I watched the Spike Lee documentary yesterday on the Hurricane Katrina tragedy in New Orleans?

Question

I am stunned. I knew that they had not been treated well but was shocked at just how badly these people had been affected, and are still affected by the aftermath.
Obviously this is no longer 'news' so we don't hear about it.
I'm also just a little surprised that the number one reason Bush gets slated is about Iraq, when in reality the way he's treated his own people is dispicable. Seriously upsetting viewing. Anyone else see?

Thank you for your responses. I do take the majority of points, I am not naive, I know a documentary will always show a bias. What is clear and indisputable though is that a lot of people have suffered, a lot of people are still suffering, and that is sad - whichever side of the political fence you are sitting on.

Answer 1

What I don't understand is why it's considered a race issue. People saying Bush hates black people... He doesn't hate black people, he just hates poor people... Get it right... There are plenty of other minorities and whites down there too.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like Bush, but I blame that on the people who didn't vote, not the president.

The Hurricane was horrible, and it wasn't handled properly, by anyone, we had plenty of help available, but the management was handled poorly. I don't think that this has to do with racism or any hatred pointed towards a group, it was just unorganized because of people not going out to the voting booths and making a correct judgement on those they wanted to elect.

The voting problem in Florida wouldn't have even made a difference if everyone else around the US would have went out and voted.

Spike Lee profiting from people's emotions disgusts me. Taking a horrible story about a tragedy, then twisting and turning it around into a racial problem so he can sell movies about it is rediculous. I'd bet that not one cent over what he can deduct in his taxes was donated to anyone down there. (WHICH MEANS THAT THE GOVERNMENT RUN BY BUSH IS ACTUALLY PAYING WHAT LEE DONATED) If he really wanted to help the problem, he wouldn't be turning this issue into something bigger than it is.
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Keep giving me thumbs down as much as you want, but in the end, it all comes down to the people's responsibility, the president didn't elect himself twice in a row, THE VOTERS DID. Plus, the first line of defense against YOUR home, is YOU, not the government. This storm should not have been a surprise to anyone, WEEKS before it happened, it was said over and over that this storm was going to be HUGE... AND YEARS before it happened, that location was known to be hit by HUGE hurricanes... Weigh pros and cons of what you're willing to live with, and without when you find somewhere to live...

I'm glad that the help is being dispensed out now, with money and whatnot, but if the money given to you is not spent wisely, don't expect me to feel sorry for you.

Answer 2

as the other person said, Spike isn't into white people, and I won't watch it because we will have the whole blame game thing going on in overdrive. Always the innocent waif minority being put down by the man.....hasn't evolved one bit from the Black Panther mentality in late 60's Blaming never accomplished anything, and is infantile. Spike Lee has been playing the race card for years, eliciting the "white guilt" strings like a master violinist. You can get only so far by blaming the "man". Thats why I wont watch or read about the new katrina documentary

Answer 3

All I see is Spike Lee doing his best Michael Moore imitation. Pure speculation and twisted facts to bolster his popularity and wallet. I know Katrina was a horrible disaster, but the blame lies in the laps of many individuals and groups not any single person. Plus, the people living there knew the risks. New Orleans lies below sea level, it was bound to be submerged with a powerful hurricane, which was forcasted days and even a week in advance. I pity the people that had no where else to go, but those that decided to stay when they could have left, have no reason to whine about anything or anyone but themselves.
This country is becoming full of people that lack responsibility and accountability. Insted of pointing the finger of blame to everyone else, take a look at yourself first and decide if you made the right decision.
One more thing, this will just be the first of many natural disasters in the years to come, I advise everyone to plan ahead for any emergency that might befall your town or city. Because it will happen, and its YOUR responsibility to be prepared.
I advise everyone to search for a website called Global Disaster Watch. Look at what is happening due to many earthly factors of change. Awareness is the key. If you think "Oh that will never happen to me", Murphy's law says that is exactly what WILL happen. Use common sense, and self responsibility and you can be prepared for anything.
Don't get me wrong, my heart is and always will be with those who lost everything due to Katrina, in fact I even offered my spare room to fellow store employees that were left homeless due to the tragedy.

Answer 4

I have recorded it so that I can watch it over the holidays as I'm too busy. I'm more than happy to be corrected but unfortunately it would appear that most of the comments above are true but the media has split the facts and created camps which are fighting against each other to this day and the people who are suffering are those who genuinely have a need to be housed and their lives put back together again.

My understanding is that yes, it was originally a lower grade hurricane that was not expected to cause much damage. When advice was served to the authorities that the hurricane had one) changed direction and two) been upgraded to a more severe storm, not everyone listened and not everyone got the information so that the city could prepare.

People blame Bush as the leader for not taking enough action and responsibility to rehabilitate HIS/AMERICA'S taxpapers and citizens. Yes the buck should stop with him as President and some accuse his administration of playing the race card. Maybe he did, but I got the impression that lots of non-African Americans suffered too. At the end of the day, if the Federal Administration can benefit to the tune of many billions of $s at the hands of a natural disaster with the displacement of whole communities of people regardless of race, what do you think they would do? Also remember, President Bush IS NOT the president elect either so this isn't down to the electorate for Bush being in power. You guys had no choice. The world has no choice. As a result of 9/11 we are all living in a dictatorship which is heavily disguised as democracy.

New Orleans will be rebuilt, and will generate $bns for Federal and Corporate America especially the contractors with friends in a big White House in DC. And this is the world we live in.

In today's world, everyone is out for themselves. And I see that somehow, you've got to take what you've got and make it happen for yourself. People have overcome the worse... governments and authorities don't have your best interests at heart - just your tax code and your contributions to the coffers.

Find peace somewhere... and this will not kill your spirit. :)

Answer 5

1. In the history of the world, there never has been a government bureaucracy capable proactive treatment of natural disasters of this magnitude.

2. The military is the only body with experience to mobilize in the time period necessary to address the situation.

3. The United States Constitution prevents the President, or anyone else in government from sending Federal Troops without a request from the appropriate state authority.

4. Anyone that expects the government to do anything in a timely fashion is delusional.

5. Your first line of defense is your own actions and it is done locally.

6. The problems of New Orleans is a demonstration of the end result of a mentality created by a welfare entitlement system. The absurdity that the locals have no responsibility for their own safety is ludicrous.

7. Regardless of what measuring stick is use, It is a tragedy.

8. As population density increases, the cost of a natural disaster will increase. If you build a house on a flood plan, is it your fault the house is flooded? or is it the fault of the rain?

9. The major problem with New Orleans has been the inept corrupt government and poor decision making on the part of the local government in addressing the care and maintenance of their levee system and not being able to make the correct choice, even if it is unpopular.

Answer 6

Nope. Spike Lee is playing a race card here. It was a natural weather disaster that no one down there took seriously and though it would be like a normal hurricane. There were buses down there that no one got on thinking it wouldn't be as bad as it was. There was - unfortunately - money handed out to the "victims" and they wasted it on stupid stuff. One even got a sex change from it, instead of buying a new house and being financially stable until a new job comes his way. He got a sex change. Other people are not wanting to move back there, they know they wre worthless to beign with, but now having free government money and housing why would they want to go back. Do you see any of that? No! Not at all, they are to be seen as victims under a weather disaster! It was not man-made! Dumbasses!

Answer 7

You should not base your opinion solely on the propaganda that spike lee produces. He has a political agenda and his "reporting" is tainted by the outcome of opinion he desires. President Bush is/was NOT the first responder, nor should he be. The local authorities are the culprits here, but even more, the citizens who chose to ignore the danger and stay in their homes.

Here is a link if you are interested in hearing a different view
http://newsbusters.org/node/4447
The comment by "Gary Hall" at the bottom of the article is probably the most worthwhile part of the post, as he does a great job of reporting the actual FACTS leading to the failure of the levees, without all the conspiracy theories. Please read it before assuming that Mr Lee's version of events is gospel

Answer 8

Spike Lee is a JERK. Most of these people are still getting assistance through the states they are now living in and from the federal government.

So many of them have it much better off. There are several of them that live in a section 8 housing condos where I live.

So many of them cause nothing but headaches for the people that have homes close by. We have had such an increase in break-ins that have caused many of my neighbors to sell their homes and move.

Answer 9

I saw the film and it affected me too. The most horrible part is the arrogance of Barbara Bush at the Astrodome, saying that the homeless people on the cots were "better off" because the storm had "cleaned out some bad areas."

Answer 10

I saw the documentary, and it was shocking to me as well. I am also appalled to see all that happened to those poor people. Also, what is really upsetting is that they have gotten the football stadium in good shape when people's homes haven't been replaced/rebuilt.