I was born in New Orleans and therefore I have many friends and family who live there. All of whom I have talked to have different perspectives on the events that occurred. Everyone has a different viewpoint on who was responsible for the terrible events, and different viewpoints on the actions that should have been taken. The video that we had watched in class was a good reflection on the thoughts throughout the community. The video showed many community members and officials who were involved in the catastrophic events, and they were able to give their personal thoughts on what really happened. Everyone who was interviewed all had a unique viewpoint on the events.
Some people blame President Bush, for not coming to New Orleans sooner, and not helping to his full extent. Some look towards the Governors and the mayor for not preparing the community for this disaster. I feel that anyway you look at this event there would be no way around any kind of disaster. Even if the state was prepared to the fullest, there would always be something that is out of everyone hands that cannot be controlled.
(To the left os a photo of President Bush, and Governor Blanco. Who had tried to blame Bush just before, for not catering to her demands for help from the federal government. Though, Bush on the other hand does not recognize any of these claims.)
On that note, I do feel that there is blame to be had in the overall situation. The problem that arose with Katrina was simply the lack of preparation. To me this falls in the hands of the state. After watching the video in class it seems that many officials were looking at one another wondering who would truly be in charge to take control of such an event. I feel that governor Blanco was the one who should have stepped up. The governor was told well before the hurricane that everyone must be evacuated. She knew how big the hurricane was going to be, though nothing happened until days after the hurricane hit. It is primarily the responsibility of the state to take control, if they are unable then they may choose to ask the federal government for help. The federal government is not allowed to step into a situation such as this, until the state asks otherwise. This was a huge mistake made by the Governor.
The video was interesting because Governor Blanco seemed to contradict herself. She tried to blame everyone around her for the lack of attention toward this event. Even though legally she is to blame. After talking to friends and family from New Orleans, reading the book Floodlines by Jordan Flaherty, I have come to the conclusion that the true problem was from the lack of attention beforehand. Why did it take so long for the National Guard to come to the south? Where were all the buses to take all the people out of New Orleans? Why did it take a week after the levees to break for Mayor Ray Nagin to come on to the radio crying; and wondering why things are so bad?
Well, I know the answer to these questions. PREPARATION! Which was not there. I think that the mayor’s radio interview had to be fake in a way. I am sure after seeing his home city destroyed and the hurt of all the people affected, that he was affected by it. I also think that he used that interview to try and block any possible negative attention he might get by showing how much he cares, and trying to deflect the responsibility to someone else. I may have fell for something like this, but you have to look at the timeline of when this radio interview had fallen. It was too late in my eyes.
The notice was out for all residents of New Orleans to leave. The government should have known that not everyone would leave. As seen in the video we watched in class, reasons people did not leave were the fact that they did not have the financial means to leave, no car, no money, and/or no place to go after they had left. Others did not leave simply because they felt as though it would be a waste of time and money to leave. Some felt that they could survive this storm, just as they did with Hurricane Betsy.
There should have been preparations for helping these people out, and to somewhere safe. There is no excuse to be made by these officials. Governor Blanco had the overall say of what would happen, and nothing did.
Why do you think so much of the conversation focuses on who is to blame for Katrina or the response and not who is to blame (or what is to blame -- institutionally) for persistence of segregation, poverty, inequality, wealth disparities? How does the failure to make those connections perpetuate those injustices? When did you leave New Orleans? Why did your family leave?
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