"Compassion is a foundation for sharing our aliveness and building a more humane world."
- Martin Lowenthal
Saturday, Jan. 7th 2012
Last night at dinner I was talking to my table about how Hurricane Katrina was much like the Titanic. In the sense that there weren’t enough life boats for the passengers to board in case of an emergency because the Titanic was “unsinkable” (really? Who thought that metal in any sense is unsinkable? Did they not take a simple physics class?) Just like the Titanic there was not an action plan for the people of New Orleans to take advantage of when a deadly hurricane hit. Then this morning, to my surprise, while I was reading the assigned chapters the book related Hurricane Katrina to the Titanic in a deeper way than I had thought, this I found interesting; the first paragraph of chapter seven starts by saying, “The natural disaster that was Hurricane Katrina exposed the social disasters of racism and poverty in the United States. As is the case with most disasters and social problems, from hurricanes to the sinking of the Titanic, from recession to war;
the bulk of the burden was borne by the poorest members of society.” (Bates & Swan, 2010) In both the Titanic and Hurricane Katrina the people of poor social and economic standards are hit the hardest.
This afternoon when I listened to Col. Sneed talk about their new and improved, rather completely new, action plan I was surprised by the number of people who waited until a hurricane to call the new 311 emergency evacuation number. I wondered if it was because
they were confused as to why, when, and how it worked. I was impressed by all the work they put into the plan and all the people involved. I wondered why a plan had not been put in place prior to Katrina. I also wondered if Homeland worked with the levy situation, but didn’t ask.
It’s interesting how people of low social and economic standards are always put in harm’s way when “natural” or “unexpected”(in the Titanic’s case) disasters take place. Why? Why in a place where we strive on freedom and equality is there such inequality when it comes to disasters? Why do lower income citizens get the shaft? Just because of their financial situation? Is that fair? Ugh! This opens so many doors! I hear people say, “Why should our tax dollars help give people things when we work so hard for what we have?” I want to say to these people who think this, “Don’t you want to live in a place where no one has to suffer to receive basic needs?” Don’t people realize that the taxes that go to helping lower social and economic members of society actually help our society thrive better? Or are people really
that greedy that they don’t care?
the bulk of the burden was borne by the poorest members of society.” (Bates & Swan, 2010) In both the Titanic and Hurricane Katrina the people of poor social and economic standards are hit the hardest.
This afternoon when I listened to Col. Sneed talk about their new and improved, rather completely new, action plan I was surprised by the number of people who waited until a hurricane to call the new 311 emergency evacuation number. I wondered if it was because
they were confused as to why, when, and how it worked. I was impressed by all the work they put into the plan and all the people involved. I wondered why a plan had not been put in place prior to Katrina. I also wondered if Homeland worked with the levy situation, but didn’t ask.
It’s interesting how people of low social and economic standards are always put in harm’s way when “natural” or “unexpected”(in the Titanic’s case) disasters take place. Why? Why in a place where we strive on freedom and equality is there such inequality when it comes to disasters? Why do lower income citizens get the shaft? Just because of their financial situation? Is that fair? Ugh! This opens so many doors! I hear people say, “Why should our tax dollars help give people things when we work so hard for what we have?” I want to say to these people who think this, “Don’t you want to live in a place where no one has to suffer to receive basic needs?” Don’t people realize that the taxes that go to helping lower social and economic members of society actually help our society thrive better? Or are people really
that greedy that they don’t care?
Sunday, January 8 2012
There was so much to process today.
Overwhelming
Starting with mass this morning I think the most amazing part was the welcome with open arms. Growing up in a catholic childhood I was taught to always be welcoming but often times people now a day keep to themselves. If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all. Walking in to St. Peters I noticed how much I stick out. Which is odd for me because I have been places where I have stuck out but have never really cared to notice. It wasn’t until this last year where I was ever really conscience to race as an issue. After being in a biracial relationship with a person who always feels like he sticks out I am a lot more conscience to whether or not I stick out. Which brings me back to walking into St. Peters, the people who belong to the church defiantly knew we weren’t from around there but they welcomed us with open arms and by the looks on their faces were genuinely happy we were there. This is the way it should be. We separate ourselves by superficial differences. By putting those differences aside we can make the change we want to see in our
world.
This brings me to the tour portion of the day. If all of this corruption is going on why allow the people of the 9th ward to move back? Why evict them in such an inhuman way? If the city needs a place to let the cannel flood then just tell the citizens of the area. But this makes me
wonder do they really think that? How can a group of people (politicians) have such disregard for an entire community? How inhumane. So many questions unanswered.
Honestly it is no longer up to the government. It is up to people like us to help out our fellow Americans. Generous people who recognize a
need and have the means to change the little we can. And who knows it might go farther then we expect. For example the farm in the 9th ward we visited was absolutely amazing. The man who gave us the tour is making such a long term difference for the community with just his knowledge of agriculture and his want to help. Or the director of the Village, he gave up his entire life’s savings to help rebuild what were once his and many other people’s home. I think it is time we stop looking at politicians to change everything and take
more initiative it is amazing what one compassionate person can do!
Overwhelming
Starting with mass this morning I think the most amazing part was the welcome with open arms. Growing up in a catholic childhood I was taught to always be welcoming but often times people now a day keep to themselves. If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all. Walking in to St. Peters I noticed how much I stick out. Which is odd for me because I have been places where I have stuck out but have never really cared to notice. It wasn’t until this last year where I was ever really conscience to race as an issue. After being in a biracial relationship with a person who always feels like he sticks out I am a lot more conscience to whether or not I stick out. Which brings me back to walking into St. Peters, the people who belong to the church defiantly knew we weren’t from around there but they welcomed us with open arms and by the looks on their faces were genuinely happy we were there. This is the way it should be. We separate ourselves by superficial differences. By putting those differences aside we can make the change we want to see in our
world.
This brings me to the tour portion of the day. If all of this corruption is going on why allow the people of the 9th ward to move back? Why evict them in such an inhuman way? If the city needs a place to let the cannel flood then just tell the citizens of the area. But this makes me
wonder do they really think that? How can a group of people (politicians) have such disregard for an entire community? How inhumane. So many questions unanswered.
Honestly it is no longer up to the government. It is up to people like us to help out our fellow Americans. Generous people who recognize a
need and have the means to change the little we can. And who knows it might go farther then we expect. For example the farm in the 9th ward we visited was absolutely amazing. The man who gave us the tour is making such a long term difference for the community with just his knowledge of agriculture and his want to help. Or the director of the Village, he gave up his entire life’s savings to help rebuild what were once his and many other people’s home. I think it is time we stop looking at politicians to change everything and take
more initiative it is amazing what one compassionate person can do!
Monday January 9th 2012
Bayou Rebirth was a great organization to work with today. To me it put into perspective how much land New Orleans really loses a year. To be able to help slow the erosion process down a bit and make a longer term effect on the environment was really cool for me to think about. I thought it was neat that the plants that we planted will be there in two years still slowing the process down. I talked to Bill the park ranger who told me the plants that we planted by were planted by a group of fifth graders two years ago. It’s just surreal to think that the 3 hours of work that we did could make such a difference.
Another idea I had while I was sitting and looking at the soil was that Our School at Blairs Grocery could use the rich soil to fuel their
gardens thus using even more local items. The New Orleans area is such a rich community when it comes to natural resources. The all the different options for different produce with the rich soil and extended farming season are endless. Also the amount of fish and sea food are endless due to the different types of bodies of water fresh and sault. Not to mention the people who are so rich in culture and life. This is why I am glad I’m here, to help keep such a truly rich community here. Although it has been consistently demolished by natural and man-made disasters it is still thriving. From all the voleenteers, rich culture, and tourest indrustry.
Another idea I had while I was sitting and looking at the soil was that Our School at Blairs Grocery could use the rich soil to fuel their
gardens thus using even more local items. The New Orleans area is such a rich community when it comes to natural resources. The all the different options for different produce with the rich soil and extended farming season are endless. Also the amount of fish and sea food are endless due to the different types of bodies of water fresh and sault. Not to mention the people who are so rich in culture and life. This is why I am glad I’m here, to help keep such a truly rich community here. Although it has been consistently demolished by natural and man-made disasters it is still thriving. From all the voleenteers, rich culture, and tourest indrustry.
Tuesday January 10th 2012
Today we helped plant trees to a wild like preserve trail. The trees that were taking over the preserve were poised by the park rangers because the trees were imported and not indigenous to the area. This means an entire state preserve park full of dead trees. So it is up to organizations like Bayou Rebirth and groups like us to replant trees that are natural to this area. My first reaction to all the trees poisned was “WHAT!” Why would people just kill a bunch of trees in times like now with all the global warming hype? When I talked to Georgia she explained how the trees have no enemies there for they spread really fast and unhealthy which is a negative. So in order to stop this madness the solution was to kill a bunch of trees that were already there and replace them slowly.
While I was reflecting on the work I did today I recalled the reading done for today on Latinos who were affected by Katrina. The paper written by Nicole Trujillo-Pagan argues the point that, “Although the salience of race in New Orleans seems obvious to many observers, the broader refusal to consider Latino’s location within the city’s racialized structures contributed to Latinos’ experience of Hurricane Katrina as
a racial/ethnic minority.”The media also wrote Latinos out of the Katrina coverage and the fact that some were illegal made it hard for them to receive help.
Now how might planting trees relate to the media’s lack of coverage on Latino’s affected by Katrina? Well like the trees indigenous trees the Latinos were given the shaft even though they were affected just as much as the African-American or White person next to them. The trees still helped flourish the land just as much as the Latinos helped the New Orleans’s community
While I was reflecting on the work I did today I recalled the reading done for today on Latinos who were affected by Katrina. The paper written by Nicole Trujillo-Pagan argues the point that, “Although the salience of race in New Orleans seems obvious to many observers, the broader refusal to consider Latino’s location within the city’s racialized structures contributed to Latinos’ experience of Hurricane Katrina as
a racial/ethnic minority.”The media also wrote Latinos out of the Katrina coverage and the fact that some were illegal made it hard for them to receive help.
Now how might planting trees relate to the media’s lack of coverage on Latino’s affected by Katrina? Well like the trees indigenous trees the Latinos were given the shaft even though they were affected just as much as the African-American or White person next to them. The trees still helped flourish the land just as much as the Latinos helped the New Orleans’s community
Wed. January 11 2012
A crisis can be defined as “a specific, unexpected, and non-routine event or series of events that create high levels of uncertainty and threaten or are perceived to threaten high priority goals.”Natural disasters generally aren’t referred to as a crisis because natural disasters can often be predicted by meteorologist there for communities can prepare for them and help communities become prepared for whatever disaster comes there way.
“Risk communication can be defined as the exchange of information between interested parties concerning the nature, significance, probability, and possible prevention of a risk.” (Coombs,1999; Seeger, Sellnow, & Ulmer, 2003) During the Hurricane Katrina crisis the risk communication was horrible. The parties of concern were not well informed at all. For example one of the movies we watched showed people calling 911 and the dispatcher telling the people in need that there was no help. Another factor in the horrible communication after Katrina hit was the fact that there was no way to contact the thousands of people stranded and not enough equipment to help them.
Today we worked with Project Green Light we were able to go to different New Orleanian’s homes and replace old light bulbs with new energy efficient ones. My group replaced 240 light bulbs that will save so much energy and the house owner’s money. The neatest part was being able to talk to the people who we were providing the service for. One of the people we serviced was a hospital worker during Katrina. He talked bout how he brought his family to the hospital for refuge then helped bring babies up to the helicopters. He also said they had to push the heavier set people down the stairs on mattresses. He said the worst part was when the lights were off and the entire city was dark. He said he would be walking through water with a flash light and would come across a dead body and just have to push it away. He said it took years to get over what he saw.
This makes me think of the controversial issue of how many people really loss their lives due to any effects of Katrina such as depression from their experience such as the chinese dry wall many people bought to fix their homes which actually made them fall apart and caused much more damage. The conditions where people stayed after they were finally evacuated were not ideal. People stayed all over and were in need of food, water, and proper shelter. Many people were relocated many times and this put stress on many lives. Stress is a high factor in heart attacks. And people who went through Katrina still have stressors caused by Katrina. One lady we talked with kept saying “It’s finally happening. It’s finally happening.” She had been waiting 5 years for people to help fix her home and today people finally came. She had tears in her eyes.
It’s sad that five years later things are finally happening for people.
“Risk communication can be defined as the exchange of information between interested parties concerning the nature, significance, probability, and possible prevention of a risk.” (Coombs,1999; Seeger, Sellnow, & Ulmer, 2003) During the Hurricane Katrina crisis the risk communication was horrible. The parties of concern were not well informed at all. For example one of the movies we watched showed people calling 911 and the dispatcher telling the people in need that there was no help. Another factor in the horrible communication after Katrina hit was the fact that there was no way to contact the thousands of people stranded and not enough equipment to help them.
Today we worked with Project Green Light we were able to go to different New Orleanian’s homes and replace old light bulbs with new energy efficient ones. My group replaced 240 light bulbs that will save so much energy and the house owner’s money. The neatest part was being able to talk to the people who we were providing the service for. One of the people we serviced was a hospital worker during Katrina. He talked bout how he brought his family to the hospital for refuge then helped bring babies up to the helicopters. He also said they had to push the heavier set people down the stairs on mattresses. He said the worst part was when the lights were off and the entire city was dark. He said he would be walking through water with a flash light and would come across a dead body and just have to push it away. He said it took years to get over what he saw.
This makes me think of the controversial issue of how many people really loss their lives due to any effects of Katrina such as depression from their experience such as the chinese dry wall many people bought to fix their homes which actually made them fall apart and caused much more damage. The conditions where people stayed after they were finally evacuated were not ideal. People stayed all over and were in need of food, water, and proper shelter. Many people were relocated many times and this put stress on many lives. Stress is a high factor in heart attacks. And people who went through Katrina still have stressors caused by Katrina. One lady we talked with kept saying “It’s finally happening. It’s finally happening.” She had been waiting 5 years for people to help fix her home and today people finally came. She had tears in her eyes.
It’s sad that five years later things are finally happening for people.
Thursday January 12 2012
Honestly this was the best day out of the entire trip! I met one of the greatest people ever today. And that’s not an understatement. Mack the owner of The Lower 9th Ward Village was such an inspiration. The only word to describe this man is Jesus. The fact that such a disaster like Katrina made such a positive impact on how he lived his life is wonderful. The fact that he harps on the goodness of people just makes me love him so much. Seriously he calls us his heroes? No. He is a modern day super hero. Before Katrina Mack was a man who kept to himself and was all about money after Katrina he used everything he had to give back to the community he lives in.
While we were meeting as a group a man came up to us and asked if Mack was in. When we told him no he said he had a letter from a man that needed help. And that’s what Mack and the Lower 9th Village is all about. He looks at the people affected by Hurricane Katrina as individuals and caters to each of their needs one at a time making a dent in all the suffering and pain of people who still suffer from Katrina.
When I get home I know I will never be the same person. Sometimes I forget what is really important and then God or some force of good puts me in situations to remind me what I live for, other people. When I signed up for this experience I hadn’t really thought much about what I wanted out of it or what it might do to me. I had forgotten all about signing up for a J-term in the fall and met with my advisor to figure what I could do. I learned that magically a spot on the New Orleans trip opened last minute. It was fate that I am on this trip. I applied and got in. I didn’t realize how much I would really get out of this trip. I thought I’d come, and do a little service, see a city I hadn’t seen before, meet some awesome people, and maybe leave feeling like I had helped a community. But I didn’t realize that I would become part of a city I hadn’t seen before, meet some seriously life changing people, and leave feeling like there is so much more to life than what I have been doing and so much more this community needs that I can give. I’m coming back here there is no doubt about that. I plan to call on my community to
help The Lower 9th Ward Village. I want to come back here in the summer. And I never want to forget the lessons I’ve learned here. This trip has put a flame under my ass and I will make a difference.
While we were meeting as a group a man came up to us and asked if Mack was in. When we told him no he said he had a letter from a man that needed help. And that’s what Mack and the Lower 9th Village is all about. He looks at the people affected by Hurricane Katrina as individuals and caters to each of their needs one at a time making a dent in all the suffering and pain of people who still suffer from Katrina.
When I get home I know I will never be the same person. Sometimes I forget what is really important and then God or some force of good puts me in situations to remind me what I live for, other people. When I signed up for this experience I hadn’t really thought much about what I wanted out of it or what it might do to me. I had forgotten all about signing up for a J-term in the fall and met with my advisor to figure what I could do. I learned that magically a spot on the New Orleans trip opened last minute. It was fate that I am on this trip. I applied and got in. I didn’t realize how much I would really get out of this trip. I thought I’d come, and do a little service, see a city I hadn’t seen before, meet some awesome people, and maybe leave feeling like I had helped a community. But I didn’t realize that I would become part of a city I hadn’t seen before, meet some seriously life changing people, and leave feeling like there is so much more to life than what I have been doing and so much more this community needs that I can give. I’m coming back here there is no doubt about that. I plan to call on my community to
help The Lower 9th Ward Village. I want to come back here in the summer. And I never want to forget the lessons I’ve learned here. This trip has put a flame under my ass and I will make a difference.
http://www.lower9thwardvillage.org/new/
Friday January 13th 2012
Driving home today was sad because I felt like there was so much left for me to do but I was happy to be going home to my family, friends and well-paying job. Part of me can’t wait to be home because home is where my heart is. I have never lived anywhere but Dubuque so everything I know is there, much like the people affected by Katrina. Some people were 4th generation New Oleanians who have never stepped a foot out of the state let alone the city. I couldn’t imagine never being able to come home. I get home sick so easily. I miss the people the most. Never being able to see my neighbors again because of financial issues would be devastating. Even worse than being separated from my community and neighbors, would be being separated from my family. Every day I at least text my mom and I try to talk to my dad and brothers at least a few times a week. I go home about twice a week. I go home when I feel like things aren’t going right. Home is my safe place, home is comfort, home is where my heart is. But for some of the people affected by Katrina home doesn’t exist anymore. Home is a plot of land with grass 18 inches too long, home is where they are now. As much as I loved this trip and am sad I’m leaving I cannot wait to go home. Everything I love is there. It makes me think of the theme song from Cheers.
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name
Where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name
Martin Luther King Day 2012
The first thing I noticed was the date. Ironic that Martin Luther King gave the “I Have a Dream” speech exactly 42 years and 1 day before Katrina. A lot has changed in those 42 years. People of all colors are able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, yet still there is so much room for improvement when it comes to racism. Martin Luther King says in his speech,
“But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.”
It is perceived today that Martin Luther King’s Dream has come true, yet if you take a close look we are fare from the Dream becoming a reality and Katrina really put that into perspective. 42 years from the “I Have a Dream” speech discrimination and prejudice people still live. 42 years later black people have a higher rate of being in poverty than other races. 42 years later black people are still put in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land (i.e. the high amount of black people affected in the Lower 9th Ward after Katrina) And so it’s up to people like our class to stop this from still taking place. Eracism. You can kill the dreamer but you will never kill the dream.
Even in our reading for today Jeannie Haubert Weil exposes racism after Katrina. She talks about how generous people were when it came to leting refuges into their homes. Yet she points out that some places were discriminating aginst groups of people saying they would only let white people stay. Or saying their not racist, but my town is all-white. The study goes on to talk about how people justify their raisist actions. "I'm not racist but..." People who chose to only house white people in need felt the need to justify their choice. Just because you say not raisist and then proceed with your comment doesn't mean you are excempt from what you just said.
“But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.”
It is perceived today that Martin Luther King’s Dream has come true, yet if you take a close look we are fare from the Dream becoming a reality and Katrina really put that into perspective. 42 years from the “I Have a Dream” speech discrimination and prejudice people still live. 42 years later black people have a higher rate of being in poverty than other races. 42 years later black people are still put in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land (i.e. the high amount of black people affected in the Lower 9th Ward after Katrina) And so it’s up to people like our class to stop this from still taking place. Eracism. You can kill the dreamer but you will never kill the dream.
Even in our reading for today Jeannie Haubert Weil exposes racism after Katrina. She talks about how generous people were when it came to leting refuges into their homes. Yet she points out that some places were discriminating aginst groups of people saying they would only let white people stay. Or saying their not racist, but my town is all-white. The study goes on to talk about how people justify their raisist actions. "I'm not racist but..." People who chose to only house white people in need felt the need to justify their choice. Just because you say not raisist and then proceed with your comment doesn't mean you are excempt from what you just said.
January 18th 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2ZCpogav48
Lyrics to the song "Hell No We Ain't Alright"
By Public Enemy
[Chuck D: storm raging in the background]
Does it gotta come down to this...
In order to see things for what they are and what it is...
We still might not be free up in this piece
Or treated very equally as far as I can see...
Hell no we ain't alright!
[Chuck D (Flavor Flav)]
Now all these press conferences, breaking news alert (this just in)
While your government looks for a war to win
Flames for the blame game, names where I begin
Walls closin and get some help to my kin
(Who cares?) While the rest of the Bush nation stares
As the drama unfolds, as we the people under the stairs
Fifty percent of this "Son of a Bush" nation
is like, hatin on Haiti and settin up assassinations
Ask Pat Robertson, quiz him (mmm - smells like terrorism)
Racism in the news, still one-sided views
Sayin whites find food
Pray for the National Guard who be ready to shoot
Because they be sayin us blacks loot
(What is your boy "Son of a Bush" doin?)
[laughing]
(NUTTIN!)
[Chorus 1: x3]
New Orleans in the mornin afternoon and night
Hell naw! {HELL NAW} We ain't alright
[Chorus 2]
New Orleans in the mornin afternoon and night
Hell naw! "Damn, damn!"
[Chuck D (Flavor Flav)]
Now them fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, I don't mean to scare
... wasn't this written somewhere?
Disgrace is all I be seein is hurtin black faces
Moved out to all them far away places
(Emergency) state, corpses alligators and snakes
Big difference between this haze and (the little diamonds on the VMA's)
You better look what's really important
Y'all under the sun, especially if you over 21
This ain't no TV show, ain't no video (this is really real!)
Beyond them same ol' keep it real
quotes from them TV stars, drivin big rim cars
(streets keep floodin B)
No matter where you at no gas, driving is a luxury (urgency)
Don't y'all know? They said it's a state of emergency
Show somebody's government is far from reality
(Aiyyo check one two!)
[Chorus 1: repeat x4 instead of x3]
[TV broadcast samples]
And they don't have a CLUE of what's going on down there
I'm like you've gotta be kidding me, this is a NATIONAL disaster
It's awful down here man
God is lookin down on all this
And if they are not doin everything in their power to save people
They are gonna pay the price
[Chuck D (Flavor Flav)]
Now I see we be the new faces of refugees, who ain't even overseas
But stuck here on our knees
Forget the plasma TV, ain't no electricity
New world's upside down and OUT of order
Shelter, food, what's up yo? (Where's the water?)
No answers from disaster, them masses be hurtin
So who the f#$! they call -
HALLIBURTON?!
"Son of a Bush" how you gonna just trust that cat to fix
s%#t when all that help is stuck in Iraq?
Makin war plans takin more stands in Afghanistan
Two thousands soldiers there dyin in the sand
But that's over there, right? What's over here?
It's a noise so loud some of y'all can't hear
But on TV I know that I can see
Bunches of people, lookin just like me
[Chorus 1 x4: change city/state name each refrain]
[1:] New Orleans
[2:] Mississippi
[3:] Alabama
[4:] U.S.A.
[Chuck D]
We definitely ain't alright
And some of y'all voted for that cat! "Son of a Bush"
That's right, what God giveth sometimes your country taketh away
Yeah, one love, comin from Public Enemy, #1 y'all
Public Enemy, 2006
(yeah)
Public Enemy 2007, all gettin together now
[Flavor Flav]
Let me tell y'all somethin
All of our hearts is out there with y'all, you know what I'm sayin?
And we sendin trucks, we sendin boats
Boxes of.. cans of soup and everything
Clothes and all of that,
shoes
We donating everything to y'all, you know what I'm sayin?
Don't worry, y'all ain't by yourself
You need to know that
Lyrics to the song "Hell No We Ain't Alright"
By Public Enemy
[Chuck D: storm raging in the background]
Does it gotta come down to this...
In order to see things for what they are and what it is...
We still might not be free up in this piece
Or treated very equally as far as I can see...
Hell no we ain't alright!
[Chuck D (Flavor Flav)]
Now all these press conferences, breaking news alert (this just in)
While your government looks for a war to win
Flames for the blame game, names where I begin
Walls closin and get some help to my kin
(Who cares?) While the rest of the Bush nation stares
As the drama unfolds, as we the people under the stairs
Fifty percent of this "Son of a Bush" nation
is like, hatin on Haiti and settin up assassinations
Ask Pat Robertson, quiz him (mmm - smells like terrorism)
Racism in the news, still one-sided views
Sayin whites find food
Pray for the National Guard who be ready to shoot
Because they be sayin us blacks loot
(What is your boy "Son of a Bush" doin?)
[laughing]
(NUTTIN!)
[Chorus 1: x3]
New Orleans in the mornin afternoon and night
Hell naw! {HELL NAW} We ain't alright
[Chorus 2]
New Orleans in the mornin afternoon and night
Hell naw! "Damn, damn!"
[Chuck D (Flavor Flav)]
Now them fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, I don't mean to scare
... wasn't this written somewhere?
Disgrace is all I be seein is hurtin black faces
Moved out to all them far away places
(Emergency) state, corpses alligators and snakes
Big difference between this haze and (the little diamonds on the VMA's)
You better look what's really important
Y'all under the sun, especially if you over 21
This ain't no TV show, ain't no video (this is really real!)
Beyond them same ol' keep it real
quotes from them TV stars, drivin big rim cars
(streets keep floodin B)
No matter where you at no gas, driving is a luxury (urgency)
Don't y'all know? They said it's a state of emergency
Show somebody's government is far from reality
(Aiyyo check one two!)
[Chorus 1: repeat x4 instead of x3]
[TV broadcast samples]
And they don't have a CLUE of what's going on down there
I'm like you've gotta be kidding me, this is a NATIONAL disaster
It's awful down here man
God is lookin down on all this
And if they are not doin everything in their power to save people
They are gonna pay the price
[Chuck D (Flavor Flav)]
Now I see we be the new faces of refugees, who ain't even overseas
But stuck here on our knees
Forget the plasma TV, ain't no electricity
New world's upside down and OUT of order
Shelter, food, what's up yo? (Where's the water?)
No answers from disaster, them masses be hurtin
So who the f#$! they call -
HALLIBURTON?!
"Son of a Bush" how you gonna just trust that cat to fix
s%#t when all that help is stuck in Iraq?
Makin war plans takin more stands in Afghanistan
Two thousands soldiers there dyin in the sand
But that's over there, right? What's over here?
It's a noise so loud some of y'all can't hear
But on TV I know that I can see
Bunches of people, lookin just like me
[Chorus 1 x4: change city/state name each refrain]
[1:] New Orleans
[2:] Mississippi
[3:] Alabama
[4:] U.S.A.
[Chuck D]
We definitely ain't alright
And some of y'all voted for that cat! "Son of a Bush"
That's right, what God giveth sometimes your country taketh away
Yeah, one love, comin from Public Enemy, #1 y'all
Public Enemy, 2006
(yeah)
Public Enemy 2007, all gettin together now
[Flavor Flav]
Let me tell y'all somethin
All of our hearts is out there with y'all, you know what I'm sayin?
And we sendin trucks, we sendin boats
Boxes of.. cans of soup and everything
Clothes and all of that,
shoes
We donating everything to y'all, you know what I'm sayin?
Don't worry, y'all ain't by yourself
You need to know that
Chapter 15 is titled "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" Hip Hop and the Struggle for Katrina Justice.
Above is a rap by Public Enemy written after Katrina. It speaks about all the problems that exist after Katrina dealing with race and all the unjust actions taking place throughout our country. Rappers such as Public Enemy used their talents to expose what was really taking place after and during Katrina. My favorite line from the song above is "Son of a Bush." Today in class we discussed how poorly the first Bush dealt with Hurricane Andrew. Dade County's emergency operations director said this now famous quote when referring to the first Bush’s response to Hurricane Andrew, ““Where in the hell is the cavalry on this one? For God's sake, where are they?'' The second Bush did not learn from his father’s mistakes and again took days to respond to the need of the people. The pattern by both father and son show that maybe Kanyne West was right, “George Bush does not care about black people.”
The media portrayed black people as “looting” and whites as “finding food to survive.” Hip hop artists helped the truth become main stream. Hip hop artists wrote raps about what the media didn’t cover. This really makes me question our media. Is it directed toward a white demographic? Part of me thinks it is. The other part doesn’t want to but look at all the examples of the media portraying black people as looters, gang affiliates, and hoodlums. Yet white people as trying to survive. Hip hop helped expose the truth that the media left out.
Above is a rap by Public Enemy written after Katrina. It speaks about all the problems that exist after Katrina dealing with race and all the unjust actions taking place throughout our country. Rappers such as Public Enemy used their talents to expose what was really taking place after and during Katrina. My favorite line from the song above is "Son of a Bush." Today in class we discussed how poorly the first Bush dealt with Hurricane Andrew. Dade County's emergency operations director said this now famous quote when referring to the first Bush’s response to Hurricane Andrew, ““Where in the hell is the cavalry on this one? For God's sake, where are they?'' The second Bush did not learn from his father’s mistakes and again took days to respond to the need of the people. The pattern by both father and son show that maybe Kanyne West was right, “George Bush does not care about black people.”
The media portrayed black people as “looting” and whites as “finding food to survive.” Hip hop artists helped the truth become main stream. Hip hop artists wrote raps about what the media didn’t cover. This really makes me question our media. Is it directed toward a white demographic? Part of me thinks it is. The other part doesn’t want to but look at all the examples of the media portraying black people as looters, gang affiliates, and hoodlums. Yet white people as trying to survive. Hip hop helped expose the truth that the media left out.
January 19th 2012
Last Blog
While I was thinking about what I wanted to write my lost blog on I thought to myself, “I’m sure there were some really great political cartoons. There were cartoons on all the topics we have highlighted this j-term, there were a lot of cartoons dealing with FEMA and the government’s response, there were a few cartoons that talked about the children, but there were fewer on the racism that occurred before, during, and after Katrina, and some on the rebuilding of the city. I chose this one because the most shocking thing to me this j-term was the way the media fluffed that things in New Orleans were better when clearly they weren’t and still aren’t. In the book it says that only 75% of the New Orleans population has returned to Katrina and CNN reported in 2009 that most of the debris has been removed. Years after Katrina most of the debris has been cleared. Not all most. Before this class I was under the assumption that all of the debris had been cleared and that things in New Orleans had been fixed. Oh I was wrong.
