This is our debate
Driving to a friend's house last night, I saw a news advertisement on the side of the road that read "KATRINA: THIS IS OUR TSUNAMI." Firstly, I was suprised to see such widespread coverage of the hurricane here in South Africa. Before the storm, this was a story only followed by American news sites. But yesterday and today, the story was covered on the front page of several South African newspapers. So Katrina certainly made it to South Africa in the form of news coverage, if only amidst the aftermath.
I found an article in the Daily News (a Durban newspaper) and learned that the author of this quote was mayor AJ Holloway of Biloxi, Mississippi (I have since found it in many international newspapers). I thought about it a moment, and recalled the unimaginable death and destruction that occurred with the Tsunami that hit countries in the Indian Ocean in late 2004. Over 100,000 deaths, millions who were already poor lost everything they owned. I do not at all want to detract from the very dangerous hurricane that struck the Gulf Coast, but really, there is no comparison as far as sheer numbers are concerned. Sure, they both were both tragic natural disasters that resulted in flooding and devastating high waters. But in my mind, this is like comparing Hiroshima and Nagasaki to September 11th. They were both deliberate events, but are vastly different when you compare them on a scale of death and destruction. Not to mention the fact that those in New Orleans were well warned about the hurricane and had ample time to evacuate while Asian islanders were struck by flooding with absolutely no warning at all.
I worry that this is an example of some American's view that when it happens to us, its so much more important and dramatic than anywhere else in the world. Its a thought I have had lately, but dont know how much stock to put in a concern like this. It seems like every one is guilty of this accusation, including myself.
So while I feel nothing but genuine concern for those who lost their homes, their loved ones, or even their pets in Lousiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, this was no Tsunami. And I would feel the same if Katrina had flattened my home in Galveston.
Ok, I am getting potentially political here. I fear the backlash of someone who might have been affected by Katrina (and if so, I apologize in advance). I hope I havent offended anyone. But I would be curious to hear what others think. Is the devastation caused by Katrina comparable to the recent Tsunami that struck India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia? Is it appropriate or disparaging to make such comparisons? I dont necessarily know the answer the these questions, but would like to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to leave rational, respectful comments.
posted by Cully @ 9:54 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
I kinda agree with this blake guy. Lost lives tsunami no comparison. Sheer destruction, very similar(you'd be surprised how much destruction this thing caused)...Economically both are horrible(see gas prices which may rise over 4 dollars a gallon in the next month)...Either way, both are shitty and I hate to see it.
As usual, Blake brings up some excellent points. Obviously, there is no comparison in the loss of life that occurred with the Asian tsunami. And the economic burden may end up being greater after Katrina than the tsunami. But I believe this is true because the tsunami largely impacted persons in the developing world. There is not much economic loss when tens of thousands of huts are washed away from an island. The gulf coast is vastly more developed than most of the areas struck by the tsnuami, thus, there was a lot more to loose, from a strictly economic point of view).
But you are both right, its not really worth it to argue over which is worse, both are awful.
I guess what I am asking is whether comments like Mayor Holloway's are appropriate. I kind of dont think they are.
However, I certainly dont have the media access that most of you have in the states. As I learn more, I realize that this was a hurricane of historic proportions, and perhaps it does deserve some hyperbole.
When you watch the news, see journalists' pictures online, etc., what do you notice about who was left behind? Sure, there was an evacuation order and people knew a storm of incredible magnitude was coming, but you had to exist within a certain economic reality to escape- a car, money for gas, a hotel room or some other place to go. Many of us who know NOLA as the place for good times at Mardi Gras may miss the fact that it is one of the poorest, most economically deprived and segregated cities in our country. The people who stayed didn't do it for the fun of riding out a storm, they stayed because they didn't have the money to get out. It's the poor, African-American folks who (for the most part) are left in a city that is on the brink of chaos... And that's what makes it so depressing for me. We knew it was coming, we knew it would destroy New Orleans, but we didn't do all that much to help those we knew couldn't help themselves. I can't help wondering how the response might have been different had the people who were trapped there been of a different race or economic class.
Wow, Annie's accusatory liberal slant almost provides a more convincing counter-argument to my original post than Blake's does. I would never have seen that coming. I am impressed. As usual, Annie brings up a point I hadnt thought of. I agree, it was the poor & disadvantaged that remained and were forced to stay in awful places like the Superdome. I also wonder about those that decided to wait out the storm for fun, and how much fun they are having trying to get out of New Orleans (Note: I would likely have been one of those people).
Annie,
Who in your mind is responsible for this response?
I was half joking in my original comment about Annie's response. But in some sense, I do agree. I agree that it is tragic that the vast majority of people left behind were poor. That many were black does expose some of what is awful about America's past. Perhaps years of slavery, then segregation, then unfair civil rights has kept a race poor and uneducated in the US. There are not many places where this appears more true than in New Orleans. So, yes, I agree, this does expose something bad about America's past and present. If you are poor, uneducated, and black in New Orleans, you have fewer options than in other parts of America. Perhaps one of the options you do not have is the opportunity to avoid a large hurricane.
HOWEVER, I dont think the current situation has much to do with race, beyond exposing and broadcasting a problem all over the world that has been going on since the first slaves arrived in the US. I do not agree that America's failure/success to appropriately warn people or force evacuation has ANYTHING to do with race. Nor does the relief effort. If it were 25,000 white people trapped in the superdome, I would like to believe that we wouldnt have reacted any more quickly. A person is a person, whether they are black, white, a criminal, old, young, etc. I think our government tries to honor that assumption.
Regardless, I think people have posted inteligent, insightful comments, regadless of whether I agree or disagree. I didnt exactly expect this to be a discussion on racial prejudice in relief efforts, but its an interesting point.
And remember, its ok to say you agree or disagree and state why, but please continue to be respectful of everyone's opinion and intellect (as everyone has done so far).
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