Katrina This, Katrina That
by blue midget
There’s no escaping it – everyone in North America will be talking about Katrina for a long, long time. I’ve been wracking my brain for something a little lighter, something more entertaining that I could soothe the tension with, but there’s no point because all there is right now is Katrina and the fury of politics surrounding the disaster.
In fact, the politics are screaming out so loudly now that it’s hard to hear anything of value regarding the matter, like trying to locate children or get people some clean underwear. Earlier in the week, I mentioned the media frenzy that’s come out surrounding Kayne West’s anti-Bush comments during a fund raiser being held for those stricken by Hurricane Katrina. In fact, everyone has been talking about it, and I have to say, I actually feel sorry for the guy. From what I’ve been reading, it sounds like he realizes that the media responses to his comments have now been overshadowing the more important issues such as relief efforts, and he seems to be genuinely sorry. Not sorry for his anti-Bush comments, but sorry because he really could have chosen a better time and place to make a statement. And he’s right; he should have picked a different time to spew his venom because those comments hurt more than they helped.
Unfortunately, Kayne West’s comments have fueled more Democrat criticism about FEMA Director Michael Brown. Allegedly, (I heard this on Fox News, I didn’t actually see this myself so I use the word “allegedly”) there was an email or website that polled people on how they felt about the FEMA Director, and whether or not they thought he should be removed from his position. If a person voted to remove him from the Director position, a window would pop up asking for donations to the Democratic Party. And of course when the criticism poured in about the Democrats trying to profit off of a tragic situation, the Democrats were very embarrassed, removing the site immediately. Poor Democrats. They just really, really suck at this whole politics thing.
At any rate, it seems that the Democrats have gotten their wish: Michael Brown, who was heading up the federal hurricane relief from Baton Rouge, has been sent packing to Washington. Hooray? I can’t help but guess that Brown has become the fall guy for the criticism President Bush’s Administration has received for slow reaction to the disaster – in the first couple of days after Katrina, President Bush was vacationing and Condi Rice was seen shoe shopping and now all the liberals are aflutter with Republican hate. Comparisons have been flying around, showing that Bush, like his father, has always shown a horribly slow start in disaster relief, but always finishes strong.
I’ve read the articles, felt the backlash from the liberal world and I must ask the question: What more could Bush have done? Now that the “racial” criticism has been set aside, one has remained. George Bush didn’t fly down to a New Orleans and, with his super-strength, hold back the floodwaters of Katrina by the power of Greyskull. You’re right – let’s impeach the bastard. Many people are angry that George and the bunch didn’t head on down there a week before the disaster hit to get people evacuated.
I submit this: Ever heard of public transportation? If you’re handicapped or old, you can use that. Everyone else, ever heard of getting off your lazy ass and walking to safety? Very few believed that we were in for such a catastrophe – many residents of New Orleans included. It’s not up to the news or to the government to convince people that they’re in danger – “You’re in danger, get the hell out of there” can only be said so many times. And if people really felt that their lives were in danger, they would have gotten their asses out on the streets and walked out a couple of days before the disaster hit. Now that it’s passed and everyone is devastated, it’s somehow totally acceptable to blame the government for our own stupidity.
That said, I’m really sorry that we’ve lost lives and families are separated. On the other hand, don’t blame other people because you were too dumb or lazy to get to safety. The human spirit has a strong instinct to survive. When it comes down to life or death, we’ve done some crazy, desperate things in order to survive. So all these people who just sat back in their homes and let it happen just doesn’t make sense to me. Next time, take government orders a little more seriously and get your ass to safety.
Halffull.org 
I was following you up until that last paragraph. I’m not poor and I wonder if I’d leave if the government advised me too. You know what? I don’t trust the government, and with good reason. The mayor spent the whole week passing the buck, except for his one mistake to stop officers trying to rescue people and send them to defend property. What good is property in that situation? He told everyone to get to the superdome and had nothing there for them. The Louisiana governor mostly sat there and watched and both of them waited for FEMA to do something. Truth be told, I think it comes down to shock. Neither of them knew what to do. There was a plan in place, and I think had they reviewed their own planning they could have maybe delayed the rescue efforts by a day. Ultimately, there really is no one to blame. Humanity was helpless here. Nature kicked humanity’s collective ass. It takes a lot of time to muster up the national guard and get food supplies collected and draft a plan to distribute. Could it have been faster by a day? Yes. I’m sure they’ve learned from this. But I’m more annoyed with the Senators and congresspeople who’ve worried more about blame than about fixing the damn problem. There is no one to blame here. The government can’t stop hurricanes, mayor, governor, or president, they can’t do it.
But do I blame the poor for not leaving? Nope. I would especially be mistrustful of the government in a life or death situation. That might sound contradictory that I don’t blame the government but I wouldn’t trust them to help me. What I’m saying is that although the government claims it can keep us safe, it cannot deliver on that promise. The promise of safety is as tenuous as the high school kid promising free soda from the vending machines if elected president.
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I’m really getting tired of the politicizing of this disaster. Dems did this, Repubs did that. Whatever. Bush’s hands were tied, it was all the (Democratic) local government’s fault! No, Bush Co. left the locals out to dry! It’s all bullshit; the response to Katrina and the subsequent levee breaks was a clusterfuck of incompetence at all levels of government. I blame the city, state, and federal governments equally for it.
As for Brown, it almost sounds like you thought he did a good job. WTF? He was a total fucking nimrod who had no situational awareness nor leadership ability. He was absolutely the wrong man for the job, and I’m thankful that Bush finally recognized that and removed his dumb ass.
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As for Brown, you have to remember that we have the benefit of judging through the media. I’d be more interested in the news reports if they got a hold of just what FEMA’s plan is for this sort of situation and we compared all three levels of government’s response compared to their plans. That’d make for better coverage.
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