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September 02, 2005
Yup
But he began facing questions about his leadership in the crisis almost immediately. New Orleans officials, in particular, were enraged about what they said was a slow federal response.
Because of the magnitude of the ineptitude that exasperated the disaster, the New Orleans/LA officials will escape completely unscathed and the Administration will be completely culpable. And I'm sure racist, on top of it all.
UPDATE: Please bear with me bumping this, but I just came across something so egregiously wrong, that all my good intentions to focus on the relief efforts flew out the window. It has to do with the gist of my statement above. From the BBC:
The situation has been made worse by a lack of trust between the mainly poor, African-American population left behind in New Orleans and the predominately white police force, our correspondent adds.
He doesn't say military, he says police. On the assumption he's referring to the NOPD, he couldn't be more wrong, nor more inflammatory. The NOPD has it's problem, but white guys running the show are not it, by a long stretch. From a paper titled "Understanding the Recruitment and Retention Needs and Challenges of the New Orleans Police Department", pages 14-16. (I had to type these, as it's an HTML PDF read and I can't cut and paste.)
The race and ethnic breakdown of the NOPD demonstrates a Department that is becoming more similar in composition to the city it serves. This reflects a commitment by the Department to bringing minorities on the force to ensure the NOPD is representative of the community it serves.
NOPD and City of New Orleans Racial and Ethnic Composition
City NOPD NOPD
2000 2002 2000
Blacks 67.3% 54.9% 52.1%
Whites 28.1% 41.5% 45.1%
(Non-hispanic)
Other 4.6% 3.4% 2.8%
This was research done at the behest of the NOPD, which has been suffering (what has become) an astonishing 8% attrition rate in the number of officers every year since 2000. Read and understand the tremendous challenges this police department has been facing, even without a catastrophe of this magnitude. They were a sinking ship desperately trying to right itself before the waters started to rise. But they are NOT a predominantly white police force. The city administration has been predominantly black for almost 30 YEARS. (The last white mayor was named Landrieu ~ yes, their father ~ and his last year in office was 1978.) On top of the horror of watching our fellow Americans in such horrific and unGodly circumstances, fanning the flames of a racist conflict with LIES is unconscionable and disgusting. The BBC should be ashamed ~ which is, I know, something impossible to hope for. But the point is: The damage is already done in that one incredibly stupid and irresponsible statement. It's all over blogs already like it was gospel. No one f@cking thinks to check for the truth because it's just too damn easy to believe it, right? Damn, I wish we were bigger, not that I don't love all our Swillers. But there are times like this when you wish you had a foghorn instead of a walkie-talkie.
Posted by tree hugging sister at September 2, 2005 02:12 PM
Comments
Check out the fact that none of the Black charities have made any public notice as to how they are helping their people out. I guess they figure to expect to be the recievers of said charity.
Posted by: Sharon Ferguson at September 2, 2005 02:24 PM
God, that's vile race-baiting Sis.
I guess the BBC's research is as good as ever.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at September 2, 2005 02:33 PM
I'm still smokin'. Dollars to donuts we see it on the news tonight? Any takers?
Posted by: tree hugging sister at September 2, 2005 02:35 PM
And just where is Rev. Jesse (UPDATE: Jesse's on the bus to Houston) and Rev. Al and Maxine Waters and John Conyers...oh wait, those two just got back from vacation...Queasy Mfume? WHERE? I wouldn't care if Louis Farrakan showed up, if he was carrying a water bottle and having his guys hand out supplies!
I mean, we're all American red, white and blue here. The two good preachermen ought to have their butts down there handing out water and doing the 'Reverend' things like the men of God they claim to be. And you know what else? When their heads clear and they've got a roof over the head, those Americans in the Superdome and on rooftops ought to be asking the same question. They could start with "where's the Mayor?".
In the meantime, let's get those folks the hell out of there.
Posted by: tree hugging sister at September 2, 2005 02:55 PM
THS.... I have been wondering how long this would take... I guess not long.
Posted by: WunderKraut at September 2, 2005 04:05 PM
Just makes me so fucking furious. I can't begin to say how much I hate the BBC.
Posted by: Dave J at September 3, 2005 12:44 AM
I don't want a bullhorn when I talk to the BBC, I want a bazooka, and lots of ammo.
Posted by: The Real JeffS at September 3, 2005 06:39 AM
Before you light off your shellfire at the BBC, please remember that we here in the UK have to put up with the garbage coming from this organisation all the time, and not just when special reports are recycled through to America!
The left-wing, liberal bias of out premier broadcasting organisation has been evident for many years, and apart from massive firepower, I don't see how it's gonna' change!
We lost the one sane voice when Alistair Cooke died, thus ending his wonderful "Letter from America", and there just is no one to fill the void!
Posted by: Mike Cunningham at September 3, 2005 12:22 PM
Yeah, and they make you pay for it, too, Mike. At least we don't get taxed for CNN, et al.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at September 3, 2005 12:32 PM
Mike, our sympathies are totally and completely with you. TOTALLY. As bad as our MSM is, we do have the voices that squeak through, make sense, show the other side. Even last night's 1 hr ABC'S World News Tonight, which seemed to be fanning the race angle. The very last word was had by a black man who said it's not a race thing, it's a human thing and they're all suffering together. Shocked the hell out of me.
I miss Alistair Cooke. I think he's part of the reason we all secretly wish we could do a British accent.
Posted by: tree hugging sister at September 3, 2005 12:36 PM