CNN now reports that.....

[NeverEnufWDW]

Bush planned Katrina and the levee breaks to promote his new "Re-distribute the Welfare Recipients" program.

But seriously, folks.......

It is both funny and sad that a dopey rapper, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and now Howard Dean have all made liberal use of the race card.

There are a lot of people of all races in all 3 states that left when asked to evacuate. Unfortunately for many of them, they lost their homes and possessions to the storm.

New Orleans had a high black population with a high poverty percentage. Its a good bet that many were dependent on the government. Add to the mix a a governor afraid to make a decision, a mayor who waited until it was too late to try to get people out, outdated governmental rules on who can take charge of situations, and corrupt LA officials that never fixed the levees in bad need of upgrades. Perfect situation for everything going to hell in a handbasket.

The media also contributed to making things look worse -- focusing only on New Orleans, in many cases reporting heresay and other bogus information. They all saw the perfect opportunity to try to stick it to Bush.

 

[hugsquared]

I agree...but be prepared for the backlash you're about to get.

 

[peachgirl]

Bush planned Katrina and the levee breaks to promote his new "Re-distribute the Welfare Recipients" program.

That's rather tasteless, but no more so than these comments:


Rep. Richard H. Baker, a 10-term Republican from Baton Rouge. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that he was overheard telling lobbyists: "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."

 

[va32h]

There are at least two people who believe this theory as gospel truth NeverEnufWDW. I actually had a converstation with a couple - a perfectly nice, educated couple who earnestly told me in complete seriousness that the government was trying to murder poor black people by engineering this disaster.





I assured them that this could not possibly be true. Bush was trying to murder all the poor people, regardless of race.

 

[chobie]

It's not funny, but just plain sad that racism does exist in this country today.

People rolling their eyes and screaming "race card" everytime the issue comes up, just reminds that racism has not gone away.

 

[frozone]

Bush planned Katrina and the levee breaks to promote his new "Re-distribute the Welfare Recipients" program.

But seriously, folks.......

It is both funny and sad that a dopey rapper, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and now Howard Dean have all made liberal use of the race card.

There are a lot of people of all races in all 3 states that left when asked to evacuate. Unfortunately for many of them, they lost their homes and possessions to the storm.

New Orleans had a high black population with a high poverty percentage. Its a good bet that many were dependent on the government. Add to the mix a a governor afraid to make a decision, a mayor who waited until it was too late to try to get people out, outdated governmental rules on who can take charge of situations, and corrupt LA officials that never fixed the levees in bad need of upgrades. Perfect situation for everything going to hell in a handbasket.

The media also contributed to making things look worse -- focusing only on New Orleans, in many cases reporting heresay and other bogus information. They all saw the perfect opportunity to try to stick it to Bush.

And so now this is your perfect opportunity to "try to stick it to" "a dopey rapper, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and now Howard Dean"? You seem to abhor the same behavior that you yourself engage in. Seems to me like partisanship is alive an well on BOTH sides of the aisle.

 

[snappy]

That's rather tasteless, but no more so than these comments:


Rep. Richard H. Baker, a 10-term Republican from Baton Rouge. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that he was overheard telling lobbyists: "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."

This was taken out of context, I think everyone should read the entire transcript of what he said instead of what was quoted above. I was outraged also until I read the entire discussion. Our newspaer put the above quote on the front page I guess to grab your attention but the article further back contained the rest of the transcript.

 

[peachgirl]

This was taken out of context

As far as I know, no actual transcript exists of the conversation, but if you have one, I'd love to see it. However, here's Baker's "explantion" of what he said. I'd hardly expect him to admit he actually said such an awful thing.

I find his version just as repulsive. This is God's way of providing decent housing for the poor?

Some people have a very different God than I do.

"What I remember expressing, in a private conversation with a housing advocate and member of my staff, was that 'We have been trying for decades to clean up New Orleans public housing to provide decent housing for residents, and now it looks like God is finally making us do it,' " Baker wrote. "Obviously I have never expressed anything but the deepest concern about the suffering that this terrible catastrophe has caused for so many in our state."

 

[HaleyB]

Ah, the race issue... this is a reg herring guys. Have you ever heard of the straw man argument? Bush didn't let people die because they were black, he let them die because he is incompitent as a leader. Don't let race issues distract you from the real evil that was done when good men failed to act.

 

[Saffron]

As far as I know, no actual transcript exists of the conversation, but if you have one, I'd love to see it. However, here's Baker's "explantion" of what he said. I'd hardly expect him to admit he actually said such an awful thing.

Good grief. Baker trying to explain away what he said is just as bad, if not worse than what he orignially said.

Good point HaleyB.

 

[bsnyder]

Ah, the race issue... this is a reg herring guys. Have you ever heard of the straw man argument? Bush didn't let people die because they were black, he let them die because he is incompitent as a leader. Don't let race issues distract you from the real evil that was done when good men failed to act.

Translation:

Stick to the talking points, people!

 

[peachgirl]

Translation:

Stick to the talking points, people!

Translation:

When you can't argue the facts, divert attention from them.

 

[Robinrs]

And so now this is your perfect opportunity to "try to stick it to" "a dopey rapper, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and now Howard Dean"? You seem to abhor the same behavior that you yourself engage in. Seems to me like partisanship is alive an well on BOTH sides of the aisle.

I see a LOT of this on this board. Amazing how when someone does not agree with your opinions they are called names and that everyone who does not believe in what you believe in is just "sticking it to.."that poor person...

When you point a finger there are three fingers pointing back at you....

 

[ThAnswr]

Ah, the race issue... this is a reg herring guys. Have you ever heard of the straw man argument? Bush didn't let people die because they were black, he let them die because he is incompitent as a leader. Don't let race issues distract you from the real evil that was done when good men failed to act.

Bingo!

 

[totalia]

Who cares that some were on welfare? Who cares that some were black? The fact is that people suffered and died due to leader incompetance. Lets just save them and stop the bloody stupid race or poor games. It had nothing to do with that and we all know it. It was failure on the leaderships part.

 

[musicalSaranader]

I think it's sad that we live in society where people constantly have to place blame. Something is always somebody's fault, isn't it? A terrible natural disaster occured that no one on this Earth could have prevented, and many people suffered and died. Can't we leave it at that and help those who suffered instead of using up our energy shooting blame all over the place?

On another note, my RA is trying to get a trip together to New Orleans to help in the clean-up efforts, and this will hopefully be completely funded by the university. It would be awesome if my school could do that.

 

[totalia]

In this case? Yes someone is to blame. Possibly many someones.

 

[Planogirl]

I think it's sad that we live in society where people constantly have to place blame. Something is always somebody's fault, isn't it? A terrible natural disaster occured that no one on this Earth could have prevented, and many people suffered and died. Can't we leave it at that and help those who suffered instead of using up our energy shooting blame all over the place?

On another note, my RA is trying to get a trip together to New Orleans to help in the clean-up efforts, and this will hopefully be completely funded by the university. It would be awesome if my school could do that.

I believe that the people have to work out what went wrong in order to keep it from happening again someday. Obviously the reaction to this disaster was a mess and caused many problems.

I agree though that it would be great if your school can help in the clean-up. Let us know!

 

[What the Heck]

Who cares that some were on welfare? Who cares that some were black? The fact is that people suffered and died due to leader incompetance. Lets just save them and stop the bloody stupid race or poor games. It had nothing to do with that and we all know it. It was failure on the leaderships part.

I agree. We just disagree on who the leadership should have been.

I think that playing the race card may come back and haunty Mr. Dean, at least I hope so. Mr. West, the Reverands Sharpton and Jackson, their base is so small that they are "preaching to the choir". Mr. Dean, however is the leader of the Democratic Party. I didn't give my support to the Red Cross because the victims were African-American, I gave my support because they are all Americans.