If there was ever a time that Black people in this country needed what is owed to us, it is right now. We are currently experiencing the largest displacement of Black people post-slavery; most people don’t seem to fathom the magnitude of this event. If the tip jars that I’ve seen around the city today are any indication, it’s evident that people certainly don’t seem to understand the cost or the significant psychosocial implications of rebuilding 1,000,000 lives in other parts of the country. Maybe it’s just because they could care less. Here are some links to people who do care and news of other ridiculous shit surrounding this tragedy:
- Barbara Bush said, “And so many of the people in the arenas here, you know, were underprivileged anyway. This is - this is (chuckle) working out well for them.”
- The End of Randall Robinson’s America
- One of the planet’s most fantastic voices, soulsinger Ledisi makes short work of FEMA’s gross incompetence and neglect (or is something else going here on that’s even more heinous?) on her message board: FEMA didn’t accept Amtrak’s help in evacuations, FEMA turned away experienced firefighters, FEMA turned back Wal-Mart supply trucks, FEMA prevented the Coast Guard from delivering diesel fuel, FEMA didn’t let Red Cross deliver food, FEMA barred morticians from entering New Orleans, FEMA blocked 500-boat citizen flotilla from delivering aid, FEMA failed to utilize Navy ship with 600-bed hospital on board, FEMA asked Chicago to send just one truck, FEMA turned away power generators and FEMA urged first responders not to respond. Disgusted yet? No? How about some speeches from Under Secretary Brown that emphasize FEMA’s role under Homeland Security in The War Against Terrorism …
- Condoleezza Rice’s job as one of the highest ranking officials of the President’s cabinet obvious doesn’t preclude her from buying shoes as thousands drown in one of this country’s worst natural disasters …
- Thank you Oprah for being on the job when you didn’t have to be.
- Michael Moore hosts that Kanye West videoclip.
- @ Kenyon’s: Prayer for New Orleans!, Notes FROM New Orleans, Donate $$ To Local New Orleans Fund
- @ John’s: The Hurricane Katrina Catastrophe (or on ‘looting’), ‘We need help down here!’ + Hughes Poem, More Hurricane Katrina Relief Information, Kanye West speaks out + More relief info
- @ Negrophile: What I wouldn’t pay to hear a Fox anchor ask, ‘Say, Bob, why are these African-Americans so poor to begin with?’, ‘But it does go to show you that racism ain’t everywhere.’, ‘In New Orleans it’s really the reverse, that water flows away from money.’, ‘When you look at who is left behind, it is very disturbing to me.’, ‘We dance at funerals, and now we have to dance at our own funeral.’, That was Kanye West, not Cornel West — Kanye West.
- @ Keith’s: A Total Breakdown, Refugees or Evacuees?, Bush to New Orleans: Who Knew?, More Critics Challenge Bush on Hurricane, How You Can Help, We Knew This Would Happen
- … and I’m hoping that the families of Darrell and Bernie each make it to safety.
Donald, thanks for linking up to me, and for assembling all of these links here. I can’t think of a more damning indictment of the incompetent, indifferent cretins at the top of our government. Mass firings and impeachment almost seem too kind.
Thanks for all the good links.