Now that New Orleans has been destroyed and its population dispersed all over the country, it's time for the wealthy, the developers and corporate using federal and private-charity relief funds to rebuild and remake the city completely to benefit the rich and big business without having to deal with the poor who will be strongly discouraged from returning.
A horrendous idea? Yes, but is it true? Naomi Klein says it is.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
The damage and suffering caused by Hurricane Katrina has been terrible, even more so as it seems that the city of New Orleans will be lost or completely evacuated for at least 2 months in order for authorities to clear it up and drain waters away.
The suffering of the people who were still in the city when Katrina struck has been prolonged and increased by slow, uncoordinated and insufficient relief efforts.
With all the coverage of the hurricane's aftermath by American media, one of the worst things has been the villification of people trapped in the city as criminals and gangsters as coverage has fixated at times on reports of snipers, rapes, gangs, etc.
This Zmag article talks about the unfair coverage by US media on Katrina and about some of the factors that has led to the weak relief efforts.
One damning factor is the occupation in Iraq because not only were budgets for emergency services weakened/ reduced to allow for funding for the Iraq war/occupation, but also manpower in the form of the state's (Louisiana) National Guardsmen were reduced because many of these Guardsman are fighting in Iraq where they were sent by their President.
The suffering of the people who were still in the city when Katrina struck has been prolonged and increased by slow, uncoordinated and insufficient relief efforts.
With all the coverage of the hurricane's aftermath by American media, one of the worst things has been the villification of people trapped in the city as criminals and gangsters as coverage has fixated at times on reports of snipers, rapes, gangs, etc.
This Zmag article talks about the unfair coverage by US media on Katrina and about some of the factors that has led to the weak relief efforts.
One damning factor is the occupation in Iraq because not only were budgets for emergency services weakened/ reduced to allow for funding for the Iraq war/occupation, but also manpower in the form of the state's (Louisiana) National Guardsmen were reduced because many of these Guardsman are fighting in Iraq where they were sent by their President.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Death, disorder and chaos
Well, the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and surrounding areas is turning out to be catastrophe. Not just the immense physical damage done to the city but the fates of the people still in the city, with all the chaos and disorder not to mention the suffering.
What is striking besides the suffering of people, is how seemingly slow and inefficient relief services are in reaching those in need. Of course there's numberous reports of disorder including looting, shootings and even rapes which is extremely sad.
The conclusion so far is that the events in New Orleans are resembling those of poor 3rd world countries, and nothing like the world's richest and supposedly most developed country.
Well, the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and surrounding areas is turning out to be catastrophe. Not just the immense physical damage done to the city but the fates of the people still in the city, with all the chaos and disorder not to mention the suffering.
What is striking besides the suffering of people, is how seemingly slow and inefficient relief services are in reaching those in need. Of course there's numberous reports of disorder including looting, shootings and even rapes which is extremely sad.
The conclusion so far is that the events in New Orleans are resembling those of poor 3rd world countries, and nothing like the world's richest and supposedly most developed country.
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