"Wrath Of Emily" Gallery - Note To CNN This Happened To Mexicans...

[DistressedAmerican]

...As Well As White Tourists!

I have worked for years in a small community near Merida, Yucatan. I have seen significant hurricane damage and destruction in these small, rural, predominantly Maya communities first hand. Many of these people still live in traditional thatch roofed homes, including many good friends.

So, needless to say I am anxious for information on storm damage this morning. I go to CNN's website (my first mistake) and find their image galley for "Wrath Of Emily" (a ridiculously sensationalist link title). I expect to find some shots of downed trees, buildings with damage, etc. What do I find? Mostly shots of American tourists waiting in lines at the Cancun airport and sleeping in school gyms.

Hello CNN?

The Yucatan is not just a vacation spot for Gringos! Why the hell don't you get out and actually cover how this storm affected the lives of people that will have to live with the aftermath rather than some admittedly unlucky folks that got their vacations ruined?

Certainly you must have a reporter that speaks spanish. If not, fly me down and I'll translate.

Here are the shots in question:



I EXPECT THE GUY IN THE BLACK SHIRT HAS HAD PLENTY OF SUN! TIME TO GO HOME!



"THIS GYM FLOOR IS A LOT HARDER THAN THE KING SIZE IN OUR 400 DOLLAR A NIGHT HOTEL SUITE!"



NOT EXACTLY MY IDEA OF "EMILY'S WRATH"!

OK THERE WERE A FEW SHOTS WITH MEXICANS IN THEM. NONE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE "WRATH OF EMILY".

IN FACT ALL SEEM TO BE SHOTS FROM BEFORE THE STORM ARRIVED!







"RAPIDO! YA VIENE EL CYCLON!"

[Libby2]

1. Ah yes

the poor white tourists.

[xultar]

2. Mexicans! CNN don't care about no STINKING MEXICANS!

[KharmaTrain]

3. How About What Happened In Jamaica?

Last weekend you couldn't get away from non-stop Dennis...and, truth be known, it was far better than the usual CNNServative crap (reruns) or more Runaway Bride or Aurba Teenager. This was actually "news".

This weekend there's several hundred people blown to bits in Iraq and a Cat 4 storm that had just brushed Jamaica and was not about to batter Yucatan and Larry King is interviewing Nancy Nostrils. <Click>

Those areas get the worst destruction of these storms. Thousands are killed and it takes decades to recover (if at all). Our hopes are with those weathering the storms throughout that region...not just the partiers.

Yeah, it would be nice if those camera people put down their mai tais for once.

It'll take days and I suspect we'll see a lot of devestation.

Peace

[Squatch]

6. If you go to the CNN link from which these pictures are taken

there is a Jamaican tab.

With the exception of a picture of a surfer, it looks as if every portrayed in the Jamaican gallery is native.

[Thtwudbeme]

4. I posted a thread on this yesterday in the Lounge

But, to be honest, I don't think most people understood my anger over the tourists being touted as "suffering." I think the problem was the way I conveyed my message.

I had an apartment years ago in San Miguel de Allende...but, also traveled some through the country.

The tourists had/have the option of just picking up and leaving...the locals who work in those tourist spots don't--

I get your post; it's extrememly frustrating.

[DistressedAmerican]

8. Good For You. The Coverage Of these Events Is IMO Clearly

racist/ethnocentric. CNN makes it quite clear to the whole who matters, AMERICANS, AMERICANS, AMERICANS!!!

100 Iraqis die and it is far less reported than two soldiers that got killed in an attack on a convoy. Pretty white girls goes missing anywhere in the world, and CNN makes sure the folks in Singapore know it.

It gets pretty gross when you lump it all together. It is a pattern. I do not know if it is intentional or they are just too damn lazy to do real reporting on the world.

Either way, As you note, I find it very frustrating.

[Squatch]

10. Baloney. Click on the Jamaican tab.

Nothing but natives.

http://www.cnn.com (Select the "wrath of Emily" tab)

[Thtwudbeme]

It's not baloney

Pardon me, but the poster was looking for images of native Mexicans.

How is he supposed to find that under the "Jamaican" tab???

Perhaps you THINK you have a point, but please try to explain to me how the US mainstream media is not racially biased?

[Squatch]

12. I showed an example which contradicts his claim that

CNN is racially biased.

That's called argument, friend. He presents a claim, I present a counter-claim.

[DistressedAmerican]

13. What Are You Trying to Say??? I Do Not Get Your Post.

"Natives"? I hope you didn't mean that like it sounds...

[Squatch]

Ah, for fuck sake. Native Jamaicans. As in, people who are

Jamaican.

CNN's coverage of this hurrican is not racially biased as was implied in the OP.

[DistressedAmerican]

15. Are Jamaicans Living In Yucatan Now?

What does your example have to do with this thread exactly?

On Edit: I am an anthropologist. We no longer refer to people as "natives" they happen to be indigenous Mayans. "Natives" went out with the fall of the British Empire. It is kind of like calling African Americans "colored". It is considered rude and offensive.

[Squatch]

18. Do I really have to walk you through this?

From the opening post:

"Why the hell don't you get out and actually cover how this storm affected the lives of people that will have to live with the aftermath rather than some admittedly unlucky folks that got their vacations ruined?"

My example showed exactly what the original poster was asking for.

[DistressedAmerican]

21. Hello? Mexico? I Am Talking About MEXICO! Do I Have To Walk You Through

that? Get with the topic! Everyone else here seems to get it. I never said a damn thing about Jamaica.

[Squatch]

24. Once again...what you actually said was this:

"Why the hell don't you get out and actually cover how this storm affected the lives of people that will have to live with the aftermath rather than some admittedly unlucky folks that got their vacations ruined?"

And I showed you an EXACT example, from the SAME gallery, of exactly what you were asking.

Fuck it, yeah CNN's racist. Everybody's racist. You win.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Thtwudbeme]

23. Walk me through it.

I am extremely interested in how you think the coverage of the storm is not racially biased.

Could you please use the Mexican photos in your example though? You have made everyone aware that there are some Jamaicans shown putting up plywood. Let's move onto Mexico now.

Stephanie

[Squatch]

READ:

"Why the hell don't you get out and actually cover how this storm affected the lives of people that will have to live with the aftermath rather than some admittedly unlucky folks that got their vacations ruined?"

THEY DID.

[DistressedAmerican]

27. Reply To Post 26 or stop wasting our time. Your Out Of Context Quote

means nothing. I am clearly talking about Mexico. That has been stated over and over.

What the hell do you not get at this point?

[Squatch]

28. It takes two to tango.

I take your implied claim that CNN's coverage is racist and summarily dismiss it.

[DistressedAmerican]

32. I guess you have. The Rest Of Us Do Not Seem So Inclined To Ignore

CNN's obvious ethnocentric bias.

Although when you still refer to indigenous peoples as "natives", it does make me wonder if you'd recognize ethnocentrism about if it walked up and kicked you in the ass.

[Squatch]

33. Are you kidding me?

From the dictionary:

Native:

adj.

Being such by birth or origin: a native Scot.
Being one's own because of the place or circumstances of one's birth: our native land.

n.

One born in or connected with a place by birth: a native of Scotland now living in the United States.
One of the original inhabitants or lifelong residents of a place.

[DistressedAmerican]

38. No, I Am Not.

Also from the dictionary:

Colored - Having Color.

Dictionary definitions in no way reflect the type of racial subtext I am refering with either term.

They are still both considered offensive (especially the way you used the term). Had you refered to "native jamaican's" you definition would apply. What you said was 'Nothing but natives." That is not the same use your definition refers to.

Accept it or not. Your failure to recognize that fact, makes me really wonder about you.

[Thtwudbeme]

20. Rut-ro

Sorry, I am a Linguistic Luddite apparently.

Sadly, I made an "A" in Anthropology last semester, and have a book by Margeret Meade beside my bed.

Damn, I am a moron.

[Squatch]

22. Yes.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Squatch]

30. And what, pray tell, have you determined

my intentions to be?

[DistressedAmerican]

34. Self Delete! I Misread The Post!

Sorry!!!

[Thtwudbeme]

37. Were you responding to me?

?

[DistressedAmerican]

39. Yes

I Think Is Pretty Clear Who I Am Talking To.

Any response?

[Thtwudbeme]

42. Um, yes I have a response

I was arguing WITH you, and trying to help you make your point.

I was also telling the person who doesn't think the media is biased that I just really don't care for the way they put their opinions forth.

I don't understand why you think I was attacking DU?

Steph

[DistressedAmerican]

44. OOPS! I Just Read It Wrong!!! I Openly Retract! Sorry.

I read the "YOUR INTENTIONS" as refering to DUers. MY MISTAKE. SORRY!!!

[Thtwudbeme]

45. Aha!!!!

OK, I knew there had to be some kind of problem!

Seriously, thanks for the correction on the use of the word "native." I did not realize that word carried such negative connotations when referring to an indigenous population.

Kind of embarassing---like I said, I just made an "A" in my anthropology class--

Stephanie

[DistressedAmerican]

47. Sorry Again. You Understand My Confusion.

Yeah, natives is not very PC these days. I'm sure you'd do just fine in one of my classes.

Got some seats open for fall classes on "Mesoamerican Archaeology" and "Aztecs, Incas And Mayas"!

Sorry again. I feel bad. You are my buddy!:toast:

[Thtwudbeme]

49. That's OK, I completely understood when you wrote it actually!

I WISH I could take your classes....but, I am a Religion major (however, adding a second major of history now...just because I can)---

Maybe someday I can go back and get that anthropology degree for fun; I find that major to be one of the only true "thinking" subjects these days. Critical thought and analysis are mandatory learned traits to be a successful student of anthropology---it is the ONLY science that combines what is learned through Psychology, Biology, and Sociology-

Stephanie

[DistressedAmerican]

50. Moved From Psych Into Anthro And Ended Up Doing A Double Major.

Teaching and finishing my doctorate now. It is a lot of work. But, the folks I get to work with down there make it all worth it!

[Thtwudbeme]

17. OK, so you are suggesting that by showing some photos of native

Jamaicans that the coverage of the hurricane is not racially biased.

Can you please explain to me why the photos of the hurricane area in Mexico seem to be?

[matcom]

5. we go to the Riviera every January

the Mayan people are by FAR the greatest people in the world. we have made many friends down there.

i too am searching for meaningful images this morning, and sadly, not finding much

[DistressedAmerican]

9. You Can Say That Again. Kind, Gentle, Open And Fantastic.

My wife and I are planning a permenant move to small village where I work, Telchaquillo. It is about 40KM southeast of Merida.

I can't wait to be there year round. I have essentially been adopted by one family in the village who are without exaggeration the nicest people I have ever met.

Say hello for me when you are there and let me know if you are interested in some tips. Although, you sound plenty familiar.

[matcom]

16. familiar enough to know that the CNN photographer

didn't even need to step INTO the airport to take that pic of white people standing in line ;)

[mtnester]

25. Same here, we have friends who are expats in property management there

We stay at a house on Solomon Bay, and hang out in Akumal mostly when we are not getting lost interior somewhere between Mexico City and Oaxaca...we tend to drive around the entire Yucatan, hoping we make it back to the airport in time to catch our flight 2 weeks later :)

That said, we are anxious about some our friends, expats and Mexicans alike, who had to basically sign off Saturday.

I will tell you, when they enact the dry law down there, it is going to be SERIOUS.

[DistressedAmerican]

31. Dry Law? Haven't Heard About That.

Fill me in.

Akumal is BEAUTIFUL!!! I know a few peeps there as well. I get around the area. So I have folks scattered all over the region. Should be able to contact some of the urban dwellers soon.

[mtnester]

35. The Dry Law is when all liquor sales are halted, that happened late Friday

night...no liquor served or sold per orders of the Mexican Government. And Saturday early evening Cancun went to Red Alert...no one in, no one out.

Many of us are trying to contact our expat friends down there and it is starting to sound like Akumal, Solimon Bay, Tulum etc took a terrible hit...terrible. No one is even able to get close in the area yet.

PDC appears to have fared better as they have more concrete structures, but starting about Akumal and south, it sounds bad.

[DistressedAmerican]

41. HOLY CRAP! I Assume Just For The Storm Period?

There would be an uprising is it was long term!

[mtnester]

46. Yes, until it is an all clear...it is still in effect now

until assessment is done...could be a few days at least in some areas.

[DistressedAmerican]

48. That's Not So Bad. Any Drinker I Know Would Have Stocked Up!

I was thinking something more permenant. I have heard talk of such a thing anoung the Baptists in the community where I work. Not a very popular idea among anyone outside the AA crowd.

(For the record, I am no fan of Christian Missionaries. But, the Baptists have helped a lot of folks there with drinking problems. So, I like to give them credit for that.)

[LibDemAlways]

7. The plight of the American tourist is of

infinitely greater interest to CNN than the hardships befalling the residents of the Yucatan. While the average CNN producer has probably vacationed in Cancun or Cozumel and been waited on hand and foot at some lavish resort, it would never dawn on them that the hotel staff as well as thousands of others are year-round residents who have homes and families affected by the storm.

It reminds me of an old cruise line joke where a pampered passenger asks the cabin steward, "Do you go home at night?"

[Peggy Day]

11. What happened to Cozumel? No mention n/t

[DistressedAmerican]

14. Tourists Sayed In Gyms. As Far As I Know That Is About It....

Of course, as noted real information is sorely lacking.

[peacetalksforall]

19. I've heard you have to watch International CNN. We only get to see

U.S. CNN. It's geared to our mentality. Especially because many of the people CNN tries to propagandize in their other segments hate the world. They don't want to know about people in other countries.

I don't know how to get CNN International. I heard that is where you get to hear Christiane A. more often than you get to hear her on U.S. CNN.

Just repeating things I've heard about the differences. This is not official.

[havocmom]

36. Watched a few minutes of TWC last evening - interviews of spoiled US

tourists talking about how 'fun' it was gonna be to ride out the storm. My blood pressure was up WAY too much as I yelled at their smug faces on the TV. Idiots! Fun? Yeah, but when it got the least bit unfun for them and their egocentric offspring, they will be whining to the natives working at resorts and expecting to be protected, served, coddled, and have their insensitive asses saved if things don't go as the hotel management hopes. Get outta there before your presence makes things MORE difficult for people who are barely able to survive anyway. Those folks who live there do not need added burden during such a time.

Gads, it is NOT our freedom other peoples hate us for!

[mtnester]

40. Anyone wanting to hear live reports on the ground from expats and

those who are there on vacation, you can go to the Loco Gringo website message boards at http://www.locogringo.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=2

This is where we are awaiting on the ground responses from many of our friends there. It sounds like PDC with their more solid structures did OK, but Akumal and south to Tulum and sound like they took a terrible hit...Sian Ka'an biosphere and its habitat, the Boca Paila area, Tankah, Solimon Bay, Xcalak, Chemuyil . . basically the entire southern Quintana Roo province.

I pray for my friends there and hope to hear from them soon. Most went WAY inland and were planning on sleeping in their cars.

[DistressedAmerican]

43. Thanks So Much For The Info! Sounds Like What I Was Expecting.

Fine for the tourist hotels, but the folks in the villages are very much hurting this morning!

[crikkett]

51. The reporter was probably locked up!

It's possible that the photojournalist was with tourists who were locked up in shelters for their own safety, and so this is probably what they could pull together before the filing deadline.

That, or they didn't want to get their shoes muddy. :)

That would be one reasonable excuse for coverage that's seemingly racially biased.

[DistressedAmerican]

52. They Never Hide In their Shelters During American Storms!

I see where you are going. But, I don't think that is it.

They have no problem getting that kind of footage when they want to.

Come on, how many Anderson Cooper dodging flying debris shots do we get when it is a Florida or gulf coast hit?

[LibDemAlways]

53. Reporters are frequently ordered to report from

the center of the storm. I have a friend who works for a local tv outlet in LA and he says whenever the station is on "storm watch" the reporters are told to lose the umbrellas and appear as drenched and wind-blown as possible on camera because it heightens drama and is good for ratings.

[mtnester]

54. UPDATES COMING IN:

Cozumel - lots of tree damage, no power, cell phone working, some storm surge damage, not a lot of structure damage apparent yet, 135 MPH winds

Playacar - the area looks like it has been de-forested, but minor structure damage

Akumal - no response from anyone there yet, people in the area speculating they were hit hard - they may have taken a direct hit

Tulum - no reports yet - concerning to some in the area, see Akumal for speculation - direct hit

Tankah - most houses lost, water in the streets, storm surge inland took out walls, homes, first reports do not sound good there. Direct hit

Xcalak - minor winds, no hideous damage

To keep an eye on updates from actual residents of the area, go to:

http://www.locogringo.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=2
or
http://stormcarib.com/reports/2005/mexico.shtml

The ominous sound of silence from Akumal and Tulum is NOT encouraging.

[DistressedAmerican]

56. I Am Really Worried About Tulum. Even the hotels and such there

are pretty small and flimsy when compared with a playa or Cancun.

I have a favorite spot on the beach right beside the site of Tulum called Armondo's Cabanas. Tiny, flimsy cabanas every one. Must have been leveled. 135 mile and hour winds would have ripped the place apart. Also worried toe the site itself (being an archaeologist and all).

I'll keep an eye on those links! Thanks A Lot!

[sam sarrha]

55. they want to keep our world a microcosm 'they' can control