Man in the Mirror: Katrina reflects the US views on race and class

[Cappadonna]

Here are my reflections on Katrina, as an African American male and a progressive activist. Yes, Bush is a callous, insensitive jackass who cares more about playing his gameboy and pretending to be a cowboy than actually doing his job. However, let's not ignore the de facto racism that's taking place in the media and the nation at large -- if only as the ugly stepchild of classism.

Bush didn't do anything b/c none of the Katrina victims would ever benefit from his tax cuts. Besides, NO has such beautiful archictecture and great access to the Gulf of Mexico-- Bushite realtors would have gentrified it anyway.

However, lets not let ourselves off the hook. The media and nation as a whole aren't screaming for GWB's head on a stake b/c of the inherent disconnect that most of the America has to people of color and the poor. It was "those people" who drowned-- those irresponsible brown skinned "Welfare Queens" with squalored homes and bad grammar.


Until we accept that we (myself included) are indoctrinated not to empathize with people who don't look like most Americans, don't have alot of money and/or speak with funny accents, we will continue to have callous, heartless monsters like Bush in our government. Until we as a nation are will to sacrifice for the benefit of our fellow man (particularly our own countrymen), (Red Ink) Ron Reagan and Bill (BS) Clinton are the best we can hope for in leadership. (God Help Us! )

Bush, the war and the Katrina disaster a reflection of our values as a nation-- not the other way around. Its ugly and its time to change.


I know most members of DU would not fall into this category, but its time for people who know the truth to scream it from the rooftops.


- Cappa

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. and as a very light colored (white) though born in Mexico

Jew, let me tell you, I have been screamng this from day one as well.

I am ashamed of my adopted nation... and ready to roll up them sleeves and work to once again fight this... No it was not gone... I knew it, and I am sure you knew it... but we never had to face it.

Now if I can only get people to go, you know what we are Americans regardless of color or national origin....

I also partly blmae Reagan and this war on the middle class, for Bush and his ilk woould love nothing better than to disapear you and me into the rolls of the poor... for the poor have no time to fight the battles that need to be fought. (Yes that is partly my take on this, and why they have made the consscious decision to make us despise them)

[melody]

2. well said

It's the tendency of all humans to see the "other" as the enemy, and the US (because we're a huge nation with pockets of amazingly ignorant populations) has an especially bad case of that.

We have to stop being against *others*, including our own neighbors, if we're ever going to prevail against the ruling class.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. Racism

I have pondered racism a lot lately. First, it seems to me that these days "racist" is the worst possible thing you can accuse a person of. I have not decided whether or not this is a good thing. Certainly racism can lead to a host of ills, victimization, unfair treatment, etc. And yet there are other errant behaviors that are really getting a pass. Call me anything (womanizer, cheater, spendthrift, etc.) just don't call me racist!

Yet there is wisdom in your words. We ARE indoctrinated. I well remember in my younger days I would hear of a sudden death (like a car accident) and when I would hear the victim was black, I would feel (rather than think) that it didn't matter as much because that person was so unlike me. Now, these are childish thoughts and I was a child. And I think we have many adults that think like children.

I also believe that the ability to recognize racism is very much dependent on intelligence and education. I have known very, very few racists who had both.

I was raised in the north where I knew exactly one black man. Oddly enough, he was my personal mentor and first boss.. another art teacher who has remained a dear friend. When I moved to Tallahassee I went into a grocery store and looked around and realized I was the only white person there. But nobody else appeared to notice so I went about my business. The immersion in another culture has not been always easy. There are real cultural differences. Yet for 30 years I have been desensitized to race enormously. Not completely, but a whole lot. I remember when I first heard people complain about the number of black folks in the Superdome I was surprised because I actually had not noticed. But once I did, I began to pay attention and it was not pleasant. It hurt.

Bottom line: I think we can read and talk and ponder about race but until he actually live day to day with LOTs of people different than ourselves, it is just theory.

[sasha031]

4. my grandparents immigrated from Ireland

Oh yes Ireland, a 1000 yrs or more of starvation and ethnic cleansing,and wars.

Half the country has no sense of history, lacks empathy, I see them as flawed people. But do they know how to fight for power and keep it.They find the rest of the flawed characters and feed into their bigotry so that they remain in control.

I wish we could secede and start our own country.