The Furious Spinner

Okay. I'm not very good at predicting good outcomes, but I can sometimes predict bad outcomes. This is what I predict: very soon we will stop seeing true news coverage from New Orleans. Soon they are going to restrict the movement of reporters. Soon we are only going to see the relief efforts that are working. Already the administration has classified any criticism of the relief effort as "playing politics." And I saw the reporters back down when they were accused of this. This is what dictators do, by the way. When they fail, they accuse others. And as far as Congress goes: why aren't they back in session? Jack Cafferty pointed out that they returned to D.C. within hours to vote on the Schiavo case (which was none of their business). Now the Repulsicans are dragging their feet on coming back. (I'm sure that will change soon.)

And as you've no doubt noticed (and some of you have pointed this out to me), it appears that most of the people still in NO are Black. Does this have anything to do with how slow the relief efforts are? I hope not. But as you listen to these politicians (especially Bush), you can see that they have absolutely no freaking concept of what it is like to be poor. This was demonstrated yesterday (or the day before) when the Emperor relaxed the pollution standards and released the reserve oil. He's helping his oil buddies. Who cares that a couple hundred thousand poor people need FOOD, WATER, and SHELTER. And these people being so pissed off about the looting. I recognize that I may not understand the extent of what is happening, and I'm not for looting or lawlessness. I think if you have any respect for yourself, you'd be helping to rescue people rather than breaking into jewelry stores, etc. But if people need food, water, clothing, and medicine and they can't get it any other way during these times, I don't see the problem with them raiding flooded stores. Restoring "order" seems overrated right now (again, I could be very ignorant about the scope of the problem); people need rescuing. 5 comments

5 Comments:

Kim,

You are absolutely right-Bush and Co. have NO (excuse the pun) idea of what it is like to be poor.If poverty slapped them in the face, they'd still carry on smiling those neocon smiles.

I'd like him to do everyone in New Orleans a favour and NOT go there today with that odious half-smile playing about his lips. Get the problem sorted out-make sure everyone has water and medicine and, PLEASE, bury the dead who've been abandoned in the streets. . .but do it from Washington.

Keep up the good work, Kim. You are a breath of fresh (and truthful) air in a world that seems increasingly sour.

By  goldenleaf, at 12:51 AM  

Of course the news will present what they claim will "grab" viewers and if that includes showing pictures of desperate individuals then that is what they will show. To indicate that the news will only now show the positive efforts is a very narrow view. Why did they insist on showing the public the devastation and desperation. Are you now saying that those stories will be placed on the back burner? Having participated in relief efforts I can say that they are doing everything they can do at this time. To indicate that "they should have seen this coming" is very short-sighted.

By  Anonymous, at 7:13 AM  

I saw signs yesterday that they were going to close down the media, just as they have in Iraq. I hope I'm wrong about that. I think the news media has been showing what has actually been going on, for once. Yes, I do think the government moved way too slowly. As someone else said (I can't remember where), if this is how our government responds to a catastrophic event even after 9/11, we are all in big trouble. Bush should have come back from vacation before the hurricane struck--they knew it was at least a cat 4. Once again, just like on 9/11, he couldn't seem to get off his ass and do anything. And why was that?

By  Kim Antieau, at 9:10 AM  

"This was demonstrated yesterday (or the day before) when the Emperor relaxed the pollution standards and released the reserve oil. He's helping his oil buddies. Who cares that a couple hundred thousand poor people need FOOD, WATER, and SHELTER." I hope you don’t really believe that the oil was released to help the victims of NO.

By  Anonymous, at 9:49 AM  

I believe that was Kim's point, that Bush was busy tinkering with oil supplies (and, by-the-by, helping oil profits) when anyone could plainly see that the overwhelming priority was to bring immediate relief to the victims in the form of food, water, and shelter. No one is doubting that the people on the ground have been doing the best they can. The issue is with the people who have the real power to mobilize supplies and energy, and who appear to have been performing their duties disgracefully.

By  Mario, at 10:18 AM  

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