2 Years Post Hurricanes Katrina/Rita: Call to Action

[The Truth]

http://www.libera.be/files/nagin.mp3

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by TonyB06

but we still ----->here<---right?

Oh, we still down like four flats TonyB

My heart is just seriously breaking for those that are just stuck there in those deplorable conditions.

[Tickled Pink 2]

Originally posted by The Truth
http://www.libera.be/files/nagin.mp3

Wow! He was a cussin' all over the place. He is truly tired. I have never heard a politician be so honest. He even addressed the drug addicts that are breaking into the hospitals to get a fix.
I liked how he asked "Did the tsunami victims have to go thru a formal process to ask for help? Did the Iraqis ask us to go over there?" Then he continued "I'm probably gonna get in trouble for this..."

[Kamryn]

From Margins of Society to Center of the Tragedy

By DAVID GONZALEZ, The New York Times

(Sept. 2)
(Sept. 2) - The scenes of floating corpses, scavengers fighting for food and desperate throngs seeking any way out of New Orleans have been tragic enough. But for many African-American leaders, there is a growing outrage that many of those still stuck at the center of this tragedy were people who for generations had been pushed to the margins of society.



Dave Martin, AP
Residents appeal for help Thursday as they gather at an evacuation staging area along Interstate-10 in Metarie, La.

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The victims, they note, were largely black and poor, those who toiled in the background of the tourist havens, living in tumbledown neighborhoods that were long known to be vulnerable to disaster if the levees failed. Without so much as a car or bus fare to escape ahead of time, they found themselves left behind by a failure to plan for their rescue should the dreaded day ever arrive.

"If you know that terror is approaching in terms of hurricanes, and you've already seen the damage they've done in Florida and elsewhere, what in God's name were you thinking?" said the Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. "I think a lot of it has to do with race and class. The people affected were largely poor people. Poor, black people."

In the days since neighborhoods and towns along the Gulf Coast were wiped out by the winds and water, there has been a growing sense that race and class are the unspoken markers of who got out and who got stuck. Just as in developing countries where the failures of rural development policies become glaringly clear at times of natural disasters like floods or drought, many national leaders said, some of the United States' poorest cities have been left vulnerable by federal policies.

"No one would have checked on a lot of the black people in these parishes while the sun shined," said Mayor Milton D. Tutwiler of Winstonville, Miss. "So am I surprised that no one has come to help us now? No."

The subject is roiling black-oriented Web sites and message boards, and many black officials say it is a prime subject of conversation around the country. Some African-Americans have described the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina as "our tsunami," while noting that there has yet to be a response equal to that which followed the Asian tragedy.


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Roosevelt F. Dorn, the mayor of Inglewood, Calif., and the president of the National Association of Black Mayors, said relief and rescue officials needed to act faster.

"I have a list of black mayors in Mississippi and Alabama who are crying out for help," Mr. Dorn said. "Their cities are gone and they are in despair. And no one has answered their cries."

The Rev. Jesse Jackson said cities had been dismissed by the Bush administration because Mr. Bush received few urban votes.

"Many black people feel that their race, their property conditions and their voting patterns have been a factor in the response," Mr. Jackson said, after meeting with Louisiana officials yesterday. "I'm not saying that myself, but what's self-evident is that you have many poor people without a way out."

In New Orleans, the disaster's impact underscores the intersection of race and class in a city where fully two-thirds of its residents are black and more than a quarter of the city lives in poverty. In the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood, which was inundated by the floodwaters, more than 98 percent of the residents are black and more than a third live in poverty.

Spencer R. Crew, president and chief executive officer of the national Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, said the aftermath of the hurricane would force people to confront inequality.

"Most cities have a hidden or not always talked about poor population, black and white, and most of the time we look past them," Dr. Crew said. "This is a moment in time when we can't look past them. Their plight is coming to the forefront now. They were the ones less able to hop in a car and less able to drive off."

That disparity has been criticized as a "disgrace" by Charles B. Rangel, the senior Democratic congressman from New York City, who said it was made all the worse by the failure of government officials to have planned.

"I assume the president's going to say he got bad intelligence, Mr. Rangel said, adding that the danger to the levees was clear.

"I think that wherever you see poverty, whether it's in the white rural community or the black urban community, you see that the resources have been sucked up into the war and tax cuts for the rich," he said.

Outside Brooklyn Law School yesterday, a man selling recordings of famous African-Americans was upset at the failure to have prepared for the worst. The man, who said his name was Muhammad Ali, drew a damning conclusion about the failure to protect New Orleans.

"Blacks ain't worth it," he said. "New Orleans is a hopeless case."

Among the messages and essays circulating in cyberspace that lament the lost lives and missed opportunities is one by Mark Naison, a white professor of African-American Studies at Fordham University in the Bronx.

"Is this what the pioneers of the civil rights movement fought to achieve, a society where many black people are as trapped and isolated by their poverty as they were by segregation laws?" Mr. Naison wrote. "If Sept. 11 showed the power of a nation united in response to a devastating attack, Hurricane Katrina reveals the fault lines of a region and a nation, rent by profound social divisions."

That sentiment was shared by members of other minority groups who understand the bizarre equality of poverty.


More Resources


Connecting With Victims
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· Katrina.com

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"We tend to think of natural disasters as somehow even-handed, as somehow random," said Martín Espada, an English professor at the University of Massachusetts and poet of a decidedly leftist political bent who is Puerto Rican. "Yet it has always been thus: poor people are in danger. That is what it means to be poor. It's dangerous to be poor. It's dangerous to be black. It's dangerous to be Latino."

This Sunday there will be prayers. In pews from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast, the faithful will come together and pray for those who lived and those who died. They will seek to understand something that has yet to be fully comprehended.

Some may talk of a divine hand behind all of this. But others have already noted the absence of a human one.

"Everything is God's will," said Charles Steele Jr., the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta. "But there's a certain amount of common sense that God gives to individuals to prepare for certain things."

That means, Mr. Steele said, not waiting until the eve of crisis.

"Most of the people that live in the neighborhoods that were most vulnerable are black and poor," he said. "So it comes down to a lack of sensitivity on the part of people in Washington that you need to help poor folks. It's as simple as that."

Contributing reporting from New York for this article were Andy Newman, William Yardley, Jonathan P. Hicks, Patrick D. Healy, Diane Cardwell, Anemona Hartocollis, Ronald Smothers, Jeff Leeds, Manny Fernandez and Colin Moynihan. Also contributing were Michael Cooper in Albany, Gretchen Ruethling in Chicago, Brenda Goodman in Atlanta and Carolyn Marshall in San Francisco.










09-02-05 07:59 EDT


Copyright © 2005 The New York Times Company.

[Tickled Pink 2]

Yay! We got a flier this afternoon that our homebuilder is accepting donations at their model homes:

www.eastwoodhomes.com

I am there tommorrow - lickity split.

[mocha frapp]

Originally posted by Tickled Pink 2
Yay! We got a flier this afternoon that our homebuilder is accepting donations at their model homes:

www.eastwoodhomes.com

I am there tommorrow - lickity split.

This is what I've been looking for! I have clothes to donate and I wanted to make sure it goes to the Hurricane victims.

Thanks for posting this.

[soft&beautiful]

Originally posted by crunkone
What is Picayune by? I've heard of it but I'm not familiar with the location. I'll ask around though.

Mississippi State is also one of the schools allowing displaced students to enroll.

This is devastating beyond words. My prayers are with everyone and I believe that prayer helps.

Picayune is about an hour from Slidell, LA and around the same from Gulfport/Biloxi. I empathize truly with the citizens of NO and I am overly concerned because I have family there but what about Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, Waveland, D'Iberville, Hattiesburg, Wiggins, etc.? Jackson?

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by soft&beautiful
Picayune is about an hour from Slidell, LA and around the same from Gulfport/Biloxi. I empathize truly with the citizens of NO and I am overly concerned because I have family there but what about Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, Waveland, D'Iberville, Hattiesburg, Wiggins, etc.? Jackson?

All week Good Morning America has been focusing on Mississippi, but I'm sure its because Robin Roberts (one of the anchors) is from Pass Christian so I know she wasn't haven't that mess (overlooking for hometown where her parents/family live).

But I hear ya though. One entire Mississippi town (Waveland) is gone.

[Tickled Pink 2]

That Lt. General Honore is no joke. He needed to be there a long time ago.

[Tickled Pink 2]

....Other survivors recounted horrific cases of sexual assault and murder.

Sitting with her daughter and other relatives, Trolkyn Joseph, 37, said men had wandered the cavernous convention centre in recent nights raping and murdering children.

She said she found a dead 14-year-old girl at 5am this morning, four hours after the young girl went missing from her parents inside the convention centre.

"She was raped for four hours until she was dead," Joseph said through tears. "Another child, a seven-year-old boy, was found raped and murdered in the kitchen freezer last night."

Several others interviewed by Reuters told similar stories of the abuse and murder of children, but they could not be independently verified.

Many complained bitterly about why they received so little for so many days, and they had harsh words for Bush.

"I really don't know what to say about President Bush," said Richard Dunbar, 60, a Vietnam veteran. "He showed no lack of haste when he wanted to go to Iraq, but for his own people right here in Louisiana, we get only lip service."

One young man said he was not looking forward to another night in the convention centre and wondered when conditions would improve. "It's been like a jail in there," he said. "We've got murderers, rapists, killers, thieves. We've got it all."



Entire story:

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...html?from=top5

[Confucius]

Kanye West Rips Bush During NBC Concert By FRAZIER MOORE, AP Television Writer
Sat Sep 3, 6:08 AM ET



It began, fittingly enough, with jazz from New Orleans natives Harry Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis. But "A Concert for Hurricane Relief," a heartfelt and dignified benefit aired on NBC and other networks Friday night, took an unexpected turn thanks to the outspoken rapper Kanye West.

Appearing two-thirds through the program, he claimed "George Bush doesn't care about black people" and said America is set up "to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible."

The show, simulcast from New York on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and Pax, was aired live to the East Coast, enabling the Grammy-winning rapper's outburst to go out uncensored.

There was a several-second tape delay, but the person in charge "was instructed to listen for a curse word, and didn't realize (West) had gone off-script," said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks.

West's comment about the president was cut from NBC's West Coast airing, which showed three hours later on tape.

The host was NBC News' Matt Lauer, who invited viewers to contribute to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by phone or on the Web. Some 18 presenters performed musical numbers or gave information on the tragedy's huge scope.

Louisiana native Tim McGraw teared up as he told Lauer, "I know the citizens that weren't affected by this directly are gonna stand up and do good things for people." He sang two songs, then became the first of the evening's stars to sign a Gibson Les Paul Special guitar to be auditioned online.

Faith Hill, a Mississippi native, sang "There Will Come a Time," with the inspiring lyrics, "The darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong. Hold on to your faith."

New Orleans son Aaron Neville performed Randy Newman's soulful "Louisiana 1927" with the memorable chorus, "they're trying to wash us away, they're trying to wash us away."

New York governor George Pataki presented the Red Cross with a check for $2.5 million and promised, "This great state will do far more."

"In terms of property damage," said actress Hilary Swank, "the estimate is at least $26 billion in insured losses and perhaps twice that in uninsured losses over a 90,000-square-mile area — approximately the size of Kansas."

Other speakers included Lindsay Lohan, Eric LaSalle, Glenn Close, Richard Gere, John Goodman and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Comedian Mike Myers was paired with West for a 90-second segment that began with Myers speaking of Katrina's devastation. Then, to Myers' evident surprise, West began a rant by saying, "I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food."

While allowing that "the Red Cross is doing everything they can," West — who delivered an emotional outburst at the American Music Awards after he was snubbed for an award — declared that government authorities are intentionally dragging their feet on aid to the Gulf Coast. Without getting specific, he added, "They've given them permission to go down and shoot us."

After he stated, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," the camera cut away to comedian Chris Tucker.

Concluding the hour a few minutes later, Lauer noted that "emotions in this country right now are running very high. Sometimes that emotion is translated into inspiration, sometimes into criticism. We've heard some of that tonight. But it's still part of the American way of life."

Then the entire ensemble performed "When the Saints Go Marching In."

In a statement, NBC said, "Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks.

"It would be most unfortunate," the statement continued, "if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person's opinion."

Friday's program was the first of several TV benefits planned through next weekend.

NBC and the five other major commercial broadcast networks, along with PBS, plan to unite next Friday for a special. The same night, BET will air a benefit. And on Saturday, Sept. 10, the MTV networks will air a special.

[AKA_Monet]

Honeykiss--

I sort of agree with you...

There is plenty of time to play the blame game and the finger pointing game.

What needs to be done in the affected areas is to get folks into safer, CLEAN AND SANITARY CONDITIONS before we make the once Hurricane Katrina, then massive flooding and now standing water turn into something that ACTUALLY DOES turn this country into a 3rd world one--with horrific disease setting in, namely, cholera, dissentary, yellow fever, west nile and other crazy kinna stuff that isn't suppose to happen in the Untied States.

However, that was well under FEMA's control and I do not understand what was up with the hold-up and I have several choice four letter words I would like to use as well as questions that need to addressed.

I have also read in my local newspaper that the even the Venezueleans want to help, but our government said no...

[Conskeeted7]

I am definitely praying for those who are searching for family and for those who are still in the NO, MS, and other areas searching for help.

I am SOOOO disappointed with the response of the government. This is OUR nation suffering. Why is it taking so long to get an action plan together? Why did the national guard arrive with more ammunition than food? Why are people still in the Astrodom with unsanitary conditions? It has been a long time. I cannot imagine being in those conditions for one day and these US CITIZENS have been there for much longer. I just can't understand why. The citizens are ready and wililng to help. The money, food, concern is all here. So, get them out of there!! So many lives are being lost unnecessarily. The sick and elderly do not deserve the treatment they are getting. How do we expect these children to ever get over the images they are seeing in the Astrodome? I just can't believe they are allowing this to continue.

[NOWorNEVER]

Originally posted by Confucius
Kanye West Rips Bush During NBC Concert By FRAZIER MOORE, AP Television Writer
Sat Sep 3, 6:08 AM ET



It began, fittingly enough, with jazz from New Orleans natives Harry Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis. But "A Concert for Hurricane Relief," a heartfelt and dignified benefit aired on NBC and other networks Friday night, took an unexpected turn thanks to the outspoken rapper Kanye West.

Appearing two-thirds through the program, he claimed "George Bush doesn't care about black people" and said America is set up "to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible."

The show, simulcast from New York on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and Pax, was aired live to the East Coast, enabling the Grammy-winning rapper's outburst to go out uncensored.

There was a several-second tape delay, but the person in charge "was instructed to listen for a curse word, and didn't realize (West) had gone off-script," said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks.

West's comment about the president was cut from NBC's West Coast airing, which showed three hours later on tape.

The host was NBC News' Matt Lauer, who invited viewers to contribute to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by phone or on the Web. Some 18 presenters performed musical numbers or gave information on the tragedy's huge scope.

Louisiana native Tim McGraw teared up as he told Lauer, "I know the citizens that weren't affected by this directly are gonna stand up and do good things for people." He sang two songs, then became the first of the evening's stars to sign a Gibson Les Paul Special guitar to be auditioned online.

Faith Hill, a Mississippi native, sang "There Will Come a Time," with the inspiring lyrics, "The darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong. Hold on to your faith."

New Orleans son Aaron Neville performed Randy Newman's soulful "Louisiana 1927" with the memorable chorus, "they're trying to wash us away, they're trying to wash us away."

New York governor George Pataki presented the Red Cross with a check for $2.5 million and promised, "This great state will do far more."

"In terms of property damage," said actress Hilary Swank, "the estimate is at least $26 billion in insured losses and perhaps twice that in uninsured losses over a 90,000-square-mile area — approximately the size of Kansas."

Other speakers included Lindsay Lohan, Eric LaSalle, Glenn Close, Richard Gere, John Goodman and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Comedian Mike Myers was paired with West for a 90-second segment that began with Myers speaking of Katrina's devastation. Then, to Myers' evident surprise, West began a rant by saying, "I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food."

While allowing that "the Red Cross is doing everything they can," West — who delivered an emotional outburst at the American Music Awards after he was snubbed for an award — declared that government authorities are intentionally dragging their feet on aid to the Gulf Coast. Without getting specific, he added, "They've given them permission to go down and shoot us."

After he stated, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," the camera cut away to comedian Chris Tucker.

Concluding the hour a few minutes later, Lauer noted that "emotions in this country right now are running very high. Sometimes that emotion is translated into inspiration, sometimes into criticism. We've heard some of that tonight. But it's still part of the American way of life."

Then the entire ensemble performed "When the Saints Go Marching In."

In a statement, NBC said, "Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks.

"It would be most unfortunate," the statement continued, "if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person's opinion."

Friday's program was the first of several TV benefits planned through next weekend.

NBC and the five other major commercial broadcast networks, along with PBS, plan to unite next Friday for a special. The same night, BET will air a benefit. And on Saturday, Sept. 10, the MTV networks will air a special.

I saw this clip online earlier today. The uncomfortable looks on Mike Myers face and the way Chris Tucker was caught offguard when the camera cut to him: PRICELESS!!! I was ROTFL. Leave it up to Kanye to say whateva is on his mind.

[Pearls4Life]

Sorors and Friends,

I and my son have been praying. Here in Nashville they will be setting up a refugee camp to donate clothes money etc. I and my son are donating clothing and money. I feel greater sense of accomplishment in giving directly instead of the red cross.



AKAD291, I will do all I can to help in my power to ask others also. Vandy here and TSU and Belmont are taking in students to continue studies here for all that want to come. MY prayers are blanked to all of your family, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens effected. I just keep praying for the babies and the elderly! Keep us posted. Because I know the news is not telling us everything! So close yet so far.....removed.