Hurricane Katrina

[KipWellsFan]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randall-robi...ans_b_6643.html

It is reported that black hurricane victims in New Orleans have begun eating corpses to survive. Four days after the storm, thousands of blacks in New Orleans are dying like dogs. No-one has come to help them.

 

I am a sixty-four year old African-American.

New Orleans marks the end of the America I strove for.

 

I am hopeless. I am sad. I am angry against my country for doing nothing when it mattered.

 

This is what we have come to. This defining watershed moment in America’s racial history. For all the world to witness. For those who’ve been caused to listen for a lifetime to America’s ceaseless hollow bleats about democracy. For Christians, Jews and Muslims at home and abroad. For rich and poor. For African-American soldiers fighting in Iraq. For African-Americans inside the halls of officialdom and out.

 

My hand shakes with anger as I write. I, the formerly un-jaundiced human rights advocate, have finally come to see my country for what it really is. A monstrous fraud.

 

But what can I do but write about how I feel. How millions, black like me, must feel at this, the lowest moment in my country’s story.

 

I don't know where he's getting these reports of cannabalism.

[southsideirish71]

Kanye West just said that President Bush doesn't care about black people on NBC's fundraiser.  I think we are going to see a lot of comments along those lines in the next few days whether they are warranted or not.

 

 

Just another big mouthed rich guy who has no clue mouthing off.

 

West began a rant by saying, "I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food."

 

You cant be this f***ing dense Kanye. How about this, if I turn on the TV and I see hungry people looting a grocery store I say well they are hungry. When I see people running out of the best buy with a 50 inch TV, a few computers and they are loading up their car. What the f*** are they doing? And this has nothing to do with race.

 

"George Bush doesn't care about black people" and said America is set up "to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible."

 

I hate when those category 5 hurricanes are made up by the government and stirred with "star wars" technology into only black and poor areas. Then its a conspiracy around the US to say, well should we help them, NO they can wait, lets finish up WWE Raw on TV. Was the job done super quick, no. But what everyone forgets is the logistics of this s***. This is the national guard we are talking about. You first have to call them up, notify them of service, then assemble them, then start to transport them into the area. The same happens with the food and all of that. It takes time. Its not as easy as going to the McDonalds down the street and ordering 50 big macs.

 

"They've given them permission to go down and shoot us."

 

Can he be this f***ing stupid. They are going to shoot the men shooting at the people rescuing. You know the bad guys. Who cares what color they are. If they were a bunch of members of the irish national soccer team up on the building shooting at everyone I would say take them out. Where was his worry and outcry when the gangs were running around the area shooting people, raping women and children, and shooting at the people trying to help them.

 

If the race card was dropped with this, I figured it would be the usual suspects like Farrakan and Jesse. But I forget that some clueless others would chime in with misinformation. These people should shut the f*** up, spend more time helping these people, and worry about the blame game in a few weeks.

 

People need to stop with the f***ing race card on all sides. Its stupid as s*** and it makes everyone so worried about each other and what they think or say. All it does is get everyone all bent out of shape, and they should be working on the real problem at hand and that is helping those people.

[WilliamTell]

Me and I assume many others figured that after this happened, it would become a racial thing, and so it has. There's not reason for it to bed. It is absolutely pathetic.

[Rex Kickass]

To be honest, I think any discrimination going on here has more to do with wealth than race.

 

And after reading Howard Zinn this summer, it just seems like history repeating in that respect.

 

I'm so glad that New Orleans is finally getting the help it needs today. I'm so ashamed it took five days.

[Flash Tizzle]

Me and I assume many others figured that after this happened, it would become a racial thing, and so it has. There's not reason for it to bed. It is absolutely pathetic.

 

I wish I can understand the reasoning of any person who insists relief efforts were dragging due to 'George Bush not caring about black people.' As if he held reserve in sending National Guard Troops because those left behind weren't white and middle class.

 

Kanye West's words, which probably hold more value to New Orleans residents than George Bush's, could only heighten tensions among policemen/relief workers/other citizens. Idiot should continue writing about his car crash and less about critizing our president for apparently ignoring blacks.

 

When in modern history has there been a natural disaster of this magnitude on American soil? Without the flooding it would have been desvastating--with the addition it far exceeds the damage of Hurricane Andrew. Obviously, FEMA, New Orleans itself, and other relief agencies were not prepared for the devastation Katrina would leave. Mistakes have surely been made and need to be appropriately addressed in the event of a similiar large scale disaster.

 

Kanye's comments are no different than any neoconservative suggesting every natural disaster in the Middle East or Indonesia is the work of God. It's the type of ignorance which embarrasses you just listening to it.

Edited September 3, 2005 by Flash Tizzle

[LowerCaseRepublican]

Just another big mouthed rich guy who has no clue mouthing off.

I hate when those category 5 hurricanes are made up by the government and stirred with "star wars" technology into only black and poor areas.  Then its a conspiracy around the US to say, well should we help them, NO they can wait, lets finish up WWE Raw on TV.  Was the job done super quick, no.  But what everyone forgets is the logistics of this s***.  This is the national guard we are talking about.  You first have to call them up, notify them of service, then assemble them, then start to transport them into the area.  The same happens with the food and all of that.  It takes time.  Its not as easy as going to the McDonalds down the street and ordering 50 big macs.

 

"They've given them permission to go down and shoot us."

 

Can he be this f***ing stupid. They are going to shoot the men shooting at the people rescuing. You know the bad guys. Who cares what color they are. If they were a bunch of members of the irish national soccer team up on the building shooting at everyone I would say take them out. Where was his worry and outcry when the gangs were running around the area shooting people, raping women and children, and shooting at the people trying to help them.

 

If the race card was dropped with this, I figured it would be the usual suspects like Farrakan and Jesse. But I forget that some clueless others would chime in with misinformation. These people should shut the f*** up, spend more time helping these people, and worry about the blame game in a few weeks.

 

People need to stop with the f***ing race card on all sides. Its stupid as s*** and it makes everyone so worried about each other and what they think or say. All it does is get everyone all bent out of shape, and they should be working on the real problem at hand and that is helping those people.

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Hannity-C...freak-in-NO.wmv

 

Even Shep Smith and Geraldo get the idea. The idea of nailing government about this is simple -- FEMA was GUTTED. Numerous times there were clamoring that the levees needed to be reinforced. Hell, even claymation icon Mr. Bill knew -- http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2005/09/even-mr.html And for a more scholarly approach, here's an article from May of 05 http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?sectio...&articleId=9754

 

"Gordon Russell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune noted pointedly that these hellish conditions [at the Superdome] “stood in stark contrast to those of people nearby in the restricted-access New Orleans Centre and Hyatt Hotel, where those who could get in lounged in relative comfort.” A line of state police armed with assault rifles drove the crowds of homeless refugees back from the entrance to the facility.

 

Russell continued, “A few blocks farther away, guests were being fed ‘foie gras and rack of lamb’ for dinner, according to a photographer who stayed there, while the masses, most of them poor, huddled in the Dome.”

 

"The same line has been parroted by the media. A Washington Post article on Thursday (“In New Orleans, a Desperate Exodus”) referred to those still in New Orleans as “people who had resisted previous evacuation orders, including many elderly and infirm residents” (emphasis added).

 

In fact, the government has long known that in the event of a major hurricane requiring an evacuation of the city, more than 100,000 people would be unable to get out, mainly for lack of transportation. In an article entitled “Left Behind” published in the Times-Picayune in 2002, the paper warned, “Once it’s certain a major storm is about to hit, evacuation offers the best chance for survival...And 100,000 people without transportation will be especially threatened...A large population of low-income residents do not own cars and would have to depend on an untested emergency public transportation system.”

 

Even the NO mayor is getting in on the act of the slow response: http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?...=D8CC8LUG4.html

 

FEMA is saying that they didn't know about people in the Dome, despite media reports telling for days that people were in the Dome. (video: http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Nightline-Fema.mov http://movies.crooksandliars.com/The-Situa...%20Katrina.wmv)

 

I gotta agree with Geraldo that it is Hell on Earth there. And we as Americans should be ashamed of the s***-tastic response from our government. Convoys come in the same day as the numerous photo ops. Coincidence? We as Americans, and they, deserve better than the slow ass response they got and are continuing to get.

[The Ginger Kid]

Russell continued, “A few blocks farther away, guests were being fed ‘foie gras and rack of lamb’ for dinner, according to a photographer who stayed there, while the masses, most of them poor, huddled in the Dome.”

 

"It's good to be the king"

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

This criticism of Bush is really pissing me off here. It was the same damn thing as when the Tsunami hit.

 

Why cant people come together and take this thing on with a united front? Why do people have to say hateful things about our leaders instead of working with them to solve the problem? Hell, even Mr. "Get off your asses" Mayor Nagin shut his yap after meeting with the President earlier today.

 

There are going to be problems when you have to pull together a relief effort on a scale like this. Its bound to happen no matter how much warning you're going to have, its not because the President hates black people. What an absurd and counter-productive thing to say. Like I said in an earlier post, how about these black "leaders" say something about those savages who are roaming the streets causing mayhem. They wont, of course, because the white man is to blame for that as well.

 

:rolly

[3 BeWareTheNewSox 5]

Kanye is an idiot, he's arrogant and shows his stupidity here. First off, the point of the show is to raise money for the hurricane, and even though he is an entertainer and makes music, something that reaches the people, he uses that as a forum to turn this to a race and political issue. It's funny, because I have Kanye's first CD, and don't hear much about the struggle for blacks, but about his college experience, car accident, God, and how he spends his money, funny how he now decides to play Malcolm X.

 

As stated before by others, relating this to Bush is stupid, and if you can't put a political prefernece or personal hatred towards a person/situation when you don't know a quarter of what really goes on in the world or behind the scenes of the government, than it's offensive when you come off as acting as if you really care about the victims and instead abuse it as a way to bash Bush, and I'm not a Bush lover, I belong to no political party.

 

Completly inappropriate

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

We're going into the hypothetical here but realize that anyone with Natalee's wealth split town as soon is it became clear things were gonna get ugly.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

You make it sound soooooo easy APU. You make it seem like George Bush could just snap his fingers and make all the pain go away. You make it seem like its George Bush's fault that the levies all failed.

 

You also make me sick to my stomach.

 

Instead of going to these leftist conspiracy sites, the authors of which are even more blind in their hatred for the President than you are, how about you look at the mainstream media and talk about what they have to say........

 

Regarding Mayor Nagin's comments........from CNN.COM

 

Nagin, who on Thursday night had scathing remarks for the federal government's response to the crisis, praised President Bush after Bush's trip through the region Friday. (See the mayor's demand for national leaders to 'get off their asses' -- 12:09)

 

Nagin said Bush was "very serious" and "very engaging" during his time in New Orleans.

 

"He was brutally honest. He wanted to know the truth," Nagin said. "... And we talked turkey. I think we're in a good spot now."

 

Again from CNN.com regarding the arrival of troops in the area.

 

At a New Orleans street corner, Lt. Gen. Russel Honore directed the deployment of National Guard troops -- expected to number 1,000. (See video of the convoy roll through floodwaters -- 3:33)

 

Honore said getting food and water to the people at the convention center was difficult. "If you ever have 20,000 people come to supper, you know what I'm talking about," the three-star general said. "If it was easy, it would have been done already."

 

Instead of taking unwarranted shots at the President, charging racism, speculating as to whether rich people would have gotten help faster and a host of other rediculous invective how about you and your leftist cohorts go to this website........

 

http://www.redcross.org

 

...........open up your wallet and do something meaningful with your resources and time as I have done.

 

Comments about the military waiting for a good photo opportunity before rolling in with food and supplies for dying people are utterly insane and you f***ing know it. Comments that our government doesn't care about certain racial or ethnic groups are insane. PERIOD!

 

You want Americans to be ashamed of someone's "s***-tastic" response to this tragedy!? I have something for them to be ashamed of and its not what the government and military are doing to help those people down there. Americans should be ashamed of people like YOU.

 

Americans should be ashamed of the race-baiters, the leftist demogauges, the supposed black "leaders" like Jesse Jackson and anyone else who would use this disaster as another excuse to bash the government and the President.

 

This is a time when we should be focused on coming together to help people in need. Casting blame, monday morning quarterbacking the relief efforts, race baiting, and all the other nonsense the radical left is engaged in here helps nobody.

Edited September 3, 2005 by NUKE_CLEVELAND

[Steff]

We're going into the hypothetical here but realize that anyone with Natalee's wealth split town as soon is it became clear things were gonna get ugly.

 

 

Not hypothetical... those left were too poor to get out. That's fact.

 

More than 50% of the NO population lives BELOW the poverty level.

 

Although I'm not sure what that has to do with anything...

 

People are stuck there, people are dying, who cares what they do for a living, or how much $$ they make, or what color their skin is... didn't I just read you say somthing similar above?

 

And is it not common sense to get the hell out of dodge if you have the means when trouble is coming..?

 

And what's the tie with Natalee...? How about rather than taking unwarranted shots at a family that has nothing to do with this tragedy we focus on the issue being discussed in this thread.

[Spiff]

I wish I can understand the reasoning of any person who insists relief efforts were dragging due to 'George Bush not caring about black people.' As if he held reserve in sending National Guard Troops because those left behind weren't white and middle class.

 

Kanye West's words, which probably hold more value to New Orleans residents than George Bush's, could only heighten tensions among policemen/relief workers/other citizens. Idiot should continue writing about his car crash and less about critizing our president for apparently ignoring blacks.

 

When in modern history has there been a natural disaster of this magnitude on American soil? Without the flooding it would have been desvastating--with the addition it far exceeds the damage of Hurricane Andrew. Obviously, FEMA, New Orleans itself, and other relief agencies were not prepared for the devastation Katrina would leave. Mistakes have surely been made and need to be appropriately addressed in the event of a similiar large scale disaster.

 

Kanye's comments are no different than any neoconservative suggesting every natural disaster in the Middle East or Indonesia is the work of God. It's the type of ignorance which embarrasses you just listening to it.

 

I was just going to say what you said. The first two paragraphs are especially the point.

 

I think wino is right too about any discrimination being rooted more in wealth than race.

 

The whole thing is a wake up call I think when it comes to this country's economics. The extreme capitalism I suspect is a driving force behind more than we'd all like to admit, and I suspect it had a lot to do with Bush being re-elected. But there's no way I can sit here and believe the man somehow held aid back from the hurricane victims just because they were black. If I did, I would be on the next train to Canada.

[Texsox]

I had my trusty Carolina Hurricanes hat on while working out today.  I kept getting these funny looks.  I didn't even think about "that" when I grabbed that hat to wear today (it is usually between that and my Florida Everblades hat).

 

One summer long ago, or so it seemed, I arrived at the boat ramp / bait shop without my trusty fishing cap. I grabbed an Indians cap off the rack, it reminded me of youth baseball when I played on the "Indians". I had a good day, and continued to wear that cap. One day, the shop owner, knowing I was a Sox fan, the stickers on my boat may have tipped him off, asked me how I could be so cold and callous to the Indians suffering. I was very confused until I realized I was buzzing around in my bass boat wearing and Indians cap, right after a couple of their pitchers died in a boating accident.

[Rex Kickass]

Nuke,

 

I'm gonna be honest here. I really didn't want to use this hurricane as a reason to get angry at our president. But the fact that it took him days to speak about the disaster compelled me. The fact that FEMA's response was inadequate in the first two days compelled me. The fact that when I saw him talk at first, he look disinterested and more annoyed that he couldn't be at Crawford clearing brush compelled me. The fact that he waited until the middle of the week to send hospital ships which will get there just in time for everyone to die compelled me (and yes, that IS his call). The fact that the people he put in charge told reporters that thousands of people at a convention center "didn't exist because they hadn't heard about them" compelled me (And I heard it with my own ears). The fact that they took a longer time to get enough members of Congress down to pass emergency funding for the hurricane than they did to put the feeding tube back in Terri Schiavo compelled me.

 

For most people Nuke, perception IS reality when it comes to politics. It sure as hell looked like our President didn't give a s*** if these thousands lived or died - and it wasn't until the rest of the country started screaming "wtf are you doing" that help started arriving in New Orleans. Do I think that's the reason help finally got there? No. But it sure seemed to speed things up a bit.

 

I'm pissed off at our President for the slow response of the federal government over this issue. I'm pissed off at Congress for allocating more money to create a bridge going to an uninhabited island in Alaska than protection of the levees that protect 500,000 people in Louisiana. I'm pissed off at the Mayor of New Orleans and Governor of Louisiana for not doing enough to get the 100,000+ people of New Orleans who can't afford a car out of that area.

 

The people who f***ed this up are both democrat and republican. And none of them deserve another day in their posts.

 

You make it sound soooooo easy APU. You make it seem like George Bush could just snap his fingers and make all the pain go away. You make it seem like its George Bush's fault that the levies all failed.

 

You also make me sick to my stomach.

 

Instead of going to these leftist conspiracy sites, the authors of which are even more blind in their hatred for the President than you are, how about you look at the mainstream media and talk about what they have to say........

 

Americans should be ashamed of the race-baiters, the leftist demogauges, the supposed black "leaders" like Jesse Jackson and anyone else who would use this disaster as another excuse to bash the government and the President.

 

This is a time when we should be focused on coming together to help people in need.  Casting blame, monday morning quarterbacking the relief efforts, race baiting, and all the other nonsense the radical left is engaged in here helps nobody.

[Texsox]

FWIW, and I'm not getting into a racial debate here. I live in an area where I am a distinct minority and spend time wearing the shoes of a minority. I also worked in Mexico for several years. Last count this area is about 85% Hispanic. If you are a white, middle class, and male, you really do not have a good base to understand racism in this country. Many of the blacks who are feeling the government isn't doing as much for them are intelligent, educated, people such as ourselves. They are not always fringe radicals.

 

When volunteers, soldiers, or other workers enter a neighborhood that they would never, ever, enter before the storm, they will feel and act differently than if they were back in their comfort zone. That's human nature. People sense that.

 

It wasn't that long ago we had segregated restrooms, segregated swimming pools, hell we have people alive today, that were the sons and daughters of slaves. The memories are alive and well. There are still many barriers in this country. 40 years after King's I have a dream speech, look at the top 500 CEOs and it's a sea of old white guys with a couple self made minorities. Look at the portraits of out Presidents and it's a sea of old white guys. Look at the wealthiest Americans and it's a sea of white.

 

I'm not saying we haven't come a long, long way in the 40 years since the Civil Rights movement. But a magic wand didn't erase the history, a magic wand didn't erase the fear some people have of being in the wrong neighborhood. A magic wand didn't erase the uncomfortable feeling of being around people different than ourselves.

 

Is this effecting the relieve efforts? Maybe on a small individual scale. Would the people in say Lake Forest, IL. receive better and faster relief? I bet they would, because they have Senators and other elected officials phone numbers loaded in the cell phones. Mr. Moore and Mr. West can kiss my ass for one thing, if it were their butts sitting on a roof, they would be rescued faster than a family in NO, because they too enjoys the improved government services of having connections. Look how Fats Domino missing made the news.

 

I believe poverty, more than race, are behind any delays that may or may not be happening.

[Texsox]

You make it sound soooooo easy APU. You make it seem like George Bush could just snap his fingers and make all the pain go away. You make it seem like its George Bush's fault that the levies all failed.

 

What did we elect him to do? Isn't he suppose to provide leadership in these types of emergencies? Sorry Nuke, I'd be leveling this if it was a Dem, Ind, or Rep. Our entire government, including the one man who can make decisions that will not be overturned, was slow in responding. And he found time for a fund raiser. :headshake If that was a Dem, you would be leading the impeachment charge. I believe that's far worse than renting the Lincoln bedroom.

 

Again, I ask, what did we elect him to do?

[Texsox]

From my good friend George Clooney (am I on enough mailing lists?)

 

Dear Friend:

 

In the wake of the destruction brought on by Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of thousands of Americans are facing an uncertain and challenging future.

 

We've all watched together as increasingly dire reports have come out of the hardest hit areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and right now our nation is trying to find its footing as it responds to one of the worst disasters that we've ever faced.

 

We all see the pictures on TV.  Right now, they need water, food, clothing, shelter and medical attention, and soon they'll begin the long process of putting their lives back together... hospitals, sewers, schools...all the things that we take for granted every day.

 

As members of ONE, we must believe that Americans can't help people around the world unless we also take care of urgent needs at home.

 

You can visit the ONE.ORG blog to find a list of ONE partners and other groups working right now to help those in most need.

 

In the same way that our fight against poverty is both urgent and diligent, we now have a new challenge with the same rules, to help stop people from dying today and help rebuild their infrastructure for tomorrow.

 

In July, you answered the call of the poorest countries in the world, and now perhaps we can help you find a way to participate at this important time. Please visit the ONE.ORG blog and take action today.

 

Thank you,

 

 

George Clooney

 

 

P.S. You can also help by taking part in the "ReAct Now: Music & Relief" benefit concert that will air on MTV, VH1 and CMT, planned for Sept. 10th at 8pm ET/7pm CT.  Please visit www.think.mtv.com for up to date information.

[Texsox]

Tired of all the bad news? Uplifting stories here

[Queen Prawn]

There is another site that I post at and think what Kanye did is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I can't say I agree with that.

 

I agree with wino and the other posters that think the weak response is more discrimination against poor than black. Growing up as poor as I did, I developed a "healthy" dislike for government and politics in general. I honestly believe that had their been money people (regardless of black or white) there rather than middle to lower class people, the water, food and help wouldn't have taken so long.

[KipWellsFan]

You make it sound soooooo easy APU. You make it seem like George Bush could just snap his fingers and make all the pain go away. You make it seem like its George Bush's fault that the levies all failed.

 

You also make me sick to my stomach.

 

Instead of going to these leftist conspiracy sites, the authors of which are even more blind in their hatred for the President than you are, how about you look at the mainstream media and talk about what they have to say........

 

Regarding Mayor Nagin's comments........from CNN.COM

Again from CNN.com regarding the arrival of troops in the area.

Instead of taking unwarranted shots at the President, charging racism, speculating as to whether rich people would have gotten help faster and a host of other rediculous invective how about you and your leftist cohorts go to this website........

 

http://www.redcross.org

 

...........open up your wallet and do something meaningful with your resources and time as I have done.

 

Comments about the military waiting for a good photo opportunity before rolling in with food and supplies for dying people are utterly insane and you f***ing know it. Comments that our government doesn't care about certain racial or ethnic groups are insane.  PERIOD!

 

You want Americans to be ashamed of someone's "s***-tastic" response to this tragedy!?  I have something for them to be ashamed of and its not what the government and military are doing to help those people down there.  Americans should be ashamed of people like YOU.

 

Americans should be ashamed of the race-baiters, the leftist demogauges, the supposed black "leaders" like Jesse Jackson and anyone else who would use this disaster as another excuse to bash the government and the President.

 

This is a time when we should be focused on coming together to help people in need.  Casting blame, monday morning quarterbacking the relief efforts, race baiting, and all the other nonsense the radical left is engaged in here helps nobody.

 

:rolly You should be ashamed of yourself LCR

[bmags]

i've given what little money i have to the red cross...and i still think that bush did a s*** job and that the lower income status of most of the people stranded is a reason tehy didn't get as much help...

 

 

so what the f*** does that make me?

[KipWellsFan]

Canadian forces offer help in Katrina effort, Canadian Prime Minister under fire for late reaction like Bush

 

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

[Reddy]

i've given what little money i have to the red cross...and i still think that bush did a s*** job and that the lower income status of most of the people stranded is a reason tehy didn't get as much help...

so what the f*** does that make me?

 

exactly nuke, i've given money and NO students are going to be crashing w/ me in my dorm. i've helped in the way i can too but still i think bush didnt do a good job, in fact he did an awful job and the neglect he showed those people is disgusting. he's their president too, or so i thought. but maybe he's just a president for the rich, oh wait i've known that all along.

[Texsox]

I think I know why Bush was so slow in reacting. His first briefing was titled

 

NO Hurricane Victims

So he assumed there were no victims.