A racist dog and pony show, not progress imo

[Kratos]

There have been plenty of un-veiling ceremonies for new statues at the U.S. Capitol. But when Michelle Obama peeled the cover off the bronze bust of abolitionist Sojourner Truth last week, the moment was heavy with symbolism. Truth is the first African-American woman to be honored with a statue in the Capitol. In a way no first lady before her ever could have done, Obama connected the dots between herself and the black feminist pioneer. "Now many young boys and girls like my own daughters will come to Emancipation Hall and see the face of a woman who looks like them," she told the gathering. "I hope that Sojourner Truth would be proud to see me, a descendant of slaves, serving as the first lady of the United States of America."

It was just the kind of scene I'd been hoping for when Barack Obama won the presidency last fall. I knew that Michelle Obama was already changing the way we see ourselves as African-American women. But I also hoped she would begin to knock down ugly stereotypes and educate people about American black culture. What's remarkable now—just over that much-hyped 100-day mark—is how quickly and decisively Michelle has taken on the issues that matter most to us.

From the start, Michelle never shied away from being an African-American role model. "I think it's clear that Michelle Obama is very comfortable in her own skin,'' says Debbie Walsh, director of the Center of American Women in Politics at Rutgers University. "She's not sending a message that I'm the first lady who just happens to be African-American. She's saying I'm an African-American first lady. There is a difference, and she's not afraid to show that.''

One place that difference is already showing up: the White House guest list. When Michelle held a daylong program for Women's History Month in March, white celebs Sheryl Crow and Fran Drescher were among the invited "role models." But "I would say that 80 percent of the women role models were African-American," says Debra Lee, chairman and CEO of BET Holdings, who was asked to speak. "And that was just amazing to be a part of because these women are just not given that type of recognition enough."

While black stars like WNBA champ Lisa Leslie and singer Alicia Keys fanned out to talk to students at D.C. schools, Michelle herself headed to Anacostia High School, one of the city's most troubled. Michelle shared her own modest background and described the ridicule she faced from neighborhood kids for "acting white" when she got good grades. "To have her sit right before us like that and seem so real and sincere was like a movie or something," says La Tisha Butler, 17. "We were all tripping because she said getting good grades wasn't acting white … I could tell she really cared about us. It wasn't just some speech."

Later that night, more than 150 girls—also mostly minorities—were invited back to dinner at the White House, where they were paired up with women like actress Debbie Allen, black female astronaut Mae Jemison and Rutgers University basketball coach Vivian Stringer. "I can only imagine as a young black girl what that would have meant to me to see and hear all those women tell me I could be what I wanted," says Stringer, who juggled coaching games in the NCAA playoffs to attend.

There are few photo-ops that show the first lady with anything but a diverse group. "Mrs. Obama's agenda has always been to include everyone and make sure the White House is open to all people," says Katie McCormick Lelyveld, Michelle's press secretary. "We make a point at each event to make sure you see all types of faces of people with different types of stories. It's exactly the same thing she did on the campaign trail.''

Friends say that Michelle's own self-confidence and comfort in navigating between different cultures has made it easy for her to implement her own agenda now. "She's her own woman with her own ideas, and that wasn't going to change just because she got into the White House,'' said one friend who asked not to be identified discussing private details about the Obamas. "She knows she's the first role model black women have seen at this level and she knows the incredible opportunity she has to uplift them.''

Obama's outreach to her own community has also meant granting interviews to publications that don't normally rate a seat in the White House briefing room. In her cover story with Black Hair, Michelle described her morning routine of getting the girls ready for school. (The magazine also featured styling tips from Michelle's hairdresser.) This month, Michelle and her mother, Marian Robinson, are on the cover of Essence; inside, they speak about raising confident and successful children in the black community. And this is her second Essence cover since January. "Our audience is fascinated by this woman and her family,'' said Angela Burt-Murray, editor of Essence. And she is gracious enough to share that with us. She knows what she means to our community.''

You might think all this focus on African-Americans might be a turnoff to the nonblack part of the nation. But so far Michelle's approval ratings match or even surpass her husband's. Last month, she hit 72 percent in a Gallup poll. "Who could have seen this coming after the New Yorker cover and all the other negative press she received last year,'' says Walsh.

Part of Michelle's appeal may stem from her diverse approach to diversity. She turned the White House fountains green for St. Patrick's Day and, along with the president, hosted the White House's first-ever Passover seder. "She did exactly the same thing when she was an executive in Chicago—put a group of different people together and allowed voices to be heard that hadn't been before," said Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Capital and who has known the Obamas for more than 10 years. "That's who she is—it's a natural thing for her to do.''

Michelle's agenda is playing out in subtler ways, too. The first lady has made a point of wearing a variety of lesser-known, minority designers—a habit that has infuriated some established designers. But model Naomi Campbell thinks the first lady's clothes are meant to send a distinct message to designers who rarely hire black models. "Why would she concern herself with mainstream designers who don't even put their clothes on women who look like her in ads or fashion shows?'' Campbell asks.

There will continue to be endless opportunities for Mrs. Obama to make a difference in the African-American community over the next four years. And endless opportunities for critics to assess her impact. But for many African-American women like me—who still stop in awe when we see her face on magazine covers—just knowing Michelle Obama is comfortable in her own skin is a pretty good start.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/195690/page/1

[Kratos]

Only a week after her husband drew throngs to Soldiers and Sailors, Michelle Obama wooed a small crowd at Skibo Gymnasium on Wednesday.

Skibo’s risers were packed with community members and students from many of Pittsburgh’s universities. The rally was staffed by volunteers from a number of Carnegie Mellon student organizations, including Carnegie Mellon Students for Barack Obama, Student Senate, AB Political Speakers, and College Democrats.

Helping Students for Obama lead the crowd in cheers of “Ready to go” was Steve Sovern, a professional mediator from just outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who got excited enough about the campaign to travel to Pennsylvania and rally for Mrs. Obama. Sovern, alongside student volunteers, built up a palpable excitement around Mrs. Obama’s speech.

“I’ve been here since 11 a.m. setting up and it’s been amazing. It feels like [Barack] Obama is coming,” said sophomore social and decision sciences major Rotimi Abimbola, a leader of Students for Obama who had only a few days to coordinate the event.

While the crowd was indeed diverse, some students at the event questioned the practices of Mrs. Obama’s event coordinators, who handpicked the crowd sitting behind Mrs. Obama. The Tartan’s correspondents observed one event coordinator say to another, “Get me more white people, we need more white people.” To an Asian girl sitting in the back row, one coordinator said, “We’re moving you, sorry. It’s going to look so pretty, though.”

“I didn’t know they would say, ‘We need a white person here,’ ” said attendee and senior psychology major Shayna Watson, who sat in the crowd behind Mrs. Obama. “I understood they would want a show of diversity, but to pick up people and to reseat them, I didn’t know it would be so outright.”

Mrs. Obama was introduced by Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of former Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry (D–Mass.), who endorsed Mr. Obama’s candidacy in South Carolina last January. Heinz Kerry stressed the similarities between Mr. Obama and her late husband John Heinz III, the popular senator from Pennsylvania. She remarked that she has become friends with Mrs. Obama, mainly from exchanging messages on their Blackberries.

Mrs. Obama spoke about her husband’s triumphs over adversity throughout his life, focusing on the decisions he had made that, she said, set him apart from his opponent, Hillary Clinton. As the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review, Mrs. Obama said, Mr. Obama could have been successful in the private sector, but chose to go into community organization instead.

“When you’re given the gift of advocacy, you don’t sell it to the highest bidder,” Mrs. Obama said. Mrs. Obama stressed how her husband has relied on “regular folks” instead of big donors.

Instead of thousand-dollar donations, the Obama campaign has raised millions on small checks of $20 to $50. Mrs. Obama sees this participatory attitude as a new trend.

“Folks have been engaged in a way they have not been before. People sit around the TV with their 5-year-olds watching debates.”

Mrs. Obama was careful to note that the Obamas, both of whom are Harvard-educated lawyers and who together own a million-dollar home in Illinois, grew up under difficult conditions.

“In my house, there were no miracles. All I saw was hard work and sacrifice,” Mrs. Obama said, speaking of her youth. “My father did not complain and went to work every single day.”

Most of Mrs. Obama’s statements were met with cheers and enthusiastic support, especially the televised crowd, many of whom were long-time fans of Mr. Obama.

One attendee, Joanne Plummer, a resident of Wilkinsburg, has been waiting a long time for an Obama presidency.

“Four years ago, when I first saw him speak for Kerry, I just knew — this man will be president,” Plummer said.

http://www.thetartan.org/2008/4/7/news/obama

[Kratos]

Don't get me wrong, I think it's important for black people to be represented as role modes, maybe they need it now even more so then white people. But when it's 80% black people for a show of women role models...at what point do we say, "Hey, you're the first lady of the United States of America, not African America."

Picking who you are seen based on skin color to show how open minded you are (not that I'm saying she's the first to do it) isn't worthy of acclaim.

[vpchill]

Well, Heres my Opinion. She is changing the way we view things. Normally it would be 80% white (Per say) So now she is bringing diversity. Would there be this same article about Barb Bush and her 90% white womens empowerment day? No Because it is excpted to be a natural occurance.
I think we make too much of the racial thing and not enough on how the Obamas are trying to change peoples views on color and ethnicity.
jmo

[MuscleScience]

Well, Heres my Opinion. She is changing the way we view things. Normally it would be 80% white (Per say) So now she is bringing diversity. Would there be this same article about Barb Bush and her 90% white womens empowerment day? No Because it is excpted to be a natural occurance.
I think we make too much of the racial thing and not enough on how the Obamas are trying to change peoples views on color and ethnicity.
jmo

Which would match the overall population spread. In environmental population studies, having 80% black to represent the population and how diverse it is would be considered a major sampling error....

In the US that is.

[vpchill]

Yea, So why not change the status quo? Why do the same old thing thats always been done? It should be applauded that she brought diversity. I also hope that the students were those from innercity schools who usually would have no chance to attend such an event.
How can we expect youth to believe in Govt and they never get a chance to see it for themselves?

[Kratos]

Well, Heres my Opinion. She is changing the way we view things. Normally it would be 80% white (Per say) So now she is bringing diversity. Would there be this same article about Barb Bush and her 90% white womens empowerment day? No Because it is excpted to be a natural occurance.
I think we make too much of the racial thing and not enough on how the Obamas are trying to change peoples views on color and ethnicity.
jmo

First of all Barbra Bush is about 100 years old now
and do you have a link to her 90% white women's empowerment day?

Can you make a valid case that Laura or even Barb Bush underrepresented the minority?

I think the Obama's take race too far to the point of racism and nobody is permitted to say it.

[Kratos]

Yea, So why not change the status quo? Why do the same old thing thats always been done? It should be applauded that she brought diversity.

She brought in black people, not diversity.

[Kratos]

Total population 2006: 299 million
White alone: 74% or 221.3 million
Not including the 23.2 million White Hispanic and Latino Americans: 66% or 198.1 million
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, of any race: 14.8% or about 44.3 million
Black or African American alone: 13.4% or 40.9 million
Some other race alone: 6.5% or 19 million
Asian alone: 4.4% or 13.1 million
Two or more races: 2.0% or 6.1 million
American Indian or Alaska Native alone: 0.68% or 2.0 million
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander alone: 0.14% or 0.43 million

[Ernst]

First of all Barbra Bush is about 100 years old now
and do you have a link to her 90% white women's empowerment day?

Can you make a valid case that Laura or even Barb Bush underrepresented the minority?

I think the Obama's take race too far to the point of racism and nobody is permitted to say it.

You racist!

Sorry, sooner or later it was going there.

[vpchill]

No one makes an issue until the black people do it!! I love how everything is so scrutinized with Obama.. It cracks me up that no one seems to notice how hard everyone goes to anaylyze him and his wife and what they do.
Rascism is a Motha!!! Even in its slightest form.
Bush left this country upside down. After Katrina, he did absolutely nothing to help the misplaced black families. Instead they rebuilt the tourism areas and made sure the white people started the rebuilding process immediately.

Yet when this was made an issue, Oh black people are so sensitive always making it race.
Make up your mind. Either you are a human or you are a color. I come from a white mother and black father and have witnessed 1st hand the differences in lifestyles. Race has been and always will be an issue. My prob is white seems to be right? Yet when a black president does something its because hes black and being bias to white folk?
Spare me Please!!!!

[Ernst]

People spend entirely too much time debating race.

The more we focus on our differences the further we get from the dream of people being judged solely by the content of their character.

See if you can figure out who I stole that from.

[vpchill]

Im just tired of White People always over analyzing what a black person does. When White people do the same thing its just because thats how it is? I mean be serious.

These topics kill me. The Title? A racist dog and pony show? Kratos I can tell you are very well educated and opionated as well, but truthfully why is there such a big deal with what obama does or doesnt do? The answer, is because he is black.
If Barb bush or nancy reagan said I need more ******s for this photo op, would there be a convo?
And Michele didnt say it. someone else did. Assistants and the such can be very blunt in their comments.

[Ernst]

Ooohhh, I really want to say something completely inappropriate.

*bites tongue*

[spywizard]

here's a question for you.. why is it that in a community that is predominately black, why is it that the volunteer fire dept or even a paid fire dept is significantly not black??

is it the hiring practices?? or are not enough "qualified" or interested candidates that are black??

Don't bother trying, the truth is the truth..

In the public since the election out come was announced there have been sooooo many stories 1st hand experiences where blacks will make comments regarding that they will now get the jobs, that they are getting theirs.. (whatever that is)

Problem is most "jobs" require you to get up and be at the place of business at a set time, which is normally too early.. We should change that for the "minority" that can't seem to conform to the rigors of an established workplace..

Or perhaps more Targets and oil companies should be "given' to blacks, after all the only reason they don't have them is because they are black,

*sarcasm

[vpchill]

Spywizzard that was very stereotypical. You assume Black people cant be on time to a Job?
As far as firefighter go, Not many black people want to be firefighters I guess. I know I dont. I respect them and feel they do what I wont. So thats Nonsense.

Black people are great as long as they help your team win a championship, but you wouldnt feel they could make it in your work place. Thats freakin amazing.
And the sad part is, most people share your views. I am not surprised at all by your comment. Trust, this is the way of the world.

[vpchill]

And as far as Obama changing the way things are for BLACK people? No thats completely ignorant thinking. Any black man who thinks his life will be better than it was yesterday because obama is black is foolish.
I believe obama being black will bring balance to many of his decisions (did i spell that right - lol)
He is from a well tailored background so for someone to think his skin color will save the race is a waste.
As I said, I dont see color. What I see are human beings. I just hate that Black peopel get put under a microscope for the same thing that seems normal actions for a white person.

[spywizard]

Spywizzard that was very stereotypical. You assume Black people cant be on time to a Job?
As far as firefighter go, Not many black people want to be firefighters I guess. I know I dont. I respect them and feel they do what I wont. So thats Nonsense.

Black people are great as long as they help your team win a championship, but you wouldnt feel they could make it in your work place. Thats freakin amazing.
And the sad part is, most people share your views. I am not surprised at all by your comment. Trust, this is the way of the world.

No, this is my 1st hand experience.. however with that said I also have been lucky enough in my life to meet and spend time with many black men that are very successful both in business and in life..

know who they hate more than "the system" ??? black people, or more to the point, the culture that has this value system in place.. the acceptable practice to impregnate white women, to not marry or take responsibility for anything other than the happiness of themself at that moment. The continued holding back that is imposed upon the black community, but they view that holding back as their own fault or rather the culture that many blacks face because not of the "white" culture, but because of the "black" culture..

But hey, I don't have a "black" president, i have a president that i am trying to support.. the main issue i have is my children and grandchildren each owe $125,000 in taxes..

that's my issue..

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

Obama hates white people.

Right Kanye?

[vpchill]

Besides getting the White woman pregnant (Not sure what that means) I also Agree with your black counterparts. I feel we as a people hold ourselves back. No one owes me anything. I owe it to myself and my kids to be succesful. Hard work gets you the finer things in life. Not sitting around praying for rain.

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

Hard work gets you the finer things in life. Not sitting around praying for rain.

Or rapping about drugs and slapping women, and shooting people.







Its a joke!

[spywizard]

Besides getting the White woman pregnant (Not sure what that means) I also Agree with your black counterparts. I feel we as a people hold ourselves back. No one owes me anything. I owe it to myself and my kids to be succesful. Hard work gets you the finer things in life. Not sitting around praying for rain.

Good, I'd probably get along with you very well in business, or in a social setting.. once we got to know one another that is.. hahaha

Point being, just as you are probably not happy with the way some "blacks" are viewed in the media, or in people's eyes.. there are many "whites" that i am not happy with..

Shame is not the word i want to use here, for these people make their lives what it is, some will be successful and it will be very easy for them, others will be successful and will have to struggle the whole way..

We know that through adversity we grow, and our life experiences make up the sum of who we are, for a person to be a better person, they must 1st be able to pick and choose the attributes and values that they want to keep as a part of them..

And reject the parts that are just hold overs from their parents, and TV and the media..

Until a man is walking down the road, and not a black man or white man, or brown man we will not have stereo types or pre conceived convictions.

[vpchill]

SpyW, I agree with you 100%. Until more people think that way there will continue to be Ignorance.

Biggsexxy how you get a Pic of me?? lol

[Kratos]

Bush left this country upside down. After Katrina, he did absolutely nothing to help the misplaced black families. Instead they rebuilt the tourism areas and made sure the white people started the rebuilding process immediately.

Can you back that up please?

Katrina was an act of God, not racism. What if anything could he have done differently? The people may have been poor back people, but on top of that, they lived below sea level...were unprepared, ignorant, uninsured, and just plain lazy. I had friend's who when to help in the Katrina effort, and from what I was told the 'victims' wouldn't lift a finger to help themselves.

[Kratos]

The Title? A racist dog and pony show? Kratos I can tell you are very well educated and opionated as well, but truthfully why is there such a big deal with what obama does or doesnt do? The answer, is because he is black..

Mostly because I don't like Barrack Obama's politics...and partly because I think Michelle is a racist wench if you want honesty.

[vpchill]

I respect your honesty. As Far as Katrina? I said after Katrina. No the people were not ignorant Nor well informed. When the army made the State aware that there was danger if a bad storm came, the state ignored it. So how is it the peoples fault that they were not made aware that the system to keep them safe from the river would fail. Most of those areas are people who rent, too poor to own. Please save me the comments of your friends.

[vpchill]

Unless you were there 1st hand then I dont wanna hear an ignorant comment. Everyone I know from N.O was dying to just be given tools so they could rebuild their own houses. Bush did nothing to help those people in minority areas. I beleive it was something like thousands of fema trailors were just sitting around. Most white areas had trailors and chex from fema in days.
N.O was destroyed and looked like a 3rd world country. Is that how we want america viewed? That "those people" are not good enuff to assist, they dont matter?

[Kratos]

I respect your honesty. As Far as Katrina? I said after Katrina. No the people were not ignorant Nor well informed. When the army made the State aware that there was danger if a bad storm came, the state ignored it. So how is it the peoples fault that they were not made aware that the system to keep them safe from the river would fail. Most of those areas are people who rent, too poor to own. Please save me the comments of your friends.

Assuming they missed the fact that they live underwater and that pumps keep the city from being flooded all the time and the river right next to them.

What about the fact that New Orleans ordered a mandatory evacuation 20 hours before the storm struck.

or this

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

…EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA…

…DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED…

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS…PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL…LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE…INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY…A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD…AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS…PETS…AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS…AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING…BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR HURRICANE FORCE…OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE…ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

I'm sorry but I live on the coastline and I'd think myself a pretty stupid person if I didn't realize a storm could come and do damage. And the comments of my friend's and their frustration with Katrina is more real to me then the news...since they were first moved enough by the situation to go do something about it.

[vpchill]

Basically what it boils down to is some of you have this idea that Black people are lazy and sit around waiting for welfare chex. They dont work hard and dont do anything but blame white people.
In retrospect, those like myself have to work twice as hard because of that thinking and those stereotypes.
Come to the Bottom and take a stroll through, No one is gonna mug you or throw a gang sign in your face and pull a drive by. The media gives most people their train of thought.
I dont care what color anyone is. I love everyone!

[vpchill]

Kratos, Go to HBO (If you have) Stunning doc by a N.O resident.. Some people couldnt afford to leave. The free busses didnt come to the hood. You had to get to a certain area in order to be evacuated.
The doc is called Wait in the water I believe. Its a 1st person account. The girl just happened to have a camera and filmed her experience.
Watch it and Imagine how you would feel if you were her and her family.

[vpchill]

And No Its not stupid that they didnt leave if they did not have the means to leave. You can get up and go. thats not the same for everyone in all walks of life. Check out the doc on hbo.

[vpchill]

Also, Im reminded by that doc the same thing my aunt once told me. They give those warning every storm. Its a mandatory warning because they are below sea level. Yet you feel safe knowing that the levee has held up all these years. You feel secure thinking your govt has your back.
I gotta go. Always good building with you Kratos.

[Kratos]

Basically what it boils down to is some of you have this idea that Black people are lazy and sit around waiting for welfare chex. They dont work hard and dont do anything but blame white people.
In retrospect, those like myself have to work twice as hard because of that thinking and those stereotypes.
Come to the Bottom and take a stroll through, No one is gonna mug you or throw a gang sign in your face and pull a drive by. The media gives most people their train of thought.
I dont care what color anyone is. I love everyone!

You're taking me the wrong way...I don't think that at all.
But I think there is a line white people should be able to draw (without being called racist) when they are being unrepresented by their president and first lady.

[Kratos]

And No Its not stupid that they didnt leave if they did not have the means to leave. You can get up and go. thats not the same for everyone in all walks of life. Check out the doc on hbo.

I don't care how poor you are, everyone knows someone with a car.
and if you don't, how about putting one foot in front of the other. Out of the people left in the city, how many were trying to leave?

Despite the dire predictions, a group of residents in a poor neighborhood of central New Orleans sat on a porch with no car, no way out and, surprisingly, no fear.

"We're not evacuating," said Julie Paul, 57. "None of us have any place to go. We're counting on the Superdome. That's our lifesaver."

The 70,000-seat Superdome, the home of football's Saints, opened at daybreak Sunday, giving first priority to frail, elderly people on walkers, some with oxygen tanks. They were told to bring enough food, water and medicine to last up to five days.

"They told us not to stay in our houses because it wasn't safe," said Victoria Young, 76, who sat amid plastic bags and a metal walker. "It's not safe anywhere when you're in the shape we're in."



African Americans’ Decisions Not to Evacuate New Orleans Before Hurricane Katrina: A Qualitative Study
Keith Elder, PhD, MPH, MPA, Sudha Xirasagar, PhD, MBBS, Nancy Miller, PhD, MA, Shelly Ann Bowen, MS, Saundra Glover, PhD, and Crystal Piper, MPH, MHA

Perceived Susceptibility to Hurricane Katrina

Themes related to perceived susceptibility could be identified under 2 constructs: confidence based on experience with previous hurricane and optimism about the outcome, and religious faith that attenuated their perception of their susceptibility to the hurricane’s adverse impact.

Optimism About Outcome.

Typical quotations on these themes were as follows: “Course it’s always been that way with us. I have stayed through many storms, even through Hurricane Betsy. But the storm would come through, we have our flood and get back on track.” Additionally, “If I survived Hurricane Betsy, I can survive that one, too. We all ride the hurricanes, you know.” Participants also mentioned hurricane riders, those who enjoyed experiencing a natural disaster.
Religious Faith and Coping.
Religious coping was a repetitive theme with participants’ secure faith in god perceived as a powerful protective factor against all odds of disasters. Typical quotations were as follows: “Because I mean I made it through Vietnam and I figured my Lord ain’t gonna let me die in nothing like this here. You dig?” Additionally, “Even if we wanted to leave, we would not have made it that far. We might as well stick it through the storm and pray. Thank God for prayer because he answered our prayer.”

Perceived Severity of Hurricane Katrina

Lack of credibility impacting their perception of the hurricane’s severity was a repeated theme. Participants reported confusion about what to do because of inappropriate timing of mandatory evacuation orders and confusing recommendations from different authorities. Many mentioned the inconsistent evacuation recommendations from the mayor and governor. These factors appeared to have attenuated residents’ perception of the severity of the problem and impacted evacuation decisions.
“The mayor did not say it was a mandatory evacuation at first. One or two days before the hurricane hit, he said it was mandatory. It was too late then.”
“They didn’t give us no warning. . . . When they said leave, it was already too late.”
“After [the] levees broke the mayor said mandatory evacuation, before then he was not saying mandatory evacuation.”
“Governor said on TV, you didn’t want to go, you didn’t have to go, cause it was no threat to us, she said.”

Perceived Barriers to Action

Financial Barriers to Action.

One barrier to evacuation was financial: being of low socioeconomic status and having little cash on hand. This barrier reflected in 2 subareas: personal transportation and cash for travel and incidentals. Many possessed personal transportation, but the availability of cash for gas to evacuate at the end of the month before payday was a constraint (the hurricane struck on August 29). Cash on hand for incidentals was also noted as a reason for not evacuating: “The hurricane came at the wrong time. We were waiting for our pay-day,” “No money for gas,” and “Money was hard to come by at the time.”

Community Networks as Sources of Barriers.

The community network factors that emerged as barriers were neighborhood crime and violence (causing a perception of the need to stay behind to protect valuables), perceived racism in evacuation transportation (inequities in ordering and facilitating public transport evacuation in the different neighborhoods), and opinions of extended family members. The following are a sample of comments: “I could not leave my house. I had too much valuable stuff.” “You could not trust the police to protect your stuff. They were stealing too.” “They didn’t get buses into the neighborhoods. Buses stayed on the line. But in the other neighborhoods buses went into . . . . to pick up. The white neighborhoods.” “At the last minute the mayor said evacuate, but he didn’t bring no buses or nothing.”
Law Enforcement.
Participants cited active barriers to evacuation by law enforcement, who were restricting residents of African American neighborhoods from crossing neighboring parishes en route to designated shelters. This recurring theme was attributed by participants to racism.
“That was really racial. The parish president made a racist remark. He made a racist remark pertaining to the people of New Orleans. He said to keep those people on the other side.”
“This was about black people crossing over the bridge to that parish, period. It’s mostly affluent. If you crossed the bridge, the police had orders to use force.”
Cues to Action

Media Source Credibility.

Credibility of the media sources that disseminated the hazard warning was explored. Participants expressed trust in media reporting of the size and strength of the hurricane, and almost all information on the hurricane was received from television reporting. We did not find any evidence that churches were relied on as an authoritative source for hazard severity information. The following comments are related to credibility of the media: “TV was most credible source. One of the reasons why I trusted it, we trust it, cause you can see it.” “It was right there in front of your eyes showing where it is coming and how fast it’s coming”
Cues From Extended Family Members.
Extended family influences were important to some participants. In particular, some participants mentioned family members who were elderly and disabled who had trouble evacuating, and they remained with them. One participant made the following comment: “They waited so late to tell us to evacuate. Older people couldn’t get out. My mother is disabled and did not want to leave, so I stayed with her and my brother.”
Emergent Themes
Although the HBM served as the framework for the focus group discussion guide, several new themes emerged from the focus group discussions, distinct from the HBM constructs.16 The emergent themes suggest that the HBM needs further modification in order to more completely explain minorities’ health action-taking at an empirical level.16
Perceived Race-Based Inequities
Race relations was a recurring theme in all of the focus groups. Participants shared their perceptions of the role of race relations in the events before and during Hurricane Katrina. We view this issue as an emergent theme, largely related to a construct of historical inequities.
Dissatisfaction with the government because of its perceived apathy toward low-income African Americans was expressed in all of the focus groups. Perceived inequities were reflected in narratives of New Orleans’s successive administrations’ historic apathy toward and tolerance of flooding of poor (mostly African American) neighborhoods. Participants expressed that, historically, state and local governments have tolerated obsolete drainage systems and levees bordering the lower Ninth Ward, where most of the participants resided. These comments led to related comments on the government’s lack of concern for the poor, particularly minorities located closest to the levees. Comments were similar to these:
“Every time they have a storm like Hurricane Betsy, it always goes in the Lower Ninth Ward. . . . There’s nothing but Blacks and Vietnamese there. We can’t get our streets fixed in the Ninth Ward.”
“Our streets have always overflowed with water and stuff from the sewer after big storms.”
“There was a hurricane before this one. They showed an image of how the city would look if a strong one would come. . . . If they would have took the plans and started building this, you know some people might have had a break on this. I believe the mayor and the governor just didn’t put in a plan.”
“They have been trying to find a way to get rid of us. They had to do it in the way that wouldn’t—wouln’t be known that they were trying to do it. . . . That storm came through. Gave them the—that idea that [here] come your opportunity, ‘Oh, the storm coming in. The levees breaking.’ And whatever else. . . . Give them $2000 so they could forget we was trying to kill them.”

[MuscleScience]

Yea, So why not change the status quo? Why do the same old thing thats always been done? It should be applauded that she brought diversity. I also hope that the students were those from innercity schools who usually would have no chance to attend such an event.
How can we expect youth to believe in Govt and they never get a chance to see it for themselves?

Because thats not diversity, and how is representing an already diverse population by skewing towards one minority disproportionately not the status quo. The "Establishment" is forcing diversity upon everyone so in effect that is the status quo. I have been in the University setting for 10 years now, I am in the sciences. Me being a white male makes me a major minority. I chose to be in a diverse environment. I do not feel that people should be forced to live with others that are different than them if the so wish. You may say thats backwards thinking and all that. But we live in a supposedly free country and if I dont want to associate with a bunch of rich white people then I should have that right.

She brought in black people, not diversity.

Exactly!!!

[vpchill]

Kratos, I understand you fully. But stop posting your reports and media findings. Im speaking from 1st hand experience. My Family went thru Katrina and its aftermath. Many residents didnt leave because those warnings are given anytime a storm is off the coast. Could you imagine how many times they would have to leave during hurricane season?
It wasnt the storm that caused the damage. It was the govt failure to properly secure the levees. Then it was the govt failure to help with the rebuilding phase in the poorer areas.
You say everyone knows someone with a car? Have you ever been to 3rd ward? 9th ward? Its the bottom. Before Katrina it looked like a war zone. The people there live below poverty in most areas. the govt leaves them to kill each other off and figure that will fix the problem.
So that statement is incorrect and as far as walking? Yes your right, but bump to the beginning. Its always the storm warning of the century in those areas. Even most white people ignored the warnings because they are so often happening.
Check out the Documentary. I think it sheds light on what most people didnt see.

[Kratos]

You can make Katrina about race if you want...but it wasn't.

Govt failure to properly secure the levees...nobody could have predicted they would fail in 20 places the way they did. To further secure the leeves you have to take money from somewhere else...like the school budget for something that looks like it's working fine.

and it's a system that can never be perfect
http://www.newscientist.com/article/...r-katrina.html


You make it sound as though pres Bush's aid came up to him in the hallway
"sir there is a huge storm about to hit"
"well, who will get hurt by it?"
"Black people"
"I don't see a problem then, why you wasting my time."

according to Harvard University economist Edward L. Glaeser, the idea of rebuilding the poor area's is foolish:

The Port of New Orleans employs 7,500 people but most of them are highly skilled; the oil and gas industries employ even fewer local residents.
New Orleans was built on the water-based advantages it had in the 19th century, not today's century.
A better option would be to let individuals decide where to live and work. Indeed, $100 billion in the form of $75,000 for each man, woman and child in the New Orleans metro area could be spent more efficiently.

I have never been to the 3rd word or 9th ward...but I lived in North Philly for a few years and it was pretty freakin ghetto...people still had the means to get around the city.

The govt does not leave them to kill each other thinking that will solve the problem...what do you think the soloution is to the problem? Who turned it into a war zone? it wasn't the govmt.


Think of all the white people that live in trailer parks...nobody is helping them out. They have food and shelter...the rest is on them. They could take a second job and move to a better neighborhood...and I don't know if you watched what happend to people living in trailer home durring hurricane Andrew...but their white skin didn't shield them from the hurricane too well.

I'll see if I can find the doc, but I don't have HBO...it's too expensive for me lol.

[vpchill]

Well to add to ur point Kratos, I did Read in daily news that bush was pissed at rumsfeld. Supposedly it was rumsfeld who withheld sending troops/nationl guards to help with recovery efforts.

So reading that two days ago does shed light.

Please try to see that doc tho. I think you will understand more to why so many people stayed and what actually happened.

[thegodfather]

Also, Im reminded by that doc the same thing my aunt once told me. They give those warning every storm. Its a mandatory warning because they are below sea level. Yet you feel safe knowing that the levee has held up all these years. You feel secure thinking your govt has your back.I gotta go. Always good building with you Kratos.

Ding Ding Ding...You identified one of the most important reasons that this country is going down the shitter! People have come to rely on the FEDERAL government for WAY too much. If the States reclaimed their autonomy, the state of Louisana would have been able to respond to this disaster MUCH quicker, than waiting around for the central planners and bureaucrats in Washington to come to their aid. The ineptness and negligence in dealing with that particular disaster is the best example I have yet seen of why centralized government/big governmnet/bureaucracy is RUINING this country.

[Panzerfaust]