Date: 7/8/2008 10:21:00 PM
From Authorid: 53961
I have heard this and I live in Iowa, on the other side of the state, across from Nebraska, where we experienced bad storms with terrible wind damage. Worst I heard so far was when are they going to pick up my tree trimmings?  |
Date: 7/8/2008 10:24:00 PM
From Authorid: 35178
I agree with you. There does seem to be a big difference in the way the media is handling this. There is also a huge difference is the victims' reactions to the disasters.  |
Date: 7/9/2008 12:10:00 AM
From Authorid: 64514
because the government doesn't care  |
Date: 7/9/2008 2:05:00 AM
From Authorid: 21867
...I'm pretty sure there'd be Black farmers in Iowa who aren't running around looting or demanding a check either...just as I'm pretty sure there would have been White people running around looting and demanding their check. Awefully easy to see a race issue when you're seeing only one race....  |
Date: 7/9/2008 6:13:00 AM
From Authorid: 2030
The answer here is pretty self evident. Of course it would be politically incorrect to say so. Let's just say rural farm country people are made up of different stuff than urban ghetto folks. Thus they get little sympathy.  |
Date: 7/9/2008 9:24:00 AM
From Authorid: 56359
Good post Spirit Child. I don't think certain problems can be solved without talking about them honestly. Thank you for this.  |
Date: 7/9/2008 9:27:00 AM
From Authorid: 63026
I also think this should be applied to the wildfires in California.  |
Date: 7/9/2008 11:14:00 AM
From Authorid: 11240
I mentioned this to my husband when the flood and tornado damage was first being broadcast. I hope the restoration in this area is a bit smarter also, in that once it is shown that a place is not the best to be habitated, the same situation is not rebuilt.  |
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Date: 7/9/2008 11:21:00 AM
From Authorid: 11240
And GOD BLESS all those people who have been affected by this and the other disasters mentioned. (I hit the submit button mistakenly before I got to add that;). God Bless. |
Date: 7/9/2008 11:26:00 AM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15070
Agent Smith, the Midwest is made-up of all races of people. This is not about "color", it is about attitude. As a Midwestern Woman myself, I pushed plenty of strangers cars out of flood waters, and I never took the time to look around and see if a news team was nearby.  |
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Date: 7/9/2008 11:30:00 AM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15070
Also, down here in Florida, we had Hurricane Andrew (a Cat-5), in 1991. One of the largest Hurricanes to ever hit our Country. We dealt with it. In fact, Jeb Bush was our Governor during that time, and did an excellent job helping with the clean-up. (We still have parts of out state that look like a nuclear bomb went off.) In 2003, we had Charlie, Irene, (and I forget the third Hurricane). Charlie left a 20-ft tree branch propped against my front door. My point? We dug in, cleaned-up....and moved-on. |
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Date: 7/9/2008 11:32:00 AM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15070
We cannot solve problems by arguing about details. We solve problems by looking at them honestly, and leaning from mistakes. |
Date: 7/9/2008 11:33:00 AM
From Authorid: 64414
AMEN on that last statement sis!!!  |
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Date: 7/9/2008 12:26:00 PM
From Authorid: 2030
And S.C. don't forget Ivan, which devastated the Florida Panhandle, Mobile, and lower Alabama. They are still rebuilding. Didn't see Al or Kanye there either. |
Date: 7/9/2008 2:03:00 PM
From Authorid: 53284
I noticed this way back in the early 1990s. There was a hurricane in Florida. Lots of devastation. When the news showed pictures of the middle class neighborhoods, the people were working together to pile up the debris, set up areas for water delivery, putting tarps on the roofs that could be tarped etc. When they showed the poor areas, the people were all sitting around complaining that no one was helping them out! I thought that it was a clear example about why some people have jobs and others don't .  |
Date: 7/9/2008 7:00:00 PM
From Authorid: 43807
People said the same thing about the blizzard that hit my state the same year that hit katrina. That was a bad blizzard and power was out for 3 days. No complining or anything. I believe that it is a regional attitude.  |
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Date: 7/9/2008 8:04:00 PM
From Authorid: 21867
...strange how often I hear the plea of innocence re:Colour...yet too often the inference in there within much of similar posts on USM. I could well be mistaken, totally appreciate and accept that its just my view from the outside looking in...but it tends to look that way from this side of the fence anyway. I also believe in dealing with things honestly...so I'd honestly show more respect to someone who honestly came forth and said something like "Dang Blacks - always complaining!"...if of course that was their viewpoint...at least its in the open. I'm not saying thats whats going on here...nope...just - like you - a believer in being upfront and honest. |
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Date: 7/10/2008 5:33:00 AM
From Authorid: 56359
Awesome comment Agent Smith; one that definitely deserves a reply. When I said, earlier in this post, that I don’t think problems can be solved without talking about them honestly, I wasn’t necessarily talking about black people, and certainly not in a way where I would say ‘dang blacks’. On the contrary, I’m saying dang government; local and federal. These urban areas where Hurricane Katrina hit are populated by mainly black American’s; much of them poor. However, there were many poor whites there too. Now, I’m all for self reliance, and people picking themselves up when their knocked down without the help of others, but I’m also a realist. And years and years; generations and generations of being stuck on government programs (i.e. welfare) have destroyed the self-importance in these people, and when this disaster struck they were jammed because of that loss in spirit. I’m not saying that there weren’t tales of incredible bravery during this event; there were; that shows me they all still have a heart. In my opinion, I think part of these local and federal government programs are designed, by legislatures on both sides of the isle, to keep people down for their own personal gain. Another part of the problem is that once these entitlement programs are implemented, they’re used irresponsibly by both the issuers, and the people using them. Therefore, in my opinion, whoever gets stuck in these government traps – black or white – it’s probably going to hurt them. It’s just; in this case, the majority of Hurricane Katrina victims were black. In no way, in my above comment, did I mean slur on a certain race. I would welcome your comments to this comment if you have the time Agent Smith; I am interested in what you would have to say. Anyone else too :) |
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Date: 7/10/2008 5:50:00 AM
From Authorid: 64414
I agree with you Shawn! Very well stated! |
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Date: 7/10/2008 7:34:00 AM
From Authorid: 2030
The difference is cultural, if the majority of the people sharing a cultural attitude or belief happen to be of a certain race then that's just the way it is. For some reason to point out cultural differences that have regional or racial attachments is demonized. And all does is widen the rift and cloud any real discussion. |
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Date: 7/10/2008 9:09:00 AM
From Authorid: 11240
Well, that is, BCAR, if you're white-looking and say such things. I mean, Obama can stand up and tell black fathers that they need to quit abandoning their kids and no one seems to have a problem with that, but had McCain (or, God Forbid, Bush;)said that, I just don't think it would have gone over so well. JMHO. God Bless. |
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Date: 7/10/2008 9:41:00 AM
From Authorid: 56359
Just to add a little bit more to what I said. In certain areas – not black areas, but poor areas – the government has got to start withdrawing this so called ‘help’. Where crime and heartache is rampant; these are the places where you find government assistance at epidemic levels. I know the word epidemic is usually used when referring to a large sickness and my use was of course intentional. People are born free, and when they’re held down purposely terrible things, such as violent crime, are bound to happen. I strongly feel that a lot of these assistance programs do just that. After years of receiving freebies, they feel it is there’s, but, at the same time, they don’t get anywhere due to it. When Katrina struck, a lot of people who were dependent on the government found that the government wasn’t there like they had been in the past, therefore, the chaos happened. In other areas, such as where these floods are occurring, the people aren’t relying on the government because that’s not what they’re used to. |
Date: 7/10/2008 9:47:00 AM
From Authorid: 63241
I remember Bill Cosby making remarks about young people who spend more time joining gangs than hitting the books, along with other comments about being more responsible as parents, etc. and loads of bad comments were made against him for saying that.  |
Date: 7/10/2008 10:31:00 AM
From Authorid: 19613
Yeah Deb, it’s called context? (you know, like the difference between a Gay Pride and a White Pride parade) Anyway, I agree with Agent Smith.  |
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Date: 7/10/2008 11:17:00 AM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15070
AO-I have noticed that too. That is a valid point. :) |
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Date: 7/10/2008 12:16:00 PM
From Authorid: 11240
No, DP, it is not "context", especially if the message is the exact same. It is the messenger. How people react to a message is directly dependent on how they feel about the messenger. The "Messenger" in both the Iowa floods and the Hurricane Katrina disasters is God. Now you may not want to hear that message, just as people who were affected by those disasters may not want to Acknowledge the Messenger, and, therefore, look for another message or a different messenger. The message this posts speaks about being sent in each of these situations by the people affected IS the context. The messengers (these effected people and the portrayal of their handling these disasters) are defined by the context of their message, not by the color of their skin. God Bless. |
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Date: 7/10/2008 12:18:00 PM
From Authorid: 56359
That was very well stated Deb. |
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Date: 7/10/2008 4:30:00 PM
From Authorid: 19613
No, DP, it is not "context", especially if the message is the exact same. It is the messenger.” …Surely the messenger counts as part of the context of the message…. In any case, I was referring specifically to your Obama example. |
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Date: 7/10/2008 4:32:00 PM
From Authorid: 19613
As for God being responsible for Katrina, it’s not a “message I don’t want to hear” as much as it is a completely baseless assertion comparable with “Thor causes thunder” or “Poseidon causes Earthquakes”. |
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Date: 7/10/2008 4:33:00 PM
From Authorid: 19613
It’s interesting to learn more about the nature of this deity you worship though; an omnipotent being who decides that the best way to get his message across is with a spot of mass-murder. |
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Date: 7/11/2008 10:21:00 AM
From Authorid: 11240
Uh, DP, maybe it is a multi-faceted message from God in that He Is Giving the rest of us a chance to show our true selves. And, honestly, do you think God or any person for that matter, believes no one should ever die a physical death? God Bless. |
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Date: 7/11/2008 3:20:00 PM
From Authorid: 19613
It seems strange to me that giving us a “chance to show our true selves” would necessitate the deaths of, say, the Tsunami victims of a few years ago. I believe the existence of diseases and natural disasters present a strong challenge to the notion of an omnipotent, omniscient entity who only has our best interests at heart. |
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Date: 7/11/2008 10:32:00 PM
From Authorid: 11240
Oh, dear God, DP, we've had this argument before and if you want to have it again, make a post . . . (Just a reminder for said post: the argument I have is with your assumptions that what God Knows is "your best interests" and what you think is "your best interests" are congruent.;) God Bless. |
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Date: 7/12/2008 5:23:00 AM
From Authorid: 19613
We have had this argument before, but to be fair, it was you who brought up the issue here in suggesting God sends messages via natural disasters. You are perfectly entitled to point out that compared to an omniscient being, my perception of what is in humanity’s best interests might be sorely lacking. The same is true however, or any interpretation of the nature or intent of God (I am as entitled to conclude that Katrina was a message from an angry Zeus or some malevolent entity who delights in the suffering of humankind). |
Date: 7/13/2008 1:11:00 PM
From Authorid: 51635
No one asked these questions when a big part of up state NY was flooded either, they had people living in schools for almost a year, no FEMA help. People watched everything they owned float away down river, no government checks. almost 3 years later they are still trying to rebuild their lives, NO NEWS COVERAGE at all after the first 3 days. People are still living in tents, yes even through the winter months. Some went with out electricity for months and no one carred, but there was outrage when people in the city went without it for 5 days. If you can get someone with a news camera to show up people will care and you will get aid. If you can't, you're on your own ...  |
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Date: 7/13/2008 1:45:00 PM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15070
that's right..Aesop said "The squeaky wheel gets the oil". Also, in 1990, a series of tornadoes hit mid-state Illinois. (Danville, I think?) And knocked out power, and just destroyed the area. They had tornado after tornado, one afternoon. The same storm system got all the way up by where I lived (and worked), and hit the Northwest Suburbs too. The rain that came with the storm system, destroyed the inside of houses where roofs had been torn off. There was flooding, as well as wind damage. It was in the local news for a day, or two, then the clean-up started. People like Willie Nelson & Bono did not show-up for a concert. In fact, there WAS no concert. Because people just did what they had to do. |
