Was anyone surprise at the number of poor blacks down south during Katrina?

Question

And please if you dont like the question please dont answer ...dont be mean or rude ok thanks

Answer 1

I was not suprised at all. I live in Alabama. The town that I live in is more than 50% black. There is a lot of poverty in our area. Not only with blacks, but with whites also.

The wages here are much lower than they are in many other parts of the country. You would be hard pressed to find a job of any kind around here that pays more than 10.00 an hour.

The schools here are beyond terrible. It's nearly impossible to get a good education. Even in the private schools. The high-school graduation rate in our county is 65%.

I have a 16 year old son and many of his friends are dropping out of school already. They just can't pass. The No Child Left Behind Act has made the testing for a diploma way to difficult for kids who have come up through the school systems in the South. There is just no way many of these kids can pass. Many of them can barely read and write.

There are very few places to work in our county. We live almost two hours from the larger towns that surround us. Jobs are tough to come by.

Although there were jobs in New Orleans(my brother lives there), before Katrina, many of the people were facing the same problems that we are facing in our county. Lack of good wages and lack of education, etc.

Many of the poor in New Orleans come from homes where the parent(rarely are there two parents raising children in poor homes)never worked and lived off or government funds. They just don't know how to live a "normal" life. They have not seen parents go to work each day. They are raised on their government checks and they continue to live off of government checks when they mature. That's all they know.

I was suprised, however, that they did not get any help in the days following Katrina. I was appauled that the city was so unprepared. Everyone in New Orleans talks about "when the levy's give way". They have for years. I just always assumed that there was a plan in place to take care of things if it ever happened.

We had cruise ships picking up American's from the middle East conflict within two days of the recent war activities, but it took nearly a week to get food and water into New Orleans?

I think that we have all learned something from this. We can't depend on our government to help us during times of disaster. I am a white female, but I am deeply saddened by the events that took place(and continue to take place) in New Orleans and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast during Katrina.

If these communities are able to overcome and rise again, it will be because they come together as a community of private citizens with help from each other. It's obvious that any government help is going to be very limited.

Answer 2

I was surprised that there were so many that weren't getting any kind of assistance. There are poor people everywhere, but usually the state gets involved to some extent. Before Katrina, these people earned everything they had, and they lost everything when Katrina hit. I hope that these people get the help and support they need and deserve. The headlines went away far too quickly...

Answer 3

I was there for Katrina, and no, I was not surprised. I was born and raised in the city. The levee system broke in 2 areas, one white and one black neighborhood. The area where the blacks got flooded out was definitely a very poor area. The 9th ward. Comparible to the Bronx. The white neighborhood was Lakefront property, upper-class area. My father lived on the white end, and was rescued from his roof, 12 feet of water in his home. My cousin and her husband were found in their attic, they had no way out. They lived in the lower class area. It wasn't all blacks, but the media had a feild day covering these poor folks at their worst. It made me very angry that the media caught these people at their most vulnerable state and made us all from the south look like trash!!!

Answer 4

Regardless of what color they were,or what their source of income was,it was devestating. You and I are both blessed,that we live in area's that this situation may not happen to us. What's strange to me,is that all you got out of it was the number of "Poor Black People". How could you say such a thing? Did it not hit you,that these people were human beings,who lost everything they had,including parents,and children?. How would you like to wake up in the middle of the night,with your house floating on the water? (and you have the nerve to ask us not to be rude?). Frankly,your question was rude,thoughtless,and immature. It's probably best for you to just delete it,because I can't see anyone agreeing with you,unless they are just as ignorant as you are! . (Love: Squeakers)

Answer 5

I was shocked I live in PA and I an low income college student with 4 kids but nothing compares to how poor the city looked before the katrina, those schools looked abandoned and how could the town let those poor children live in that place magnolia, i never knew it were that bad. Here in my city philly the projects is bad but not that bad, they have knocked most of them down and rebuild.

Answer 6

I was suprised at the number of people still in New Orleans when it was flooded, not really the color, it was just a poor part of town that happened to be predominately black. I believe the real reason was the lack of urgency to protect the poor or just a lack of urgency in general. Did anyone know,really, the extent the dammage would be?

Answer 7

I just got back from a mission trip there, see my blog. The history of why there are so many poor blacks in the devastated areas is that the South has the history of segregation, separation, racism... so who do you think would get the proverbial "Swamp land" . . . . this is not a rude answer, unfortunately this is truth.

Answer 8

Perhaps it's just because I am familiar with other areas with similar racial and economic dynamics, but I wasn't surprised. Is there some reason we should have been surprised?

I'm not entirely certain what you are getting at, but the one doesn't really have anything to do with the other as far as I can see. Hurricanes are equal opportunity destroyers.

Answer 9

No, I wasn't surprised by the number, but I was suprised by the lack of caring and inexcusable delay in serving them. All humans are equal and should receive equal treatment. It was, and is, abominable. It also made the US the laughingstock of the world-here this country sends aid to other countries, but can't respond to their own?

Answer 10

Not suprised at all. I grew up in Baton Rouge, and anyone who has lived near New Orleans knows it is a very poor city.