Hurricane Katrina: Some Things You Need to Know About Your Leaders
Other than this wrinkle in time being permanently embedded into my psyche, the fact that New Orleans is now seeking financial aid from foreign countries. just gets my emotions riled up again.
It's not that I'm too proud to accept assistance from other countries. It's the bureaucracy involved in getting the money already received to the people who need it. The federal government declined both logistical and monetary aid from foreign countries before, during, and after this crisis! This storm didn't just come out of nowhere; it was huge; we watched it approach for days.
Mr. Bush was on vacation. And this just amazes me because if it was me that gave my buddy a job with responsibilities that required skills he did not posses, I would be making sure he got a little extra help when there was a chance he may be called upon to exercise said skills. Not W...
Maybe the only good conclusion I've come to out of the whole situation is that David Banner is not an ignorant, southern rapper. And it kind of hit me off guard. His video, "Play" was all over the video channels and you must admit the video is pretty extreme. But what changed my mind happened in the days that followed the storm. The storm happened on a Monday, and nothing happened all week. The following Saturday, I was listening to DJ Whoo Kid's radio show on Shade 45, and they were all trippin' off the government's (lack of a) response. And David Banner called up from Mississippi and broke down what was really going on, and what he was doing about it.
Long story short: he was doing his best to give back some of the money to the people that listen to and buy his music. He was very humble and made a point to say that without these folks, he wouldn't be in the position he was in. Shout out to all the other members of the Hip Hop Community that provided assistance before FEMA!
During the days immediately following the storm, David Banner managed to get 2 bus loads of food, water, and supplies to the victims (not refugees), before any assistance from the federal government. What?! How could this happen? While DB's instincts were providing relief, FEMA and the rest of government were overwhelmed with offers from overseas. So overwhelmed, that they denied most of the aid, which included:
$854 million in cash and oil. ($400 million = oil to be sold)
Cruise ships, Communication systems, Water, Emergency Health Workers, Urban Rescue Workers.
In a time where we really need to hold on to any country that would consider us an ally, we declined 54 of the 77 recorded aid offers from our most loyal allies: Canada, Britain, & Israel! As a result, only $40 million of the total 854 has gotten to the folks who need it the most. And if you recall, this is when the gas hike really started because of the refineries that were damaged and destroyed during Katrina. At the same time we were offered $400 million-worth of oil. This fact makes me very skeptical of the government's true intent; it doesn't make sense. Just dollars!
And what most government officials told the potential contributors was to give the money to the Bush-Clinton relief fund or Pat Roberson's Operation Blessing. Pat Robertson? This "man of God" said the hurricane was an intentional punishment from God because of homosexuality, abortion, and what New Orleans represented as a city. It makes if very difficult to be confident that these contributions will get to the people he blames for this natural disaster.
To me, this is a people issue. To hell with all the bureaucracy, investigative reporting, monitoring, and just plain old partiality. These are people that were seconds away from death! And many had no hope at all! If this is truly a government of, by, and for the people, why were the major news stories about looting, the "inappropriate" spending of the little money some were lucky to get, and the decisions made by some medical professionals in the face of death? The prtrayal of the "looters" in the media was very discriminate and tasteless. Who are these news executives to judge people in these conditions?
As is usually the case, these folks that control the information we receive do not research and report with a solution behind the reporting. They immediately go to the extreme. And, in this case, continue to denigrate how Blacks are viewed by people that have never seen anyone darker than sun- burnt! It's pretty clear to me the level of Racism in the country and particularly with the handling of the aftermath of Katrina, so I want to look at another interesting happening concerning this debacle.
Since I've already introduced the racial dynamic, I have to note that these are White folks. Could someone tell me how this doesn't conflict with the 2nd Amendment? This is scary. We have to get off the couch! These are direct violations of the Constitution; and we're just letting it happen because it hasn't reached our circles...yet!
I feel Katrina is fundamentally a Human rights issue. If you're not even guaranteed life in this country, how can you expect to be awarded the other rights guaranteed by the Constitution. If your right to live isn't respected, why do you think you'll be given Human rights, or "inalienable rights?"
Published by II JO(S)E II
I consider myself a communication artist. A sponge, in the sense of being my surroundings. With each inhalation, I breathe in knowledge as well as Oxygen. The exhale is God's work. Those it reaches know... View profile
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21 Comments
Post a CommentOur government is quite funny and mind-boggling. Great reporting. Your passion on this issue is very infectious. And of course, that's in a good way.
In my article "How Would You Spend $3.5 Billion Dollars" I choose that figure because that was the amount Louisiana taxpayers will pay to fund the war in Iraq. The site's calculations said over 2 million homes with "renewable electricty" could have been built for the same dollar amount or 47,714 affordable housing units. I would rather see the tax dollars used on housing, especially the kind that does not rely on oil for energy. I think the Katrina victims throughout the state would agree. Except the people like those in Jena.
Thanks for the PM about "Did You Know", I guess I missed it first time I read this. "Voices From The Gulf" is a new website with videos from Katrina survivors, where they were then and where they are now. The most poignant story was from a mother that was filmed at the low-income housing project where she used to live. It was home to 1200 families and the plans are to tear the complex down, rebuilding with a much smaller amount of units. I had also forgotten that "Martial Law" was declared.
PS: It is odd that I did an AC search for "Jena 6" and I do not see the reference to it that was listed under this title. Perhaps it was in the original unedited version.
FEMA also screwed up, giving away government funds freely and some of those that recieved it had never even lived in New Orleans. Some also cheated to get double payments. Our government should have provided free food and water, rather than allowing shysters sell it at premium prices. It is sad that police violate the people's rights and can confisicate and smash family heirlooms.
The media made it about race, by showing negative images of persons of color in reporting Katrina news. They would mention a grandmother (showing her picture, so we all would know her skin tone) arrested for looting. The truth was the food in her trunk came from her own home. From the video it is clear the NO police were not simply targeting blacks. I agree that if the area affected had been predominately wealthy, white people the situation would have been dealt with faster and better. I recently read about the FEMA purchased trailors that are sitting vacant two years later.
Cynthia, "everyone" who made it about race was the media who called black people "refugees." To put it frankly, New Orleans is predominantly Black, Bush is elitist, and although he seems to think he isn't, pretty much racist. To ignore the obvious signs of his behavior due to race is pretty gullible. No one is saying that we should ignore people of other races who were terrorized by the hurricane, but I'd bet my paycheck on rent week that if those same people lived in Colorado or somewhere a little "lighter," they would've gotten assistance much quicker and more efficiently.
I really enjoyed this article, especially giving respect to hip-hop artists that are labeled as ignorant. I was also impressed with how quickly people like Diddy, Jay-Z, Master P, David Banner, and other artists stepped up to the plate to donate millions of dollars, food, etc. Much respect also to Mos Def for standing outside of the MTV Awards and, although getting arrested, performing "Dollar Day" to show that Hurricane Katrina events are still happening, all while Condoleeza Rice was shoe shopping. I expected Bush to snub the hurricane, but I was furious when I read in Essence magazine that Rice said she didn't know how much money is being funded to Katrina. What the hell?! Did she miss her job description?
Very VERY well done! I am subscribing to your content right now - very powerful display of the truth - you certainly pull no punches :) Keep it coming!
"These are direct violations of the Constitution; and we're just letting it happen..." seems to be the story of our country for the last several decades huh? Esp in the last 8 years! I remember wanting to hitchhike *TO* New Orleans to offer my help, but I kept hearing reports that the Govt. was not letting anyone in the area. Jerks. "Yeah, lets stop people from coming in to help... lets turn down Cuba's offer to send 1,000 M.D.s to help tend to the survivors... lets turn down every country's offers, then lets call in the Military and have them shoot our own people... then..." Who was making these decisions? Stalin? Hitler?... oh yeah, "president" Bush!