The flood
Fridays are my busiest days with high school football, but today is especially busy since I'm trying to handle things so that I won't have to write anything until next Wednesday. Meaning that next Tuesday, when I get back from visiting home for the first time all year, I won't be rushing into the office trying bang out 30-inches of copy.
So, I'm not gonna be able to spend enough time on this Katrina subject as I'd like. I could wait to do this tomorrow when I'll spend 6+ hours in an airport or on an airplane. But this morning, as I was cleaning my crib, I had CNN playing as my backdrop music. In the mornings, I usually have my living room TV on the morning shows and then CNN; and my bedroom tv on ESPN (in the afternoon, the living tv switches to the Food Network). Well today's CNN music was just as morbid and sobering as it's been all week. And the accompanying outrage, sadness and uncertainty was coupled with irritation and frustration this morning, since I had to listen to the Pres bump his gums in that stupid good ol' boy souther drawl. Still, this New Orleans thing keeps spiraling downward. The nation just can't seem to halt things, even as the National Guard sets up the militia today.
As I've been watching and thinking these past days, here a couple things that stay on my mind...
--- What's the deal on not handling this levee situation years ago? Especially after numerous reports have come out that document foreknowledge on possible disaster. This morning CNN was interviewing reporters from the Times-Picayune (New Orleans' paper) about the in-depth series that ran in that paer back in 2002. Why lollygag? It boggles my mind how we seem to take Mother Nature for granted, when mother nature is a bonafide beast. Tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes.
But apparently the Louisiana Powers that Be tried to call nature's bluff. it wasn't a good idea. We and especially the citizens of New Orleans need some answers. someone has to be accountablle for this negligence.
--- the whole race issue is UNDEIABLY relevant and warranted. white people get sick of race entering the discussion on topics like this because they feel its out of place, but what many Americans continue to fail to realize is that race informs EVERY aspect of this country. there are tons of racial issues being played out with this tragedy from the way looters are being portrayed in the media, to who was left in New Orleans and why, to the nations response time.
I'm going on record right now: "Go get that gear homey", "Go get them food items Mommy" -- go get whatever you wanna get. I've never stolen a thing in my life, but can we please dispense with the outrage of poor people taking insured items in this state of chaos. If my city is flooded, I'm swimming my hefty a%^ to the nearest food store and gettin buck wild, believe me. I won't go kop a teklevision or XBox, but who cares?! the owners will file insurance and that poor person has a memento, probably the only slice of joy, from what will forver be weeks of tragedy. Get off their nuts! And you BETTER not say that white people are finding bread, but a pre-teen black boy looted a 12-pack of pepsi. would you rather him drink the dirty water he's wading through? water that hosts dead corpses, disease-carrying mosquitos, urine, feces, blood and semen? Is that what you want? Because it's not like these people can go to a shelter and get fed and clothed. So lets put things into perspective. Lets put on the empathy shoes and a couple blocks.
--- I can only imagine whats going on in the Super Dome and Astrodome. Those type of situations bring out the worst in many people. When hope is negligible and the conditions are that precarious, humans will really start stooping to some ridiculous depths. Especially poor people. Who do you think was left behind? Think about niggas from the hood all of sudden propped in close quarters, perhaps with some niggas from another hood that they have beef with. This is not the movies yall. Thats a recipe for some ill things going down. Fights? Of course. Gun play? Maybe. Part of me wants America to see the state of some of its citizens. But then the other part of me knows that when America sees these citizens, they will conveniently put them in a box labeled, Niggers or Po Folk or Uncivilized or Sub-human. They won't see what's going down...the unrest, the crack viles laying around the bathroom stalls, the stomach-turning report of a lil girl being raped...they won't see any of that recognize that its a problem that plagues the country as whole and the world, too. starts with morals and education and hope.
I'm tellin you, this situation really has me bugged because I see all my people just squandered in this flooded city. But here's the thing. That's a typical scene in underdeveloped countries. lets not forget that. we're so appalled right now that its happening here. but what about Nigeria or Cambodia or Kazahkstan? What? they WISh they could go "loot" food store for some diet pepsi.
The world has gone from bad to worse and is going from worse to unbelievable. Where's your hope coming from? Just let me put that question out there....where's your hope coming from?
--- There are three American cities that yet to visit that I've yet to visit that I always wanted to experience: Las Vegas, Chicago and New Orleans. Thats it. My American to-do list is fortunately that short. And there was no doubt in my mind I'd visit each city within the next two years, probably on the St. Pete Times dollar. Well when, if, I finally get to New Orlenas, will it really be New Orleans? Yes that's a self absorbed question to be asking during this time, but it's very important to me right now.
Bourbon St., I always wanted to experience that. I always wanted to take in the French Quarter. And you know about me and restaurants, well word on the street from many food experts is that N.O. may be America's finest city when it comes to eating. GQ did a vacation guide to N.O. a couple months agao and my jaw dropped when i read about some of these restaurants. Rachel Ray's $40-day was stupendous in the Big Easy. I could see myself now eating 4 to 5 meals a day, gaining like 30 lbs in 3 days. I was gonna do it up real rich and glutton-like.
And then there's the jazz history. Although jazz evolved to its current sophistication and fostered its modern language in NYC, it was born in N.O. That means a lot to me. That where Satchjmo created the original language of jazz. Its where the Marsalises were born. I mean, I always wanted to go see a vaudeville show. yeah its risque and vulgar, but i just wanted to get that taste of what jazz was like when it took its first steps and first learned how to ride a bike. It's what CNN is gonna do when they profile me in 2012, they're gonna take a trip to Buff to see how I grew up. Let me guarantee this: its highly unlikely that jazz specific landmarks will be high on the list of revitalizing. And that just can't be.
The Pres told everyone not to worry, that N.O. will be N.O. again in the near future. but will it? i hope so.
So, I'm not gonna be able to spend enough time on this Katrina subject as I'd like. I could wait to do this tomorrow when I'll spend 6+ hours in an airport or on an airplane. But this morning, as I was cleaning my crib, I had CNN playing as my backdrop music. In the mornings, I usually have my living room TV on the morning shows and then CNN; and my bedroom tv on ESPN (in the afternoon, the living tv switches to the Food Network). Well today's CNN music was just as morbid and sobering as it's been all week. And the accompanying outrage, sadness and uncertainty was coupled with irritation and frustration this morning, since I had to listen to the Pres bump his gums in that stupid good ol' boy souther drawl. Still, this New Orleans thing keeps spiraling downward. The nation just can't seem to halt things, even as the National Guard sets up the militia today.
As I've been watching and thinking these past days, here a couple things that stay on my mind...
--- What's the deal on not handling this levee situation years ago? Especially after numerous reports have come out that document foreknowledge on possible disaster. This morning CNN was interviewing reporters from the Times-Picayune (New Orleans' paper) about the in-depth series that ran in that paer back in 2002. Why lollygag? It boggles my mind how we seem to take Mother Nature for granted, when mother nature is a bonafide beast. Tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes.
But apparently the Louisiana Powers that Be tried to call nature's bluff. it wasn't a good idea. We and especially the citizens of New Orleans need some answers. someone has to be accountablle for this negligence.
--- the whole race issue is UNDEIABLY relevant and warranted. white people get sick of race entering the discussion on topics like this because they feel its out of place, but what many Americans continue to fail to realize is that race informs EVERY aspect of this country. there are tons of racial issues being played out with this tragedy from the way looters are being portrayed in the media, to who was left in New Orleans and why, to the nations response time.
I'm going on record right now: "Go get that gear homey", "Go get them food items Mommy" -- go get whatever you wanna get. I've never stolen a thing in my life, but can we please dispense with the outrage of poor people taking insured items in this state of chaos. If my city is flooded, I'm swimming my hefty a%^ to the nearest food store and gettin buck wild, believe me. I won't go kop a teklevision or XBox, but who cares?! the owners will file insurance and that poor person has a memento, probably the only slice of joy, from what will forver be weeks of tragedy. Get off their nuts! And you BETTER not say that white people are finding bread, but a pre-teen black boy looted a 12-pack of pepsi. would you rather him drink the dirty water he's wading through? water that hosts dead corpses, disease-carrying mosquitos, urine, feces, blood and semen? Is that what you want? Because it's not like these people can go to a shelter and get fed and clothed. So lets put things into perspective. Lets put on the empathy shoes and a couple blocks.
--- I can only imagine whats going on in the Super Dome and Astrodome. Those type of situations bring out the worst in many people. When hope is negligible and the conditions are that precarious, humans will really start stooping to some ridiculous depths. Especially poor people. Who do you think was left behind? Think about niggas from the hood all of sudden propped in close quarters, perhaps with some niggas from another hood that they have beef with. This is not the movies yall. Thats a recipe for some ill things going down. Fights? Of course. Gun play? Maybe. Part of me wants America to see the state of some of its citizens. But then the other part of me knows that when America sees these citizens, they will conveniently put them in a box labeled, Niggers or Po Folk or Uncivilized or Sub-human. They won't see what's going down...the unrest, the crack viles laying around the bathroom stalls, the stomach-turning report of a lil girl being raped...they won't see any of that recognize that its a problem that plagues the country as whole and the world, too. starts with morals and education and hope.
I'm tellin you, this situation really has me bugged because I see all my people just squandered in this flooded city. But here's the thing. That's a typical scene in underdeveloped countries. lets not forget that. we're so appalled right now that its happening here. but what about Nigeria or Cambodia or Kazahkstan? What? they WISh they could go "loot" food store for some diet pepsi.
The world has gone from bad to worse and is going from worse to unbelievable. Where's your hope coming from? Just let me put that question out there....where's your hope coming from?
--- There are three American cities that yet to visit that I've yet to visit that I always wanted to experience: Las Vegas, Chicago and New Orleans. Thats it. My American to-do list is fortunately that short. And there was no doubt in my mind I'd visit each city within the next two years, probably on the St. Pete Times dollar. Well when, if, I finally get to New Orlenas, will it really be New Orleans? Yes that's a self absorbed question to be asking during this time, but it's very important to me right now.
Bourbon St., I always wanted to experience that. I always wanted to take in the French Quarter. And you know about me and restaurants, well word on the street from many food experts is that N.O. may be America's finest city when it comes to eating. GQ did a vacation guide to N.O. a couple months agao and my jaw dropped when i read about some of these restaurants. Rachel Ray's $40-day was stupendous in the Big Easy. I could see myself now eating 4 to 5 meals a day, gaining like 30 lbs in 3 days. I was gonna do it up real rich and glutton-like.
And then there's the jazz history. Although jazz evolved to its current sophistication and fostered its modern language in NYC, it was born in N.O. That means a lot to me. That where Satchjmo created the original language of jazz. Its where the Marsalises were born. I mean, I always wanted to go see a vaudeville show. yeah its risque and vulgar, but i just wanted to get that taste of what jazz was like when it took its first steps and first learned how to ride a bike. It's what CNN is gonna do when they profile me in 2012, they're gonna take a trip to Buff to see how I grew up. Let me guarantee this: its highly unlikely that jazz specific landmarks will be high on the list of revitalizing. And that just can't be.
The Pres told everyone not to worry, that N.O. will be N.O. again in the near future. but will it? i hope so.
posted by Twistinado @ 3:04 PM
2 Comments:
At 2:34 PM,
Anonymous said…
Vince I counldn't agree with you more about the way the country is responding to this horrible set of events.
I read somewhere that over 25% of the population of New Orleans lives below the poverty line...and some boneheaded journalist had the audacity to say that this was the peoples fault for not leaving. Are you serious, first of all these people are dirt poor and have no place to go. So many thousands of people lost everything they had.
As for the levee situation the only way it can be explained is sheer stupidity. I also think that they were basing it on the fact that nothing really major has happened to New Orleans in rescent history. With all of the hurricanes that struck last year, they came out fine. And in all honesty they would have been ok this time had the levee not broken(oops, guess they should have fixed that).
Sadly I cant really imagine New Orleans ever being what it was. It is going to take a gargantuan effert to rebuild the city and make it even a city much less what it was. Look at it this way, after 9/11, how long did it take NYC to recover. Some might argue that it still hasn't, and this is 4 years later in the largest city in the world, also keeping in mind that the entire city was not destroyed. New Orleans is completely submerged in water, coupled with the fact that the entire city is below sea level, and they have nowhere near the economic resources of NYC. I don't see N.O. being N.O. anywhere near soon, and possibly not in our lifetime.
At 9:51 PM,
Anonymous said…
im not vince, but i feel the need to answer the question about what my big brother kanye said on tv. i wish i had seen it live!!!! I only heard about it here and there, but I rescently saw it on MSNBC.COM and i loved every second of it. I was thinking all the things he said, and I wish I was in the spotlight to say it. I am sure that he is not the only black celeb who is feeling those same things, he was the one with the balls to say. I love it!!! I really love the way he ended it "George Bush doesn't care about black people" in a real monotone matter of fact way, to let you know he is dead serious.
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