Guest guest Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 > Email attributed to NOLA rescue worker; economics of > disaster > My friend Ned Sublette passes along an email > attributed to a rescue worker > in New Orleans. Ned says: > The poorest 20% (you can argue with the number -- > 10%? 18%? no one knows) of > the city was left behind to drown. This was the > plan. Forget the > sanctimonious bullshit about the bullheaded people > who wouldn't leave. The > evacuation plan was strictly laissez-faire. It > depended on privately owned > vehicles, and on having ready cash to fund an > evacuation. The planners knew > full well that the poor, who in new orleans are > overwhelmingly black, > wouldn't be able to get out. The resources -- > meaning, the political will -- > weren't there to get them out. > White per capita income in Orleans parish, 2000 > census: $31,971. Black per > capita: $11,332. Median *household* income in B.W. > Cooper (Calliope) Housing > Projects, 2000: $13,263. > > The email attributed to a rescue worker reads: > There are dead animals floating in the water, pets > left behind. Surely > people thought they would be back to collect the > pets. Not so. The rescuers > smell like gas when they come back in; there's gas > in all of the water that > consumes the area. Fires are burning all over the > place. Our teams are tired > and they are thirsty and they are hungry. And they > have a place to sleep and > water to drink and food to eat. I can only imagine > how the people without > these "luxuries" are feeling right now. > Each night will be a race against time. When night > falls, people can't get > picked up from roofs, the rescuers can't chop into > people's roofs to check > the attics for anyone alive or for anyone dead > (sadly, there are dead). At > night we can't see power lines we can't see > obstacles, we can't see any of > the things that will bring down a helicopter or pose > a danger to boats > rescuers. > > One of the teams came in today after having been out > for hours at a time. > One particular rescuer went straight to a corner and > collapsed into tears. I > went directly to him and just held his hand. What > else could I do? I said > nothing. He said it all. They lowered him 26 times > and he pulled 26 people > to safety. He wants to be back out there but there > are mandatory rest > periods. His tears are tears of frustration. > > Entire teams are working on nothing but evacuating > the hospitals. All four > of the major hospitals are beginning to flood. > Critical patients have to get > out or surely they will be lost. Generators cannot > run forever; that's just > the way it is. There are limited facilities to take > those that are rescued > and those that need to be evacuated. Anything that > leaves by air leaves by > helicopter. There are no runways for planes that > aren't under water. Only > one drivable way in and out. > > Water everywhere and more keeps coming. Until they > can do something about > the three levees that are broken, more water will > come and more water will > kill. The water poses major health threats. Anyone > with even a small open > cut is prone to infection. Anyone who touches this > water and touches his > eyes, nose or mouth without find a way to "clean" > himself first will be sick > with stomach problems before long. It's bad and it's > getting worse. It's not > going to be anything better than devastating for > days or weeks at best. > > I wish I could tell you that I'll check in again > soon. I can't. I don't know > when my next message will get out. We'll be leaving > where we are within just > an hour or so. > > > > posted by Xeni Jardin at 08:37:31 PM permalink | > blogs' comments > > > > Black people loot, white people find? > > > Flickr user dustin3000 uploads two similar news > photos that show flood > victims in New Orleans wading in chest-deep water. > In each, a person appears > to be dragging a bag or box or two of food or > beverages. > > The images were shot by different photographers, and > captioned by different > photo wire services. The Associated Press caption > accompanying the image > with a black person says he's just finished > "looting" a grocery store. The > AFP/Getty Images caption describes lighter skinned > people "finding" bread > and soda from a grocery store. No stores are open to > sell these goods. > > > Perhaps there's more factual substantiation behind > each copywriter's choice > of words than we know. But to some, the difference > in tone suggests racial > bias, implicit or otherwise. > > Link to comparison, and here are the originals: one, > two. (Thanks, Howard) > > Reader comment: oboreruhito says, "1.) AP has > consistently named all people > stealing items as looters. > > 2.) Some grocery stores had been occupied by police, > who were taking food, > drinks and essentials and distributing them to > people. Then again, some cops > were looting outright, as well, and others were > trying to stop it all." > > Snip from Times-Picayune news story: > > Law enforcement efforts to contain the emergency > left by Katrina slipped > into chaos in parts of New Orleans Tuesday with some > police officers and > firefighters joining looters in picking stores > clean. At the Wal-Mart on > Tchoupitoulas Street, an initial effort to hand out > provisions to stranded > citizens quickly disintegrated into mass looting. > Authorities at the scene > said bedlam erupted after the giveaway was announced > over the radio. > Link > Reader comment: Amid says, > > I'd like to refute the reader comment that AP has > consistently named > everybody stealing items "looters." This is an AP > photo of a white guy > "looking through his shopping bag." ...coming out of > a store with a broken > window. __ Start your day with - make it your home page http://www./r/hs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 This is a total disaster! Why make it worse by invoking racism, economics and politics? For God Sakes! Ammachi, Prajna - Brianna <prajnaji> wrote: > > Email attributed to NOLA rescue worker; economics of > > disaster > > My friend Ned Sublette passes along an email > > attributed to a rescue worker > > in New Orleans. Ned says: > > The poorest 20% (you can argue with the number -- > > 10%? 18%? no one knows) of > > the city was left behind to drown. This was the > > plan. Forget the > > sanctimonious bullshit about the bullheaded people > > who wouldn't leave. The > > evacuation plan was strictly laissez-faire. It > > depended on privately owned > > vehicles, and on having ready cash to fund an > > evacuation. The planners knew > > full well that the poor, who in new orleans are > > overwhelmingly black, > > wouldn't be able to get out. The resources -- > > meaning, the political will -- > > weren't there to get them out. > > White per capita income in Orleans parish, 2000 > > census: $31,971. Black per > > capita: $11,332. Median *household* income in B.W. > > Cooper (Calliope) Housing > > Projects, 2000: $13,263. > > > > The email attributed to a rescue worker reads: > > There are dead animals floating in the water, pets > > left behind. Surely > > people thought they would be back to collect the > > pets. Not so. The rescuers > > smell like gas when they come back in; there's gas > > in all of the water that > > consumes the area. Fires are burning all over the > > place. Our teams are tired > > and they are thirsty and they are hungry. And they > > have a place to sleep and > > water to drink and food to eat. I can only imagine > > how the people without > > these "luxuries" are feeling right now. > > Each night will be a race against time. When night > > falls, people can't get > > picked up from roofs, the rescuers can't chop into > > people's roofs to check > > the attics for anyone alive or for anyone dead > > (sadly, there are dead). At > > night we can't see power lines we can't see > > obstacles, we can't see any of > > the things that will bring down a helicopter or pose > > a danger to boats > > rescuers. > > > > One of the teams came in today after having been out > > for hours at a time. > > One particular rescuer went straight to a corner and > > collapsed into tears. I > > went directly to him and just held his hand. What > > else could I do? I said > > nothing. He said it all. They lowered him 26 times > > and he pulled 26 people > > to safety. He wants to be back out there but there > > are mandatory rest > > periods. His tears are tears of frustration. > > > > Entire teams are working on nothing but evacuating > > the hospitals. All four > > of the major hospitals are beginning to flood. > > Critical patients have to get > > out or surely they will be lost. Generators cannot > > run forever; that's just > > the way it is. There are limited facilities to take > > those that are rescued > > and those that need to be evacuated. Anything that > > leaves by air leaves by > > helicopter. There are no runways for planes that > > aren't under water. Only > > one drivable way in and out. > > > > Water everywhere and more keeps coming. Until they > > can do something about > > the three levees that are broken, more water will > > come and more water will > > kill. The water poses major health threats. Anyone > > with even a small open > > cut is prone to infection. Anyone who touches this > > water and touches his > > eyes, nose or mouth without find a way to "clean" > > himself first will be sick > > with stomach problems before long. It's bad and it's > > getting worse. It's not > > going to be anything better than devastating for > > days or weeks at best. > > > > I wish I could tell you that I'll check in again > > soon. I can't. I don't know > > when my next message will get out. We'll be leaving > > where we are within just > > an hour or so. > > > > > > > > posted by Xeni Jardin at 08:37:31 PM permalink | > > blogs' comments > > > > > > > > Black people loot, white people find? > > > > > > Flickr user dustin3000 uploads two similar news > > photos that show flood > > victims in New Orleans wading in chest-deep water. > > In each, a person appears > > to be dragging a bag or box or two of food or > > beverages. > > > > The images were shot by different photographers, and > > captioned by different > > photo wire services. The Associated Press caption > > accompanying the image > > with a black person says he's just finished > > "looting" a grocery store. The > > AFP/Getty Images caption describes lighter skinned > > people "finding" bread > > and soda from a grocery store. No stores are open to > > sell these goods. > > > > > > Perhaps there's more factual substantiation behind > > each copywriter's choice > > of words than we know. But to some, the difference > > in tone suggests racial > > bias, implicit or otherwise. > > > > Link to comparison, and here are the originals: one, > > two. (Thanks, Howard) > > > > Reader comment: oboreruhito says, "1.) AP has > > consistently named all people > > stealing items as looters. > > > > 2.) Some grocery stores had been occupied by police, > > who were taking food, > > drinks and essentials and distributing them to > > people. Then again, some cops > > were looting outright, as well, and others were > > trying to stop it all." > > > > Snip from Times-Picayune news story: > > > > Law enforcement efforts to contain the emergency > > left by Katrina slipped > > into chaos in parts of New Orleans Tuesday with some > > police officers and > > firefighters joining looters in picking stores > > clean. At the Wal-Mart on > > Tchoupitoulas Street, an initial effort to hand out > > provisions to stranded > > citizens quickly disintegrated into mass looting. > > Authorities at the scene > > said bedlam erupted after the giveaway was announced > > over the radio. > > Link > > Reader comment: Amid says, > > > > I'd like to refute the reader comment that AP has > > consistently named > > everybody stealing items "looters." This is an AP > > photo of a white guy > > "looking through his shopping bag." ...coming out of > > a store with a broken > > window. > > > > > __ > Start your day with - make it your home page > http://www./r/hs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 On 8/31/05, ckeniley2003 <ckeniley2003 wrote:Why make it worse by invoking racism, economics and politics? These explanations are efforts to understand why the city had inadequate funding or political will to invest in the levee infrastructure, and stunningly incomplete evacuation plans for the large percentage of people without resources (such as private transportation, monies for hotel, etc.). I think the city has something like 30 or 40% of the population living below the poverty line, so those economics are bound to shape the nature and scope of this, indeed, "total" disaster. And there are, of course, 6 more weeks of hurricane season left... May grace blow the clouds into gentler forms. love, prashanti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 I don't disagree with your the scope of the disaster...just the "blame placing politics" and the knee jerk reaction of playing the "race card". One more opportunity for the perpetually political to grind an axe. That to me is flat out disgusting. Lets work together to help these people!! Ammachi, Rachel Barrett Gallop <hipstorian@g...> wrote: > On 8/31/05, ckeniley2003 <ckeniley2003> wrote:Why make it worse by > invoking racism, economics and politics? > > These explanations are efforts to understand why the city had inadequate > funding or political will to invest in the levee infrastructure, and > stunningly incomplete evacuation plans for the large percentage of people > without resources (such as private transportation, monies for hotel, etc.). > I think the city has something like 30 or 40% of the population living below > the poverty line, so those economics are bound to shape the nature and scope > of this, indeed, "total" disaster. And there are, of course, 6 more weeks of > hurricane season left... May grace blow the clouds into gentler forms. love, > prashanti > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Why deny that there are racism, economics and politics involved? What is wrong with acknowledging that aspect? Please don't mistake me for the perpetually political, or whatever you said. I'm not grinding any axes here. My mom sent me the rescue worker's story and it moved me. I have no political agenda. I am also devastated by all aspects of this terrible disaster, please don't assume that I'm using it in some way to make a point! love, Prajna --- ckeniley2003 <ckeniley2003 wrote: > This is a total disaster! > > Why make it worse by invoking racism, economics and > politics? > > For God Sakes! > > Ammachi, Prajna - Brianna > <prajnaji> > wrote: > > > Email attributed to NOLA rescue worker; > economics of > > > disaster > > > My friend Ned Sublette passes along an email > > > attributed to a rescue worker > > > in New Orleans. Ned says: > > > The poorest 20% (you can argue with the number > -- > > > 10%? 18%? no one knows) of > > > the city was left behind to drown. This was the > > > plan. Forget the > > > sanctimonious bullshit about the bullheaded > people > > > who wouldn't leave. The > > > evacuation plan was strictly laissez-faire. It > > > depended on privately owned > > > vehicles, and on having ready cash to fund an > > > evacuation. The planners knew > > > full well that the poor, who in new orleans are > > > overwhelmingly black, > > > wouldn't be able to get out. The resources -- > > > meaning, the political will -- > > > weren't there to get them out. > > > White per capita income in Orleans parish, 2000 > > > census: $31,971. Black per > > > capita: $11,332. Median *household* income in > B.W. > > > Cooper (Calliope) Housing > > > Projects, 2000: $13,263. > > > > > > The email attributed to a rescue worker reads: > > > There are dead animals floating in the water, > pets > > > left behind. Surely > > > people thought they would be back to collect the > > > pets. Not so. The rescuers > > > smell like gas when they come back in; there's > gas > > > in all of the water that > > > consumes the area. Fires are burning all over > the > > > place. Our teams are tired > > > and they are thirsty and they are hungry. And > they > > > have a place to sleep and > > > water to drink and food to eat. I can only > imagine > > > how the people without > > > these "luxuries" are feeling right now. > > > Each night will be a race against time. When > night > > > falls, people can't get > > > picked up from roofs, the rescuers can't chop > into > > > people's roofs to check > > > the attics for anyone alive or for anyone dead > > > (sadly, there are dead). At > > > night we can't see power lines we can't see > > > obstacles, we can't see any of > > > the things that will bring down a helicopter or > pose > > > a danger to boats > > > rescuers. > > > > > > One of the teams came in today after having been > out > > > for hours at a time. > > > One particular rescuer went straight to a corner > and > > > collapsed into tears. I > > > went directly to him and just held his hand. > What > > > else could I do? I said > > > nothing. He said it all. They lowered him 26 > times > > > and he pulled 26 people > > > to safety. He wants to be back out there but > there > > > are mandatory rest > > > periods. His tears are tears of frustration. > > > > > > Entire teams are working on nothing but > evacuating > > > the hospitals. All four > > > of the major hospitals are beginning to flood. > > > Critical patients have to get > > > out or surely they will be lost. Generators > cannot > > > run forever; that's just > > > the way it is. There are limited facilities to > take > > > those that are rescued > > > and those that need to be evacuated. Anything > that > > > leaves by air leaves by > > > helicopter. There are no runways for planes that > > > aren't under water. Only > > > one drivable way in and out. > > > > > > Water everywhere and more keeps coming. Until > they > > > can do something about > > > the three levees that are broken, more water > will > > > come and more water will > > > kill. The water poses major health threats. > Anyone > > > with even a small open > > > cut is prone to infection. Anyone who touches > this > > > water and touches his > > > eyes, nose or mouth without find a way to > "clean" > > > himself first will be sick > > > with stomach problems before long. It's bad and > it's > > > getting worse. It's not > > > going to be anything better than devastating for > > > days or weeks at best. > > > > > > I wish I could tell you that I'll check in again > > > soon. I can't. I don't know > > > when my next message will get out. We'll be > leaving > > > where we are within just > > > an hour or so. > > > > > > > > > > > > posted by Xeni Jardin at 08:37:31 PM permalink | > > > blogs' comments > > > > > > > > > > > > Black people loot, white people find? > > > > > > > > > Flickr user dustin3000 uploads two similar news > > > photos that show flood > > > victims in New Orleans wading in chest-deep > water. > > > In each, a person appears > > > to be dragging a bag or box or two of food or > > > beverages. > > > > > > The images were shot by different photographers, > and > > > captioned by different > > > photo wire services. The Associated Press > caption > > > accompanying the image > > > with a black person says he's just finished > > > "looting" a grocery store. The > > > AFP/Getty Images caption describes lighter > skinned > > > people "finding" bread > > > and soda from a grocery store. No stores are > open to > > > sell these goods. > > > > > > > > > Perhaps there's more factual substantiation > behind > > > each copywriter's choice > > > of words than we know. But to some, the > difference > > > in tone suggests racial > > > bias, implicit or otherwise. > > > > > > Link to comparison, and here are the originals: > one, > > > two. (Thanks, Howard) > > > > > > Reader comment: oboreruhito says, "1.) AP has > > > consistently named all people > > > stealing items as looters. > > > > > > 2.) Some grocery stores had been occupied by > police, > > > who were taking food, > > > drinks and essentials and distributing them to > > > people. Then again, some cops > > > were looting outright, as well, and others were > > > trying to stop it all." > > > > > > Snip from Times-Picayune news story: > > > > > > Law enforcement efforts to contain the emergency > > > left by Katrina slipped > > > into chaos in parts of New Orleans Tuesday with > some > > > police officers and > > > firefighters joining looters in picking stores > > > clean. At the Wal-Mart on > > > Tchoupitoulas Street, an initial effort to hand > out > > > provisions to stranded > > > citizens quickly disintegrated into mass > looting. > > > Authorities at the scene > > > said bedlam erupted after the giveaway was > announced > > > over the radio. > > > Link > > > Reader comment: Amid says, > > > > > > I'd like to refute the reader comment that AP > has > > > consistently named > > > everybody stealing items "looters." This is an > AP > > > photo of a white guy > > > "looking through his shopping bag." ...coming > out of > > > a store with a broken > > > window. > > > > > > > > > > > __ > > Start your day with - make it your home > page > > http://www./r/hs > > > __ Start your day with - make it your home page http://www./r/hs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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