Rete

It was only a matter of time before the Black leaders of our country added their two cents on the response by the government to the hurricane victims in New Orleans.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/....ap/index.html

Why do they always have to bottom line things to money and race. Those living along the MS coastline are predominantly white but I don't see them getting any more help then the survivors in NO.

Or you are not to use the term "refugee" as they are offended by that term as they as US citizens. Perhaps someone should hand them a dictionary. Refugee is someone who has to flee from their home or country because they cannot live there safely.

Pisses me off how they play their games.

fatbrit

Flying your colours again., Rete?

I take the first quote from the article you referenced:

"It looks dysfunctional to me right now," said Rep. Diane Watson, D-California.
IMO, anybody who believes the federal response was functional at the time this speech was made is living in a bubble of unreality.

Also, there is a race issue and a poverty in this country. Do you want to deny that, as well? Sweep it under the carpet, eh, and all will be well.

doctor scrumpy

Much fairer would be to compare the response in La to that in Florida or even post 9/11, how do the numbers stack up ?

As for being pissed off by the responses of the black community, I guess you just have to have been one of the black community to really appreciate how well you are treated in this country historically.

Elvira

The effects of the catastrophe are so much more overwhelming in NO than in MS. Tens of thousands of people having to live in conditions which we would consider unacceptable for our dogs. The overwheming majority of them are black. Can you even begin to imagine what effect these images are likely to have on black people elsewhere (as well as on the rest of the world - though perhaps you don't care a fig about world opinion).

I am really concerned about the repercussions all this might have in terms of potential racial conflict. At the moment these people are weak and exhausted, but what of the future?

Toontje

Dead????

TouristTrap

I'm with Rete on this one.

Jesse et al could care two hoots about their 'brethren'. All he is interested in, is face time, so he can keep coining it.

Anyone whose been here for any extended period of time will be too used to his crying wolf all the time.

Rete

I would expect this comment from you, FB. You don't know me and to call me a racist is outrageous. For the record, think it is a little difficult to be a bigot or a racist when one is married into a family of Native Americans. My in-laws are Native and one of my nieces is married to a black man and have wonderful children of mixed race. So can it, FB.

Is there a race issue in the US? Of course there is. Just as there is through out the world. There is in Britian as well, unless you want to sweep that under the rug.

Nor did I say that the federal response was functional or timely. We would all have liked to have seen them there before Katrina hit but after the that is the norm. How to mobilize troops, meds, food, water for thousands of people in one hour, one day? You tell me, FB. You seem to know it all in your safe little cocoon of a world.

ladylisa

Bottom line is we need to get everyone out of there now irrespective of race. The US government namely George Bush is an utter disgrace to his country, he should be forced out after this. The buck stops with him and he's left his people to die 5 days after a hurricane, I cannot believe that troops are only really being sent in today. I think that has only happened so that he could do his walk through, hug a few black people & show he cares!!

What kind of message is this sending to the rest of the world. America's president doesn't care about HIS people!

Rete

Your self righteousness is unbelievable. Your moral outrage makes me wonder just what you truly believe and if this is all not just a front.

The living conditions on the coast of MS and AL are not a picnic either. There are thousands without food, water, shelter. There is no relief from heat and the environment. The Louisiana Government f^^ked up.

NC Penguin

Why oh why are the majority of people still stuck in NO black Americans? Maybe many of them don't have the means (vehicle and money) to get out of town.

My bet is that the ones left in NO are the poor citizens of NO who predominantly happen to be black Americans.

Nine states and the District of Columbia showed the largest percentage of children under 4 years of age living below the poverty level

Arkansas 31%
West Virginia 30.5%
Louisiana 30.2%
New Mexico 28.8%
District of Columbia 28.5%
Mississippi 28%
Alabama 26.3%
Oklahoma 26%
Tennessee 25.6%
Arizona 25.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Supplementary Survey

I saw this 2000 US Census table and black Americans are fewer in number in the the states in bold yet it's undeniable that the residents of NO suffering the most (still stuck in the city) are black.



NC Penguin

Rete

Why the President. Why not blame the Mayor, it was his city. Why not blame the governor, it is her state. What the hell were they doing for 4 days?

Did they tour the area? Did they send in the state guard? the state police? did they order buses to the dome to bring out people to other parts of Louisiana? There are pleasure buses, school buses, city buses, etc. What were they doing???????????????????

Rete

Agree 100%.

NJ_Dave

Me too. The poor didn't have the means or the money to get out, and it just so happens that most of these poor people were black. People are putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5, as far as I'm concerned. Is this an issue of poverty? Absolutely. But is this an issue of race? Nope, just the usual troublemakers stirring the pot for their own agenda...

fatbrit

Er...where did I call you a racist? And where does having a multiracial family mean you can't be a bigot or a racist? Totally confused though not surprised by your baseless accusations...
And no, I don't intend to be bullied into submission by your usual backhanded tactics.

There certainly is. But it's very different to the one in the US. Didn't think you were interested in anything outside the US of A, but please do feel free to bring it into the conversation for contrast and comparison if you wish.

You stated you didn't like the fact that black politicians were speaking out and moving everything to race and money. I took the first quote in the article you referenced. It seemed like fair comment to me and had nothing to do with race or money, the denominator you stated was upsetting you.

The US has built huge departments with huge budgets such as Homeland Security to respond to the threat of a terrorist attack since 9/11. Four years and millions of taxpayers dollars later we have a disaster which could happily be compared with a terrorist attack. In fact, it was easier since we were prewarned. What was the response? Chaos! They simply couldn't run a piss up in a brewery. What have they been doing in these 4 years?
And monkey boy should have cut his vacation short and tried not to hide like he usually does in these situations. He should have been there Monday evening for the pep speech and baby hugging, then straight back to Washington to get things moving in the evening. He can play golf all bloody day AFTER he's gone.

Lord Lionheart

Did you actually read the article that you referenced?

"The issue is not about race right now," said Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio.

Without grabbing a dictionary I would say that anyone seeking refuge from danger might qualify as a 'refugee'.