(Katrina) Did the breaching of the leeves and aftermath demonstrate the ways in which race and class are significant in U.S society? Do you believe there are two "two Americas" or "multiple Americas"?
2007-11-07 15:24:13 · 5 answers · asked by :DDDDDD 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
I don't think the breaching had anything to do with race or class. I truly believe that no one wanted to see that happen. It speaks more to the way that we do everything half-***. Pour design, cutting corners, knowing it won't hold but saying it will as long as the check clears. From the planners and engineers on down. But lack of proper funding starts the ball rolling. Now, the aftermath definitely reflects a class and economic bias. I'm not really sure about it being racial either. The way we work these days is, if there was money to be made there, everybody would be clawing over each other to be the first one there. But, the government doesn't want to put the money into the neighborhoods (though they said they would), might be different if they were zoned commercial. insurance companies don't want to pay out. I believe the bottom line is the flood victims are on there own and they don't have the money to do it themselves. If they were poor and white it would be the same deal.
2007-11-07 15:42:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Katrina only demonstrated what happens when the LOCAL government fails to act as it should in protecting it's citizens. There are so many things that people don't understand about the role of the federal gov't. Who do you think is responsible for the police, fire dept., utilities, public works in your city/county? If you guessed your city/county gov't., you'd be right. Those activities are the responsibilities of the states and local gov't's, because they know best how to serve and protect their citizens. So, forget Katrina as a federal gov't issue that relates to "two Americas."
Yes, there are two Americas - but not what you're thinking. Race and class are not the dividers - the real issue is between Citizens and Non-Citizens. There are many problems that can be traced to this issue. As for the issue of the division of race and class - I only hope that you can look at it from the big picture. Not everyone can be doctors, not everyone can be millionaires, not everyone can be professional atheletes......I think you get the picture. We are all different for a reason.
2007-11-07 23:40:35 · answer #2 · answered by bardstale 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The leves which were breeched were those under the control of the Orleans Parish Water and Sewage Board. None of the levees maintained by the U.S. Corps of Engineers was breeched. That Water and Sewage Board had received nearly $500 million over the previous years from Federal revenues to renovate and maintain those levees.
There are not "two Americas" demonstrated by this. Only two levels of government. And it is apparent to many that the local level was completely inept!
2007-11-07 23:34:34 · answer #3 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Only when it comes to the rich brats in charge. Your everyday American wouldn't allow such aftermath to happen. Next time, if something should ever happen, we take our own cars and start picking people up- day 1.
2007-11-07 23:35:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. It indicates that the people in New Orleans were too cheap or lazy to raise the necessary taxes to solve their problem. Instead, they prefer to let a catastrophe occur and then blame the federal government for their inaction.
2007-11-08 00:22:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋