Was The Poor Response Of The Hurricane Katrina A Case Of Racism Essays Example

The hurricane Katrina occurred on 29, August 2005 and affected the city of New Orleans and the small towns of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The government response was very poor. In twenty four hours soon after the Katrina occurred, the whole world had known that, majority of the affected were blacks. The media was filming and reporting without any rescues on site. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) claimed that they could not get through yet the media had gone through. Harry Connick, Jr, said that he was able to get to New Orleans without any difficult.
On 26, August 2005, the National Hurricane Centre had announced the Hurricane Katrina. However, the mayor Ray Nagin, did not order for a mandatory evacuation even when the governor of Louisiana had declared a state of emergency. Amtrack offered one of its trains to evacuate the people, but the city officials declined the offer. When Max Mayfield, the National hurricane centre Director, called Mayor Nagin and governor Blanco, Mayor Nagin knew he had to call for a mandatory evacuation but still hesitated. He, however, called the mandatory evacuation later.
The governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, asked President Bush to declare a state of emergency for Louisiana on Saturday 27, 2005 that he did but; a clerical error in the declaration left off 24 parishes including Orleans and Jefferson which would have been hit most by the hurricane. In the declaration, the president authorized FEMA and homeland security to manage the disaster and provide food but, neither of the two jumped into action. New Mexico governor, Bill Richardson offered Blanco help but, the paperwork was delayed. On Monday August 29, Blanco pleaded with the president for help to no avail. Instead the president who was then on the longest vacation flew to San Diego to deliver a speech on the war in Iraq.
When the president received updates on Katrina from FEMA and Homeland security Secretary, He called the homeland secretary to discuss illegal immigration, not Katrina. The president flew from His ranch in Arizona to attend Senator McCain’s birthday during which a roof caved in on evacuees at the Superdome. Later the president went to Mississippi that was a republican state and not Louisiana that was a democratic state. The president never addressed the National Association for the Advancement of colored People (NAACP) who were questioning the slow response to Katrina.
FEMA that was in charge of disaster management took five hours after Katrina had struck to respond. When he finally called the homeland security, the secretary Michael Chertoff requested for forty hours for the employees to arrive. This was a long time for preparation especially after the Katrina had occurred. The director of FEMA Michael Brown ordered fire and emergency services not to respond unless lawfully dispatched by the state, and local authorities yet the state and local authorities’ phone equipment was not in operation. FEMA only requested for only one tank truck until more were availed by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who was shocked by this situation. Individuals who were willing to help voluntarily in their private homes called FEMA to no avail.
Dr. Mark Perimutter, who was voluntarily giving chest compressions, was stopped until he was registered. An emergency situation like this could no have possibly called for such action. When FEMA set up houses for hosting some of the Evacuees, Rosie O’Donnell donated trailers to be used as schools and play space for the children in December 2005 but they were never released for use (life post Katrina). The U.S army corps of engineers were responsible for the proper keeping of the levees across the country. New Orleans business article dated on June 2005, just three months before the Katrina, indicates that there was $ 71.2 million dollars reduction for the fiscal year2006. It also stated that a study on the ways to protect the region from category 5 hurricanes had been shelved. Katrina is a category 5 hurricane.
The press reported looting in a biased way that was inclined towards racism. The associated press ran two photos after the hurricane. One showing a black man carrying food with the words “after looting a grocery store” and the other showing a white couple carrying food with the words “after finding bread and soda in the grocery store,” Any one faced by this situation would seek food anywhere. These two photos indicated the high levels of racism that persisted in America.
New Orleans has a history of extreme racism. The confederate flag which was a symbol for slavery still fly in houses and vehicles of some Citizens in the southern states of America. Michael Eric Dyson stated that Katrina rescues were a racist activity since the response was poor, and the majority what had to be rescued was blacks. In 1923, the blacks were used as sand bags during floods along Mississippi river. In 1965, the hurricane Betsy hit New Orleans, and it was rumored that the levees were intentionally breached so as to affect the large areas occupied by the blacks. Capitalism led to the majority of the Blacks been poor and hence they did not have means to swiftly move out of the affected areas and hence remained stranded. Before Katrina, the population of the New Orleans was 67 % and 28 % white. Soon after the Katrina the populations were 22% black and 73 % white indicating that the rich whites where home owners and they could be afford to rebuild their homes.
In conclusion, the author tracked excellently the connection between the government’s poor response and the racism that persisted.