By the Numbers: In Katrina’s Wake, Race and Class Largely Ignored
By the Numbers: In Katrina’s Wake, Race and Class Largely Ignored
“That’s the big elephant in the room: the race and economic class of most of the victims, which the media hasn’t discussed much at all.”
– Jack Cafferty, CNN, 9/1/05
ThinkProgress has conducted a review of transcripts from the three major cable news networks over a full week — Saturday, Auguest 28 to Saturday, September 3 — for coverage of the race and class issues exposed in Katrina’s wake. The data demonstrates clearly that all three networks are still, to a greater or lesser extent, ignoring the “elephant in the room.”
The Findings, By the Numbers:
0: Number of segments in which race or class issues were the primary or substantial focus, over four days, 8/28-8/31, on all three networks.
22: Number of segments (of roughly 1,300 total) in which race or class issues were the primary or substantial focus over the full seven-day period on all three networks.
12: Number of the 22 segments that aired on MSNBC, the highest number of any network. CNN featured 8 of the 22 segments.
2: Number of the 22 segments that aired on Fox News Channel.
[Note: In both segments, Fox anchors downplayed the role of race in the Katrina disaster aftermath. During the first segment, a 9/1 broadcast of “The O’Reilly Factor,” Bill O’Reilly described himself as the “one person in America that believes that this doesn’t have anything to do with race. Here he is, sitting right here.” During the second segment, a 9/2 broadcast of “Fox & Friends,” a clip of Kanye West’s comments during an NBC relief program were played. Two anchors — Juliet Huddy and Julian Phillips — agreed that “it was an inappropriate place to make those remarks.” The third anchor, Steve Doocy, said that “NBC should have had a producer with a finger on the button” to censor West’s comments.]
7: Number of the 22 segments that aired during primetime (between 7pm and 11pm).
1.6%: Proportion of all segments on all three networks over the full seven day period (roughly 1,300 total) that focused on race or class issues.
3.8%: Proportion of all segments on all three networks over the final three days, 9/1-9/3, that focused on race or class issues.
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75 Responses to “By the Numbers: In Katrina’s Wake, Race and Class Largely Ignored”
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Great work. Was wondering who would be first to do this.
September 4th, 2005 at 7:55 pmOn these issues, print and e-media have really set themselves apart. TV has really dropped the ball on this.
September 4th, 2005 at 7:56 pmThe Bushy Bearded Iconoclast explains the reason behind the slight.
http://www.storytimedolls.net/mmff.html
September 4th, 2005 at 8:04 pmGauleiter O’Reilly is an able propagandist
September 4th, 2005 at 8:08 pmFrom the desk of Reich Fuehrer Bush
Thank you Gauleiter O’Reilly for all your good propagandist works on FOX news.
Now report to headquarters for immediate shipment to the Iraqi front because you know too much
September 4th, 2005 at 8:11 pmWhat in Gods name are you people talking about?
September 4th, 2005 at 8:17 pmYalli
There is God and then there’s the devil. And the devil is in the white house.
September 4th, 2005 at 8:21 pmYalli
SOme proof that the devil resides at 1400 Pennsylvannia Ave
Bush family and slave labor at Aushwitz
September 4th, 2005 at 8:22 pmhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/ usa/ story/ 0,12271,1312540,00.html
I grew up in Chicago. I can state with conviction that racism is alive in America. It is more underground and more whispered in “proper” circles, but it is most definitely there. It underlies nearly everything political, from schools to employment. People today don’t want to label themselves as such because (at least where I live) they are fairly well educated and intellectually, they can’t reconcile that emotionally they are racist.
September 4th, 2005 at 8:27 pmWhat I really like is the line being repeated by the gument that dead bodies floating and lying around will not spread infection.
If that’s true, why bother burying anybody. Hey jsut mulch em all up -
Soylent Green, for those old enough to remember.
September 4th, 2005 at 8:38 pmOr maybe they are preparing us for the Warsaw ghetto mentality
Just ignore those dead children over there and keep working
September 4th, 2005 at 8:40 pmI have to say that I tend to agree with O’Reilly on this issue. The storm, the flooding, the devastation and the relief effort really have nothing to do with race.
My financial contribution to relief efforts was not earmarked for any particular race. The group from my church which spent a week this spring putting together relief kits so they could be stockpiled didn’t care what the race, or even the nationality, of the recipients would be. The volunteers and military personell from my community that are already on the scend never stopped to ask the racial makeup of those who needed help. Frankly, those who assert that the federal governments response lagged due to some inherent racism of Mr. Bush seem to be inhabiting some fantasy land.
That being said, were blacks disproportionally affected? Well, of course they were. Blacks comprised approximately 2/3 of the population in New Orleans. Does someone want to make a credible case that hurricanes posses some racist tendencies? The victims of the Mt. Saint Helen explosion were disproportionally white because the folks living around there were mostly white. Anyone capable of rational thought can figure things like this out.
I’ll quote a lady from my church today who said that injecting race into this has gotten a bit tiresome. She said this during a session where we were trying to figure out how best to aid and support those evacuees who were being brought to our city. Again, she didn’t care what race they were, she was just trying to figure how to organize getting them clothed.
I’m tired of being branded a racist just because I attend a mainline church and tend to vote for conservative or libertarian candidates. I’m equally tired of “racial pimps” trying to inject race into every tradegy that comes down the pike.
That doesn’t mean I’ll quit supporting efforts financially or quit volunteering my time. I do these things because it’s the right thing to do. However; from now on, when I hear a charge of racism from a politican or “activist”, I’m going to assume its a baseless charge unless I see substantial evidence.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:02 pmTom —
I don’t disagree with much of what you’ve written. The point is clearly not that the hurricane was “racist.” The point is not even that the slow response was based on conscious attitutes towards African Americans or poor people.
I think the prime point is driven home when one compares the response to Katrina to the response in Florida before last year’s election, when four hurricanes hit. Then, the relief couldn’t be organized quickly enough. $31 million was distributed by FEMA to Miami Dade Country, which was barely damaged. For various reasons, Louisiana and Mississippi didn’t elicit the same time of fevered response.
Moreover, I think the race and class issues brought to the fore by Katrina aren’t necessarily issues that are causally related to the hurricane — they were simply “exposed” by it. The best piece on this was by David Brooks:
September 4th, 2005 at 9:11 pmMuch of our racist attitude resides in the subconscious and is not brought into consciousness until events such as this force us to become aware.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:16 pmGeorge Bush used his radio address this Sunday to actually blame the people of New Orleans for his own massive failures.
This President is the most reprhensable piece of garbage I have ever seen.
George Bush and his pathetic administration have cost thousands of lives, and instead of apologizing he is actually blaming the State and City of Louisiana, and New Orleans.
If the Democratic party doesen’t stand up for the brave people of Louisiana, it will be INEXCUSABLE.
Democrats need to expose just how heartless, cowardly and incompetent this administration is. George Bush hasn’t just dropped the ball, he actually threw it in the garbage, If Democrats don’t unite to show the country what a failure George Bush is as a leader, I will give up on them as a party.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:43 pmRace in America — a topic worth much discussion within our body politic. Was racism the driving belief behind the total meltdown of relief in the aftermath of Katrina? I would argue it was more of the old battle of class warfare. This, by extension, means warfare on those who are of a race different than the core of the GOP. However, I don’t believe that there is overt racism in the GOP. No, I believe it is much more heinous than the color of your skin; it is how much influence each American can purchase within this government. Racism can be pointed to with proof, but economic bigotry is much harder to define and, therefore, prove.
We have seen five years of economic bigotry. Congressional acts such as: the initial tax cuts for the rich with Halloween candy thrown to the middle class; a constant state of war that sucked up the economically vulnerable into the ranks of our military; a second round of tax cuts solely for the wealthy; a Bankruptcy Bill, which loaded the burden of the financial industry squarely upon the backs of the middle class and the poor; an energy bill, which gives the money of the middle class and poor to the Oil Industry; basic infrastructure gutted across the country. The above are all Republican congressional acts of arson on the American social contract of “protection of the weakâ€.
So, when the right wing shrills that liberals always use “the old class warfare argumentâ€, we can answer, no, it is the continuous class warfare the right elite has always used. Now we will be stuffing it down their throats. May they choke on it, like those starving in New Orleans.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:48 pmOr maybe they are preparing us for the Warsaw ghetto mentality
Just ignore those dead children over there and keep working
Comment by cmw
YOU MIGHT JUST BE RIGHT. Look at these so called leader’s family history. If you want some links, let me know.
September 5th, 2005 at 12:22 amWeird that basically no visitors to this site basically give a shit about this issue, judging by the number of comments. Wonder why that is… (not trying to be a smart ass, I’m honestly curious. Why dont people care about this?)
September 5th, 2005 at 1:30 amGary,
I find that weird too, to be honest. Maybe it’s just the holiday weekend aspect…
September 5th, 2005 at 1:31 amNo one will admit or concede to the fact that the entire “Governmental” response to the disaster in New Orleans was INTENTIONALLY geared to suppress (read eliminate) the poor “nigras” (all Blacks are Nigras but not all Nigras are black)of New Orleans. However, no one with a rational sense of logic, common sense, and reality can deny that the end result was tantamount to a condemnation of the New Orleans Black populace. “We told them to leave” is a hell of a long ways from helping them get out. For the Bushies who have difficulty with my language you may equate it to the walk, look, quack, and feathers of the proverbial duck. If you disagree just prove it was not a duck (pun intended).
September 5th, 2005 at 1:39 amIncompetence or Racism?
Which will Bush choose
September 5th, 2005 at 1:58 amWell here I am again, Very good article Citizen80203. For 5 plus years I have been screaming about the Bush bunch. These blood suckers (all of them) have had one thought in mind since Bush took office, probably before that, to get Iraq and run this country to appeal to their base which they created with the help of radical, rich, right wingers that are driven by relegious sound bites. They lie, blatently steal and send our best off to war to serve their own money grubbing manufacturing. War and relegion are big business. We the working class, poor and elderly are not nor ever will be on their ajenda, no matter color. This present tragedy unfolding before my eyes 24/7 since last monday has put a knife to my heart, at 64 years old and in poor health I am going to fight, march and continue to scream for our people untill this evil bunch is arrested, tried for treason, war crimes against Iraq and America, civil rights violations against all our people in the south and around the world. I am moved to rioting myself. Bush is not worth one of our citizens who have died here or in Iraq. He is now and has been for years hated around the world. Maybe now people will see the photo opps timed with the troop arrivals and realize it took this monster 5 days to start to do his job. I would bet his response time for Rehnquest replacement will come quicker. I watch, read and listen to all sides even though he makes me gag…Bless Texas and all the south, Please every one do what you can to end the war in Iraq and here. No matter age, color or ecanomics.Arrest, Impeach get this bunch all out. In closing, yes it is about color, unless you have giant piles of green money you don’t exist.
September 5th, 2005 at 2:36 amPlease forgive, I forgot a couple of big deals, just in case some here wern’t watching as much as I have been able to. The Salvation Army was all over the situation down there with hot meals in excess of 40,000 plus every day from Wed. on. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow push Coalition had busses in front and loading at the terrible center and news choppers and ground news media filmed parked busses 2 blocks away that were told not to go there because of possible rioting. Yes, we need some big time trials over all this mess and our losses. The Bush bunch is lamenting this is no time for finger pointing and all their kiss a** bunch are following suit. I’ve got 2 fingers for them, the center one on each hand. Arrest and prosacute them all including Rice and Rummy.
September 5th, 2005 at 3:17 amAttention white people:
Here’s how it works…this might sound familiar. You know how when black people move into your neighborhood, you instantly put your house up for sale, because you don’t wish to live in a ‘black neighborhood,’ and because you figure property values will go down (and they do, because at the firstfew black faces, white people flee selling their homes for little of nothing).
Well, think of many of those states below the Mason Dixie as ‘Black neighborhoods,’ due to the sheer numbers of blacks who reside there. Mississippi, Arkansas, New Orleans, Alabama, etc.
When a crisis arises, where we need the system and Homeland Security to expend the resources that I as a tax payer have been paying into my whole life, they will be reluctant to do so.
Just like the wealthy white neighborhood schools all have computers while the poor black ones have like, 2.
Expending money to save black Americans by this administration is not going to be priority — it may not even be a conscious neglect - as most racist actions are forms of denial and just well, automatic due to institutionalized racism (i.e., when I’m at a store counter and the clerk looks past, and through me, to help the white person in the same general area…that clerk would be highly offended if someone labled her a racist, as she may be a church-going family woman with what she thinks are good values. Nonetheless, I didn’t warrant help - the white customer did.)
As a result, this is what you get when masses of African Americans are in need. I recently readastory about one Katrina survivor who had lost her 2 year old son, as she tried to exit the bus that had brought her to the Houston Astrodome. Her baby was taken off the bus, and as she tried to exit - she was sprayed in the face with mace, and told to stay on the bus.
Yes, she was black.
Would that have happened to a white mother trying to flee Mt St Helen’s who has lost her toddler?
I say HELL NO. You can say whatever you damn well please, but if you care about this country and want to see it healed of the evil that is racism and class-ism that has dogged it for it’s entire existence, you’d better recognize the obvious - it exists, it’s real - and it manifests itself in all forms.
You know it your damn self, and to try and sweep it under the rug, and dismiss my experience as well as others, just makes people like myself loathe your type with every fiber of my being. Wake. the. hell. up.
September 5th, 2005 at 4:05 amThis present tragedy unfolding before my eyes 24/7 since last monday has put a knife to my heart, at 64 years old and in poor health I am going to fight, march and continue to scream for our people untill this evil bunch is arrested, tried for treason, war crimes against Iraq and America, civil rights violations against all our people in the south and around the world. I am moved to rioting myself. Bush is not worth one of our citizens who have died here or in Iraq.
Comment by Sharon Cox
I feel the very same, anyone with an I.Q. above 40 knows these are facts. and yet we are the only ones that dare speak about our evil appointed official.
Take heart, their ship is sinking fast. I see dumbya and the bunch acting out the warden scene in the Shawshank Redemtion……..
It follows suit that dumbya will follow in the footsteps of his hero Hitler, when everything is lost, while cowering in his bunker and the knock on the door is imenient…. BANG!!!!
September 5th, 2005 at 4:44 amAt least that will save us (or is that the U.S.) the expense of a impeachment ….
September 5th, 2005 at 4:45 amDear Puppet, I agree. I’ve been awake since 1941. I am of the poor working class, now old and ignored and treated the same as you. My neighbors are all the same, poor, black, white. None of us move eventhough we live in low rent we can’t afford the gas to go, because we all care about each other we probably woulden’t any way. Were all considered to be trailer trash, but were not. Our hearts have been broken for years and now our people are dieing. I am angry and have been working non stop since last Tues. in my small way to make a diffrence for our people. This country needs a giant shift of compassion for her people starting with saving lives and making the one’s at fault pay for their crimes against our people. Please forgive any of my mistakes and I’m not being condesending here if that’s the right word. We need good leaders. I am sick at heart and screaming all week. The curse words I have been screaming don’t compare with our losses…Blessings
September 5th, 2005 at 4:48 amBless you Sharon, my prayers are with you. I admire you tremendously - the world needs more heroes and stand-up people like you.
I certainly don’t mean to lump all people in with those that treat some of our citizens as ‘invisible’ people. I just recognize that some need a wake up call, they’ve been so inundated with Limbaugh, O’Reilly and Rovian propaganda, that they immediately refute any and all examples of racism and/or classcism.
Thanks again - and keep fighting the good fight - you’ve got a sister in arms thinking of you!
Take care!
September 5th, 2005 at 5:04 amhttp://www.irishexaminer.com/ pport/ web/ opinion/ Full_Story/ did-sgBrwFlltozussglO-LCk0lQvU.asp
September 5th, 2005 at 9:53 amI’m with you, Sharon Cox!
September 5th, 2005 at 10:23 amDidn’t anyone see the old man in his old car who said that when he managed to drive to the highway late in the week, he was turned back to the city by armed men in uniform?
September 5th, 2005 at 10:41 amMayor Nagin also reported that in late week, some people had managed to WALK to the highway but when they neared an upscale neighborhood, they were met with guards and attack dogs and told to return to the city “for their own safety?” Or was it for the safety of the stores and their inventory located not too far away from the highway.
Am i the only one getting this vision in my mind’s old eye of numerous camps being set up across the US wherein the poor–mostly african-american, some latinos and a few euro-americans–will be living under tents and dormitory roofs surrounded by chainlink/razor wire fences???? It is clear that the wealthy who have been displaced can collect on their insurance, liquify some assets and rebuild their lives. It is also clear that a couple of hundred thousand people have lost the homes, in which they have lived and owned multi-generationally in the poorest parishes and sections of the Gulf, will not be able in any way to resurrect the economic resources in order to start over. Massive dislocation of the poor people of color is the beginning of the era of the Camps of our fascist future.
September 5th, 2005 at 11:57 amWhat is lacking (and growing daily) is compasion in this country. If you doubt it, look at the people in the white (that one is ironic…white) house.
September 5th, 2005 at 12:46 pmbtw, I’m white, but I do care about people. (I don’t view neo-cons as people thought….Am I racist?)
September 5th, 2005 at 12:47 pmThank you Puppet, Maria and others that agree with me and helping to wage this fight of freedom for our people. I am not the hero, I am mearly the voice added to millions, I hope, to end our daily tragedies. My hero is the one of thousands of beautiful faces, the young black mother with 3 babies in her arms asking on national T.V. for help for her family.” Please, send food, water and help me find my husband.” She is my hero and all the others there and now around the country. She and all the people there are holding our countrys future in their arms. All our history is in the face of the grand parents holding their grand babies. Our present is in the hands of all the neighbors and small agencies, with out the lies and fanfair that have been working round the clock to rescue and try to help their neighbors. Another fine hero is the old man with the shopping cart full on pedia lit, pampers and formula for the babies at the center. Let them say looting one more time and I will go into overdrive. Getting help for our babies and supplies like food and water for our people is not looting and if the powers that should be had done their job and locked down the gun shops first off and opened all the stores with supplies second, had massive evacuation that was on stand by and food and water droped immediately non of this still mounting tragedy would have happened. They knew, they knew, and the basterd waited 5 day’s. Look for me when we start marching, out front with a No more Bush war’s in Iraq and America. I’m nobody special, they are and untill I cross over I am going to be like a rabid pit bull fighting for freedom and equality. Spyder, they had better treat our people with love, kindness and respect as it appears Texas is trying to do. If they don’t I’m going to riot. …..Blessing to you all. P.S. the basterd took less time to put Roberts name forward for Rehnquest than responding to our people dieing..Heartless basterd. Mother bush you saved the wrong thing when he was born, we would of been better served if you had kept the afterbirth.
September 5th, 2005 at 1:48 pmThank you Puppet, Maria and others that agree with me and helping to wage this fight of freedom for our people. I am not the hero, I am mearly the voice added to millions, I hope, to end our daily tragedies. My hero is the one of thousands of beautiful faces, the young black mother with 3 babies in her arms asking on national T.V. for help for her family.” Please, send food, water and help me find my husband.” She is my hero and all the others there and now around the country. She and all the people there are holding our countrys future in their arms. All our history is in the face of the grand parents holding their grand babies. Our present is in the hands of all the neighbors and small agencies, with out the lies and fanfair that have been working round the clock to rescue and try to help their neighbors. Another fine hero is the old man with the shopping cart full on pedia lit, pampers and formula for the babies at the center. Let them say looting one more time and I will go into overdrive. Getting help for our babies and supplies like food and water for our people is not looting and if the powers that should be had done their job and locked down the gun shops first off and opened all the stores with supplies second, had massive evacuation that was on stand by and food and water droped immediately non of this still mounting tragedy would have happened. They knew, they knew, and the basterd waited 5 day’s. Look for me when we start marching, out front with a No more Bush war’s in Iraq and America. I’m nobody special, they are and untill I cross over I am going to be like a rabid pit bull fighting for freedom and equality. Spyder, they had better treat our people with love, kindness and respect as it appears Texas is trying to do. If they don’t I’m going to riot. …..Blessing to you all. P.S. the basterd took less time to put Roberts name forward for Rehnquest than responding to our people dieing..Heartless basterd. Mother bush this is for you, you saved the wrong thing when he was born, we would of been better served if you had kept the afterbirth and flushed gw. For ever one else please forgive my valid insults I do not wish to offend any of you.
September 5th, 2005 at 1:59 pmPlease forgive the double post, only had and learing my computer for a year. It was not intended.
September 5th, 2005 at 2:14 pmWithout any trolls hanging around to defend President Bush, I guess it is up to me. Lovell #25 mentioned IQ. Now granted, G.W. only has an IQ of 91 and the lowest of any presidnent in the past 50 years (Clinton’s was 182); and granted, he was a drunk and drug abuser until he was 40; and yes, he can’t read much above a 4rd grade level; call him incompentent, detached, aloof, vain and shallow. I’ll give you that. Even arrogant. And I’ll also grant you that he really does have a Napoleon Complex being shorter than his daddy and Bill Clinton.
But correct me if I’m wrong, he is not really a bastard as Sharon called him. Unless, of course unless you are using webster’s definition meaning “something of irregular, inferior, or dubious origin.” Somebody has to step up and defend the president of our country here.
September 5th, 2005 at 3:06 pmYep, thats right irregular, inferior or dubious origin. The cage is rolling but the gerbals are gone, have been since day one. Sorry Joe, I have nothing good to say about a murderer even in jest, Our people here and in Iraq are dieing, 24/7. I have given all I am going to give to this bunch and any one supporting them, left, right and center if you are not for the people and our country get the hell out of my way. Save our people, country, enviroment and wild life….Blessings…
September 5th, 2005 at 3:47 pmBush, Cheney, Rove, et. al looked about them on 8/29 and their first, very first, thoughts were 1) how to use this to their advantage, financially and politically. Bush’s first meeting after his vacation was with Alan Greenspan to determine possible financial repercussions from the disaster. Rove’s first thoughts are political - arrange those Potemkin photo ops for Bush, call the regular toadies and give them their talking points, set up guest appearances on all the tv shows to start placing blame anywhere other than the White House.
September 5th, 2005 at 3:54 pmKeep tuned in to CNN and our web sites. We will not let our people die in vain, not one, not now. This is our time, our beginning our renewal and the wake up call to the rest of the world. We have been struggling since the 50’s with a minor reprive when Clinton was in. Now let’s take it back and keep it (freedom and civil rights for all ).
September 5th, 2005 at 4:10 pmOh! Disaster . . .
What can one do?
It can happen anywhere
To me, but mostly you!
Oh! But FEMA’s got some
Itty bitty tricks,
So you are unprepared
And we can get our kicks!
Funny floods and tornadoes!
Or a shit your undies ‘quake!
Don’t even try to be ready!
For it’s complete heartbreak!
Disaster unpreparadness
Is our responsibility!
And blaming you’s important
To our agency!
Children helping people
Is what we say!
FEMA’s like your blanky-
Soiled- each and every way!
Hey! When disaster strikes?
September 5th, 2005 at 5:59 pmWe’re just like you!
Prepared all the time
To shit our underoos!
The demons at Faux News are having a poll on the handling of Katrina. You folks know what to do….
September 5th, 2005 at 7:04 pmhttp://www.foxnews.com/ story/ 0,2933,168286,00.html#poll
Nico,
Thank you for your post. I guess I’m having a hard time understanding a lot of the criticism of the response from a standpoint of race or racism. For the life of me I can’t believe the the response by the Red Cross, Salvation Army, many churches, countless unorganized volunteers and yes, even FEMA and the military has been dictated by any racial motivations. Perhaps that makes me an idiot or perhaps I’m just blind.
However; I know that UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief, my denominations response group) is not motivated by race. We prepare and stockpile relief supplies all year long so they can be shipped as soon as a need arises. We don’t even know what country the supplies will go to when we purchase and pack them so how could race be a factor? One of my friends is a soldier who has been involved with the military response since last Tuesday. He has made numerous trips down on C-130s taking in supplies and soldiers. It is inconceivable to me that he is motivated by race.
I can redily believe that FEMA has dropped the ball. But really, it is more likely that that was due to racism or just garden-variety governmental incompetence?
Frankly, the only people I have seen that have injected race into this are the Congressional Black Conference and a few others that I will lump together under the term “race hustlers”. Forgive my frustration but I’m beginning to get a bit weary hearing people insist that the Bush administration in particular and conservatives in general are just waiting for a chance to put the hoods and robes back on and start burning crosses. That’s not remotely true with the people in my circle of acquaintace and I just don’t think that I’m all that unusual.
September 5th, 2005 at 7:54 pmSorry Tom, I don’ agree, race and ecanomics were the main deal here. Have been for year’s and still are. In fact I think if it werent for the pipe line and the refineries down there Bush would not of been there yet. One other big point he took 5 DAY’S to do anything while our people were dieing. 5 DAY’S. of dieing babies and adults. He even mentioned the pipe line and refineries while on his photo opp on Friday in the hanger with Rove at his side. I had my T.V. on 24/7 from Tues on and had written scathing emails to governors and senators to help starting Tues. One other thing siteing me to riot condition, he spent 36 hours to put judge Roberts up for Rhenquests position. Again, did you all get it. 36 hours to appoint another extreme right wing millionair the favors from his help in the 2000 election. Sorry people, my spelling and composition is terrible and at my age I know I am costic to many, but, I am self educated, well read and in the know about politics, enviromental and world wide issues…Like every one else I have an opinion and mine is extremely left…..I have lots of battle scars and wrinkles to go along with the above…Blessings.
September 5th, 2005 at 8:46 pmDear Tom, You’re not an idiot and you’re not blind,you’re just an American. Americans can’t see racism in their society like most kids can’t see paper in trees. We were never taught that the only reason the United States is the “richest”, “most powerful” country in the world is because of it’s use of racism, genocide, oppression, despotism (of other countries) and now, under the Bush administration, nepotism. We were never told, plainly and simply that the wealth and privelege white people enjoy is because of the slavery of Blacks, exploitation of Asians and theivery and genocide of the Natives. Bush was never told that his forefathers only got rich by stealing land, oppressing the poor, exploiting his privelegd status and war profiteering, but now he’s caught on after a few failed businesses and some tutoring by the old masters. He’s lacking in the finesse that the rest of us has ingrained in us from grade school. GW is only stupid to the extent of not having ever exercised his intellect until after he got in power, so the only thing he knows how to do is maintain what he has by doing what his predecessors have done.
September 6th, 2005 at 12:20 pm[…] (via thinkprogress.org) […]
September 6th, 2005 at 2:59 pmThank You! Um Nur..You are a much better writer than I.
September 6th, 2005 at 3:53 pmIt’s hard work being president.
Lame lame lame.
No John Roberts for me, please.
Help Katrina victims.
dada dada dada
September 7th, 2005 at 8:26 am“[Note: In both segments, Fox anchors downplayed the role of race in the Katrina disaster aftermath”
I think the lesson here is that if you can’t say something nice about the Negro in New Orleans, don’t say anything at all.
September 7th, 2005 at 9:43 amOh my! Here’s something you won’t think is very nice.
“I am beginning to believe that black people, no matter where in the world they are, are cursed with a genetic predisposition to steal, murder, and create mayhem.â€
I didn’t say that, this guy did.
http://www.jamaica-star.com/ thestar/ 20050902/ cleisure/ cleisure1.html
September 7th, 2005 at 11:03 am#14 - Nico - NO Republican could have moved fast ENOUGH for you!!!! I know - we should have posted the relief trucks and the Nat’l Guard at the “City Limits” - BUT let’s not worry if they are blown away or injured. Relief is moved in AFTER the hurricane blows through - NOT DURING!!
September 8th, 2005 at 4:55 pmYep, thats right irregular, inferior or dubious origin. The cage is rolling but the gerbals are gone, have been since day one. Sorry Joe, I have nothing good to say about a murderer even in jest, Our people here and in Iraq are dieing, 24/7. I have given all I am going to give to this bunch and any one supporting them, left, right and center if you are not for the people and our country get the hell out of my way. Save our people, country, enviroment and wild life….Blessings…
Comment by Sharon Cox — September 5, 2005 @ 3:47 pm
Yes, Sharon!!!! It’s about “the people” of this country - not the right, left, upside down or whatever. It’s “us” against those that try to lump us all into the same base. And being angry is great - BUT - the angier & the whining shown by the Democratic Party officials (Howard Dean, shutup and go home!) only makes people tune them out, soooo, let’s channel the angier we’re all feeling over this and the bozo’s response and denial, into a useful and productive fight against all the crap that has turned this country into what looks and acts like the old USSR
September 9th, 2005 at 12:49 pmRacism, patriarchy and capitalism is killing American society. All three are linked to Hurrican Katrina this way: Racism and capitalism kept thousands of people trapped in New Orleans by the hurricane because they did not have the means to evacuate. Capitalism caused the goverment to be more concerned by “looters” instead of people who were starving and swimming in their own feces. Patriarchy enables White wealthy, clueless men like Michael Brown to be in charge of an organization when he is clearly not qualified enough to run. America, give us your poor, your weary. Bullshit.
September 9th, 2005 at 10:49 pmI’ve seen it best stated as thus:
Many of the people hardest hit by this tragedy are people who cannot afford cars or even a bus fare to get out of the city. They couldn’t have left because they had people they needed to care for, the only thing they knew was their home, and know they don’t even have that. It’s not that they didn’t want to evacuate, it’s that they could not.It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what people comprise of this group.
I’d even venture to say that it isn’t race necessarily, but financial status/income that plays a role. I’ve seen people without much money be treated like this even in a large, nationally known university financial aid office. it’s sickening, but it does happen. I don’t want to focus on all of the carnage that’s occured in LA, but I feel it’s my job as someone who is esentially sitting on the sidelines and has a third-person perspective to help show where the responsible parties went wrong. I’ve donated all that I can and then some (more than just $7.74, for those of you who read that article)- and now I feel I need to act.
September 9th, 2005 at 11:16 pm#54 - “Racism, patriarchy and capitalism is killing American society.” - Kathy Henry-
September 10th, 2005 at 6:10 pmTheir are several things Hurricane Katrina proves, besides the predictable tripe of the previous quote.
1.) The welfare state creates and perpetuates poverty. Welfare becomes the “New Daddy”. It should be used for short term emergencies or dire circumstances - not a WAY OF LIFE.
2.) Much of the incentive characteristic to human nature is squelched by the welfare state and poverty/race pimps (viola! the “Reverends” Jesse and Al). If a person is penalized for achievement, amazingly, they will under-achieve. This includes shopkeepers as well as those imprisoned by the welfare bureaucracy.
3.) NOT ONE EVIL capitalist in MSM criticized the taking of food stuffs, H2O, diapers, tennis shoes, etc. EVIL capitalists did criticize, as IMMORAL, the stealing of TV and other electronics, guns, liquor and jewelry.
4.) The truly poor and unfortunate should not have had to slog their way through vile water - but then, how would the squishy progressives be able to exploit them without such horrendous pics?
Dear Mighty Aphrodite
I am truly sorry if you are riled up by my quote, the “predictable tripe” but if you looked at American society objectively, these three evils are killing the society we live in (sexism too). I live in one of the many inner-city neighborhoods that until Hurricane Katrina did not exist in most Americans minds, where jobs do not exist, drug dealers own the streets and welfare is a joke. It is easy for some Americans sitting in air-conditioned homes, well fed and clothed and feel smug about the the poor people on the low end of the economic totem pole and say that what happened to the poor in New Orleans is what they deserved. Ghetto are not born: they are created by a greed me first society.
September 11th, 2005 at 9:37 amKathy - Thank you for presuming so much about me!! NOWHERE did I say that the poor of New Orleans deserve what they got. Those school buses should have been mobilized PRONTO!! Gov. Blanco should not have turned away the Red Cross and Salvation Army with the excuse that she needed the roads clear to aid the evacuation effort. The ironic thing is - the folks who were able to get out - GOT OUT!! The folks left behind could have used those supplies PDQ. You and I disagree about the formation of ghettos - The VAST MAJORITY of middle class and upper class blacks did NOT get there playing basketball and singing filthy c’RAP’ songs - they actually attended school, their parents went to “Back to School” night (translation: they knew their kids teachers), they did their homework, they studied for tests and didn’t waste their study time doing drugs or getting knocked up. They applied for jobs and showed up even when they didn’t feel like it. They continued to improve their lives with continuing education or going the extra mile for the job. They GOT MARRIED and THEN raised a family - what a concept! And then you know what, they attended THEIR kids school and extracurricular activities. And nowhere in my limited scenario did the “greed first society” impede the upward mobility of motivated citizens who just happen to be black. The funny thing is, most greedy conservatives I know (who are small business people) WANT people of all colours to do well - those people become customers. You might disagree with my view but please know that the people I feel sorry for (and who motivated my donations) are the VICTIMS of the hurricane and poverty - not the VOLUNTEERS.
September 11th, 2005 at 6:08 pmWhy is everybody so shocked that President Gomer Pyle
September 12th, 2005 at 5:42 pmonce again showed what a jack-off he is? You blame the
voters because if someone puts a gun in the hands of a
chimp and the gun goes off nobody is going to blame the
chimp.With respect to the price gouging,it did’nt happen overnight,they told us a lie and saw how well it
worked then pumped up the price of gas and told another lie.Just in case you don’t see where this is going,it’s alot easier to swindle the class retard than the captain of the debate team.
Ms. Aphrodite:
If you want more information on the formation of the ghettos in America, please read “When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor” by William Julilus Wilson. It will enlighten your mind and give you a different perspective of life in the ghetto. It is not by chance that most of the poor of New Orleans lived in the area that at most risk for flooding. This area was heavily Black and no gave a good damn about their welfare. It makes no sense that in a country as wealthy as America should people be allowed to swim in their own feces for five days. It does not matter if they were poor, rich, black, white, blue. Also, I do agree with your statement about the value of an education in this country. The system is setup for the advancement of people who have a college degree. My own daughter is a freshman in college and she maintained a 4.5 grade point average while working part-time and I had her when I was sixteen years old. Just because you wait to get married to have children does not mean that your children will be little angels (Paris Hilton, The Bush Twins). Please stop feeding into the many negative stereotypes about poor Blacks and look into the mirror. Hurricane Katrina exposed America’s dirty little secret about the existence of poverty and for that I am glad.
September 12th, 2005 at 6:00 pmClarification: She maintained a 4.5 while in high school and worked part-time and guess what? She was not eligible for most scholarships because she got a 23 on the ACT and most merit scholarships in America are for students that have at least a 28 or better on their Act scores. Isn’t America great?
September 12th, 2005 at 7:12 pmThank you, Kathy! And my heartiest congratulations on your daughters wonderful achievements. I am happy we agree on the value of an education - we agree on something!!! When my mom’s family came over (pre-welfare state),they were shuffled straight to to the Eastern European ghetto. Twenty years later - no one from the family was there -ONLY because of the value of education. I hope your daughter continues to make you proud.
September 15th, 2005 at 3:20 pmit is almost hilarious that you want to lump bush into the “far right”
it is too bad that you are so brainwashed as to think that because there is a delay and the person the media claims is in charge is somewhat right of center that the issue is rascism.
Am I saying that rascism is not a problem? No I am not saying that at all…As a nonrascist that the Southern Poverty Law Center declares a rascist (by their definitions everyone’s rascist),I am reminding you that it is not the far-right that shows the most rascism but your people that have slept in and not realized that we arent in the 19th century anymore. Hell, even The League of the South and Christian Exodus speak in favor of racial equality (declaring that God is colorblind does count as proequality). Now it is a given that there are rascist elements in them that are trying to deceive those who agree with the leaders but you got that everywhere (the left is included…calling someone a rascist because they are white, southern and evangelical is rascist as well).
October 3rd, 2005 at 10:57 pm[…] None of us could hide from the cold, hard truth emitted through television airwaves and on Internet sites. Yet: According to Think Progress, in the entire week following Katrina, only 22 out of 1,300 stories on CNN, MSNBC and Fox focused on race or class” (FreePress.net. […]
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