Kanye West Comment

[MidtownCoog]

Andy Warhol is about to open a can of Whoop-Arse on Mr. West.

15 minutes and counting.

But he really is all the rage in London.

Nothing but a Dixie Chicks wannabe.

[Heights2Bastrop]

Who are the Dixie Chicks? Are they that French group?

[VelvetJ]

It's amazing to me that there are people who actually think the president sits in his chair and says to himself, "Look at all those people dying.

[nmainguy]

Ok, so did everyone enjoy my psycho analysis of our country's race issue?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I did enjoy your analysis, Velvet-but then again I tend to usually enjoy your posts.

[west20th]

As an aside, Clinton is one of the biggest embarrassments ever to this country. 

Please!!! Enough of Clinton already!!! The man has been out of office for 5 years. Get over it already!!! What could be the largest disaster in this county's history and you are still crying about Clinton!!!!!

[west20th]

Please!!! Enough of Clinton already!!! The man has been out of office for 5 years. Get over it already!!! What could be the largest disaster in this county's history and you are still crying about Clinton!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry. Make that country's history.

[west20th]

Ok, so did everyone enjoy my psycho analysis of our country's race issue?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Couldn't agree more. Wish I could have put it as well as you did.

[editor]

Let me say, I was struck by this paragragh and stoppped reading any further, so I'm not sure if anyone has addressed this.

The above statement by editor is EXACTLY where MANY non-blacks miss it and seems is further purpetuated by those in particular who unfortunately get their source of information from the Faux News Network, the Republican party, and those that fail in having an ability to place themselves in others postions ( hey editor, if you can do it, so can I).

In most cases, when you hear black people saying something is racist, they do not mean someone is sitting around consciously plotting against black people. With racist cops, most blacks do not believe it is a situation where a white cop is sitting at his locker at the beginning of his shift saying, "I'm only going to stop black people today". Even with the inexcusable delay in helping those in the hours and days after the hurricane, people aren't saying Bush was literally sitting in a chair and consciously said to himself, "I'm not going to send help right now because they are black". That is ridiculous. But personally, I think those that find themselves scoffing at those that call situations racist, think that's what black people mean, which is not true.

Personally, I say it all boils down to unconscious stereotypes in people's minds that direct people's actions. That is what black people mean when many of them say something is racist. For good reason, black people in America do not feel they are valued as much as white people in America. The poor don't feel they are viewed as valuable as someone who is rich. And I don't think those feelings are exclusive to those who are black and those who are poor. IMO, the white and the rich as a whole feel the same way, even if it's in their subconscious. Which does make me wonder if there were literally thousands of rich white people outside for days without food or water in the same situation, if the response would have been faster at the Superdome, Convention Center, and Freeway underpasses?

( On a totally left field note, we know the OJ case would be big because he was a celebrity, but how would the dynamics of the media coverage would have been different if the people he murdered were black? Did the fact that Nicole Brown was a attractive blonde haired white woman make the case bigger? Due to subconscious realities in our minds, I think the answer is yes.)

Let's be honest with ourselves for example:

# 1- " On my way walking home last night, I made a wrong turn somehow and ended up at a dead end of a alley. I turned around and all of a sudden there was this big guy standing inches from my face".

#2- " On my way walking home last night, I made a wrong turn somehow and ended up at a dead end of a alley. I turned around and all of a sudden there was this big black guy standing inches from my face".

Because of our ideas of black people, if someone were telling that story, I think subconsciously many people would find # 2 the more dire of the two situations. Simply adding the word "black" can change the entire dynamic of that above statement and suddenly somehow view the situation as worse.

Stereotypes in our minds may be the real culprit here from the standpoint of those that are saying race was an issue in New Orleans.

Whether deliberate or not, I think race and class may have indeed been factors, but moreso, I think it was due to lack of organization and incompetence.

Oh, and as far as Kanye West. Well, I think it was a irresponsible statement that he probably regrets at this point, though I don't think he will admit it. Anyone who saw it, could clearly see it was speaking from emotion. I think what he was feeling was President Bush as a whole doesn't have a clue about Black Americans and their lives. He may be one of those people who view Black Americans and their lives in a way that HE thinks they SHOULD BE, instead of the realities of what they are. I think many Republicans make the same mistake. They approach situations from a standpoint of where they think they should be instead of what they are. For example,  a two parent home is ideal, but the reality is everyone isn't in a two parent home situation, whether they SHOULD be or not, and you have to approach people from where they are.

We still have a long way to go, on both sides.

Ok, so did everyone enjoy my psycho analysis of our country's race issue?

A very well thought-out retort. I appreciate you taking the time. It hasn't changed my mind, but it's at least made me think.

FWIW, I've been mugged twice and stabbed during the second one. They were white guys both times. And one was Canadian!

[largeTEXAS]

Just FYI - Kanye West has a lot to lose by making bold statements right now. After releasing a much acclaimed second album, "Late Registration" two weeks ago; a follow-up to the wildly successful "The College Dropout (2004)," West is definitely on top of the music world.

He was nominated for 10 Grammys with The College Dropout and is considered one of the top R&B/Hip Hop artists right now. Tom Breihan, music editor of the Village Voice comments Sept 6, 2005: Late Registration is so huge and spectacular that it'll take me months, maybe years, to digest; every song is a cathedral of little sonic details, shards of information that reveal themselves differently depending on how you hear it.

I respect Kanye West for what he said. He didn't speak eloquently but from the heart. I think the race issue is so big and underlying that it can hardly be articulated.

I don't think George Bush made a conscious effort not to help the people in need because most of them were black; but I don't think he felt any real sense of urgency either. I do think his ineptitude is so far reaching that this is just one aspect.

Our president is the Commander-in-Chief. If he is getting bad information, the country should be able to rely on him to step up to the plate and make his own decisions. Our mayor White did this. When confronted with the Fire Marshall declaring the city could not accept any more evacuees in the Astrodome, he stepped up and overrode him taking responsibility for any legal consequences. Somehow I doubt our president would have done the same.

[west20th]

Our mayor White did this. When confronted with the Fire Marshall declaring the city could not accept any more evacuees in the Astrodome, he stepped up and overrode him taking responsibility for any legal consequences. Somehow I doubt our president would have done the same.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mayor White and Judge Eckels deserve a lot of credit. They are doing what needs to be done and not mugging for the TV camera looking for credit. Unlike a certain well-coiffed Govenor who does nothing and can't stay away from the TV cameras.

[nmainguy]

Mayor White and Judge Eckels deserve a lot of credit. They are doing what needs to be done and not mugging for the TV camera looking for credit. Unlike a certain well-coiffed Govenor who does nothing and can't stay away from the TV cameras.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ya gotta admit, that boy sho do have some purdy hairs!!!

[citykid09]

I just saw what Kanye West did last night on Jimmy Kimble Live. I did not know it was like that it was embarissiong. He should not have done that. I thought he did it on stage after singing, but he did it while he was supose to be reading from a screen.

[eelimon]

Have any of yall herd what rapper Kanye West said about Bush, something about "President Bush don't care about black people" and "When people see on the news black people are looting and white people are getting food".

[KinkaidAlum]

^^^

As long as Jesse can keep black people believing they are helpless and everyone is against them, he'll have a job. As soon as the black population believe they can think for themselves and do for themselve, he'll be jobless.

Wow. What a loaded statement from someone who likes to argue that the race card is overused. I am as WASPy as they come, but I find the above statement offensive. Are you truly saying that the only reason black people follow Jesse Jackson is because he has convinced them they are helpless and that everyone is against them?

That has to be the stupidest thing you have ever posted, and that's truly saying something.

It is really quite simple. Race was a factor. Whether it was a small or large one, I will never know but there's no way anyone can convince this CRACKER (I am a white fella) that it wasn't a factor. At the very least, race was a factor in creating a city in 2005 that was 70% black.

Additionally, for all of you who want to blame the lack of relief on the danger of the situation because of snipers and looting, that's just ridiculous. If the FEDERAL government had responded in a timely manner, the problems with looting and shooting would have been lessened if not totally eliminated.

To give you an example, I'd like to see what would happen if you'd put 15,000 wealthy white folks in a convention center, turned off the power, gave them absolutely no food or water, stripped them of a security force, made them crap and piss on themselves, surrounded them with contaminated water, and then allowed some of them to have weapons. I bet if you checked back on the scene FOUR DAYS later, all hell would have broken loose.

The real problem as I see it is that the Republican Party has spent the last 25 years or so (since Reagan) making the federal government the villain. They've told their supporters that the government limits freedoms, wastes money, and can never be efficient. Then, they cut taxes for the rich, underfund social programs and even cut back on things like FEMA. Meanwhile, these same Republican officials have no problem creating huge deficits and rewarding their own (putting an Arabian Horse Fella in charge of FEMA, giving Wyoming the most $ per capita for homeland security, and giving Alaska $240 some odd million to build a bridge to NOWHERE).

It's a sad, self-fulfilling prophecy. Belittle the government. Then underfund it. Then watch when it cannot respond in an efficient manner. The worst part of all will be that in a few short months, the Republican Party will probably use this tragedy to further dillute the power of our government.

If we keep heading in the same direction, we will become a Third World Country.

[Heights2Bastrop]

To give you an example, I'd like to see what would happen if you'd put 15,000 wealthy white folks in a convention center, turned off the power, gave them absolutely no food or water, stripped them of a security force, made them crap and piss on themselves, surrounded them with contaminated water, and then allowed some of them to have weapons. I bet if you checked back on the scene FOUR DAYS later, all hell would have broken loose.

I seriously doubt that.

[nmainguy]

^^^

As long as Jesse can keep black people believing they are helpless and everyone is against them, he'll have a job. As soon as the black population believe they can think for themselves and do for themselve, he'll be jobless.

Wow. What a loaded statement from someone who likes to argue that the race card is overused. I am as WASPy as they come, but I find the above statement offensive. Are you truly saying that the only reason black people follow Jesse Jackson is because he has convinced them they are helpless and that everyone is against them?

That has to be the stupidest thing you have ever posted, and that's truly saying something.

It is really quite simple. Race was a factor. Whether it was a small or large one, I will never know but there's no way anyone can convince this CRACKER (I am a white fella) that it wasn't a factor. At the very least, race was a factor in creating a city in 2005 that was 70% black.

Additionally, for all of you who want to blame the lack of relief on the danger of the situation because of snipers and looting, that's just ridiculous. If the FEDERAL government had responded in a timely manner, the problems with looting and shooting would have been lessened if not totally eliminated.

To give you an example, I'd like to see what would happen if you'd put 15,000 wealthy white folks in a convention center, turned off the power, gave them absolutely no food or water, stripped them of a security force, made them crap and piss on themselves, surrounded them with contaminated water, and then allowed some of them to have weapons. I bet if you checked back on the scene FOUR DAYS later, all hell would have broken loose.

The real problem as I see it is that the Republican Party has spent the last 25 years or so (since Reagan) making the federal government the villain. They've told their supporters that the government limits freedoms, wastes money, and can never be efficient. Then, they cut taxes for the rich, underfund social programs and even cut back on things like FEMA. Meanwhile, these same Republican officials have no problem creating huge deficits and rewarding their own (putting an Arabian Horse Fella in charge of FEMA, giving Wyoming the most $ per capita for homeland security, and giving Alaska $240 some odd million to build a bridge to NOWHERE).

It's a sad, self-fulfilling prophecy. Belittle the government. Then underfund it. Then watch when it cannot respond in an efficient manner. The worst part of all will be that in a few short months, the Republican Party will probably use this tragedy to further dillute the power of our government.

If we keep heading in the same direction, we will become a Third World Country.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I could not have said it better...or as kjb434 might say: "YOu race bait libril alway need govermet to hellp whin WAatt you..."{gettin the picture there, Kinkaid?}

The kjb guy is a dolt. And gay. And votes Republican. Go figure.

You on the other hand, my good man, are quite the articulate poster-one of the better.

[Jeebus]

Wow. What a loaded statement from someone who likes to argue that the race card is overused. I am as WASPy as they come, but I find the above statement offensive. Are you truly saying that the only reason black people follow Jesse Jackson is because he has convinced them they are helpless and that everyone is against them?

That has to be the stupidest thing you have ever posted, and that's truly saying something.

It is really quite simple. Race was a factor. Whether it was a small or large one, I will never know but there's no way anyone can convince this CRACKER (I am a white fella) that it wasn't a factor. At the very least, race was a factor in creating a city in 2005 that was 70% black.

Additionally, for all of you who want to blame the lack of relief on the danger of the situation because of snipers and looting, that's just ridiculous. If the FEDERAL government had responded in a timely manner, the problems with looting and shooting would have been lessened if not totally eliminated.

To give you an example, I'd like to see what would happen if you'd put 15,000 wealthy white folks in a convention center, turned off the power, gave them absolutely no food or water, stripped them of a security force, made them crap and piss on themselves, surrounded them with contaminated water, and then allowed some of them to have weapons. I bet if you checked back on the scene FOUR DAYS later, all hell would have broken loose.

The real problem as I see it is that the Republican Party has spent the last 25 years or so (since Reagan) making the federal government the villain. They've told their supporters that the government limits freedoms, wastes money, and can never be efficient. Then, they cut taxes for the rich, underfund social programs and even cut back on things like FEMA. Meanwhile, these same Republican officials have no problem creating huge deficits and rewarding their own (putting an Arabian Horse Fella in charge of FEMA, giving Wyoming the most $ per capita for homeland security, and giving Alaska $240 some odd million to build a bridge to NOWHERE).

It's a sad, self-fulfilling prophecy. Belittle the government. Then underfund it. Then watch when it cannot respond in an efficient manner. The worst part of all will be that in a few short months, the Republican Party will probably use this tragedy to further dillute the power of our government.

If we keep heading in the same direction, we will become a Third World Country.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"15,000 wealthy white people"? Why in the world would 15,000 wealthy white people ever volunteer to depend on the government? You think they're wealthy because they are content to only collect welfare & WIC? No, they get out and kill themselves trying to get ahead and make a living. This is why you'll NEVER see 15,000 wealthy white people in this situation.

Please try to make arguements that are RELATIVE to the subject. How about 15,000 poor white folks? I'm thinking you're going to have a hard time finding 15,000 poor white people in ONE concentrated area living SOLEY off the government, as you will black people in cities like Los Angeles, Baltimore/DC, Detroit, or New Orleans.

The only people making this a race issue are the ones screaming about how the only reason the government took too long is because the evacuees were black. Now that is a stupid statement.

I said it once, and I'll say it again: Those who live by depending on the government FIRST, and themselves SECOND, will be the last to be helped in a distaster - NO MATTER WHAT COLOR THEY ARE.

STOPING MAKING THIS ABOUT RACE.

[nmainguy]

"15,000 wealthy white people"? Why in the world would 15,000 wealthy white people ever volunteer to depend on the government? You think they're wealthy because they are content to only collect welfare & WIC? No, they get out and kill themselves trying to get ahead and make a living. This is why you'll NEVER see 15,000 wealthy white people in this situation.

Please try to make arguements that are RELATIVE to the subject. How about 15,000 poor white folks? I'm thinking you're going to have a hard time finding 15,000 poor white people in ONE concentrated area living SOLEY off the government, as you will black people in cities like Los Angeles, Baltimore/DC, Detroit, or New Orleans.

The only people making this a race issue are the ones screaming about how the only reason the government took too long is because the evacuees were black. Now that is a stupid statement.

I said it once, and I'll say it again: Those who live by depending on the government FIRST, and themselves SECOND, will be the last to be helped in a distaster - NO MATTER WHAT COLOR THEY ARE.

STOPING MAKING THIS ABOUT RACE.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now THAT'S the good ol' Republican Compassionate Conservatism spirit we've all come to love!: "Those who live by depending on the government FIRST, and themselves SECOND, will be the last to be helped in a distaster"

I totally agree. Did you see all those elderly people all alone waving for help from roof tops? They should have got off their lazy asses and gotten a move on! What a bunch of losers...oh-wait a minute, were you just lumping them in with everyone else or was it just another typical Republican smear campaign to cover up the genitic incompetence of the Bush Administration? Blame the victim kinda thing...?

[Jeebus]

Define elderly.. Do you mean elderly as in can't help themselves? Or do you mean elderly as in just old but still capable?

You know that I'm not talking about the uncapable. The mayor should have had a plan for those. Playing your "political-race" game, he as a black Democrat should have taken care of his constituants by offering buses to all the poorest and uncapable. I guess that its only by coincidence all his constituants also happen to be black Democrats?

Then, Democrat governor Blank-O should have stepped up and sent in the guard to help evacuate and "tie" or "lock" down the city BEFORE the storm. She didn't do that either. She waited 72 hours. In 1998 Governor Mike Foster activated the 256th INF BDE 36 hours before the storm. I know this, because I was there.

So twice at the basic and intermediate level, democrats failed before Katrina hit. How can you argue that? Surely not by pointing the finger at FEMA, HS, the Federal Government, the Republican Party, or absurdly enough - George Bush? Oh yeah, that is what you're doing. I guess Kayne was right: "George Bush Don't care about black people.."

EVEN IF they (Blanco & Nagin - again I remind you - they are both Democrats) had done both those things, the Superdome would have still shut down at 5am with thousands of people inside who chose/were forced to stay in New Orleans. We know now that a large majority of those there didn't want to leave the city, and only went there at the very last minute when they knew the storm would hit. These same people would not have gotten on buses 24 hours before. These are the same people who completely depend on the government 100% of the time, and when their city, parish, AND state government failed them, they then had to wait on the federal government.

A Greyhound bus ticket to anywhere outside New Orleans is only $1o.oo dollars. Are you telling me that the 100,000 or so people that were there when Katrina hit didn't have $1o.oo dollars to their name? Oh, I know you're next arguement: "But where would they have stayed???" Guess what - I PERSONALLY know the State of Louisiana Emergency Shelter Taskforce Chairman. I spoke with him many times throughout the storm, and he confirmed that there were more than enough shelters ready to take all that wanted to evacuate. The only reason they stopped taking them after the storm is because Houston volunteered and then everyone else did. Otherwise, they had a plan for anyone who needed shelter. So that kills that rebuttal right there.

Your (and to all others who have made this arguement here at HAIF) arguement about elderly people on roof-tops is moot. Your argument about delayed help to victims because they were black is moot. Your potential arguement that even if they all did leave they had nowhere to go is moot. And most of all, your arguement about everyone EXCEPT the Democrat party being to blame is moot also.

Let it go. A disaster happened and their local & state government failed them. Stop trying to enable politcal motives where there is no place for them.

[kjb434]

^^

good post.

With credibility.

Hey Jeebus, do you remember how Huricane Andrew was handled? Was it Mike or Edwin that was governor then? I think either one had the national guard ready also.

[uncertaintraveler]

I said it once, and I'll say it again: Those who live by depending on the government FIRST, and themselves SECOND, will be the last to be helped in a distaster - NO MATTER WHAT COLOR THEY ARE.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hummm...isn't this exactly what Bill O'Reilly said in his "talking points" segment deal two nights ago?

So did he get this idiotic one-liner from you, or did you copy it from him?

[Jeebus]

I don't watch Bill O'Reilly. He's an idiot. So is everyone else from FOX, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS.. See a pattern emerging there? So I guess he stole it from me.

Either way, it is a common sense statement, don't you think?

[nmainguy]

Define elderly.. Do you mean elderly as in can't help themselves? Or do you mean elderly as in just old but still capable?

You know that I'm not talking about the uncapable. The mayor should have had a plan for those. Playing your "political-race" game, he as a black Democrat should have taken care of his constituants by offering buses to all the poorest and uncapable. I guess that its only by coincidence all his constituants also happen to be black Democrats?

Then, Democrat governor Blank-O should have stepped up and sent in the guard to help evacuate and "tie" or "lock" down the city BEFORE the storm. She didn't do that either. She waited 72 hours. In 1998 Governor Mike Foster activated the 256th INF BDE 36 hours before the storm. I know this, because I was there.

So twice at the basic and intermediate level, democrats failed before Katrina hit. How can you argue that? Surely not by pointing the finger at FEMA, HS, the Federal Government, the Republican Party, or absurdly enough - George Bush? Oh yeah, that is what you're doing. I guess Kayne was right: "George Bush Don't care about black people.." 

EVEN IF they (Blanco & Nagin - again I remind you - they are both Democrats) had done both those things, the Superdome would have still shut down at 5am with thousands of people inside who chose/were forced to stay in New Orleans. We know now that a large majority of those there didn't want to leave the city, and only went there at the very last minute when they knew the storm would hit. These same people would not have gotten on buses 24 hours before. These are the same people who completely depend on the government 100% of the time, and when their city, parish, AND state government failed them, they then had to wait on the federal government.

A Greyhound bus ticket to anywhere outside New Orleans is only $1o.oo dollars. Are you telling me that the 100,000 or so people that were there when Katrina hit didn't have $1o.oo dollars to their name? Oh, I know you're next arguement: "But where would they have stayed???" Guess what - I PERSONALLY know the State of Louisiana Emergency Shelter Taskforce Chairman. I spoke with him many times throughout the storm, and he confirmed that there were more than enough shelters ready to take all that wanted to evacuate. The only reason they stopped taking them after the storm is because Houston volunteered and then everyone else did. Otherwise, they had a plan for anyone who needed shelter. So that kills that rebuttal right there.

Your (and to all others who have made this arguement here at HAIF) arguement about elderly people on roof-tops is moot. Your argument about delayed help to victims because they were black is moot. Your potential arguement that even if they all did leave they had nowhere to go is moot. And most of all, your arguement about everyone EXCEPT the Democrat party being to blame is moot also.

Let it go. A disaster happened and their local & state government failed them. Stop trying to enable politcal motives where there is no place for them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's difficult to say who you were talking about since you lumped-"Those who live by depending on the government FIRST, and themselves SECOND, will be the last to be helped in a distaster - NO MATTER WHAT COLOR THEY ARE." an entire group of people together. Would you care to do a break-out of groups or keep it oh-so generalized? So you see--"You know that I'm not talking about the uncapable."-it's not clear what you are talking about. Perhaps you should have been more specific.

"Playing your" "political-race" game, he as a black Democrat..."-I never mentioned race. You are the one carping about race. I mentioned elderly people on roof tops. I didn't mention the blatant political choice of Bush's inept and incompetent FEMA director-who it now appears to have padded his resume-and I didn't mention race. BTW the mayor of NO supported Bush in 2004-not Kerry. BTW the mayor of NO supported the Govenor's Republican opponent.

"A Greyhound bus ticket to anywhere outside New Orleans is only $1o.oo dollars. Are you telling me that the 100,000 or so people that were there when Katrina hit didn't have $1o.oo dollars to their name?" I'm not as clairvoyant as you appear to be. But I am pretty good at math: 100,000/50 passengers per bus=2000 Greyhound buses. And where were those buses parked "when Katrina hit"?

"I PERSONALLY know the State of Louisiana Emergency Shelter Taskforce Chairman. I spoke with him many times throughout the storm, and he confirmed that there were more than enough shelters ready to take all that wanted to evacuate. The only reason they stopped taking them after the storm is because Houston volunteered and then everyone else did." So they just abdicated their resposibilities? Now there's a show of competence!

The remainder of your post is just a re-hash of the same old lame argument: "Blame the Democrats" Well, guess what? I'm not a Democrat. I am a citizen who see's a Republican president consistantly showing a knack for incompetence.

"Let it go."? I don't think I will.

[nmainguy]

I don't watch Bill O'Reilly. He's an idiot. So is everyone else from FOX, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS.. See a pattern emerging there? So I guess he stole it from me.

Either way, it is a common sense statement, don't you think?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's definitly a hard-hearted statement. Common sense to blanket an entire population of stranded people? Not sure...

[Jeebus]

NMainguy - I must have you flustered.. you forgot to post your trademark smiley:

twice..

[Jeebus]

I've never advocated Bush. My point is that the blame starts at the bottom, and not the top. Let's start with Nagin, then Blank-O, and then Bush.

Not just Bush. Just because he's generally inept doesn't mean that everytime something goes wrong we start with him and work out. We need to start at the base of the disaster: New Orleans - and not Crawford..

[nmainguy]

NMainguy - I must have you flustered.. you forgot to post your trademark smiley: 

twice..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You flatter yourself. "Fluster" has nothing to do with it.

My smileys go only to a privileged few.

[Jeebus]

You flatter yourself. "Fluster" has nothing to do with it.

My smileys go only to a privileged few.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess they only go to those who can't distinguish the helpless from the lazy?

If so, please - save mine for some other softy.

[nmainguy]

I've never advocated Bush. My point is that the blame starts at the bottom, and not the top. Let's start with Nagin, then Blank-O, and then Bush.

Not just Bush. Just because he's generally inept doesn't mean that everytime something goes wrong we start with him and work out. We need to start at the base of the disaster: New Orleans - and not Crawford..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Every first year Buisness Management student knows leadership comes from the top down. It's weak leadership that blames from the bottom up.

"I guess they only go to those who can't distinguish the helpless from the lazy?

If so, please - save mine for some other softy."

Nice try-but so predictable.

[Jeebus]

It's difficult to say who you were talking about since you lumped-"Those who live by depending on the government FIRST, and themselves SECOND, will be the last to be helped in a distaster - NO MATTER WHAT COLOR THEY ARE." an entire group of people together. Would you care to do a break-out of groups or keep it oh-so generalized? So you see--"You know that I'm not talking about the uncapable."-it's not clear what you are talking about. Perhaps you should have been more specific. Perhaps I should have. I feel that there are three specific groups of "post-storm evacuess": Helpless, Lazy/Stubborn, & Criminal.

The HELPLESS are the only ones who should have been moved out of the city before the storm. This is Mayor Nagin's fault.

The LAZY/STUBBORN are the ones you saw flee to the dome within hours of the storm hitting. These are also the ones you see now now wanting to leave when ordered by the military.

The CRIMINAL are the thousands, yes - THOUSANDS, that as soon as the winds died out, were already looting. I know this from personal experience - not CNN or hearsay.

Again - of those three, it seems only one group qualifies to have been pre-evacuated.

"Playing your" "political-race" game, he as a black Democrat..."-I never mentioned race. You are the one carping about race. I mentioned elderly people on roof tops. (see above about Mayor Nagin's resposibilities) I didn't mention the blatant political choice of Bush's inept and incompetent FEMA director-who it now appears to have padded his resume-and I didn't mention race. BTW the mayor of NO supported Bush in 2004-not Kerry. BTW the mayor of NO supported the Govenor's Republican opponent. Yes, he did that be cause Bobby Jindal is a 1. a minority 2. a man 3. NOT BLANK-O. Surely you cn see now why he supported Jindal after watching Blank-O make her mess.

"A Greyhound bus ticket to anywhere outside New Orleans is only $1o.oo dollars. Are you telling me that the 100,000 or so people that were there when Katrina hit didn't have $1o.oo dollars to their name?" I'm not as clairvoyant as you appear to be. But I am pretty good at math: 100,000/50 passengers per bus=2000 Greyhound buses. And where were those buses parked "when Katrina hit"? It doesn't matter where they were parked - why? See above where I describe the lazy and the stubborn.

"I PERSONALLY know the State of Louisiana Emergency Shelter Taskforce Chairman. I spoke with him many times throughout the storm, and he confirmed that there were more than enough shelters ready to take all that wanted to evacuate. The only reason they stopped taking them after the storm is because Houston volunteered and then everyone else did." So they just abdicated their resposibilities? Now there's a show of competence! This shows pure intelligence. Why would near capacity shelters take on more people when more shelters have open and are volunteering to take the remaining load? I didn't say they  had ample room - I said that they had more than enough shelters set up to receive them. However, the people in the Astrodome and the like would have been in more cramped confines by keeping all 1.5 million evacuees inside the state. I guess for pride's sake however Louisiana should have kept all the evacuees and told Houston "no". Yeah.. now thats competence!

The remainder of your post is just a re-hash of the same old lame argument: "Blame the Democrats" Well, guess what? I'm not a Democrat. I am a citizen who see's a Republican president consistantly showing a knack for incompetence.

"Let it go."? I don't think I will.

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REPOST:

I've never advocated Bush. My point is that the blame starts at the bottom, and not the top. Let's start with Nagin, then Blank-O, and then Bush.

Not just Bush. Just because he's generally inept doesn't mean that everytime something goes wrong we start with him and work out. We need to start at the base of the disaster: New Orleans - and not Crawford..

Let it go..