A not so wordless Wordless Wednesday for you.
In the beginning there were a lot of words, most of them hollow. 2 years later there is an odd silence on the subject. How many people not living in the Gulf Region and New Orleans in particular think about the progress or lack there of? Do you?
I was home sick when Katrina hit and I watched the CNN nearly 24/7 for the first week. I have never, in my life, been so embarrassed and horrified by my government. I have never in my life been so enraged at the politicians who have not forgotten the mantra of "the government of the people, for the people and by the people" - they merely hold themselves above those standards.
They call it "executive privilege." I call it bullshit. I can honestly say that had that plane carrying Bush to NOLA gone down I would have been drinkin and dancing in the streets. If that makes me un American and pisses you off, fine and dandy and deal with it in that order.
Today, on the 2nd anniversary of Katrina I bring you clips from people in NOLA and the Gulf coast. Most use clips from Spike Lee's When The Levees Broke - A Requiem In 4 Acts. Say what you will about Spike's politcal agenda, which for the record I do not always agree with, this is Katrina through the eyes of those who lived - and didn't - through her.
The population of New Orleans remains 40% less than pre-Katrina. There are people there who are still STILL waiting for a FEMA trailer, or God helps us, power and water to the ones they have. This is not Louisiana's tragedy. Or Mississippi's or Alabama's. This is my tragedy and your tragedy as well. This is America. The richest and most powerful country on the planet. And this is the best that we could do? Is this how we built America? This is not what I think of when I think of America, land of opportunity.
A video montage using clips from Levees from Youtube. Note - there is some very difficult footage in this clip.
How can American Citizens be refugees?
Fuck you, indeed, Mr. Cheney. And Bless You, Ben Marble MD. I would love to buy this man a beer.
Longer segement from Levees.
The Lower 9th Ward. One year later. YEAR, not month.
The Lower 9th Ward as of June 2007 - nearly 2 years later. This is a fabulous piece I highly recommend. One artists video slide show following one street from the lower to the upper 9th ward for 60 blocks. Her narration of her time in New Orleans and her quest for a mailbox is poetic. Yes, a mailbox.
Shelton Shakespeare Alexander Poem for New Orleans.
In the beginning there were a lot of words, most of them hollow. 2 years later there is an odd silence on the subject. How many people not living in the Gulf Region and New Orleans in particular think about the progress or lack there of? Do you?
I was home sick when Katrina hit and I watched the CNN nearly 24/7 for the first week. I have never, in my life, been so embarrassed and horrified by my government. I have never in my life been so enraged at the politicians who have not forgotten the mantra of "the government of the people, for the people and by the people" - they merely hold themselves above those standards.
They call it "executive privilege." I call it bullshit. I can honestly say that had that plane carrying Bush to NOLA gone down I would have been drinkin and dancing in the streets. If that makes me un American and pisses you off, fine and dandy and deal with it in that order.
Today, on the 2nd anniversary of Katrina I bring you clips from people in NOLA and the Gulf coast. Most use clips from Spike Lee's When The Levees Broke - A Requiem In 4 Acts. Say what you will about Spike's politcal agenda, which for the record I do not always agree with, this is Katrina through the eyes of those who lived - and didn't - through her.
The population of New Orleans remains 40% less than pre-Katrina. There are people there who are still STILL waiting for a FEMA trailer, or God helps us, power and water to the ones they have. This is not Louisiana's tragedy. Or Mississippi's or Alabama's. This is my tragedy and your tragedy as well. This is America. The richest and most powerful country on the planet. And this is the best that we could do? Is this how we built America? This is not what I think of when I think of America, land of opportunity.
A video montage using clips from Levees from Youtube. Note - there is some very difficult footage in this clip.
How can American Citizens be refugees?
Fuck you, indeed, Mr. Cheney. And Bless You, Ben Marble MD. I would love to buy this man a beer.
Longer segement from Levees.
The Lower 9th Ward. One year later. YEAR, not month.
The Lower 9th Ward as of June 2007 - nearly 2 years later. This is a fabulous piece I highly recommend. One artists video slide show following one street from the lower to the upper 9th ward for 60 blocks. Her narration of her time in New Orleans and her quest for a mailbox is poetic. Yes, a mailbox.
Shelton Shakespeare Alexander Poem for New Orleans.
In addition, please head on over to the couch and read a post from our good friend Bond on the sad state of FEMA.
Thanks for the reminder Bond!
