The people stuck in NO seem to be mostly poor and black -

[Benbow]

Please tell me - a Brit - that this does not really affect how important the national media and the president rates this catastrophe?



The above is one of a series of images on the BBC web site, on a link from this page,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4199350.stm

that I had not seen until now.

[Walt Starr]

1. DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!

You're getting it. That's PRECISELY why Bush strummed while New Orleans drowned.

[SunDrop23]

6. I second that.

[Cobalt Violet]

2. If I told you that I'd be lying.

Repugs HATE the poor. And the near poor too.

[etherealtruth]

3. self delete

at a glance I misinterpreted the intent of the OP

[nonconformist]

9. From Wikipedia:

As of the census of 2000, there are 484,674 people, 188,251 households, and 112,950 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,036.4/km² (2,684.3/mi²). There are 215,091 housing units at an average density of 459.9/km² (1,191.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 28.05% White, 67.25% African American, 0.20% Native American, 2.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 3.06% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 188,251 households out of which 29.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% are married couples living together, 24.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% are non-families. 33.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.48 and the average family size is 3.23.

In the city the population is spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $27,133, and the median income for a family is $32,338. Males have a median income of $30,862 versus $23,768 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,258. 27.9% of the population and 23.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 40.3% of those under the age of 18 and 19.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

[etherealtruth]

17. Thank you n/t

[Lecky]

4. I don't see anyone making light of this catastrophe in the U.S. media

[Dogmudgeon]

5. Look! It's a band of rowdy LOOTERS!

:sarcasm:

--p!

[babylonsister]

7. We've had nothing but Katrina on nat'l media

24/7 since she hit, and it's ongoing. As for the blivet, actions speak louder than words and he's no where to be found. And frankly, I don't miss him.

[pippin]

8. You Got it Mate

I posted this on another thread:

"The real cause why Bush and company don't care? Because so many of those affected are Black and/ or poor? If this were an affluent, white region of the country I'll bet there'd be efforts at mobilizing rescue and resources. Someone is probably going to say I am playing the race card but I've never believed that the current facist bunch in the white house ever cared a hoot for people of color. What's happening now in the wake of Katrina is evidence enough."

[tx_dem41]

10. To be honest....New Orleans has a 70% majority of African-Americans...

and it is a very poor town....so that does skew the image somewhat. But, I agree with your basic sentiment.

[confludemocrat]

11. Saw cops manhandling the "looters" (scrounging for food,h20) on TV

Was watching TV 5 the French langauge TV with my wife. These poeple are destitute, nowhere to go, emerging from stores having bags of groceries and water, sometimes clothes, knocked out of their arms with trunchens or billy clubs and into the ankle to knee deep water by fat cops. All black or latino. All cops in scenes were not.

Way to keep law and order, deprive these victims of everything when those goods will be under water soon anyway or will mildew and rot during the many, many weeks it will take if ever for those stores to get back on line.

[Tikki]

12. His lack of action and his lack of compassion to...

...this tragedy is his 'code speak'...(in this case his silence speaks)...to his bigoted base.




Tikki

[theboss]

13. The population of New Orleans is mostly poor and black

So...statistically, there you go.

According to the last cesus it is 67.25 percent black.

And the poverty rate is at a massive 34 percent.

[HamdenRice]

14. New Orleans is poor and black, and evacuation further segregated it ...

because the only people left behind were those who were too poor or too sick to leave. There is a black middle class in NO, and most of them left also, leaving behind people who were already in desperate circumstances before the storm.

I wouldn't say that the news media will focus less on Katrina's aftermath, but it colors their perspective.

For example, this morning all of the "personal stories" parts of the morning newscasts were with white, middle class families. The stories of typical NO residents were not told: you saw them from a distance, trudging through water, or huddled in masses at the Superdome or looting.

Oh yeah, and in deep NO, the accent can be impenetrable for a typical northern reporter and audience.

Most reporters simply don't feel comfortable talking to a typical NO left behind resident.

<edited>

[jeffrey_X]

15. Why do you think Bush* has stayed away?

All the people with resources (i.e. white), were able to escape and leave town.

This disaster is really telling in terms of the structure of our society. It's really sad when you think about it.

[rodeodance]

16. saw lots of disabled in Wheel chairs also, many old, of all colors.