Why were most of the Katrina refugees black?

Question

To clarify, this is not a degrading type of question. I was wondering in a factual sense, why this was.

Answer 1

Population demographics.

When my hometown in rural Iowa was destroyed by a tornado, the state and federal aid that was sent was distributed exclusively to white people. You know why? The town was 100% white.

Higher percentage of black people in New Orleans = higher percentage of black refugees

Answer 2

Probably due to Creole ancestory. On the other hand, it could be the way the media portrayed the refugees...which pictures they showed and such. Maybe we didn't see or wasn't shown all sides of the picture cube. It's hard to know...

Answer 3

Not sure about this, but the impression I got of that area long before Katrina hit was that it was known to be in a danger zone, and that if you bought property there or opened a business there, you were gambling with your investment. Either through lack of knowledge or through willingness to take risks, people started businesses and took up residence there anyway. Eventually they paid the price for their choices.

Assuming that what I'm saying can be substantiated, it kind of reminds me of "Buyer Beware" warnings given many years ago to people who were willing to buy property in Florida sight unseen. Many were unknowingly buying swamp land while thinking they were buying a lot that could be used to build a home on. The crooks selling such property countered that the property could be filled in and homes could be subsequently built on the land.

I suspect that in the Katrina hit area, people were buying solid land (rather than a swamp), but the land was subject to becoming a swamp under the right conditions, and possibly had been a swamp at one time. Just a twist on the Florida con. Or possibly the Florida con was a twist on the Louisianna con.

The impression I have is that the Katrina area has its real estate con artists and its victims. Con artists and victims come in all races; the are not necessarily predominantly black or white or of any other race. The news media may have focused on blacks in their coverage because it makes for sensational news. You know, the government doesn't give a rip about the poor blacks, etc.

I live in Maryland, and I've seen many blacks who chose to come here to live after Katrina instead of going to some sports arena in Texas or wherever. My mail carrier is a Katrina refugee. She used her head and moved on to a better life. I also saw two black ladies in a store where I used to work. They were spending their government "Katrina" checks. They didn't seem to be very careful about how they were spending their money, but I shouldn't judge. It's government money given to them to spend as they choose. Not all people make the best choices all the time. My mail carrier seems on solid ground, the ladies in the store seem on ground that's a little shakier. But that's just my impression. I don't know all the details.

Also, I'm not too concerned. People have a way of surviving. And the way they choose to do so is their choice. I left home at 17, with no money, struggled to make it, and did. In my first job, at a shoe factory, I was surrounded by perverts. I moved on to join the military. I figured I would at least be safe, be guaranteed a meal every day, and given a roof over my head there. Well, that wasn't without its perils. I later found out that the courts gave first time offenders a choice--jail or the military. Consequently, the military had its share of criminals. Then I left the military and was back in the streets along with everyone else again, but this time a little older and a little wiser. I made it. I'm now 66 and retired, and don't have any worries. Well, I worry a little about doctors. I stay away from them if at all possible. I view them as legalized drug pushers. It's seems they want everyone on a drug regimen. Coming in for prescription refills all the time. That's not for me. I watch my diet, exercise, etc., to stay healthy. Also, I live in a humble little pad, and spend my hard earned savings, pension, and social security money on fun stuff (rather than medicine) like a good retiree should.

Anyway, I've rambled on. To get back to my point. I'm not sure, but I suspect the people affected were not necessarily mostly blacks. I think the ones pictured in the news media were mostly blacks because they were the ones who ended up in sports arenas, and the media covered that extensively.

I think that what's shown in the news now is more representative of the mix or races affected. You see both whites and blacks returning to their damaged property and contemplating starting over. Personally, I'd take my home insurance money and move elsewhere. If someone named Katrina tried to drown me, I wouldn't be inclined to stick around to see whether she might try it again later. I'd make some hopefully wise choices. And right now, that would be to take my home insurance money and move elsewhere like many have done.

Hope I didn't bore you with this. I have a lot of free time on my hands, and this is one of my pastimes.

PS: I think that all the stuff in the news about rebuilding etc., is pushed by the Louisianna government. They don't want a lot of people leaving to go to another state. If everyone leaves, Louisianna will lose a lot of income tax money, property tax money, business tax money, sales tax money, etc. They don't want to lose that money, and, in my opinion, if they can con people into coming back by claiming they are building a safe retaining wall that will protect the area from being flooded again, they will do it, just to keep the money coming in. In my opinion, the smart people are getting out and starting over elsewhere. Either someplace else in the state that is safe, or someplace else in another state.

Answer 4

Im not trying to sound racist or mean it but the poor couldent get out of katrina and most of the populatoin were black...

Answer 5

Because New Orleans is mostly black, and that part of the South to an extent

Answer 6

Because most of the black people in the USA are poor and they had no other means of escape.

Answer 7

oopppsss. A boo boo, dont call'em refugees, they get Mad!

Answer 8

my friend was a refugee and shes white

Answer 9

all the smart people got the hell outa there...

Answer 10

Because of the area.........Why do we care?????? We are all one race-THE HUMAN RACE...........