No Catapult of Lies can hide this massive racial injustice in NOLA

[omega minimo]

The abandoned, lost, dead and dying in New Orleans; those escaping on foot over the overpasses, expiring while waiting for buses that never come, or floating on scraps of wood in the water; all these images we see on the news-- WHY ARE (ESSENTIALLY) ALL THE FACES BLACK?

A woman from the Astrodome decscribed being treated like criminals, being given food “with a gun on the side” and ordered by armed guards to go to the bathroom “one at a time.” Would the crowds in the Dome have been treated any differently if they were not poor and black?

This is a test on us, folks. This is a test of our willingness to suspend our sense of disbelief (yet again) and to suspend our own humanity as we witness the blatant, arrogant and horrifying abandonment of hurricane victims who just happen to be predominantly African American. If they weren’t impoverished before, they are now.

THIS IS NOT OKAY AND WE CANNOT LET THE POWERS THAT BE THINK THAT WE THINK IT IS.

We wonder as we watch these scenes WHAT DIFFERENCE IN GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE RESPONSE WOULD THERE BE IF THESE FACES WERE WHITE?

We need to realize that this is a test of OUR REACTION to how they will treat other Americans when the time comes. It could be us. How will we feel when we are abandoned, disenfranchised, disappeared by our government?

:patriot:

If people want to describe this as “more classist than racist” fine. We all know it is no coincidence that this crowd of poor people stuck in New Orleans in the hurricane happen to be black.

:evilfrown:

If people want to argue that we are not seeing what we are seeing with our own eyes and this is NOT racism/classicism, please read:

http://www.konformist.com/2001/mickeyz-05.htm
Politics and Brain Damage in the New Word Order

"One can lie with the mouth, but with the accompanying grimace, one nevertheless tells the truth." --Nietzche

:kick:

Here is a link to a post started by msgadget on “The storm as 'civic examination'”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=258x2343

“The storm as 'civic examination'

Hurricanes come in two waves. First comes the rainstorm, and then comes what the historian John Barry calls the "human storm" - the recriminations, the political conflict and the battle over compensation. Floods wash away the surface of society, the settled way things have been done. They expose the underlying power structures, the injustices, the patterns of corruption and the unacknowledged inequalities. When you look back over the meteorological turbulence in this nation's history, it's striking how often political turbulence followed.”

:bounce:

NEWSMAKER: FEMA'S MIKE BROWN

Defending the government's efforts
JIM LEHRER: Mr. Brown, I'm sure you're aware that there have been enormous complaints today from the people affected, up to the officials in New Orleans, the disaster director of New Orleans in fact called the federal effort that you are in charge of a national disgrace because it's moving so slowly, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. How do you respond to that?

MIKE BROWN: What we cannot do, and what we did not do immediately after the storm passed and as the levees were breaking, was to be able to bring in rescue workers and urban search-and-rescue teams and the medical teams because they themselves would have then become disaster victims. So we had to come in very carefully and very methodically. And it frustrated me, too because I would rather just have charged in there and done everything we could have.

But now we're at the stage where we we're getting the water supplies in there, we're getting the meals ready to eat. The Coast Guard, the U.S. Army, everybody is doing everything to now extract those people who could not or did not get out, to get the supplies on them and to continue this massive relief effort just as frantically as we can to get everything to them quickly.

<snip>

JIM LEHRER: "As fast as we can," what does that mean as we speak right now? Preceding you, we've had numerous people say they walked across the bridge and they got to the other end of the bridge and there was nobody there, nobody to help them. There were supposed to be buses. The buses didn't show up. It is one story after another. So what does "as soon as we can" mean at this stage of the game, Mr. Brown?

MIKE BROWN: Well, let me answer the question two ways: First, with regard to the evacuation of the Superdome and the convention center, we have had an ongoing supply food and water to there. They've had meals every day that they've been there. They had meals this morning.

(CATAPULT ALERT)
We have five trailers moving into the SUPERDOME this evening and to the convention center to provide both water and meals to those people, SO THEY’RE GETTING REGULAR AMOUNTS OF FOOD IN THE MORNING AND EVENING IN BOTH OF THOSE PLACES.

The second part of my answer, Jim, which, I think, again, the American people understand how fascinating and unusual this is -- IS THAT WE’RE SEEING PEOPLE THAT WE DIDN’T KNOW EXIST SUDDENLY ARE SHOWING UP ON BRIDGES OR SHOWING UP ON OVERPASSES or parts of the interstate that aren't inundated, and that now we're trying to get to them by Coast Guard helicopter to at least get them some immediate relief so we can start airlifting them out.

If there are groups of 40, some place where we can't get those helicopters in, so we have to move them out almost one at a time.”

[puddycat]

1. poor people will always get screwed, including poor whites.

I do believe that this is a racist thing partly, but mostly a socio-economic thing--because the government does not care about most of us, PERIOD. It doesn't matter if we are white or black, they hate our guts. We are nothing to them. So you can make it a purely racial thing if you want, but that disses all the poor whites who are being screwed to hell in this thing. And let's just tell it like it is, that this administration of George Bush hates us all, black or white, if we are not in the top percent of Republican fascists running this nation.

Let's not divide ourselves into black/white when this issue's heart lies in the fact that our "leadership" sees us all as pawns in their little neo-con game of world imperialism.

[Booster]

4. I'm still leaning to the this is a racist thing, but also think you are

probably right; if people are poor, it really doesn't matter if you are black or white, because the conservatives just want you to die so they can stop paying you welfare and Medicare. They are "thinning the herd" ridding themselves of the weak and poor. To them the weak and the poor are useless. Sad, and we should be really ashamed of our country right now.

[omega minimo]

5. Right-- so if "this is a racist thing partly"

...non-blacks are also screwed in the socio-economic shell game.

Your points are well taken but perhaps mine is not clear.

This is not the point:

"So you can make it a purely racial thing if you want, but that disses all the poor whites who are being screwed to hell in this thing...Let's not divide ourselves into black/white when this issue's heart lies in the fact that our "leadership" sees us all as pawns in their little neo-con game of world imperialism."

The point is that we are sitting by and witnessing this obliteration of poor people with far less of an OUTCRY AND OUTRAGE than if they were not black. I do not believe that this scene would be occurring in the same way if these people were not African American. I do not believe that people would be so blase about watching these horrors, these deaths, these broken lives-- if these people were not African American.

And you're right. It could be us. THAT is my point. They ARE us. This is a test of how citizens can be treated and how fellow citizens respond or react or don't.

[pitohui]

7. agreed puddycat you got the right answer

it ain't black, white, or brown

it's GREEN

[distantearlywarning]

2. I do think there is some racism here.

I also agree with the post above that we ALL, black and white, are just expendable commodities to these people. That much has been made clear from this crisis as well. We are nothing to them. The only people they care about are rich white Christian oil barons who can contribute to their re-election funds.

The rest of us are just on the "use them until they drop" list, and obviously black people are lower on the list than others in their eyes.

[omega minimo]

8. Yet another "distant early warning"

and all these points are true... We are equally disregarded by the blood for oil regime-- this event has ripped the mask off the lizards. I am calling for us to witness this and not think it's about " the Other."

And I have to say I am really glad the TeeVee is showing these proud human beings being PISSED OFF about it-- telling their stories, expressing their outrage and grief, CHANTING "WE WANT HELP."

[journalist3072]

3. We will be judged....

The Bible clearly says that we will be judged by how we do to the least among us. And we are failing that test.

[pitohui]

6. i'm guessing it's because 70 plus % of the city is black

this is a black, dem city but trust me white ppl aren't getting any info or help either, so far, the only friend i know has died is white & middle class, maybe even upper middle class

we're all effed

racism is a HUGE part of why they only show black faces & focus on the trashiest of behavior instead of focusing on those who have been heroic

my humble opinion anyways

hastert would not announce, on 9-13-01, that new york city should be abandoned

that this is acceptable discourse is racism pure & simple

[omega minimo]

9. This is not about competition-- this is about perception

which is why I provided the link to:

http://www.konformist.com/2001/mickeyz-05.htm
Politics and Brain Damage in the New Word Order

"One can lie with the mouth, but with the accompanying grimace, one nevertheless tells the truth." --Nietzche

IT IS EASIER FOR AMERICANS TO WATCH THIS AND FEEL DISTANCED FROM THE EXPERIENCE AND COMPLACENT ABOUT THE WAY THESE HUMAN BEINGS ARE BEING TREATED BECAUSE THEY ARE NON-WHITE.

The TeeVee world is the white world. The screen shows us The Other and somehow-- the identification is NOT THERE. Too many "Cops" episodes.....

These are not criminals. It's not a crime to be poor (yet). Malloy is talking about shoot-to-kill orders from the LA governor to the military personnel in New Orleans.

THIS IS OUR WAKE UP CALL. This is the final "if this doesn't do it, nothing will."

[sniffa]

10. it's awfuL and it's on dispLay for aLL to see

it wiLL be denied and wished away, but we can't Let that happen.

[omega minimo]

11. This is a galvanizing moment and it will not be catapulted away

You're right-- we can't let that happen. I would like to see more dialogue across group lines-- including here on DU.

This "hands off" neglect that created a situation now of "shoot to kill" is PROOF of the failures of this administration to keep ONE promise, ANY promise or fulfill ANY responsibility to the American people.

We will not let them ignore it. They'll wake up whether they want to stay in their coma or not. The media will probably tell us it didn't really jolt the nation... However, brains and hearts and political wills are popping open all over the country and the world right now.

Believe it.

[omega minimo]

12. Why is FEMA head LYING? "Fascinating and unusual"?

JIM LEHRER: "Preceding you, we've had numerous people say they walked across the bridge and they got to the other end of the bridge and there was nobody there, nobody to help them. There were supposed to be buses. The buses didn't show up. It is one story after another. So what does "as soon as we can" mean at this stage of the game, Mr. Brown?

MIKE BROWN: Well, let me answer the question two ways: First, with regard to the evacuation of the Superdome and the convention center, we have had an ongoing supply food and water to there. They've had meals every day that they've been there. They had meals this morning.

(CATAPULT ALERT)
We have five trailers moving into the SUPERDOME this evening and to the convention center to provide both water and meals to those people, SO THEY’RE GETTING REGULAR AMOUNTS OF FOOD IN THE MORNING AND EVENING IN BOTH OF THOSE PLACES.

The second part of my answer, Jim, which, I think, again, the American people understand how fascinating and unusual this is -- IS THAT WE’RE SEEING PEOPLE THAT WE DIDN’T KNOW EXIST SUDDENLY ARE SHOWING UP ON BRIDGES OR SHOWING UP ON OVERPASSES or parts of the interstate that aren't inundated..."

"People we didn't know exist." Indeed.

[omega minimo]

13. If an OP that provides (too much?) info and food for thought

slides away down the DU tube, and the short, simplistic, blunt, opinion(only)-based OP's bounce up and up and up....

Does that say something about the subject? About complexity? About context? About :boring:

IMHO........

[omega minimo]

14. Nightline was kickass

:hi:

[artemisia1]

15. No, but they'll give it the old college try.

Even Savage, yes Savage, blasted the Administration for gross incompetence and even said that they were poor black people that the government didn't care about. I almost spit out my coffee when I heard him say that. I monitor him every now and then to see what the fascist nutcake is saying.

[omega minimo]

16. New twist on "Skull and Bones"

"Even Savage, yes Savage, blasted the Administration for gross incompetence and even said that they were poor black people that the government didn't care about."

That's part of the test. The RW blowhards will run that up the flagpole to see who salutes....all of this.... how much will the rest of us sit still for? "Shoot to kill" orders?

Now on "GoodBullshitAmerica" the LA governor is blaming violent, crazy drug addicts in NOLA for "hampering our relief efforts." What relief efforts?

Maybe she should be charging the "violent, crazy drug addicts" in the WH.

This is America's wake up call. It focuses on every aspect of America's problems-- including and especially racial/social injustice-- and the highlights the failures of Bushco. administration.