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September 7, 2005

Assigning Blame Is Not A 'Game'

By: Rowan Wolf

The talking points on what to reinforce about the disaster known as disaster response is apparently "blame game" and "delay." It is critical that an immediate analysis of the governmental (local, state, and federal) government response start immediately. First, there is an ongoing crisis in the areas hit by Katrina. In New Orleans, a massive environmental crisis is in place, as toxic waters are pumped directly into marshlands and Lake Ponchartrain, but it will be duplicated across the areas as the debris are indiscriminately is dumped wherever there is space. Second, it is likely that there will be mass health consequences for everyone who was in the effected areas (victims, those who left and returned, and emergency workers). It is all too possible that another major disaster could strike before this one is resolved. Lastly, the longer we wait (especially in the current chaos) the more likely that important information is lost (or covered up).

For all these reasons, it is critical that an investigation - and data collection - begin immediately. Whether one wants to call it "blame" or not, it is clear that the "response" has been a massive foul up. The nation cannot afford another debacle like this.

"Information" is already disappearing. One of the most visible, is that the AFP has pulled, and denied all access, to its report of White "finding" what they needed to survive

Pictures from Salon.com

This message is listed on Yahoo in relationship to the top left picture above:

"To Yahoo! News readers:

News photos are an especially popular section of Yahoo! News. In part, this is because we present thousands of news photos from some of the leading news services, including The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France Press. To make this volume of photos available in a timely manner, we present the photos and their captions as written, edited and distributed by the news services with no additional editing at Yahoo! News.

In recent days, a number of readers of Yahoo! News have commented on differences in the language in two Hurricane Katrina-related photo captions (from two news services). Since the controversy began, the supplier of one of the photos - AFP - has asked all its clients to remove the photo from their databases. Yahoo! News has complied with the AFP request."

Or perhaps the following quotes might "disappear."

"Troops begin combat operations in New Orleans," Joseph Chennelly, Army Times, 9/02/05. NEW ORLEANS - Combat operations are underway on the streets "to take this city back" in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"This place is going to look like Little Somalia," Brig. Gen. Gary Jones, commander of the Louisiana National Guard's Joint Task Force told Army Times Friday as hundreds of armed troops under his charge prepared to launch a massive citywide security mission from a staging area outside the Louisiana Superdome. “We're going to go out and take this city back. This will be a combat operation to get this city under control."

Or this gem from Barbara Bush quote in the New York Post: First Mom Barbara Bush yesterday walked past rows of poor and ailing refugees at the Houston Astrodome, then said, "So many of the people here . . . were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them.

Or the fact that FEMA Director Michael Brown only sent help hours after Katrina had struck - belying claims that FEMA was "pre-positioned" with massive amounts of aid.

Or that on August 30th, Navy pilots were reprimanded for engaging in rescue efforts - Navy Pilots Who Rescued Victims Are Reprimanded (Cloud, NY Times, 9/07/05).

There was a crisis before the crisis as FEMA was folded into "Homeland Security" with it instantly massive bureaucracy, and that Michael Brown, whose only experience with managing disasters was being George Bush's college roommate. Money was diverted from emergency response, and FEMA was apparently lost somewhere in the cogs of Bush's new governmental agency.

There was (and is) a crisis of racism and classism in the response to hurricane preparation and response.

There is - now - a blooming environmental crisis and the toxic waters from New Orleans are simply dumped with not controls.

The evacuees are being scattered across the nation, and the risk is there that as that diaspora continues the "story" will disappear with them.

There needs to be accountability now - for the current victims of this disaster, and for the victims of future disasters.

Posted by Rowan at September 7, 2005 8:36 AM Category: Culture & Ideology





Comments

Not to make too much light, I thought you'd appreciate this Daily Show clip from yesterday that sums up a lot of this: http://movies.crooksandliars.com/The-Daily-Show-Katrina-Disaster.mov

Posted by: Emily at September 7, 2005 3:02 PM

Well, now... that puts things in perspective.
I guess humor keeps people floating, eh?

Posted by: Shawna at September 7, 2005 7:32 PM

-and speaking of natural disasters, I just read where in Oregon there is huge bulge developing, portending strong, major volcanic activity. The article said the bulge covered about 100 square miles, or 10 miles by 10 miles - that is absolutely massive. A major volcanic eruption would make Katrina look like a simple rain shower in comparison. Lets hope Oregon and the Feds are taking notice and are starting some contingency plans. Scientists have no way of predicting how strong an eruption can truly be and earthquakes will occur in conjunction with a major eruption.

Posted by: GOESH at September 8, 2005 5:55 AM

The spin from on high would have been amusing to watch if there wouldn't be so much at stake. "Now is not the time to assign blame," "we've got problems to solve, we're problem solvers," "FEMA is/was/may have been/OK wasn't positioned to do everything it could if the local authorities had asked for help," etc., etc.

The facts show that the governor of Louisiana immediately declared a state of emergency and asked for help, and anyone watching the news HEARD the mayor of New Orleans beg, plead, then literally melt down in desperation when help was so painfully delayed.

Rowan, you are absolutely right, the time to assign blame with this administration should be immediately, because if you blink you will find the truth obliterated just like the truths of Orwell's 1984, thrown into the funnel which cremates one reality for another as fast as the spin doctors can reframe them.

One minute there are tens of thousands presumed dead, the next there is a back-pedaling, and zero-imbedded reporting (meaning, we don't want you privy to the truth). The facts of this disaster will be frighteningly controlled by the interests that could be damaged by the truth.

Posted by: Pamela at September 13, 2005 12:03 PM