed to have stockpiles of supplies?
And not to belittle the damage done to Mississippi, but I don't think that as large an area concentrated with that many people, such as the New Orleans area, was submerged and destroyed.
I agree that the local government was part of the problem too. But ultimately, it sits on the President's head. With that much of the country in need, he should have done more, whatever he could have, to try and get things under control and get help to the people.
September 08, 2005 7:48 AM