I haven't been posting about it, but that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about it, reading about it, and watching the news for days. I just haven't been able to get myself to write about the aftermath of Katrina here, on Klovharu, next to my babbling entries about videogames and DVDs. I admire other people for doing it, but I feel false doing it myself. I don't know why.
That said, you might want to read this. It makes me want to hit somebody, and I don't feel like that often. I wish CNN, not the reporters on the field, not them, but the channel, the entity, wasn't trying so hard to soothe hurt feelings. People's feelings are hurt, people are hurt, and they should be allowed to talk about it. We should be allowed to hear them.
I could stick to the New York Times and the internet and avoid CNN, I know I could, but CNN is where a lot of American people go to for information, and when a lot of American people are seeing a padded, unrealistic and uncritical version of recent events, well, that's information too.
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God, that interview is heartbreaking. The whole thing is so heartbreaking, I can't believe what a mess the American government has made and is making of things.
I thankfully don't have access to CNN. What have they been saying? I'm glad everyone realizes that the whole 'looting' thing was totally wrong. What I don't understand is why GWB is now going to lead an inquiry into what went wrong? Shouldn't he be the one inquired?
Meh. It's robably not helpful to run around blaming people for this or that but at least it will make them be more accountable in the future. Apparantly the two top guys at FEMA were Bush's buddies, whom he appointed, and neither had any experience whatsoever in this regard; also, FEMA was put under the jurisdiction of the Department Homeland Security in 2002. And the DHS' is "a single agency dedicated to protecting Americans from terrorism." Because that's the real threat, and... fuck. What's the point? I was going to go on a huge political rhetoric rant right now but it's not productive. I just find it extremely sad that a repercussion of America's fucked up war rhetoric (in terms of priorities and management by FEMA under DHS) was felt by so many poor people. yes ok there were other factors. And the more I think about it the more of a disaster it becomes. I really hope that this will effect systemic change in America, as Bush certainly hasn't found a way to spin it in his favour yet. And I'm shocked and pleased to see Republicans speaking out against this disaster. God I hope this is the beginning of something different.
And now the migration. And they have no plans to rebuild the projects; and the French Quarter was untouched; and I don't know what it means to be American, and I'm sitting on my ass in Montreal projecting my anger onto an issue that is totally theoretical to me. This is the worst comment ever. I'm sorry. I've been thinking obessively and not very clearly about this all the time. Maybe someone can say something. I'd like that.
CNN is all puff pieces and hesitation. They don't even want to admit that Bush's popularity MIGHT suffer on this one, let alone that he MIGHT have fucked up. Then they play their disaster theme music while showing pictures of religious statues in New Orleans and/or people crying.
The media on the ground, in the middle of the disaster itself, has been different. I read a great piece in the NY Times about how people like Anderson Cooper, very smooth, seasoned reporters, were showing rage and desperation (albeit calm rage and desperation) for the first time, well, ever. And yes, I'm also relieved that Republicans are critizing the response to Katrina on a Federal level. But I'm sick of it being compared to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. Yeah, Bush is now taking flack for his failure to do anything for the people of New Orleans, but it's a sick joke if lying about oral sex is as much a failure of leadership as costing thousands of people their lives.
I can see why you'd be relieved not to have CNN, Sachi, but not having the Daily Show has got to hurt. Admittedly, Jon Stewart does better with political fiascos than he does with large-scale human tragedy, but it's still a relief to hear somebody on television saying out loud that Bush fucked up, and that he's clearly more concerned with repairing and rushing aid to his reputation than he is with the damage to the Gulf Coast.
Blah. Yeah, it's easy to go off on this stuff. It makes me so fucking mad. Please forgive any typos and nonsense.
Sorry, this has nothing to do with politics. I just wanted to say thank you, Claire, for the very kind email to Kate.
I think it's funny (not ha ha), that only Nostradamus and I realize that the Apocalypse is on our doorstep. Now I am not about to throw on my wet cardboard sandwich board that states the obvious, but even if you don't believe in God. Sh*t is really hitting the fan all over...2+2=5, or it will soon.
Gigi - You're so welcome. We all love Kate. I'm sorry you're having to go through this. It's the hardest thing in the world when someone you love is really sick.
Spy - Nostradamus, you, and the wet cardboard sandwich board people. It's an army, really. But you lost me with the 2+2=5.
Canada nice people good.
I read about that in the Vancouver Sun. It made me happy.
Wait, not happy. Proud!
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