Again with Katrina
I'd be interested in hearing what y'all are thinking about Katrina now. Myself, I have four thoughts.
First, there's one good thing. As NPR told me yesterday, I'd be willing to bet the Coast Guard winds up getting more money. That's cool, as they've distinguished themselves during Katrina and during 9/11. They know how to work with local, state and federal agencies, and it seems like they have a bias toward action. In recent years, more money has been spent on sexier, 'anti-terror' programs, to the detriment of the Coast Guard. So, God willing the Coasties will get some recognition and some green, as a result of their busting ass.
Second, God willing, Brown will serve as a caution to patronage appointments. That unctious little turd didn't exactly have a lot of experience managing emergencies before he became director of the federal agency responsible for, you know, managing emergencies. Moreover, he'd stated previously that he viewed natural disaster relief programs as a form of welfare. There's some truth to that, but that's on the recovery loan, support program end of things. When cities are flooding and people are dying, it's totally appropriate for all levels of government to do everything they can to save lives and mitigate damage. I'm sure Shirley Temple was one hell of an ambassador, but it's time to reign in the patronage gravy train, especially when it comes to positions responsible for saving or taking lives.
Third, maybe Bushie and company will realize there are more threats out there than terrorism. I've always hated the name Homeland Security -- it's creepy and fascist. From what folks have said, within that agency, the only way to get funding for a program was to frame it in a anti-terrorism light. It's an old saw that generals are always preparing to win the last war, but when it comes to Homeland Security, that's exactly what they're doing. In my mind, it's time to split the agency into two groups -- a civil defence agency, responsible for the nation's physical safety in the event of natural or manmade disasters, and an MI-5 style domestic intelligence agency, responsible for preventing terrorists and whatnot from attacking us. Any agency responsible for both functions, like Homeland Security, is going to tilt one direction, to the detriment of the other.
Fourth, it's time for black America to grow the hell up. The problem of getting help into New Orleans was made worse by the violence that happened there. I've got zero patience for all the apologists for the violence who've sprung up. There is no excuse for shooting at a medevac helicopter. There is no excuse for attacking a hospital filled with patients. There is no excuse for raping and assaulting your fellow refugees. To say otherwise is the purest bullshit.
Further, in my mind, the disaster and a lot of people's response to it show what a good job we've done of infantilizing black America. If you treat people like they can't do shit, eventually they'll believe you. You can argue that the city should have done a lot more to get poor, carless folks out of New Orleans -- I've seen the pictures of the flooded parking lot full of city buses, just like the rest of you. But if you've got a million-pound ShitHammer of a storm bearing down on you, and the mayor has ordered you to evacuate, it's time to leave. If the government won't come pick you up in a goverment bus, then it's time to find a way out all by yourself. It's your life. Take responsibility for it.
Anyway, that's what has been floating around in my head. I'd love to hear what y'all think.
First, there's one good thing. As NPR told me yesterday, I'd be willing to bet the Coast Guard winds up getting more money. That's cool, as they've distinguished themselves during Katrina and during 9/11. They know how to work with local, state and federal agencies, and it seems like they have a bias toward action. In recent years, more money has been spent on sexier, 'anti-terror' programs, to the detriment of the Coast Guard. So, God willing the Coasties will get some recognition and some green, as a result of their busting ass.
Second, God willing, Brown will serve as a caution to patronage appointments. That unctious little turd didn't exactly have a lot of experience managing emergencies before he became director of the federal agency responsible for, you know, managing emergencies. Moreover, he'd stated previously that he viewed natural disaster relief programs as a form of welfare. There's some truth to that, but that's on the recovery loan, support program end of things. When cities are flooding and people are dying, it's totally appropriate for all levels of government to do everything they can to save lives and mitigate damage. I'm sure Shirley Temple was one hell of an ambassador, but it's time to reign in the patronage gravy train, especially when it comes to positions responsible for saving or taking lives.
Third, maybe Bushie and company will realize there are more threats out there than terrorism. I've always hated the name Homeland Security -- it's creepy and fascist. From what folks have said, within that agency, the only way to get funding for a program was to frame it in a anti-terrorism light. It's an old saw that generals are always preparing to win the last war, but when it comes to Homeland Security, that's exactly what they're doing. In my mind, it's time to split the agency into two groups -- a civil defence agency, responsible for the nation's physical safety in the event of natural or manmade disasters, and an MI-5 style domestic intelligence agency, responsible for preventing terrorists and whatnot from attacking us. Any agency responsible for both functions, like Homeland Security, is going to tilt one direction, to the detriment of the other.
Fourth, it's time for black America to grow the hell up. The problem of getting help into New Orleans was made worse by the violence that happened there. I've got zero patience for all the apologists for the violence who've sprung up. There is no excuse for shooting at a medevac helicopter. There is no excuse for attacking a hospital filled with patients. There is no excuse for raping and assaulting your fellow refugees. To say otherwise is the purest bullshit.
Further, in my mind, the disaster and a lot of people's response to it show what a good job we've done of infantilizing black America. If you treat people like they can't do shit, eventually they'll believe you. You can argue that the city should have done a lot more to get poor, carless folks out of New Orleans -- I've seen the pictures of the flooded parking lot full of city buses, just like the rest of you. But if you've got a million-pound ShitHammer of a storm bearing down on you, and the mayor has ordered you to evacuate, it's time to leave. If the government won't come pick you up in a goverment bus, then it's time to find a way out all by yourself. It's your life. Take responsibility for it.
Anyway, that's what has been floating around in my head. I'd love to hear what y'all think.
posted by DirtyBird at 10:13
1 Comments:
Amen! All that you say is true. Problem is no one seems to want to hear a complicated truth.
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