Race playing a factor in the aftermath of Katrina?

The media is now reporting that race is somehow playing a part in the governments 'slow' response to the aftermath of hurricane kartina. This is absurd. Are people really stupid enough to believe that the government would have acted differently if those people were white? The government does NOT sit around and say "Well, lets respond to this crisis inefficiently so that we can kill off some more black people." The government is being inefficient, NOT racist. Anyone who is so moronic as to believe that has forgotten that this is no longer 1960. Racism does not play a part in the federal government, so god damnit, stop bitching about racism already!

Yeah, really. I heard the same thing on the radio earlier this morning. It was quite stupid.

People say a lot of stupid things all the time. But of course you must be aware how racially-sensitive the country is. It's unavoidable.

I hate reverse racism just as much as actual racism. :/

If anything, it's the media that's racist. The Daily Buzz (a morning show that's actually *not* about sensationalism and exploitation - gasp!) was talking about how black people stealing from stores was being referred to by most news outlets as "looting," whereas when white people did it it was just them "obtaining" food in order to survive.

Blame it on the black man.

Well, more than anything, the black people in New Orleans and the other places affected by Katrina are seen carrying things like televisions, shirts, and what not. The white people are just taking what's really necessary to stay alive for a few days before aid arrives. I'm not saying that this is stereotyping, but if you watch the news, you see the black people are doing most of the "looting," you hear that they take stuff like tvs, guns, and other non-food/drink items.

I've heard they've shot at police officers :rolleyes2

Well, it proves that the US is just one big storm away from anarchy.

George Bush doesn't care about black people - Kanye West.

Ok, I understand that this is a serious situation, but I could NOT stop laughing at the reaction on Mike Meyor's face after West made that little statement. I won't comment on the whole racist thing, because honestly do any of us know what's going on inside Bush's head? Maybe he would have responded faster if the majority of people dying were white. Maybe not. None of us can know for sure.

And everyone has got to stop thinking about this in terms of race, it's about human beings. That's it, period.

I also think it's BS that there is any racial issue here. Even if Bush is racist (I don't for a second believe he is.), I'm betting he's well aware that being deliberately lax will do far more harm to both his presidency and to the Republican party in general than any benefit he percieves from being able to get rid of a few thousand black folks.

Nah, I don't think Bush is racist... not against blacks, anyways. The Arabs need to watch out, but that's all. Then again... it's originally a french city and region, and still strongly of that culture, so maybe he just hates the French. And really, is that so wrong? (naturally, that part's a joke).

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Well, more than anything, the black people in New Orleans and the other places affected by Katrina are seen carrying things like televisions, shirts, and what not. The white people are just taking what's really necessary to stay alive for a few days before aid arrives. I'm not saying that this is stereotyping, but if you watch the news, you see the black people are doing most of the "looting," you hear that they take stuff like tvs, guns, and other non-food/drink items.

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Thats because A) There are more black people there than white people and B)The media isn't showing any white people doing the looting.

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Then again... it's originally a french city and region, and still strongly of that culture, so maybe he just hates the French.

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Correction: Freedom city.

I find it funny that the NCAPP (or whatever it is) go on tv and say that an evacuation notice wasn't given to New Orleans because the majority of the population is black when the evacuation notice was given 48 hours before the hurricane hit. They really screwed up with that one.

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Originally Posted by Agent Proto

Well, more than anything, the black people in New Orleans and the other places affected by Katrina are seen carrying things like televisions, shirts, and what not. The white people are just taking what's really necessary to stay alive for a few days before aid arrives. I'm not saying that this is stereotyping, but if you watch the news, you see the black people are doing most of the "looting," you hear that they take stuff like tvs, guns, and other non-food/drink items.

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This is very true. It's sad reality and touchy subject with most people about Louisiana. Black, being the prevelant race in the area it's sure reflecting harshly. The clip they keep playing here shows 2 black males carrying clothing out of a building and a officer with a pump shotgun yelling at them to put it down.

I don't believe the government would respond any differently but I can promise you that looting for unecessary items isn't exactly speeding up the process.

Replying to the post above me:
Actually it's been aware some time now. All the way back to the 60's that the potential for something like this could happen. 40 years to reinforce and well it's apparent it wasn't done. It's not a big surprise. It was bound to happen sooner or later.
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Then again we can't really rely on the media for this information. They are paid to sell a story. If the story is not interesting it will not sell therefore outrageous accusations are made. Who catches the blame when the rumor hits the crowds? The media, but instead of specifics it's generalized. 'Media.'

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Originally Posted by nik0tine

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Well, more than anything, the black people in New Orleans and the other places affected by Katrina are seen carrying things like televisions, shirts, and what not. The white people are just taking what's really necessary to stay alive for a few days before aid arrives. I'm not saying that this is stereotyping, but if you watch the news, you see the black people are doing most of the "looting," you hear that they take stuff like tvs, guns, and other non-food/drink items.

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Thats because A) There are more black people there than white people and B)The media isn't showing any white people doing the looting.

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I was going to make a similar response, which goes back to my point that the media is more racist than anyone else in this situation, and in turn is influencing the population's beliefs about the city. My mom made a comment last night about how it was all of the black people doing the looting, and it drove me nuts. Seeing something on the news is not an accurate portrayal of what's really happening.

The media just has file footage, and they're going to show what gets them the most attention. I think it's very sad to think that using race as an attention getter is still a prominently "good" business move. It shows how little most people have progressed, on all sides of the racial question.

That doesn't preclude the media from being stupid, though. But if you don't like it, don't watch it cause they're gonna keep doing it anyways.

I don't think it's a concious business move that is being made. The way I see it, the white people who run the media see white people looting, and black people looting, and because they are white, they have a natural affinity towards whites. Because of this, black people looting seems alot more negative and menacing than white people looting. Of course, they will use the most negative footage, because the most negative footage is what everyone wants to see.

Black people loot and white people find :(

http://www.theglassprison.net/obey/x...16c66eb58b.jpg

That image is crap. Kindly do not bandy it about here.

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Originally Posted by http://poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=88106

Chris Graythen wrote the caption for his photo of two hurricane survivors with bread and soda. "I believed in my opinion, that they did simply find them, and not 'looted' them in the definition of the word," he writes. "The people were swimming in chest deep water, and there were other people in the water, both white and black. I looked for the best picture. there were a million items floating in the water - we were right near a grocery store that had 5+ feet of water in it. it had no doors. the water was moving, and the stuff was floating away. These people were not ducking into a store and busting down windows to get electronics. They picked up bread and cokes that were floating in the water. They would have floated away anyhow."

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I know it's smurfed up, there only showing the blacks to make them look bad, there are plenty of us in there too seeing as we're the majority. With the looting for food and supplies they shouldn't put it against them. I would probably loot from some jewelery stores and banks too so once I left I'll have a lot of money. But the fact is George Bush is a terrible president I knew it from the start, I think that Kerry would've made a much better one. Bush really doesn't really have much expression to the crisis and he won't make a speech or anything on this. The helicopters flying over and not picking up suvivors because they say that niggers are violent is just absurd, and they need to get their people out of New Orleans and Missisippi

There is just no way the government could have delayed rescue operations because of race. Someone would have found out or spilled the beans and everyone knows it. It would be impossible to keep a secret like that.

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Originally Posted by fantasyjunkie

There is just no way the government could have delayed rescue operations because of race. Someone would have found out or spilled the beans and everyone knows it. It would be impossible to keep a secret like that.

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No no, they're just trying to cover it uo, you know how politicians are but maybe not, there are black people in government.

I seriously should be ticked off by this! As I am an African American too. Their injustice as to the previous pic of a paper stating that an African American boy was "looting" and the the two white people were just "finding" it. Kerry definately should've been the president, George is hardly paying this any attention just like when he found the plans to 9:11.

I heard people were shooting at the supply helicopters. But I've generally been ignoring the situation as much as possible.

They didn't race to get there becasuse of a race? No no no.. This just isn't possible, too many different people in the governemnt think differently - thus the fact that things take months to get doen. I doubt that they are sitting back and trying to find away to kill of some more affrican americans. No friggin way.

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Originally Posted by shlupquack

I heard people were shooting at the supply helicopters. But I've generally been ignoring the situation as much as possible.

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This is true, I have been looking to see if any rescue workers have been killed. Truely barbaric. It just reminds me of the movie "Escape from LA" for some reason. Like the city is gonna become some criminal strong hold or somthing..... /shrug :p God I hope not
Bipper

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Originally Posted by Ashley Schovitz'

I seriously should be ticked off by this! As I am an African American too. Their injustice as to the previous pic of a paper stating that an African American boy was "looting" and the the two white people were just "finding" it. Kerry definately should've been the president, George is hardly paying this any attention just like when he found the plans to 9:11.

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Originally Posted by Kawaii Ryûkishi

That image is crap. Kindly do not bandy it about here.

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Originally Posted by http://poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=88106

Chris Graythen wrote the caption for his photo of two hurricane survivors with bread and soda. "I believed in my opinion, that they did simply find them, and not 'looted' them in the definition of the word," he writes. "The people were swimming in chest deep water, and there were other people in the water, both white and black. I looked for the best picture. there were a million items floating in the water - we were right near a grocery store that had 5+ feet of water in it. it had no doors. the water was moving, and the stuff was floating away. These people were not ducking into a store and busting down windows to get electronics. They picked up bread and cokes that were floating in the water. They would have floated away anyhow."

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Knowledge is power.

Has anyone heard about this? I respect him for speaking his mind.

As do i, but when and why?

I haven't heard about it yet. I applaud him for speaking up though... Unless of course he is bitching about racism slowing down the recovery effort after hurricane katrina, in which case he is a total moron and needs to learn to both keep his mouth shut and think for his damned self.

im all for bush hatin, but really "Bush doesn't care about black people" is just ignorant, im sorry.

huh, I was hoping this thread was about a physical ass whoopin :)

I must aggree with nik0 here. If he is gonna be yelling about the government not saving black people; he should remember that we are all equally tax dollars to the government.

Bush deserves abuse from anyone......

I posted about this in the "Race playing a factor in the aftermath of Katrina?" thread.

So freakin' funny. I want the shirt.

The race card is sad. :/

i think race will always be an issua. but here it was an afluent thing. the people affected most by the disaster were poor. it could be argued that they were poor because they were black. statistics seem to show thatis the case. but i think the actual richness of these people determined their fate. the authorities will care more for the people with the money and power.

I found this at another board:

http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/6...sracist7yu.gif

Yes, it would be racist, if not for the fact that the couple was actually finding and the man was actually looting.

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Originally Posted by Kawaii Ryûkishi

That image is crap. Kindly do not bandy it about here.

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Originally Posted by http://poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=88106

Chris Graythen wrote the caption for his photo of two hurricane survivors with bread and soda. "I believed in my opinion, that they did simply find them, and not 'looted' them in the definition of the word," he writes. "The people were swimming in chest deep water, and there were other people in the water, both white and black. I looked for the best picture. there were a million items floating in the water - we were right near a grocery store that had 5+ feet of water in it. it had no doors. the water was moving, and the stuff was floating away. These people were not ducking into a store and busting down windows to get electronics. They picked up bread and cokes that were floating in the water. They would have floated away anyhow."

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I'd say the main problem in this 'race' situation is being extremely quick to point the finger and jump to conclusions rather than finding the facts (which can easily be located on Snopes.com) and then judging the situation.

This is the Kayne West situation.

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Later the US TV network NBC further distanced itself from the singer's comments, following his outburst at US President GEORGE W BUSH during Friday's (02SEP05) broadcast of the concert for 'Hurricane Relief'.

West, who didn't perform in the one-hour special, was on the stage with comedian MIKE MYERS reading a script from the teleprompter when he deviated from the pre-written dialogue to attack Bush and the government's reaction to Hurricane Katrina.

He ranted, "If you see a black family it's looting but if it's a white family they are looking for food... We realise that a lot of people who could help are at war fighting another way (but) now they have given them permission to go down and shoot us."

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Seems rather ignorant to blast Bush and the government for something the media said for one, and also to blithely ignore all the extreme evidence of looting going on down there. I dont mean food in the least.

Ah, okay. You want me to delete my post then?

EDIT: I wasn't bashing anyone over the pic. I just posted it to see what people thought of it.

Not at all, I just figured you should know the truth of the matter. In fact, please leave it, because not only does the small child from Wonder Showzen amuse the crap out of me, but the more people that realize the truth of the matter, the better.

edit: I know you werent, Sephex. My words were mainly about the people making these images and all the folks so eager to jump on the race bandwagon.

If, after people read the facts, they still think the response is racist, then that's fine. However, I think people jumping to quick conclusions without knowing any facts is getting really tiring and I find it to be ignorant on the whole.

When I first saw the images of the articles I was upset as well, that's a natural reaction.

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Originally Posted by TheAbominatrix

Not at all, I just figured you should know the truth of the matter. In fact, please leave it, because not only does the small child from Wonder Showzen amuse the crap out of me, but the more people that realize the truth of the matter, the better.

edit: I know you werent, Sephex. My words were mainly about the people making these images and all the folks so eager to jump on the race bandwagon.

If, after people read the facts, they still think the response is racist, then that's fine. However, I think people jumping to quick conclusions without knowing any facts is getting really tiring and I find it to be ignorant on the whole.

When I first saw the images of the articles I was upset as well, that's a natural reaction.

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Alright then, cool. Yeah, I'm kind of tired of people pulling the race card as it is these days too.

He didnt just talk about the fact that they were black he mentioned that people that were poor and had low incomes werent a high priority for bush!

But i reckon this is just fuelled by the frustration at the time!

Threads merged.

I don't really choose a side between the whole incident. Kanye West made a statement he's certainly entitled to deliver. But the timing he chose to do so was very inappropriate. The broadcasting was to raise money for those in need of it. Those involved in the catastrophe. Not for the purpose to defile others. I do hope he's severely punished for doing so. It was very unprofessional and amatuer of him.

...idk...i think that there aren't any facts because nothing is for sure... and i'm not sure if it matters why they aren't getting the aid down there that they need, because in the end there aren't getting it and it doesn't matter how. that's just how it is, and how people's minds work. everyone has a different mind so we'll never be able to agree on something, because it's just someone's opinion on what they think is right... but then again this is just my opinion too...

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Originally Posted by LyingEyes

I don't really choose a side between the whole incident. Kanye West made a statement he's certainly entitled to deliver. But the timing he chose to do so was very inappropriate. The broadcasting was to raise money for those in need of it. Those involved in the catastrophe. Not for the purpose to defile others. I do hope he's severely punished for doing so. It was very unprofessional and amatuer of him.

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Severly punished for making that statement? Please, if you watched the video, you'd see that Kanye wasn't himself. His voice was cracking, he was stuttering, he wasn't making coherent sentences. He was obviously very troubled and hurt by the government's raggedy-ass rescue and relief efforts. I highly doubt that he planned on making such an outrageous statement. And why should he be punished for saying what he believes to be true? It's not like he flashed a nipple.

Having said all this, did no one else crack up after watching the video? C'mon people, this stuff is golden.

It's not appropriate. Just like it's not appropriate for Liberals to rally outside Walter Reid military hospital and try to garner support. He went off script. Sorry but the event was to raise money for those who are in need. Not to make statements about the presidency and stray away from the program's agenda.

Yes I do find it extremely immature. Regardless of the amatuer move he was wrong. He can make his statements on his own time.

By no means am I disagreeing with his statements. Personally I don't care but I find it highly unprofessional to try to slander someone on national television under the curtain of a chartiy effort.

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Originally Posted by Washington Post

West's comments were later cut from the program when aired on the West Coast.

Instead of calling the Red Cross telephone lines with promises of donations, people filled the lines wth complaints about West's remarks.

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Well I'm positive that was a help right?