How Hurricane Katrina has exposed racism, repression and class inequality in U.S. society?

Question

AUGUST 29--the day that Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast--should be a date etched in memory like September 11. No one knows the full number of casualties from the hurricane catastrophe, but they are almost certainly higher than September 11. So is the damage and the impact on ordinary people’s lives.

We can't forget this folks.

It brought this issue to the forefront again, after many people tried (successfully) to bury it or write books saying it no longer exists.

D'nesh D'Sousa has been awfully quiet since Katrina huh?

Leogirl0804 - for you to compare some stupid 1800's house to human life is a mistake on your part.

lucas - Racists like you can't shoot anything but your mouth off.

I am a bigot against all white people... wow, stay in school son, stay in school, keep off those young republican websites and off David Horowitz's lap, Uncle Dave has told you some seriously messed up fairy tales.

Answer 1

Exposed !?!?!?!

Where have you been since 1492

Answer 2

Thanks for recognizing that other places were affected by Katrina..not just New Orleans. My home town was very affected...almost leveled.

However, I do believe that this has made our issue with racism much worse...with stupid people like Kanye West and Jesse Jackson shooting their big ignorant mouths off they start what will probably progress to be a major race battle one day. However, I do know that the people in New Orleans are not the ones you should feel sorry for...forever. Some of them have had the opportunity to get back up and move again...they choose not to. Had New Orleans taken a direct hit, there would be NO superdome to speak of.

I watched the news a lot after (as we all did). Relatives came from the north and said things like why didn't you get my relatives out of here..it's because they're black. I certainly didn't see any of them driving down to New Orleans when the category 5 hurricane was stirring up the Gulf's waters...yet they're quick to throw blame. New Orleans is so busy fighting amonst itself...I do mean the politicians too.

It certainly will be a day in my life just as September 11. This month will mark the 1 year anniversary of everything I knew...gone. It's not really an inequality that so much is the problem...I mean look at Mississippi. We are known as the worst state to live in...7 years running. We are a fabulous state. I love it here. I love being on the coast. However, the amount of people who came to our rescue was unbelievable...so many good people came to help. Yet, at the same time...the people in Mississippi didn't cry about the govt not being right there (and they should have, another story entirely), but they got back up and started moving again.

I won't forget.

Answer 3

Hurricane Katrina was a sad event, really tragic. What happened to those poor people is a tragedy. I've only been to New Orleans once, when I was very young, but I thought it was beautiful, decadent, and fascinating.
That said, there were many things that led to what happened with that debacle. Let's review:
1) Politicians met on a federal level, and on a state level, to discuss the strength of the tropical storm that was forming, and its possible trajectory.
2) When the hurricane was hours away, there were still people who refused to evacuate.
This is a little off my second point, but not really. When I lived in South Carolina, we got to experience a hurricane, Hurricane Hugo. Granted, it was only like a Category 2, but still. People who lived in the Charleston and Myrtle Beach areas either bunkered down, or evacuated. Hurricane Hugo only killed I believe 3 people, and one of those wasn't even hurricane related. Because we were READY.
3) Hurricane Katrina hit. The day after it had passed, Lousiana's state government stated that they did not need federal assistance. Perhaps at that time, the damage did not seem as extensive.
4) The levee broke, which is when all hell broke loose.

It's not racism that those poor people were left homeless, or lost their lives. And I don't think it has anything to do with class inequality, either.
Hurricanes, unlike other natural disasters such as earthquakes, can actually be prepared for. They simply were not prepared.
It's the fault of the state government, the city of New Orleans, and the citizens (regardless of race!) that this became the tragedy it was.
No, we can't forget Hurricane Katrina. But we also can't forget that we don't control nature, oh no, she gives and takes on a whim.

Edit: And yes, Sally May is telling the truth, since Sgt K, Robin Hood and I obviously answer each other's questions all the time, and constantly award each other BA. And since I said I don't condone slavery, and I consider all people to be equal. Yup, she gave a hard dose of TRUTH there.

Answer 4

I don't remember the full number but I do know that there were more white deaths than minority. The New Orleans disaster was a man made disaster caused by irresponsible local and state government.
The real tragedy was further east in MS where the storm came ashore. People lost everything, there was nothing that could have prevented the damage. Homes that had stood since the early 1800's fell to this storm.
The hurricane that Hit Galveston even took more lives.
then there was Hurricane Camille.....that was nasty too
For you to compare these natural occurrences to terrorist attacks shows a lack of judgment on your part.

Answer 5

What, as a monument in stupidty? Lets see, where could we build New Orleans? How about on the coast below sea level. THen lets install a corrupt (and democrat) government that squanders the money meant for hurrican protection. Then lets all the buses that were meant to evacuate the refugees get covered under a few dozen feet of water. Then lets blame Bush becuse it was his fault that people were unwilling to take care of themselves.

Or the stupidity of staying on the coast with an approaching Cat 4 hurricane.

Answer 6

It opened the door to the racism card and it wasn't from the African Americans either...The whole thing is Republican based too to overtake the land from the people. Dehumanizing a whole sector with a 70% black population and then gloating and continuing to gloat with hatred isn't working well for the Neocons. Dr. Frank Page was elected last month as President of the Southern Baptist Church, and that was the platform he used to get elected...The split of the Church from the Neocons secular policy towards the people of New Orleans...The Southern Baptist have the largest Christian vote in America, and it wont be for the Republicans come November...

Answer 7

I agree with Lucas on this one, even though you may report me again because you felt soooo insulted. Yet, you insult someone again here. It can't be forgotten how Katrina effected the people, how could that happen. Live and learn though, racism, repression and class inequality didn't need Katrina to expose it.

Answer 8

Vois la! The Orwellian global state in full force! The Bush POSSE, Cheney, Rice, fill in the blank. . all play their part in the pursuit of total control of planet earth. Someone has to benefit from Hurricane Katrina. Large contracts have been in the works to rebuild NEW orleans, and whats left of property is bought dirt cheap. .....Michael Jackson put it best, "They don't really care about us.."

Answer 9

2976 died in a few hours on sep 11 2001.

1836 estimate- died over a couple of weeks after Katrina.(I'm sure over 1000 bodies is an easy error.)

Katrina was failure on the part of the people of new Orleans, but more so that of their local black democrat government for not heading to the warnings from the federal government. thanks to our checks and balance system, the Fed's couldn't send in the nat' guard until the Governor and mayor declare a state of emergency. they did, the day it hit. so the guardsmen had to wait till it was over before they could move in.

you are such a waste of space. people like you should be shot.

Answer 10

its not my fault people choose to live in annual hurricane paths. I'm smart enough to move out of the way when hurricanes are on the way. if I built my home in a practice bombing range and the house got blown apart would you be racist for not building me a new one?

Answer 11

Nature is a Mother