The international community should stay out of it. If the American press or government made similar comments, they would be accused of meddling in another country's internal affairs. This is not an issue of race, though many will use personal misfortune, loss of property and life as an excuse to play the race card. That is the disgusting saga of Katrina. Those who continually play the race card disgust me.

The international community should ask themselves what they have done to help out? Why is it the Race issue always pops up by the blacks who refused to leave their homes when told to? Why is the Governor of LA still in office after not providing aid right away instead of sitting around with her thumb up her bottom. The Mayor or New Orleans is an idiot and should realize he should be helping instead of pointing fingers? Why didnt he provide the city buses as a means to aid in the evacuation?

The international community began volunteering help immediately and in some cases were ready to roll faster than our own government, and in fact the Bush administration refused aid rather than admit countries we have ideological differences with might actually be able to help us. Besides, it wasn't just the slow response that reinforced the image of racism -- it was scenes like those of the panicked whites in Baton Rouge lining up to buy guns to protect themselves from the poor blacks being evacuated from New Orleans. Gun sales skyrocketed because "those people" were coming. Face it. We're a racist classist country. If you don't have a car or credit cards, you don't exist as far as the current administration is concerned.

Clearly the issue here is more complex than is being portrayed in either the national or international media. The discomfort and embarassment that americans of all races felt at the Katrina Catastrophe did however have SOMETHING to do with race. What was apalling was both the state in which the poor and accordignly immobile residents of the Gulf Coast were left by a government that failed them, and the fact that those poor and immobile residents where overwhlemingly african-american. The truly upsetting (and correct) conclusions were that this condition is representative of greater america and that this condition is a result of far more deep and complex policy and cultural issues than simple federal discrimination. The issue exists at the most basic foundations of our country in our educational and healthcare systems which cannot be fixed by band-aids like school vouchers or medicaid vouchers. The poor in this country cannot get a public education that is comparable to the rich. The Poor cannot receive basic medical care. Until these issues are resolved, disasters like this will always hold up an uncomfortable mirror for america. the social project outlined by the declaratiton of independence, constitution and bill of rights, emancipation proclamation, and statue of liberty isn't complete, it's barely begun. If we are to be 'a city upon a hill' we must continue to take this long uncomfortable look at ourselves.

I don't know why white people get "disgusted" so often when "the race card is played". If there were no truth to it, it would not elicit such a visceral reaction. It is hard to see the president's lethargy in returning from vacation as negligence after his dramatic return to "save the life" of terri schiavo as completely unaffected by the issue of race. For the poorly informed: the washington post has detailed european aid on a seperate web page, and not everyone owns or can afford a car. You can be told to evacuate a million times, being told will not give you the means to do so, the fact that some don't even take this into account is a real issue. I'm glad that the international media is saying something, although lets face it, on the issue of race, europe and australia have little ground to stand on.

David, of this is an issue of race. And of class. In America, we cannot separate race and class, because historically race has been a predictor of class, and vice versa. I'm 35 years old, and all my life I have seen the face of poverty in America through the media. And that face has consistently been black and brown. This does not mean that there are no poor whites in America; to the contrary, Census Bureau statistics say just the opposite. And certainly, Katrina did not discriminate when it hit. But the poorest residents of New Orleans (and any other city hit but disaster) seemed to take the brunt of this tradegy. And those residents were predominantly black. So, yes, race and class are an major issue in this instance.

I would caution you about the "race card". While there certainly are people who issue racial persecution to justify their actions, I question why whites in Amercia cannot acknowledge the continuing disappointment of the black community with regards to racial issues. Not only do blacks and whites disagree starkly in their perceptions of the impact of race in the Katrina issue, but polls have shown that they disagree starkly on most other issues as well. If we see the same issues in America so differently, do we not owe it to ourselves to understand why so many peole feel that way? How can we as a country be our best when we have huge swaths of the population that view life in America so differently?

I sometimes watch BBC news in order to get a 'second opinion' from a more objective eye. These international news agencies have an advantage over U.S. news media, and that is that the people in their organizations do not live in a culture that sweeps it's ugly past under the rug. This nation barely acknowledges the fact that it engaged in a slave trade and confiscated its entire land mass from people already living here, among other social tragedies. However I do have to give American news media some credit in this instance; after all, the day after they pointed out the lackluster emergency response with images from the Superdome and peppered it with some commentary of disgust, an Army convoy rolled into place. Don't get me wrong, Black Americans unfortunately have a number of social vices that they impose on themselves that perpetuate their circumstance, but they also live in a country that socially and institutionally considered them to be physical property only four generations ago. Ideologies like that just don't vanish, even if many of us Americans would love to believe they do.

The USA for the most part does not like to be told it is "not wearing any cloths"! It is obvious by media coverage that the poor, mostly black in MS, LA, AL and even our larger urban areas across the nation get the short end of anything. Rather it is obvious ot the world.. we do not look to cloes at such things..to busy going to Mall!
No one would believe if it were blond, white blue eyed at N.O. they would have been left for days on overpasses and other various hell holes. The fact that 100K or so would or could not evac was WELL documented in study after study. I doubt most critics have ever really been as poor as many there, nor have had chemical, refinery, or other toxis plants in their area. I think deep down most whites know the poor and blacks get a bad deal here is in USA... But in the same arrogant, or perhaps more of a frightened manner... they see where USA is heading.. and it is not up. We replaced industry with tourist traps, engineering and hi tech with account and legal "Bottom liners". Our "space race" is at dead stop, China now plans to land on Moon! Our arena gladiators/celebs rival those of the ancient Roman times as center pieces of society. Our press generally has become a lap dog, rather then a hunting dog. Our politiical system in no longer a system, morphed into an "for profit industry".
Yes many USA citizens will cringe at "terrible USA performances" and lash out, many waved the same flag they used when EU and others were critical of the Iraq War fiasco and supporting casts. Less then half vote now days, all politicians are behind that as they want the "selected" to vote (for them) and go out of way to drive others off. I think why some in USA will not acknowledge race/class issue in horror that went on.. They in the late hours..when TV and spin is off..may recognized the latest massive failure is another icon that the "Golden Years of the Great Experiment" has past...and the slope is downhill and very slippery and we may now be on it! If only the great and wonderful people of the nation, as prove in outpouring of help.. were led by a equally great and caring politicians!!! What a nation we wold become... again!

I have always found it interesting that Americans seem to think they have the right to comment or criticize everyone (the world) else's problems, but can't handle it when other's comment on our issues. Those people who default to the ridiculously hypocritical logic that "Europe should mind their own business" need to pull their ignorant heads out of the sand long enough to understand that the US is constantly meddling in the political, economic, and social issues of other nations. Constantly. Not to mention, the simple fact is that everything the US does has a corollary effect somewhere else. Katrina laid bare for the world to see the true nature of the so-called "greatest country". We are a country of self-obsessed hypocrites who are more concerned about protecting our image than doing the right thing.

Class is the issue, not racism. The US is not so different than any other country and in many ways it is worse. Why? Because Americans sweep all serious problems under the proverbial rug - out of sight, out of mind. Instead we focus on trivial issues like abortion and gay marriage. The people who took the brunt of the losses in New Orleans were our society's version of India's "untouchables", the Harijan. Our "realizaiton" of poverty will wear off as quickly as the flood waters engulfed New Orleans.

As a middle class, college educate, white American I find myself agreeing with those who believe that race was a real part of the problem in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. One does not have to publicly state that they hate people of a certain race because they are of that race in order for race to be a factor in their decisions. Compare the federal reaction to natural disasters in areas more heavily populated by Caucasians and you will see very different reactions from the powers that be. It might be an unfortunately natural reaction but it is there no the less.

Adding in the poverty level of many of the Katrina victims doesn't help. Our country has persisted in perpetuating the myths that most poor people are so by choice, they don't work and are a drain on our country. While it's true that some of the poor receive some form of government assistance and they aren't the ones, once you take out the elderly, the disabled and young children, what is left is a group of hard working, taxpayers. For an economy so based on many of these low wage workers, where would we be without them? They work in our restaurants, take care of our children, disabled and elderly, clean our homes and offices and quite often work many of those back breaking jobs that the rest of us should be thankful we don't have to do.

If "playing the race card" without providing specifics and evidence of racist motivations on the part of the person/people being criticized is a cheap cop-out of an argument, then simply professing "disgust" at the people making accusations of racism without explaining how race doesn't matter in the situation is a cop-out just as bad.

I have seen both types of reactions much more often than I would like.

I am not a fan of Bush, but I don't think any personal racism on his part was a factor in the problems surrounding the evacuation/assistance of New Orleans. The simple fact that he's been accused of racism and is being defended by people who profess anger and no specifics is indicative of how much more work America has to do on the issue of race.

There is no such thing as "the race card". That is a phrase created by white Americans whenever the topic turns to race. The bottom line is - race makes us different and racism occurs. Period.

Have things changed since slavery? Yes
Have things changed since segregation and Jum Crow laws? Yes
Is the United States a fair, equal and just place to live for all races and classes? NO

Yes, the Mayor of N.O. and the Gov. of LA bear some responsibility for not organizing a thorough evacuation plan and then facilitating that plan (using city buses, school buses, etc). But their negligence does not negate the negligence of the federal government.

To allow Americans to starve to death on semi-live tv, to allow Americans to die from lack of basic medications like insulin, to watch reporters film Americans in areas where the federal emergency response "was on it's way", was DISGUSTING and INHUMANE!

In the past, the President has always made his way disaster sites promptly, but not this time. Tell me a time, when a hurricaine has hit FL that the President has not been there with 36 hrs?

Race and class are ultimately linked. This tragedy has opened up a dialogue that should not be ignored. The United States of America cannot ignore the biases that exists and the disparity in treatment of races and classes.

It seems to me that the most racist people in american society nowdays aren't non black men, but non black women. Many of them go out of their way to shun anyone whom they don't view as a 'desireable' as society knows who will most like succeed based on racially based views of probable achievement. Many women are taught the learning 'the ropes' about being a successful american is not to interact with black men. We see the result of that unspoken social policy here. America's strength is not in the fact that we all have separate cultures. Who sold you that line? Society is not a case of matching up socks.

I'm always amused when Americans say foreigners should stay out of their business. Do Americans never criticise the French, or the Germans? They even seem to be mad at the Chinese for producing things cheaper than they do.
America produces annual human rights reports giving marks to other countries. Are other countries not allowed to do the same to America?
At least foreigners only intervene in American affairs with comment and criticism. America intervenes in other countries affairs with threats and violence. I'm not just talking about Iraq. The US government openly expressed its support for a military coup against the elected president of Venezuela. The day after the coup, Ari Fleischer said it was Chavez's fault, saying he had created "a combustible situation in which Chavez resigned." In fact he had been arrested.
As for the media, the New York Times said Chavez "stepped down after the military intervened and handed power to a respected business leader." THe Chicago Tribune said: "It's not every day that a democracy benefits from the military's intervention to force out an elected president."
Almost immediately after Schroeder won the 2002 German election, the Pentagon hawk Richard Perle, Chairman of the Defense Policy Review Board, told the German newspaper Handelsblatt: "It would be best if Schroeder resigned" for opposing US policy in Iraq.
This sort of thing has been going on for decades. America overthrew the elected government of Chile in 1973, and replaced it with a military dictatorship that murdered thousands.
But you can't take foreign media criticism of America, David? Tell you what - let America stop meddling in foreign countries and let foreigners stop commenting on America. We'll see who can sit still the longest.

One word: CHOICE. I grew up in poverty and I also realized I had choices. The CHOICE to make the best of my public education. The CHOICE to find work as an able-bodied American citizen, whether it was an office job or fast food. The CHOICE not to bear children I could not afford. The CHOICE to seek resources to better myself and obtain a college degree. I know what it's like to be lacking health insurance, to live in a high-crime area
and to be competing with individuals who wre brought up with more opportunities and resources than I was. It only made me stronger.

As someone who has sacrificed much and worked hard to establish myself, I tire of the "victim" card being played above all others. One is not made a victim, rather one chooses to play the victim card to shirk responsibility. I could have just as easily "accepted my fate", taken a government handout, bore children that I could not afford and burdened the already-broken taxpayers. Race is not an issue. CHOICE is.

I do realize there are exceptions to be made for the ill, disabled, elderly and helpless children. However, any other able-bodied American citizen has choices to change their circumstances. It may not be easy, but it can be done. Using the race card only makes minorities seem incapable of doing for themselves, which in turn perpetuates the "myth" of the second-class citizen.

Enough already. No more excuses. I say it's high time every American take responsibility for themselves and make better choices.

As usual, the BBC "correspondent" (Daniel Lak) would have everyone who reads his nonsense believe that America is on the verge of collapse. I read this kind of silliness often in BBC print and hear it often on BBC World News. If there has ever been a reputation that is not deserved, it is the that of the BBC's "objectivity".

BOB: Did you hear how even Afghanistan offered money? How Castro's offer of 1100 Doctors from Cuba were not even given the courtesy of a reply? How a Swedish plane carrying generators was on the ground for 6 days waiting for someone in the US to get it together!
The good thing as far as I am concerned (British) is how this shows what a total lack of competence there is in the US. Everytime I go to a business meeting now with Americans, everyone in my company will think (regardless of whether or not the Americas are Dems or Republicans)remember bodies lying in the streets for days, dead people in hospitals, mercy killing of patients, Gretna police shooting over the heads of middle class European tourist trying to leave NO, etc etc etc. What a joke America is! And you expect us to follow you in Iraq! Screw up your own country. Please Bob, don't ever leave America, you deserve it!

The international community is only expressing what they've seen in a few weeks what African-Americans and other minorities have known for centuries in this country.

It's a shame that it takes people from around the world to see the differences in race, class, and economics in this so-called "United States of America" something we've known existed all along and still exists even today.

The government not only dropped the ball, but purposely dropped the ball. Our leaders are always so quick to assist others worldwide and tell other nations how to run their governments, but they can't effectively run their nation right here at home.

And you wonder why America is scoffed at as a world leader. Not only is Katrina's destruction a black eye to the Bush Administration, but it's a blackeye to America as a world leader. How do you think other nations will be able to trust America when they know the American government doesn't show concern or care for it's own citizens during tragedy?

It's a shame that it takes something as tragic as this to happen for the world to see that racism, ethnic and economic, is alive and kicking.

We have long realized this country could care less about the blacks who live here. It is no big secret. As A black I don't think Bush left them there to suffer because they were black. He left them there because he was playing politics. He was taking another opportunity to embarrassed another democrat. Just as he has done his entire political career. Having said that, there is no doubt within me that if that group of people had been white he would have thrown politics out the window.

Hey Kingsley, are you black? Because if not, your touching homily seems a little irrelevant.
You say "it's high time every American take responsibility for themselves and make better choices"?
Does that go for President Bush, too? He never seems to take responsibility for anything, including his bad choices.

Hurray: In any case it's absurd that America should claim to lead the world. Since world citizens aren't allowed to vote in US elections, why on earth should they follow the US government in anything?
Americans themselves fought a revolution to get rid of a foreign government that didn't represent or ask their views.
If America wants to (a) lead the world and (b) promote democracy, then it follows logically that America must allow the whole world to vote in US elections, according to its own principles. Since that isn't going to happen (the Republicans would get about 3% of the vote), America should shut up about leading the world.
Besides, all of America's policies are proven disasters.

More than anything I've been disgusted by the people who refuse to even acknowledge that most of the people who were left there were poor and black.

And how ridiculous to talk about "choosing" to get out of their situations. Maybe a good portion of them were on their way out but hadn't quite made it yet. Maybe they weren't out because they were saving money so their children could go to college and get out. Maybe people shouldn't just make assumptions and should actually have a little compassion and understanding, maybe they should look at what's actually going on in other people's lives instead of saying "This is what I did."

The person who looks at that mass of colored people who were stranded, who were dying, and says that race and living situation had nothing to do with it... that person is color-blind. You tell me what rich white person was still there when Katrina hit. I want to know.

Great article. If people have other interests in how Katrina related to people of color and the poor, check out www.crayonpeople.com

Yes I am black, since you feel it so important to know. Last time I checked, there was more than one minority race in this nation and we are not the only ones with the "under-privileged" sign hanging above our heads in the eyes of the nation.

Also, last time I checked, natural disasters weren't very particular about their targets. A town of New Orleans size and means had the resources to do better for the citizens. Do I think the government could have done more? Sure. Do I think Bush could have reacted more quickly? I suppose. But there are no miracles when you have a disaster of this magnitude.

I am a compassionate person. Please don't assume so little from one post. I am just sick of everyone crying racism when that it not what it's about. You have victims spawning 3 states, dangerous water and broken roads and you want millions of people catered to overnight? Simply unrealistic.

If I were to blame officials, first round goes to Nagin and Blanco. However, people must be held accountable as well. There were warnings well in advance that people needed to leave. I live in Florida, believe me when I know what a hurricane warning is like. When I was in college, I had no car. I would have packed my bag and ridden my bicycle...to the nearest church, precinct, wherever it took to get help. The problem today is that people are not proactive in helping themselves. The government was not meant to be our babysitter and provider.

And to the person who said my tale would be "irrelevant" if I were white, shame on you. Poverty knows no color. It touches white, black, Asian, Hispanic, and European alike. Many people of all colors are one disaster away from experiencing it. I ask you not to be so close-minded to believe that only people of a certain color are affected and thus have experienced it. It's a slap in the face to struggling Americans everywhere.

In the minds of many americans, class and race have been mentally bonded into a pseudo caste system, which makes these sordid incidents possible. Social ideals are imported into this country daily by its newest citizens and no one takes the time to inform them of the 'new rules' regarding our subtle freedoms and values that make this the country that gives them what the country they left did not, cultural openess and exchange being two of them.

Well, we can sit here and go back and forth about the government dropping the ball, and that all those evacuees were left stranded because of ethnic and economic racism. All the above is true. However, we shoulder responsibility cuz we are the citizens that elected this moron of a president (well, I didn't) back into office for a second term of well, nothing.

How is it that even after learning word of Katrina's destruction, Mr Bush and Mr Cheney continued on with their respective vacations? Doesn't sound like caring to me.

How is it, that FEMA gets put under Homeland Security, along with it's other 28 agencies, when it should have been it own separate entity?

How is it that the Army Corp of Engineers couldn't receive the funds needed to fix those levees but most of those funds needed was diverted to the War on Terrorism?

Race is always gonna play a part in everything in life. It's just a fact of life. But ignorance is denying the fact that it still exists or that it has no bearing on this situation at hand because it clearly does.

But we elected this fool, and now we're stuck with him and the election shenanigans that come with him. People if you are that mad and angry at the administration for what it hasn't done for our citizens and our country then it's time for a change come election time.

However, what does this do for voting in those gulf states now? We are just tipping the iceberg on the problems these states will have even finding any kind of normalcy. What piranhas are lurking to try and convince the gulf states that their vote means change. You know the DEMS and Repulicans are both working on spinning this in their respective favors which is sickening but it's happening now as we speak.

American is a class society - capitalism breeds class - your worth is determined by your bank account. Go back to about 1880 and follow history forward (real history - the stuff they won't teach anymore). You'll find that one of the reasons we have these "nasty" unions that everyone blames for our economic challenges was because there has always been someone in "that sector" of society that no one talks about but uses to their benefit whenever they can (i.e. transient illegals working a harvest.)and sometimes you need to band together to get respect. As far as the international community - hey guys we're living in the global economy other countries have a vested interest in what we do or don't do - you can't have it both ways.

Canadian doctors were very quick to respond to Katrina, however they were not allowed to help those in need of medical care because they are not licensed in the United States.

Needless to say Canadian divers who are down there helping out below the toxic stew were not stopped from diving. Why one group is wanted and the other is not is an interesting question.

It struck me as bizarre in the extreme that Canadian prescription drugs are popular in the United States but our doctors are not.

The only losers are the poor folk of Louisiana, Mississipi and Alabama who needed care after Katrina and had no insurance. For those who say there was no International response I would beg to differ. Perhaps the problem lies not with the international community but the bureaucracy in the United States.

Canadian doctors were very quick to respond to Katrina, however they were not allowed to help those in need of medical care because they are not licensed in the United States.

Needless to say Canadian divers who are down there helping out below the toxic stew were not stopped from diving. Why one group is wanted and the other is not is an interesting question.

It struck me as bizarre in the extreme that Canadian prescription drugs are popular in the United States but our doctors are not.

The only losers are the poor folk of Louisiana, Mississipi and Alabama who needed care after Katrina and had no insurance. For those who say there was no International response I would beg to differ. Perhaps the problem lies not with the international community but the bureaucracy in the United States.

Michael Brown wasn't fired! He resigned. Perhaps he was told by the White House that he must resign, but officially on-the-record he was not fired. That is a big difference. As such Mr. Bush again showed his true self. Never admit mistakes, let the smoke clear and in several months nobody will remember what happened. If Bush really was "angry" about the federal (non-)response after Katrina he would have personally, and officially anounced live on televison to the nation that "Mr. Brown, you're fired". Only that way could Mr. Bush have shown he (allegedly) cared. Instead he'll visit the devastated region again and give some carefully screened person a hug, shed a faux tear, and say how he cares (not!).

Kingsley: I too am a Black Man living in Florida, the Keys specifically. What angers me about supposed "I pulled myself up by my boot-straps", Clarence Thomas-like, individuals is that you ACTUALLY believe that you had no help. No teachers, close relatives, friends, or good fortune from the Creator. We are not alone, or loners, but interdependent beings: We need each other. FYI the highest demographic of welfare recipients: Single White Females! The disenfranchised people of this country wear Black and Brown faces in an overwhelming majority. No amount of claiming 'Choice' is going to change that without government intervention. But why would the ruling class (whites) wnat the situation equal, when minimum wage, menial labor, and domestic jobs need to be filled? Think the Bush households don't have maids? Think again...

As a Black person, I'm just glad the world is watching.

No doubt, truer words have never been spoken.

No doubt, truer words have never been spoken TMC.

It it clear to me now more than ever that people who don't make a life for themselves, whether they be purple, pink, or brown, would prefer that the governemnt take care of them rather than go out and do the hard work for themselves. Any person in this country can go to school and learn, but you have to want to do it. No government program or amount of welfare checks rolling in is going to make you successful.
Bill O'Reilly put it best "If you depend on the government you are going to be disappointed." If you want to live in inner-city New Orleans with no car and no money then you should depend on the government. But if you want to live a lifestyle that allows you to be able to take care of yourself then go to school and get an education.
Kingsley, I'm glad to see someone finally admit that Nagin and Blanco deserve a part of the blame here. I've noticed many of these people refuse to put any blame on Nagin because he is their "brother", but lets face it, he dropped the ball.
And let me make one last point, if anyone truly believes that Kanye West, who had to call his business manager to see how much he could afford to donate, is your "brother" you are a fool. Kanye West will keep on writing songs to exploit a certain social entity in this country and he will go on living in his mansion while you go on living in poverty. I wonder if his business manager got back to him yet on how much he can donate....

Whilst worrying about how much money Kanye West donated, how much did YOU donate in comparrison TC?

Michael Brown was given the choice of resigning or being fired. If he had no choice, he was fired. End of story. The man padded his resume, lied about his past and should pay the price.

you've ignored the rest of the world for many years.t.r.o.t.w.shakes it's head in dismay at the xenophobia and outright ignorance which seems to be the prevailing attitude of usa.after 9/11 you had the world behind you,but you blew it.now live with it.

I agree with Mike Jay. No one accomplishes anything on their own. And I love the naivete of people who think that anybody living in undesirable situations are doing it because of CHOICE. As in rather than going to getting a degree they thought to themselves "I just got into college but you know what, I'd rather live in poverty." Or better yet the freeloader myth, which posits that people 'just want the gov't to take car of them.' Whoever thinks that explains the majority of the people living below middle class has absolutely no grasp on reality. The bottom line is we ignore poverty because it proves that there are flaws with capitolism. But why address that when we can be sanctimonious and conclude that the reason why people aren't as well off as some of us are is because they are doing something wrong...

Good call on whoever said that they hope that Katrina's legacy is raising the embedded enequality to the national consiousness.

Man, I can't spell today. Capitolism = capitalism and enequality = inequality. Blech.

Kingsley,

Another BLACK MAN here in Florida. If you live in Florida, then I am sure you are aware of the fedral response we got last year (with our 4 Hurricanes). You don't think being the President's brother and being an election year had anything to do with it?

How about FEMA ready even before Frances and Charley and Ivan CAME ASHORE? I know individuals that got paid for "NO" damage to their homes (in an elcetion year)

FL is important to Bush. LA is NOT important to Bush. Does that mean he hates black people? NO..Its just more convenient for him for 2 reasons:
1 - He has already being re-elected.
2 - LA is not terriby important to the Republican Party as a whole with 9 electoral votes.

So you can take your self righteous CRAP about Choices and stick it where the sun does not shine!!

Honestly, I've donated nothing YET. I don't trust the Red Cross and will probably make a donation when the efforts are more organized. However, I wasn't the one on national television crying racism and trying to relate to people, but then saying I just got off the phone with my business manager.

Here's how race played in the press Katrina coverage

(1) thousands upon thousands upon thousands of white americans were left homeless, houses left destroyed, stranded on rooftops and the media ignored it. Where were the media cameras in St Bernard parish where many of the victims were white. The media focused only on those at the Superdome and Convention Center who were largely black, thus painting the distorted picture that only blacks had been left behind in the Hurricane's wake and forced to fend for themselves. It was a media distorted lie whipped into a frenzy for their own political gain by the likes of the black congressional causus and self appointed spokesmen like Jesse Jackson.

(2) A reporter for the NY Daily News took a picture of a white man being carried out of the Superdome who had been beaten to death by a black man by a lead pipe over a cigarette. How could this happen with 25,000 others around almost all black. How did they not come to the white-man's aid and overpower his attacker. Talk about race issues. The story was told to Rita Cosby on MSNBC, no follow up questions, and the story was buried. If a black man had been beaten to death by a white man in a stadium of 25,000 white people do you think the media would have buried the story? It would have been a national outrage. Where was the outrage over this story. Where were Jessie Jackson and AL Sharpon, and Aaron Brown or Anderson Cooper and their outrgae over this sick example of racial hatred directed at whites. It was not the lone story at least one other example earlier in the week got limited play of a white young man sitting next to his friend who had been beaten death, surrounded as he was by the superdome crowd, all he could say was that his friend had died in "a riot." Amazingly, no follow-up from the reporter. Typical, but had the victim been black one wonders if thye story would have been dropped. WHat caused the riot? Who was involved? Does anyone care that people were beaten to death in the Superdome. Weren't they all just Hurricane victims? Will we treat murder as we do looting and say that the decline to savagery is justifiable because people were hungry and thirsty?

(3) There have been numerous stories of white tourists who evacuated the French Quarter, having been kicked out of hotels and left to fend for themselves and went to the Superdome and Convention Center and were then physically threatened by the largely black crowds, presumably they were seen as competition for resources? Where was the compassion, they were all victims? The white tourists wound up camping under the freeway overheads, no shelter, no water, no food and no coverage from the press. Their stories were told in passing, no follow up from major media, ignored because it did not play into the racial-card playing that the media bias wanted to play-up.

(4) After the largely black crowds had been evacuated from the Superdome and Convention Center, the whites of St Bernard parish, who had been flooded to their rooftops, were still fending for themselves, where was the media, where was the outrage.

(5) The same day that black evacuees were enjoying food and water in the Astrodome and the Superdome was empty, Fox news was interviewing groups of whites, including medical personnel who had been helping in New Orleans hospitals, walking out of the city. They were asked where they were going. They said they were threatened by the crowds at the Convention Center and Superdome and turned away, they were abandoned, could not get on buses out of the city and so they were walking out of the city. They asked for a cell phone so they could call family in states hundreds of miles away to come pick them up. Imagine, being threatened by other hurricane victims because they were white, abandoned by their government and forced to WALK out of New Orleans and the media looks away beacuse it does not fit their racial profiling story criteria.

Yes there is a racial problem in America, if you are White, do not expect any help from your government, and if you are White don't expect the media to ever air your story ... and if you are White, expect to be lectured to by the international community that can't distinguish between news and propaganda. Those in Ameican know that we have a media that distorts news rather than report it.

Keep buying those guns to protect yourself, no-one else will. That's the real race card in America.

Another point: While I think you can excuse those people who stole food and water and some clothing, what do you say about people stealing TVs, and Ipods, and guns that they would eventually use to shoot at the very people trying to help them??? Just curious if anyone thinks they deserve a pass and a dime of my money either?

No TC, but you are the one in this forum speaking on someone else's effort and finances while you have given nothing except lectures and lip service.

Class and Race played a significant role in the Katrina disaster, however, I cannot disagree with some Americans that are uncomfortable with the racial issues. (Recent polls show a huge disparity between blacks and whites regarding race).

While attending college there was a seminar on "Race, Sex and Class in America". A white student said he did not understand why there were issues between Black and White Americans, several professors (of all races) were appalled, and let him know that he needed to take an African American History class.
The reason for the late response is the continuos mindset, how do you change the way people think? The media continuosly portrays people of color in a negative way.
Who makes these decisions and WHY?

I could not understand why people were so shocked that there are poor people in America. Yes! they are here in all colors, shapes and forms, and now that it was peeled away by the hurricane many of you were EMBARRASSED by your own IGNORANCE.

The three states affected by hurricane Katrina are among the poorest in the nation with high percentages of African Americans. This is where slave ships docked to let off their human cargo. The KKK is alive and well in some of these areas.
Studies have shown that no other minority group has made so unravelling a struggle for acceptance than African Americans.

The freedoms that we pretend to share are illusions.

All I'm saying is that I agree CLASS played a role here simply because those people couldn't afford to help themselves. I agree the federal response could have been better. But I think the bulk of the blame here needs to rest on Nagin, who by the way has already set up in a new home town called Dallas and already has his kids going to school there. It's like he gave up without even trying. They knew about this for a long time, and I don't mean the three days of weather forecasts. They knew for a long time that this was the "worst case scenario". So what I am saying is that how can you say it was racism when the guy who played a key role is black!?!??!? And then more blame needs to go with Blanco, but all the democrats can't blame her either. So its like by default the dems have to blame the president because he's white and republican

For all those non African-Americans who moronically still believe race has nothing to do with Katrina, but society as a whole, this is for you.

In news media outlets, there are many pictures of african-americans who were getting food, water, etc. just to survive but were characterized as "looters and thugs".

Yet, there were pictures of caucasians, doing the same exact thing, but the media characterized them as "finding" food, water, shelter, etc.

The media is probably the biggest instigator of racial problems in this country. For effect and ratings, they sensationalize and trivialize any story they can to try and put the spin they want on a story.

Hey Racism, the media also showed them taking TVs, guns, dozens of pairs of shoes, pretty much anything they could get their hands on. I'm not saying there were no white people doing the same, but the pictures don't lie. Whether its slanted one way or not, that doesn't make what some of those people did OK. It's that kind of behavior that helps fuel this stupid race issue.

Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality are all issues that impact a person's life in the United States everyday. In regards to race, although I have taken a step back from my own initial response of the "race card", it's sad to see how many people in this country still refuse to talk about the historical impact the issue of race has had on this country. If anything I hope that situation allows the country to become more open about how race does impact one's life.

About education, everyone has access to equal education. It was reported a few months ago that middle class children are going to colleges at insane rates versus the poor and disadvantage. I wonder why that is. Teachers do not want to work in urban and rural areas (i.e. problems such as Teach for America, D.C. Fellows, New York Fellows that beg for college students to teach in cities and rural communities) and students who live in those areas are disadvantaged by the lack of good education. Choice is not that easy.

First, the Brits can't point any fingers after their treatment of the Irish for well over a century. Second, racism and classism does indeed exist in every EVERY nation in the international community. That doesn't make it excusable or accepable here.

I see this event as more classism than racism, although African Americans are a disportionately high percentage of the impoverished. And certainly racism plays a role in poverty. Had Katrina dared to do her death dance along the Coastal Interstate in FL and demolished the homes of the rich and famous, Dubya would've been at his bro Jeb's side, bowing and scraping and asking how high he should jump. Had the good people of New Orleans been wealthy and influential contributors to the Bush campaign, this scenario would likely have been different.

Federal agencies are ponderous and many times inept and incompetent. That's not to slam the employees who actually work for their paycheck but there is a preponderance of slackers. Been there, watched that while I actually worked for my paycheck. But even as slow as the feds can be, they were horrendously - and tragically - so in the aftermath of Katrina. What a joke. With all the $ that has gone into emergency preparedness programs, how shameful. The government takes such pride in its weapons systems, Smart bombs etc and we couldn't IMMEDIATELY (when flight conditions permitted the choppers to fly) simply have dropped food. What a long excruciating wait for those good people of New Orleans.

As for Magin, he stands accountable with the rest of the politicans for glossing over the hard questions raised by last years "table top exercises." He could've and should've commandeered the city and school buses to evacuate people who didn't have the wherewithal to escape on their own. A congtingency plan should've been established as to where the people would've been evacuated. Shame on him and the governor for not playing heads-up ball.

Shame on Bush et al for this failure and for the stupidity that is going on in Iraq and our growing deficit. Thanks to him for the heating oil and gasoline prices. REcession here we come. His terms in office have certainly been memorable. Wake me up when it's over....

No, what fuels the race issue is assuming certain types of negative or positive behavior are intrinsic to race, and using circular logic to justify a racist viewpoint. This while feigning outrage at actions that are otherwise met with silence when perpetuated by the state or with state sanction.

The situation of Blacks in America is either a result of years of racist policy and custom, or it is intrisic to the Black race. One is a logic conclusion drawn from history and social science, and the other is superstitious bigotry.

It still surprises me how often people choose the latter over the other.

Blaming the chaos in NO on the welfare state and whites who are racists fails to take into consideration the actions of the looters, rapists and murderers that rampaged through the streets of NO and the ignorance or laziness of those who failed to evacuate. Katrina was not a natural disaster but a man made one. It's not low socioeconomic status, racism or dependency on government that created the self-destructive mentality or mentality of indifference in NO but an African culture, which in the U.S, has been greatly and sadly influenced by a history of slavery and servitude (the result - a destructive African-American culture).

Thus, the question is not how you change the mindset of white america (through re-education) but how to change the mindset of poor blacks. Poverty is accepted by poor blacks not thrust upon them by racist whites. Poor blacks carried the brunt of Katrina not becasue of racist whites but becasue they failed to take any personal responsibility for their on well-being.
The liberal welfare state only perpetuates this destructive culture.

About CHOICE. Without question, the people most devastated by Katrina are the people who have no choice -- the sick, the infirmed, children and the elderly. That answers you argument about "choosing to be poor or choosing not not to leave town."

This is not about blackness, but it is certainly about poverty. Most Black people in New Orleans are not poor, but most of the poor were Black.
Likewise, most of the victims outside of New Orleans were very white, and no less poor than Blacks in the 9th Ward.

Both groups have been preyed upon for centuries the industrial and agricultural power structure of the South, and they have been taugh to hate one another.

What needs to happen after Katrina is for the poor throughout the South to rewrite the future by working together.

I'm not American, but I know the country pretty well. Here's my take. The US federal government is probably the least racist large institution in the whole country, apart from the Armed Forces.
It's stuck up for blacks on many occasions at the risk of unpopularity, at least when under Democrat leadership. In fact that's why the Republicans were able to seize the South.
But it's undeniable that blacks lag far behind whites economically, in fact their average income is only about 60% that of whites. They are even poorer than Hispanics, who arrived far more recently.
Why? Either it's a problem with blacks themselves, or it's some external factor holding them back. Unless you believe they are racially inferior, you have to accept there are external factors beyond their control.
And what are they? Not a racist federal government. Not even (nowadays) racist local governments. In my opinion there are two factors.
First, when blacks entered the US economy (in a capacity other than as property), they all started poor. The simple fact is that class mobility is America is minimal. This has been proven again and again in studies which show that America has the LEAST class mobility of any OECD country. The American Dream is just that, a dream. It's far easier to pull yourself up by your bootstraps in most European countries. That should hardly be surprising when the Euros offer so much more in the way of free university education, free healthcare, etc. Blacks started poor in a country with little class mobility, so 150 years on they're still poor.
Secondly, many American people (and employers) are racist. You just don't have to go very far to find an American who hates blacks and isn't ashamed to say it.
The proof is in the pudding. Conservatives love to say that people who get married and delay having children are less likely to live in poverty. But which US blacks are most likely to live by these 'Christian' values? Those in Harlem or Watts? Or those in Georgia and Alabama? It's the southern blacks who are most likely to follow this supposed prescription for success, yet they are precisely the ones who lag furthest behind their white neighbours in income.
So what's different about the South? It contains the most white racists. Case closed.

I think race was very clearly a factor in the federal non-response. They didn't see the point of dispatching active duty troops BECAUSE they saw the need to be preventing "looting" (foraging for food and water), which would have been prohibited law enforcement, rather than delivering food and water and rescuing people, which they were free to do.

Additionally the actions of the Gretns Police in preventing black residends from escaping New Orleans was clearly racist.

I understand that Mr. Lak loathes the U.S., but apparently he loathes statistics too.

"There are now nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance" - Close, but the actual number, according to the Census, is 44 million. Maybe that's "nearly 50 million", but it's also an overstatement by over 10 percent. He gets worse.

"a third of US children living in poverty" - Way off. The Census says its actually 17.8 percent. So he overstated it by 187%.

"more people losing jobs every year" - Also quantifiably wrong. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Since February, the number of persons unemployed due to job loss has declined by 490,000, to 3.5 million in August." The over all unemployment rate is low as measured against historic numbers, and certainly against international numbers.

And "Racism", please read the following web page for an accurate portrayal of the looters vs. gatherers incident. http://www.snopes.com/photos/katrina/looters.asp

While there were isolated incidents in which whites were labeled "gatherers" while African-Americans were labeled "looters", the fact is that no single news organization has been demonstrated to have made that distinction Rather is was a disagreement over terminology between separate news organizations that is the actual cause.

Substituting the word "race" for the word "culture" doesn't make a racist argument less racist. What is "african culture"? Africa is one and a half times the size of North America. Furthermore, there is nothing reasonable to substantiate claims that Black culture is more destructive than white culture, especially not after four hundred years of genocide, slavery, the holocaust, apartheid, and I could go on.

People rioted in the superdome because they were starving to death and they were scared.

If you put that amount of white people in one piss and crap stained fishbowl with nothing to eat for five days, they'd be at each other's throats too. Show me this peaceful, transcendent white culture. It doesn't exist.

TC,

No one is blaming the President because he is white and Republican. He is being blamed because he is incompetent and misguided. That is not to say he is NOT a decent human being. He is just a bad bad example of a leader.

I think Nagin and Blanco should get a ton of the blame as well. Nagin, as a former Republican should know exactly where his state stands within the Party. But he was slow to react. Just as Blanco was. She seemed just as clueless and why she and Nagin did not even attempt to bus people out of the 9th is beyond me.

But do you know that the National Response Plan, enacted by this admin gives them the "right" to intervene in a national disaster without approval from state or local govts?

If Bush was briefed by Max Mayfield on Sunday the 28th, why in hell shouldn't we be shocked when Mike Brown is on live TGV on Thursday the 1st saying the gov't did not know about people at the convention center?

Does this add up to you?

As much as I believe race is a factor in almost everything involving people interacting with one another I don't think race was a factor here. Whites and blacks were all in the same soup. Sure the people left behind in NO, the poor, were almost all black. That's a typical American inner city after those with means leave. And sure they had the hardest time getting out. And guess where all the cameras were. In downtown NO! And lets not forget that after the huricane NO suffered the flood, not other areas. Yet FEMA and other agencies were acting incompetent everywhere, not just in downtown NO where the cameras and news people were reporting from. Don't confuse incompetence for an intelligently designed plot against anyone. Stupidity, bad luck and incompetence reigned supreme in NO and surrounding areas and in FEMA. I don't think Bush's people have the intelligence to mount a plan to withhold aid. They just screwed up as usual and then said they cared, as usual. And, as usual they will not learn.

One thing I have determined from this and past events is that the Republican party has failed America, in New Orleans, in Afganistan (where is Bin Laden now?), in starting a war with Iraq, in dealing with the rest of the world (they all hate us ya know), in dealing with the UN (Bolton, sheesh!), in dealing with N. Korea (they made A-bombs on Bush's watch), in redistricting Texas, in preventing 9/11, in holding those in the FBI and CIA accountable for 9/11 (Tenent gets a Medal of Freedom for his good work!), in deploying our military forces wisely, in preventing lawlessness in Iraq after we destroyed their ability to prevent lawlessness, in saying what a good job Brownie was doing, in outing Valiere Plame, in attacking Joe Wilson - a true patriot, in not delaing properly with Chinese trade, in not securing our borders against illegal immigration, in reducing the tax on the wealthy at the expense of the less wealthy, in running up huge - truly huge - deficits which republicans used to say was what democrats did, and in passing legislation so filled with pork you could choke on it.

So, from now on I'm not voting for the best person, I'm only voting against republicans, good or bad, until that majority party becomes a minority party in all parts of government. I have lost any and all confidence that Republicans, as a party, can govern. They are a party by and for special interests. Its time they all looked at themselves really hard and decide whether to "stay the course" or change. I don't believe the current leadership will allow change, so we the people must make the change for them.

My new motto: A vote against a republican is a vote for America!

I am white and I say is was racial. To let anyone suffer as the people in New Orleans suffered is inescusable. It has become clear over the last days that this government was not up to the task. The brain drain of qualified people in this administration is staggering. Finally the president says today it was their fault. Too little, too late Mr. President. I am sorry but 'compassionate conservatism", isn't working and we need to change now.

I think people need to understand the numbers they spout in these forums. Let's review the facts:

1. While blacks are disproportionately poor, what that means is that African American are approx 13% of the nation, but suffer a poverty rate of about 18%. 18% of 30 million is a bit more than 5 million considered impoverished. High for a population of 30 million, but a fraction of the total population of the poor of other races.

2. While whites seem to focus on black teen pregnancy as some sign of pathology among black women, black women with college degrees have now surpassed the average salaries of degreed white women by about $3500.

3. The black, asian and latino, while still lagging behind whites in total net worth (mostly because of home valuation and history of home ownership, are all outdistancing whites in the rate of increase in buying power over the past five years.

I give these figures simply to illutsrate the point that the broad generalizations about minorities and poverty and pathology have little to do with reality. Yet we can not ignore the needs and truths within what is becoming a permanent underclass of black ,white, and hispanic poor in the still very backward rural and urban regions of our nation.

Look, Bush and the current class or republicans suck, but in NO the democrats spent mad money on pork rather than reinforcing the levees, and there is no question but that local and state officials dropped the ball on preparation before the flood hit.

If anything, Katrina's taught me politicians across the board will let us die if it suits their political purposes. There are no good guys in the current American political arena, and that's a scary thought we all need to face up to.

Frankly, most people around the world are more worried about America's shocking attitudes towards Arabs and Moslems than they are about America's attitude towards Blacks. At least the US government isn't deliberately killing Black civilians.
The N-word is a no-no these days, but no-one seems to have any qualms spouting off about 'ragheads' in public.
By the way, all you America-firsters can stop deluding yourselves that all foreigners want to move there. Most don't.
It's blindingly obvious that the US is in terminal decline. Bush is just accelerating the process.

What is perhaps most disturbing, is that when the issue of race is brought up as a factor in the negligence of the federal government in NO, people defensively respond with a list of negative qualities they believe black people to have.

This isn't so much an argument against the idea that the negligence was influenced by race, as much of a rationalization for why it was ok to let thousands of people die in squalor.

How can anyone justify the delay using the so called "racial characteristics" of the victims, and then say the delay had nothing to do with race?

I have never been a fan of the Bush Administration, but I will never lie about them. I do not believe he or his family have any racial prejudice or are against gays. He does, however, cater to his base which could care less about the poor regardless of their color. The Republican Party serves big business and the wealthy. It will exploit all other classes by lowering wages and social benefits to maximise profits for big business and the wealthy. I heard yesterday that Halliburton got the Federal Contract to rebuild after Katrina. Under that contract, they do not have to pay wage scale. Be it a natural disaster like Katrina, the Iraq War, or a drug plan for seniors, you can be sure big Business and the Wealthy will make a profit. But, you can forget ordinary people.

What has happen is that the Red, White and Blue has been exposed! Our true colors are being revealed and exposed to every nation in this world. We are an ugly nation with ugly secrets that has been revealed to the world. The damage has been done, so what are we going to do about the situation at hand. Sit around blame this one and that one. And yes this is a black and white issue. Funny how that levee broken on one side and the water rush in a section of New Orleans which was predominately black and poor. Now you are going to say that you could not get into New Orleans because some one was shooting but you can take our troops to Iraq where road side bomb are killing our men and women but you couldn't get into New Orleans. The army has vehicles that float on water and you mean to tell me that you could not use those vehicles to save the people? America stop lying to yourself because the world know about our little dirty secret and that secret is pure RACISM, which still exist in this country. Mr. Bush, why didn't you check Mr. Brown resume? You place this man in charge of FEMA with no experience in major disasters, what were you thinking? Did you owe him a favor? Mr. Brown should not have been allowed resigned he should have been FIRED on the spot!! Lil Charles would have been a better candidate for the job. I am waiting to see how many people will get to go home and rebuild or has Vice President Chaney's company private agenda has just been met: take the people's home and do what you want to do with land. Why did his company get the contract? Why you think the people did not want to leave their homes? Because they know what the government is planning to do with the land. What is the Red Cross doing with all that money will this be another episode of The United Way Fund?

By the way I gave but not to the Red Cross. Thru my church (Tithes and Offerings) where I can see how my money is being used. I saw just that on this past Sunday. Smiling faces of the evacuee with clothes on their back, establishing checking accounts thru our credit union so that they can keep track of their money in the bank in New Orleans and they were given job thru my church's infrastructure. That's what the body of Christ is doing now what is President really going to do for the people of New Orleans?

I have never been a fan of the Bush Administration, but I will never lie about them. I do not believe he or his family have any racial prejudice or are against gays. He does, however, cater to his base which could care less about the poor regardless of their color. The Republican Party serves big business and the wealthy. It will exploit all other classes by lowering wages and social benefits to maximise profits for big business and the wealthy. I heard yesterday that Halliburton got the Federal Contract to rebuild after Katrina. Under that contract, they do not have to pay wage scale. Be it a natural disaster like Katrina, the Iraq War, or a drug plan for seniors, you can be sure big Business and the Wealthy will make a profit. But, you can forget ordinary people.

We are broke and in debt to our principle rivals. We're mired in an illegal and unwinnable war. We are less secure within our own borders because our enemies are more numerous and more determined, emboldened by Bush's manifest failures. Our ability to protect "the homeland" has been politicized and emasculated by a pack of inept buffoons. Our former allies hate our government and pity our citizenry. Our Constitution is in tatters and our ideals as a nation and a people have been betrayed.

We need a change--impeach him. After all, simple oral sex launched an impeachment once; why not such incompetence?

Everyone,

We should all take a moment to realize one immutable fact here: The weeks and months after September 11, 2001 will be the last time this country is ever united on any issue. From now on there will always be the "red" and the "blue." Even if there is another terrorist attack, or when there is I should say, people will be divided on who was at fault and who didn't act.

Maybe I'm ignorant, maybe because I live in Chicago and don't worry about hurricanes or being poor so I shouldn't speak. But for me, it really would be enough to say: A hurricane is a natural event. Bad things happen. Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis..these are all things that Mother Nature has been perfecting for billions of years.

Instead of putting so much energy and time on what could have been done, lets focus on getting it done now so when the next hurricane hits this doesn't happen again.

Our two party system of government will always serve as a wedge between the halves of this country. People will always disagree. For a time span one side will flourish while the other wanes, and then there will be a reversal. But whether we like it or not, we will never be the same.

Casey wrote:
"The Republican Party serves big business and the wealthy."

Don't forget their biggest supporters, the Christian Fundamentalist Right. You'd think they would be outraged at Bush for his administrations inactions. I just checked ou the CBN web site. No criticism of this administration there. One article seemed to place the blame on the "lawlessness and looters" as though that's why people were at the convention center and Superdome all those days.

I'm sorry, but the 1990s were a great time to be alive and since GW Bush became president its all gone downhill. And blaming Clinton and the democrats is getting really really old, considering the republicans have been running things for 5 years now.

Vote all republicans out in 2006. There is no other way to send the government a message and warn future office holders to not piss off America.

I find it necessary to respond to 'Kingsley' diatribe about choices people make. He goes on to state that '....when he was in college..." As an African-American that earned a graduate degree, Mr. Kingley's opinion is indicative of the 'false sense of security' that most of middle class black of bought into from our White bretheren. As a product of the 1970's, blacks were instructed to get a education, dress a certain way, etc...and you will obtain success beyond measure. Well, twenty five years later, many of the individual I graduated college with our still struggling. Is it because they lack the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job - NO; is it because race had a hand in promotional opportunities - not only yes, but hell yes! It really saddens me that in our (blacks) efforts to assimilate into the predominate culture, we often times step on the toes of our fellows; the very ones, the same people, in which we were raised. Mr. Kingsly, as a 48 y.o. African-american male, I wish to say: rest assured, before all is said and done, you will, eventually, be reminded that race as well as economics plays a part in EVERY major decisions that the "powers-that-be" initiate. Stop fooling yourself and began to face reality!

I don't have to much to say. Basically, as a black man I am aware of this country and how it has treated my people in the past and the present.

If you are a professional which I assume the bulk of those who are responding to this post you know about track records and things of that nature.

The track record for the United States and its treatment of African Americans is horrible. The sad part is Katrina and the Federal governments response will go down in history...well I guess that depends on how history will be told.

I mean this is a country that is spending billions upon billions of dollars in Iraq..to fight a war that the average American has serious doubts about.

We are basically buidling a country for people who have never cared anything about the United States. But for the African Americans that live everyday, that have fought and died for this country, for those that have won Olypic Gold for this country, those that were slaves for this country...

Katrina and the governments response are the cards that we are dealt. When Bush was re-elected statistics showed who voted for him, in terms of race African Americans did not want to see him again.

Now the world see's why....

KanyeWest-

Good choice for a name. I was just wondering if you know anyone that actually was a slave.

CRM,

I guess the Census Bureau is the know all to be all. Can you come up with the percentage of people the census bureau can't tabulate? I'm sure it's a fairly significant amount of people. I mean I'm sure if our Commander in Chief didn't want to initially be near New Orleans because of the shooting and so-called looting, I'm sure a census bureau worker wouldn't dare want to tabulate minorities and other impoverished people in the poorest neighborhoods in this country. What I'm saying is that the Census Bureaus findings you have take with a grain of salt cuz their are an extremely large number of people they haven't tabulated for their so-called numbers.

I'm black so my ancestors were slaves..what about yours?

I'm white so I'm guessing my ancestors weren't slaves. I assume your name to be showing your support to Kanye West and you aren't actually him.

The poll question on race and the Katrina response might be better phrased this way:

Assume there were 20,000 Scandinavian tourists stranded at the Superbowl. Do you believe that troops, food and water would have been sent in sooner?

There's only one response possible, and blacks and whites would agree completely.

Could any of you have done better than Pres. Bush within the parameters he had to work with?

When you say my people, you are just as much of a biggot as anyone out there. The US is not a nation of black and White, Purple or brown. If there is any distiction of color, that is racism in it self. Sure we have roots that we can be proud of, and we should. But for one to call a failure in beuracracy (sorry about the spelling) racism when people of all races were there to help is a lie and racism in true form.

I am a white person who believes that racism was - and continues to be - an absolute and major factor in how this disaster's victims / survivors have been and are being treated.

I don't understand the other white people who don't see that racism is all around us, all the time. What about the two photos AP released, one of two white people wading through the flooded street carrying a plastic bag and captioned, "two people wade through the water after FINDING food and water" while the identical puicture of a black boy carrying a plastic bag through the flooded streets was captioned, "a boy wades through the water after LOOTING a store"...I wonder just how many people that black boy was going home to feed. I'd be willing to bet it was more than a couple. Regardless, how can it be called looting when one is just trying to survive whilst the Federal government ignores one's plight.

Barack Obama for President in 2008....

Ed,

Normally, I would agree with you; empathy is an important human quality. Unfortunately, this administration has made its own bed by arrogantly proclaiming, for far too long, they are the 'real' protectors of the 'homeland.' Heck, they've even said that if you disagree with their policies you're a sissy or unpatriotic. By remaining so out of touch with the concerns of normal working men and women in this country--not to mention the poor and working poor (hey, remember the great tax cut giveaway for the rich?) they have finally shown their true colors when it comes to a real disaster. The president was on vacation, the vice-president was house hunting and Condi was shopping. That about says it all. We're broke, mired in an illegal war and our government is hated by friends around the world. In four years, we've squandered every ounce of good will we had and are now in debt to our enemies. It's unbelievable incompetence--racism or not.

Thank you, Caroline. Right on! You took the words right out of my processor. Go on, girl!

Hey Ed and Bo,

If noticing what race people is is racism, and you noticed that the people helping out were of all races, doesn't that make you racist?

Racism is about inequality. Pretending you have no ability to discern race is dishonest and just a way to avoid accountability with issues of race.

George Bush had, at his disposal, the power and money of the most powerful government in the world.

Yes, a 12 year old, with those kinds of resources, would be able to get some buses to a destination on time. What kind of a question is that?

Impeach,

Yes. Administration does have it's flaws. But, the problems we see now are not a result of this administration only. They go back a long way and include clinton, Bush Sr. etc... They also include the local officials and the govoners of the states. You can not pin this disaster soley on Bush because he was president at the time. This business of racism as a factor would then have to include all the above mentioned. We do have poor and people who are underprivilaged. They are not all black. I don't think any president past or present would knowingly put someone at risk because of their nationality. The problem is all of the buracracy and red tape of agencies both federal and state and local that have been built up over the years impeading the responsive nature of people like you and I. You can't really judge a person unless you have been in his shoes.

Ed,

The president has sworn an oath to protect the people of the United States. While people were dying in New Orleans, he was on vacation. While the local and state governments are also responsible, it is irresponsible to suggest that a public official cannot be judged by their failure or success in something as important as protecting the lives of American people.

Mr. Bush took three days to end his vacation. When Terri Schiavo was lying in a hospital bed, he flew back to washington immediately. It would be dishonest to suggest handling this crisis is beyond his ability.

Do you know if the president was not in contact with federal, state, and local authorities while he was not at the Whitehouse? Did congress create legislation that required a signiture of the president to save a life? It was NOT beyond his ability to handle this crisis. And I'm confident that he was doing what he could. It is irresponsible to suggest otherwise if you do not know all the facts.

Here's the facts:

Fact: Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco declared a State of Emergency for her state on Friday, Aug. 26.

Fact: President Bush declared a State of Emergency the next day Saturday before Hurricane Katrina hit.

Fact: Blanco sent a letter dated Aug. 28 to Bush -- via the FEMA regional director -- requesting that he "declare a major disaster," and Bush responded by wisely declaring an emergency. There is a very slight difference, funding-wise, between declaring a major disaster and declaring an emergency -- the difference is explained here -- but both authorize "emergency protective measures."

Fact: In the Rules and Regulations section of the US&R legislation, "emergency " is defined as "any occasion or instance for which, in the determination of the President, Federal assistance is needed to supplement State and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States."

Yet, Bush did not come off vacation until that monday, three days after declaring a state of emergency. People were not rescued until that friday.

What Bush knew when has been extremely well documented. Given that he has taken responsibility for the failed operation, one would think you would be done telling yourself that it wasn't his fault.

Of course, by your "you can't judge anyone unless you've been in their shoes analogy" no one can ever really be held responsible for anything, since according to your standards no ones actions can ever be sufficiently evaluated. Why have a legal system? why have laws at all? or are they just for people you don't like?

Alas, I knew eventually that you would make it a personal assault and attack my character. Enough said.

Yeah. If by "attack your character" you mean "I'm wrong, and have nothing further to say"

wait wait wait wait wait

so someone actually thought Kanye West was on this Board?

i am continually amazed that anyone would question whether or not this is a racial issue-- the majority of the people that were "abandoned" were black-- yet so many americans noted this as did george and as is the common thing to do went about their daily lives as though it was another country, another world-- how anyone can think that racism isn't rampant in america amazes me-- maybe you've noticed, we have large communities of white folks and large communities of black folks and they appear to and do live in different worlds-- look at the community that you live in-- is it mostly black, white, hispanic, asian-- it's all the same-- we state that we are against segregation as a country but we practice it every day-- and this action is condoned and in fact encouraged by our leaders-- racist, yes we are-- and somehow we have to change-- most americans agree that we should change-- yet it requires a little effort and that's where most americans fall short--

"The international community began volunteering help immediately and in some cases were ready to roll faster than our own government...":

As a matter of interest the first help to arrive in St. Bernard Parish came in the form of Canadian Mounties from B.C., Canada. Well done Canada.

As an African American, I see this poll as just another case of irresponsible journalism. Anyone who knows the climate of the South, knows there are racial overtones in just about every aspect of life there, from schools, to church. The poll told us nothing we didn't already know. The majority of African Americans don't trust Whites. Most Whites don't feel racism exists to the same degree that African Americans claim it does. Where is the news in this? Did USA Today really need this poll to tell that old news? I think not. USA Today, in my opinion, is guilty of irresponsible journalism, by stirring the race issue up when the focus needs to be on helping those affected by the hurricane. If they wanted to do a story, they could talk about why the state, local, and federal governments totally dropped the ball when it comes to emergency preparedness; About how Bush has put so much emphasis into reacting to unknown disasters, that we are totally unprepared for disasters for which we have plenty of warning. I'm sure terrorists had a good laugh at our expense.

I personally don't see this as a racial issue at all, but rather as an emergency preparedness issue. My wife and her family are from Louisiana, so I have seen firsthand how race factors into all aspects of life down there. Needless to say, we've debated this issue more than once in the last few days.

How can anyone say the international community should stay out of it. Does this country ever, and I mean EVER stay out of anything. I am praying for the day when I can just walk up to some politician and tell them to mind their own damn business. We meddle in everyone's affairs. It makes me sick to my stomach. We need to learn to take care of home first. We have failed miserably. I am a nurse and I see everyday how we fail.

I am not giving the governor or the mayor a pass on this; neither performed well. However, a disaster of this size required federal intervention. If FEMA cannot respond to what is CLEARLY a federal emergency, what is the point of the organization. Governors govern over the state and mayors are supposed to run the city. I don't imagine emergency operations is a huge part of the job description. However, this is what FEMA is supposed to manage. Bottom line is the Bush placed a bunch of cronies in the organization who were clueless in managing an emergency situation. They were charged with managing an emergency and failed miserably.

Black Hurricane - Spin and Reality in New Orleans

This started out as an article about the victims of Hurricane Katrina but wind and water are only the most recent assaults on a neglected group of Americans. The storm just blew out the windows of a broken house for all to see inside. Crimes committed in the aftermath need not have happened and prevention should have been a priority long ago.

In my opinion, deep rooted reality in New Orleans can be described in just a few words - incompetence, guns, fear, money, black, crime, poverty, dependence, no self-respect, lack of education, decency and love. I tried very hard not to let race get into this but it's impossible to ignore. Where were the community leaders in the Superdome? Why didn't anyone step up and organize patrols to prevent rapes and beatings in the Convention Center? At least seven bodies were scattered outside and one rapist was beaten to death. Why wasn't the Red Cross let in or people allowed out? When did looting become a right? Would stranded whites have handled things better? I can't help but think that the lack of basic survival skills and responsibility for one's fate played a large part in the crisis. Contributing cast members include FEMA and Bush.

Less than a half mile from the Convention Center, the remaining employees at the Royal Sonesta Resort were living the high life. They had c