Hurricane Katrina exposes the politics of race and class in the US

Date: January 1, 1970

I am stunned and saddened by the news and images coming in from the
Southern Gulf Coast in the United States. The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina is a national tragedy of gargantuan proportions. It calls into question the value of life, more specifically the value assigned to black and poor people. While this is a familiar question, it is most often asked in the context of Africa.

I am stunned and saddened by the news and images coming in from the Southern Gulf Coast in the United States. The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina is a national tragedy of gargantuan proportions. It calls into question the value of life, more specifically the value assigned to black and poor people. While this is a familiar question, it is most often asked in the context of Africa.

I am dismayed, though not surprised, that George Bush was so slow on the uptake in response to the devastation, and that he remains so personally uninspiring in the pathetic pep talks he has been dishing out. It seems that if his speeches aren’t prepackaged or there is no one for him to bully or declare war upon (Mother Nature?), the man is hapless.

Of course many know that federal funds that were designated for shoring up the New Orleans levees a couple of years ago have gone toward the occupation of Iraq. Some of the guardsmen and much of the equipment that should have been there on alert and in rescue mode have been deployed abroad.

I can only imagine how those Louisiana State National Guardsmen trapped over there in Iraq (making it safe for democracy and oil exploitation) must be feeling.

I’ve learned that Louisiana is a state where almost one-third of the population lives as far below the poverty line as below sea level. Despite a classic federal manoeuvre to blame the victims, one wonders how the majority of the people could possibly have evacuated. I kept thinking about how, whenever there is a hurricane threat in Cuba, Fidel Castro sends in all available military and public transports to move people away from the coast. Sadly, the word from abroad is that this event has displayed the underbelly of a posturing all-powerful American beast.

How must the rest of the world see us? Those images of people of colour, sick and elderly people and poor white families stranded and dying, while the “politicos” were calling for tough treatment of looters. (Are we surprised that in a lawless place overrun with legal as well as illegal guns people who feel oppressed and marginalised would use them and start helping themselves to a piece of the American pie? Not to mention New Orleans’ well-documented population of desperate drug addicts breaking into hospitals and pharmacies.) There is, of course, no excuse for the atrocious behaviour of the few, but there are certainly pretty obvious explanations.

There is no doubt that the Bush administration’s initial neglect of those stranded in the Gulf States was about the politics of race and class. On September 11 in New York City George Bush was immediately on top of the pile posing for his "finest hour." In truth, the floundering and empty gestures in the Gulf region (flying over in Air Force One) are the quintessential George Bush.

Still, the failure of leadership and the bureaucratic paralysis of our emergency services is harder to understand than the bad behaviour of some of our elected officials and bureaucrats. How ironic that excuses like: "There was no specific request for resources" were proffered. I don’t recall the Iraqi people being polled about whether US troops and equipment should be deployed. I don’t recall countries in Asia having to specify that they needed help. The tsunami situation in Asia was more widespread, and of course some people committed sorry acts both criminal and survival in nature, but none of the governments in those countries ordered their soldiers to shoot to kill.

Are our people less valued? If so, why? The governor of Louisiana announced that troops have orders to shoot to kill. She said: "These troops are fresh back from Iraq, well trained, experienced, battle tested and under my orders to restore order in the streets." She went on to say: "They have M-16s and they are locked and loaded …These troops know how to shoot and kill and they are more than willing to do so if necessary and I expect they will."

What happened to the rule of law, the exercise of restraint, the right to a fair trial? Are we calling upon our troops to become the criminals and terrorists we so dread? Our fearless leader announced zero tolerance for the one percent of those who are looting and a great deal of tolerance for the suffering of the masses, referring to them as refugees. These are our own people, for God’s sake!

It is incredibly heartbreaking to see even those rescued in the South being shuffled about like cattle. They must feel like they are being airlifted from the Titanic onto the Hindenberg. I can’t help drawing a parallel to the people of Iraq who have been without a water supply, electricity and other essential services for more than a year.

I have no doubt that the American people will now step up to this catastrophe and George Bush will be better prepared for his forthcoming prime time photo ops and sound bites. Maybe in the future more Americans will be concerned about electing competent leaders with humanitarian values rather than corporate ones. Or not …

I have heard that Hall of Fame musician Fats Domino was rescued in New Orleans. Regarding America’s Gulf region and the uncoordinated and untimely response of our government, I will borrow a song lyric from Fats, "Ain’t that a shame

Karen Beatty is a former Peace Corps Volunteer and is an adjunct professor of counseling at John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York. She is a specialist in trauma response and crisis management. This article is part of the Gender Links Opinion and Commentary Service that provides fresh views on everyday news.

Hurricane Katrina exposes the politics of race and class in the US

Comment on Hurricane Katrina exposes the politics of race and class in the US Cancel reply

What’s New

Recent Comments