Katrina: One Year Later

Since 2004, people evacuated for Hurricanes Charley, Ivan, Jeanne, Frances, and Dennis, and every time they did there were always a few jackasses who said, "look at those idiots evacuating...all that storm did was knock over a few trees...huhhuhhuh."

There were also many people who said "oh, my! that's a big one...oh, but those other ones were big ones, too, and they ended up being pretty wimpy."

My point is, I will be willing to bet that many outside of the Hurricane Regions thought the very same things I just made an example out of.

Originally posted by FistOfThe North
racism will be here to stay.

So black people still blameing whites for all their problems?

Damn..you're right, this racism isnt going anyware.

I don't think that's fair. Most of the black people who see racist elements in New Orlains aren't blaming "white people"; they're blaming Bush, the local government, and other select groups. If a black person came up to me on the street and announced, "You, White Person; I'm blaming you for New Orleans, because you are white!" it would surprise me greatly.

Originally posted by KidRock
So black people still blameing whites for all their problems?

No, is just Kanye West and a pack of other celebs that use a disaster to spewed their idiotic comments and search for controversy to become more popular. Rather than working together and doing actually something to help.

well, it could also mean that all levels of government: federal, state, and local were completely disfunctional even in the face of repeated warnings and a WEEK'S notice. but since its wasnt one person's fault in particular, lets just say it was nobody's fault. after all, not everyone has access to a frikin weather report...

Originally posted by Gregory
Well, it was reported in a few papers; the chief of police has confirmed it, although he's also tried to defend it. I might have given the wrong impression, though (I misread it at first); this was after the hurricane had struck, and people who hadn't left before were trying to evacuate.

The real problem, though, isn't with the people who didn't get out of town. Hundred of people died, and it was certainly tragic and all, but compared to other natural disasters (North Korea, recently), the death toll isn't staggering. The real problem is with the people who did what you said they should do and got the hell out. Only, now, here they are. They don't have jobs, they don't have money, they don't have food, they don't have places to stay, they can't afford to move back to their homes, and the government ... what the hell is the government doing? It's ignoring them; the government feels that their time is better spent tapping its citizens telephones and screwing things up in the Middle East. I think that's what has so many people pissed off right now.

And the fact that the levees probably wouldn't have broken if the government hadn't taken all of the money that was earmaked for repairing them and spent it on Iraq instead probably hasn't done much to endear them with the people of New Orleans, either.

This is an interesting subject. Not really a thread that's being presented in an original way, but...

This disaster was one screw-up after the next...on the part of the local, state and federal governments. First of all, everyone knows about Michael Brown, the head of FEMA, briefing President Bush about how bad this was going to be. He asked no question, made no comments and only spoke when it was over and said the federal government was going to do what ever it took to help. He just didn't mention the federal government would do everything it could five days later. Bush let that guy take the heat for a long time. But it didn't stop at that level. The state governemtn did just about as much, when you've got the governor of Louisiana telling people to pray that god would save their asses. She might as well have said to tuck their heads between their knees and kiss their asses goodbye. And beyond that, she had issues with Ray Nagin, which hindered the response time. And then there's Nagin himself, who is mayor of one of the most corrupt cities in the country. And while you're right about the money given to the state to fix the levees, it wasn't the federal government that spent it on the wrong things, it was the state and local government. On top of the fact that fixing those levees wasn't a finacial priority for our government at any level.

It's also interesting to see the numbers presented in this thread so far. If the numbers of white and black deaths are accurately reported in this thread, that makes an interesting point to those people who seem to think that the ghettos of this country are teeming with lazy black people who suck off the teet of the government. The areas most effected by this storm and the subsequent levee breaches mostly effected the lower income areas...and that has to do with the levees breaking because of criminal government neglect. White or black.

look people none is blaming one race.those at fault are both governments.

Originally posted by WrathfulDwarf
No, is just Kanye West and a pack of other celebs that use a disaster to spewed their idiotic comments and search for controversy to become more popular. Rather than working together and doing actually something to help.

Now tell me. Do you honesty believe Kanye West made that comment to become more popular? He honestly meant it. And I think he's just apart of the majority of people in the U.S. who disagree on a whole smorgasbord of ill-affects this inarticulate president of ours is and does as our so-called leader. When he meant George W. he meant his admin and the Gov't.

Sure people didn't listen but should they still be forsaken if the mistakenly stay as well? No. And that was the problem. I would've love o have See if this took place in a suburb where lots of whites decided to brave the storm and how fast the Gov't would've responded. I think I have an idea on that.

I think someone has been watching some spike lee films lately.

Originally posted by FistOfThe North
Now tell me. Do you honesty believe Kanye West made that comment to become more popular?

Yes, I do. Didn't I make myself clear enough?

yes, he couldnt have felt a genuine sense of anger and betrayal...impossible.

im not saying you're wrong WD, i would never presume to know what goes on in west's mind. what i find disturbing is that you apparently would.

Originally posted by WrathfulDwarf
Yes, I do. Didn't I make myself clear enough?

Not really. I didn't ask you if that's what you said. I asked you if it's what you believe truly & honestly. That he said it to be popular which he already extremely is or are you just saying that because you feel the way you feel about him and what he said and wanted to make such a subjective statement like that.

He meant what he said. He didn't do it to look cool, c'mon. And I'm sure millions think the same way too. Both blacks and whites.

Another thing...why the hell people think Kanye West represents the black people? Utter bullshit! Chris Tucker was there...he's black. Eriq La Salle was there...he's black. If they all did felt betray...why didn't they all came out and voice what they felt was wrong? Kanye wanted the controversy and his name included. Oldest trick in the book. Kanye knew what he was doing. An the ******* took advantage of a charity to promote himself. Friggin jerk...

Was the two-legged yeast infection down there, too? I wasn't sure if she was down there getting some publicity, but she might have been.

Are we on yet another racist ban wagon?

I'm trying to get off of it, but, sadly, I'd say yes.

if nagin was in this thread he would be laughing his ass off

Originally posted by Gregory
Old statistics warning:

I think you will find that of the dead who have been identifieds by race, only 49% of them have been black; less then a majority. White people make up an impressive 41%.

Before the hurricane struck, New Orlean was about 66% black, meaning that it was white people, not black people, who died in disproportionately high numbers.