Katrina - what the hell went wrong???

[Gene DeMambro]

Interesting points perhaps indeed, but points that could have been made with verifiable information instead of hyperbole.

Hurricane Roulette

Big time. After years of never getting a direct hit, or suffering only minor damage, some folks thought NO was protected by God.....

But one wonders how much a city - by itself (and not even a big one at that) - could handle this emergency.

Definately fix the problem, as this will happen again naturally or otherwise.

Gene

[Gene DeMambro]

Here's what the most promient Black person is US Government has to say on the subject. I think I know what she's getting at, but I wonder if she said it right:

From cnn.com

Rice: Disaster shows 'ugly way' race, poverty collide
'It's a vestige of particularly the Old South in this case'

Tuesday, September 13, 2005; Posted: 2:53 p.m. EDT (18:53 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the people who were stranded in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina are evidence that race and poverty can still come together "in a very ugly way" in parts of the "Old South."

"The United States should want to do something about that," Rice said in an interview Monday with the editorial board of The New York Times. "There are still places that race and poverty are a huge problem in the United States, and we've got to deal with that."

According to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Monday, more black Americans than whites view race as contributing to troubles with the federal response to Katrina. (Interactive)

President Bush on Monday denied allegations that the response to Katrina was slower because thousands of people stuck in New Orleans without food, water or medicine were mostly poor and black.

"The storm didn't discriminate, and neither will we in the recovery effort," Bush told reporters during a tour of New Orleans. (See video of Bush responding to criticism -- 2:28)

Rice, the highest ranking black official in the Bush administration, defended national race relations saying the United States "is about 100 percent ahead of anyplace else in the world in issues of race."

"And I say that absolutely, fundamentally," she said. "You go to any other meeting around the world and show me the kind of diversity that you see in America's Cabinet, in America's foreign service, in America's business community, in America's journalistic community.

"Show me that kind of diversity anyplace else in the world, and I'm prepared to be lectured about race."

Rice -- who was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and spent most of her childhood there -- said the confluence of race and poverty is a vestige of American history.

"It's a vestige of particularly the Old South in this case," she said.

"We will be making a mistake if we let people jump to the conclusion that the United States has therefore not dealt with issues of race, particularly if you look at how issues of race are dealt with in most of the world."

Rice also said she believes the Hurricane Katrina disaster provides an opportunity for Americans to launch a comprehensive attack on poverty.

"Not just the federal government, but state and local officials ... as well as the private sector -- and I mean non-governmental organizations and I mean the private business sector -- to address how we might deal with the problem of persistent poverty," she said.

Black members of Congress also have expressed anger about what they said was a slow federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

Joining the Congressional Black Caucus in their concerns are the Black Leadership Forum, the National Conference of State Legislators, the National Urban League and the NAACP.

[Guest]

Interesting points perhaps indeed, but points that could have been made with verifiable information instead of hyperbole.

too much work and not worth the effort.

[Bill Glasheen]

Black members of Congress also have expressed anger about what they said was a slow federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

- CNN

I'm fine with that, so long as we have equal opportunity criticism. But we don't so I'm calling "BS." This is partisan; make no mistake about it.

Mississippi has done well all things considered, and - unlike New Orleans - they actually were in the path of the storm. New Orleans had the opportunity to shine, but did not. Rescue buses under water is a metaphor for the local incomeptence. Where is the anger from Black members of Congress?

If you want to get pissed, gripe about the reason why New Orleans has a 20 percent unemployment rate. The best way to serve these people is not to keep them addicted to federal aid. That's demeaning and insulting. It goes beyond these people being disenfranchised to the point that they were left behind and subject to the ravages of mother nature and the human wolves about them. It's the major contributor to the breakup of the Black American Family as we know it. Fathers not in the household means more young boys one day in prison. Where does it stop?

I'd a lot rather listen to the rantings of Louis Farrakhan. At least he's taught personal responsibility and accountability, and helped enable people.

You want racism? Look no farther than those who prejudge a situation rather than see it like it is.

I do however acknowledge and appreciate the comments of Rice. She has "street cred" in my book. And her comments do not seem unreasonable to me.

- Bill

[Guest]

percent unemployment rate. The best way to serve these people is not to keep them addicted to federal aid. That's demeaning and insulting.

When I read that Connie Rice thought the government should do something about poverty... I was thinking to myself "like what? Give the poor more free money"?

[Mary S]

This is my last post on this thread....thought I'd make it a good one!



Someone asked our President what he thought of Roe Vs Wade.

"Whatever it takes to get those people out of New Orleans" was his reply.

[Bill Glasheen]

I still like that guitar.... And I had sashimi for lunch.

(private joke)

- Bill