Dude, you should have put "paranoid out of my mind" as your mood. I am too tired to give rebuttal on everything, but here is what I have the energy for:
you said, "No sane person should classify someone who takes food from indefinitely closed stores in a desperate, starving city as a “looter,” but that's just what the media did over and over again. Sheriffs and politicians talked of having troops protect stores instead of perform rescue operations."
I just got finished watching the news, something I've been doing a lot of all week. I never saw anyone carrying food even classified as a looter. Only people carrying very non-essential items such as electronics and jewelry. I watched a law enforcment officer specifically say that they are focussing on rescue as a priority and the protection of property as a secondary issue. He said that the only looting he considered an urgent problem was the theft of guns. I can only say that the news has said the exact opposite of what you claim.
you said, "Images of New Orleans’ hurricane-ravaged population were transformed into black, out-of-control, criminals."
So you're a white guy, right? nvm. New Orleans' "hurricane-ravaged population" has been portrayed as victims, not criminals; even more so because of the crime taking place in N.O. right now. The only people being portrayed as criminals are in fact criminals. Such as people actually looting (mind you I'm still not talking about stealing for survival), shooting at police officers, helicopters, and fellow citizens.
you said, "As if taking a stereo from a store that will clearly be insured against loss is a greater crime than the governmental neglect and incompetence that did billions of dollars of damage and destroyed a city. This media focus is a tactic... the hyper-exploited people of New Orleans are being used as a scapegoat to cover up much larger crimes. City, state and national politicians are the real criminals here. Since at least the mid-1800s, its been widely known the danger faced by flooding to New Orleans. The flood of 1927, which, like this week’s events, was more about politics and racism than any kind of natural disaster, illustrated exactly the danger faced. Yet government officials have consistently refused to spend the money to protect this poor, overwhelmingly black, city."
I almost disregard this part on the grounds that you MUST be kidding; however, since your tone does not lead me to believe that you are kidding, I will respond. If you weren't serious about this I would be rolling on my floor in laughter at the fact that you actually managed to blame hurricane katrina and the damage she inflicted, on racism. As it is, what with you being serious and all, I find it appalling, distastful, and insensitive. If you said that the government, especially on a state level, dropped the ball in this matter, I would agree with you. To say that they refused to prepare for and respond to a hurricane because many of the victims were just poor black folk, simply because many of the victims are indeed poor black folk, is unfounded (unless you have some inside information that the public has yet to hear about). If you think about the state of Louisiana and how much of its economy depends (or depended) upon New Orleans you would realize that no money or reputation respecting politician would actually want the kind of devestation that has occured to come to this city. And if the state of the levees in New Orleans was a crime, and was to be covered up, HOW IN THE WORLD would this tragedy or the coverage thereof do anything but bring this crime to the worlds' attention?
I'm going to bed. But before I do I want to admit that I am white, however I have several intelligent black friends who somehow don't see everything as a race issue. I don't know why you and others like you have to make everything about race.
Why didn't the goverment help evacuate the poor?mxpxitchy51September 3 2005, 13:46:43 UTC
I have to agree that I haven't seen any people on the T.V. taking food or necessities called a looter but as long as they aren't taking weapons who cares. Get those people left behind out of there. My question is if it wasn't about race, money ect.. Why didn't the government help to evacuate the city. The poor don't have means to get out or maybe needed a place to go. They had days notice and the government should have made arrangements for the citizens of New Orleans. They should have had a better evacuation process. Maybe they were working on that? Or thinking about doing that as the FEMA director said about food drops. The problem is ITS TOO LATE. Quit thinking about stuff and do something. I would also have to address the issue of those 700 people from the hilton or whatever. WHY WERE THEY ALLOWED ON THE BUS FIRST. They were clean and had slept. If they needed them out of there for some reason then they should have went to the back of the line at the dome and let some people that weren't clean, fed or had sleep on first. That one made me sick to my stomach. GOD HAS WAYS OF BRINGING LIGHT TO A DARK SITUATION. And I will admit I am white too. And this kind of 1800's situations make me sick.
it's no mystery whether or not you are smart. you are. but why not use your powers for good and spread some love for a change?
you were "...too tired to give rebuttal on everything..."
i hope at least part of the reason you were tired was because you were doing something to help, not just perfecting your outsider analysis.
loveyoumeanit.
oh, and i'll be sure to tell my friend, who wrote the account, that he should check himself for paranoia. i mean, really, ya know...HE was there but you? YOU were watching so that must put you in the know.
actually no, I hadn't helped when I posted that comment. I was tired from preparing to help, which I did. The next morning I went back home (north of the lake) and spent my weekend cutting up trees and distributing supplies.
I'd also like to note that a team made up of kids from Hiram College in Ohio, and people from Robertsdale, Alabama, were in my town helping and bringing supplies. Thanks, guys.
As to the implication that your friend was speaking from experience and I from assumption: I did not argue with anything that he saw in person; read carefully and you will see that i only disagreed with his view of the media coverage and the political motives behind the shortcomings of our state in this matter. For the record, (and I think I stated this already) I definately agree that the state of Louisiana, as well as FEMA and other organizations, failed first to plan, and then to respond as they should have. In my opinion they were three to four days late in helping the people of New Orleans because they were unorganized and unprepared. I do not think that this was in any way a racial issue. Of course, I cannot prove this. But neither can your friend prove otherwise.
Give my best to your friend, I sincerely hope things work out for him, and I know that this is tough, I know many people in similar situations.
you said,
"No sane person should classify someone who takes food from indefinitely closed stores in a desperate, starving city as a “looter,” but that's just what the media did over and over again. Sheriffs and politicians talked of having troops protect stores instead of perform rescue operations."
I just got finished watching the news, something I've been doing a lot of all week. I never saw anyone carrying food even classified as a looter. Only people carrying very non-essential items such as electronics and jewelry. I watched a law enforcment officer specifically say that they are focussing on rescue as a priority and the protection of property as a secondary issue. He said that the only looting he considered an urgent problem was the theft of guns. I can only say that the news has said the exact opposite of what you claim.
you said,
"Images of New Orleans’ hurricane-ravaged population were transformed into black, out-of-control, criminals."
So you're a white guy, right? nvm.
New Orleans' "hurricane-ravaged population" has been portrayed as victims, not criminals; even more so because of the crime taking place in N.O. right now. The only people being portrayed as criminals are in fact criminals. Such as people actually looting (mind you I'm still not talking about stealing for survival), shooting at police officers, helicopters, and fellow citizens.
you said,
"As if taking a stereo from a store that will clearly be insured against loss is a greater crime than the governmental neglect and incompetence that did billions of dollars of damage and destroyed a city. This media focus is a tactic... the hyper-exploited people of New Orleans are being used as a scapegoat to cover up much larger crimes.
City, state and national politicians are the real criminals here. Since at least the mid-1800s, its been widely known the danger faced by flooding to New Orleans. The flood of 1927, which, like this week’s events, was more about politics and racism than any kind of natural disaster, illustrated exactly the danger faced. Yet government officials have consistently refused to spend the money to protect this poor, overwhelmingly black, city."
I almost disregard this part on the grounds that you MUST be kidding; however, since your tone does not lead me to believe that you are kidding, I will respond. If you weren't serious about this I would be rolling on my floor in laughter at the fact that you actually managed to blame hurricane katrina and the damage she inflicted, on racism. As it is, what with you being serious and all, I find it appalling, distastful, and insensitive. If you said that the government, especially on a state level, dropped the ball in this matter, I would agree with you. To say that they refused to prepare for and respond to a hurricane because many of the victims were just poor black folk, simply because many of the victims are indeed poor black folk, is unfounded (unless you have some inside information that the public has yet to hear about). If you think about the state of Louisiana and how much of its economy depends (or depended) upon New Orleans you would realize that no money or reputation respecting politician would actually want the kind of devestation that has occured to come to this city. And if the state of the levees in New Orleans was a crime, and was to be covered up, HOW IN THE WORLD would this tragedy or the coverage thereof do anything but bring this crime to the worlds' attention?
I'm going to bed. But before I do I want to admit that I am white, however I have several intelligent black friends who somehow don't see everything as a race issue. I don't know why you and others like you have to make everything about race.
Reply
My question is if it wasn't about race, money ect.. Why didn't the government help to evacuate the city. The poor don't have means to get out or maybe needed a place to go. They had days notice and the government should have made arrangements for the citizens of New Orleans. They should have had a better evacuation process. Maybe they were working on that? Or thinking about doing that as the FEMA director said about food drops. The problem is ITS TOO LATE. Quit thinking about stuff and do something. I would also have to address the issue of those 700 people from the hilton or whatever. WHY WERE THEY ALLOWED ON THE BUS FIRST. They were clean and had slept. If they needed them out of there for some reason then they should have went to the back of the line at the dome and let some people that weren't clean, fed or had sleep on first. That one made me sick to my stomach.
GOD HAS WAYS OF BRINGING LIGHT TO A DARK SITUATION.
And I will admit I am white too. And this kind of 1800's situations make me sick.
Reply
you were "...too tired to give rebuttal on everything..."
i hope at least part of the reason you were tired was because you were doing something to help, not just perfecting your outsider analysis.
loveyoumeanit.
oh, and i'll be sure to tell my friend, who wrote the account, that he should check himself for paranoia. i mean, really, ya know...HE was there but you? YOU were watching so that must put you in the know.
again, loveyoumeanit...
Reply
I'd also like to note that a team made up of kids from Hiram College in Ohio, and people from Robertsdale, Alabama, were in my town helping and bringing supplies. Thanks, guys.
As to the implication that your friend was speaking from experience and I from assumption:
I did not argue with anything that he saw in person; read carefully and you will see that i only disagreed with his view of the media coverage and the political motives behind the shortcomings of our state in this matter. For the record, (and I think I stated this already) I definately agree that the state of Louisiana, as well as FEMA and other organizations, failed first to plan, and then to respond as they should have. In my opinion they were three to four days late in helping the people of New Orleans because they were unorganized and unprepared. I do not think that this was in any way a racial issue. Of course, I cannot prove this. But neither can your friend prove otherwise.
Give my best to your friend, I sincerely hope things work out for him, and I know that this is tough, I know many people in similar situations.
Reply
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