We republicans will continue dismissing what happened with Katrina at our own peril. The fact is that it was a great disaster and no level of government responded well to it.

We will get more with symphathy for the hardship they faced than with calling their leaders "asswipes".

CWC

I'm sorry, but when was Sean Penn designated a "leader"?

And Lee's sophistry in allowing the 'conspiracy' mongering is of a kind as allowing voice to Holocaust deniers during a WWII documentary.

Sean Penn is noone's leader and Jesse jackson is a shakedown artist. Please.

Thank you Clearwater for actually being what I thought conservatives were suppose to be. I cannot tell you the heartbreak I, as a conservative natve New Orleanian, have experienced from my own party's lack of compassion or understanding. I don't know where Spike Lee is going with this documentary. I signed up for HBO this month just to see it. All I know is that it will be better that Hastert's reaction to our tragedy was.

Here is bit from the write up in the Times Picayune:

Lee interviewed more than 100 local newsmakers and citizens for the project, and he said he learned something about us from them.

"What I was really amazed by was the spirit of the people of New Orleans," he said, during a recent meeting with TV critics in Los Angeles. "We know that there are people that aren't coming back, but the majority of them are going to stick it out. And we interviewed so many people who said, 'I was born here. I'm going to die here.' And they mean that.

"Another thing I found amazing was the humor. Even though all the stuff they'd gone through, there were still many times where the stuff they were saying had the crew dying laughing. I know it might seem like it's gallows humor, but just the spirit of the people -- I think that's what makes New Orleans the most unique city in America.

"And that's tough for me to say, being from New York. But I got to give it up. New Orleans does hold that distinction. And you see it in the people."

The award for stupidest comparison ever goes to Darleen for comparing conspiracy theorists in N.O. to Holocaust deniers.

Hey Clearwater & doctorj--how dare you not try to put any implicitly racist partisan spin on this! It's an election year, and with a bit of conceptual gymnastics this issue can be spun into a real winner. You guys lookin' to get swiftboated?

Greenstarter, I don't understand your post. One of the things that made me the sickest was everybody dividing things up, including the body count, into whte and black. These were New Orleanians! These were Americans! The America I thought existed doesn't. The America I loved would not let one of its own cities rot and leave it's citizens to suffer the way they have let New Orleans and the Gulf Coast suffer. I am forever changed.

I signed up for HBO this month just to see it.

You'll kick yourself for not waiting a few months for it to show up in Wal-Marts remainder bins. Could have saved yourself a bob or two.

There was a story on NPR this afternoon about the documentary. The NPR lady was asking the HBO lady whether it was appropriate to include interviews with people saying they thought the government blew up the levees to protect rich white peoples homes. She (HBO) defended it by saying Spike was simply letting people explain what they thought and it was "thier" opinion.

But several months ago, Spike Lee, on the Bill Maher show said the goverment blew up the levees. So the HBO spin is crap.

This is the jerk who joked about murdering CHARELTON HESTON i mean who dose this idiot think he is besides one of hollywoods worse directors besides OLIVER STONE,MICHEAL MOORE,MARTIN SCORSEE i mean this idiot tried to get blacks to leave their jobs and skip school to see his junk movie MALCOM X

krazy kagu, people like you make me glad that I am not a republican. And clearwatercons... just who is this THEIR you are talking about?

"We will get more with symphathy [sic] they faced than with calling their leaders 'asswipes'"

Huh? That quote says all you need to know about todays GOP. Here is a tip for you: Try viewing black people as you would any other group or person that you would want to welcome to your party, and not some others (or them) from another planet, that you have to discuss and view in an entirely different context than you would anyone else.

Geez!

ClearwaterConservative,

You want to see some action on the NOLA front?

Take the corrupt and clueless New Orleans city government and the State of Louisiana out of the loop. That is where the problem lies, hun. We all know that.

doctorj, I was being sarcastic, and was implicitly complimenting you for allowing human decency to trump partisan politics.
________________________

Nahanni, please go tell everybody from New Orleans who saw GWB, Cheney, and Chertoff do nothing for days following the collapse of the levees that the failure was purely local. Because apparently they aren't aware yet, as most of them hold the administration accountable. Let me know how that goes.
________________________

Hey Field-Negro: Clarence Thomas! Umm.... that crazy guy who disowned his lesbian daughter for her "hedonistic lifestyle"! Uhh... umm.... Malcolm X wanted black people to vote for Goldwater, so he sort of counts... Point is, the GOP is a big tent (with segregated seating arrangements and water fountains for people who prefer that sort of thing).

greenstater

People who steadfastly believe in "conspiracies" regardless of reality are one in the same... be it N.O. "the levees were blown up", to 9/11 "WTC was blown up and there was no jet into the Pentagon" to the Holocaust "there was no systematic genocide. Those people died of typhoid and it is a Jewish conspiracy to suggest otherwise."

Spike's inclusion of a N.O. conspiracy is as revealing of him as Howard Dean's "neutrality" regarding 9/11 being an "inside job."

DocJ

Why does N.O. have to be about feelings? How about a little reality check...including why Nagin left hundreds of buses unused and Blanco's unconscionable dithering about troops.

And excuse me, a native So. Cal, who has friends in Northridge (1994 earthquake) where it took 5 or more years to complete repairs, and even with fast response and huge incentives it took almost two years to repair the highways, if I roll my eyes a bit at the histrionics that N.O. isn't a pristine new city after only one year.

LOOK TO YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT and hold them responsible.

Because apparently they aren't aware yet, as most of them hold the administration accountable.

They don't know any better, eh, green? They can't be expected to actually, you know, learn the facts and act accordingly?

WHO is the racial bigot?

Darleen, you're hilarious. Do you not understand the dissimilarity between denying the Holocaust and suggesting that rich people blew up the levees? I'll spell it out for you: one of these conspiracies (Katrina) is propagated by victims, and the other (Holocaust) is condemned by them. One is evil, and one is naive and misguided (assuming it isn't true). Your comparison was stupid.

If Katrina had happened on Clinton's watch, you would still be screaming for impeachment. Anybody who knows the facts knows that Nagin and Blanco were in over their heads, and they screwed up. They also know that the administration failed. EVEN IF it was a "local" problem that a city was totally submerged under filthy water, Bush could have showed leadership and taken the reins. He didn't. Was he legally obligated to? No, but morally, he was. "Gee, I'd love to rescue all of you but it's a state-level issue" sounds as immoral as it is. He's a loser president, and Katrina made that clear.

As for what you parsed out of my post at 1:14, I was being facetious. To imply that everyone who "has the facts" would refuse to allow Bush/Cheney/Chertoff to take any of the blame for this disaster is asinine. Nahanni made that implication, and so have you.

You should really drop the issue because it's a 100% loser for Republicans and presumably you want the GOP to retain control of Congress.

If Katrina had happened on Clinton's watch, you would still be screaming for impeachment

EVEN IF it was a "local" problem that a city was totally submerged under filthy water, Bush could have showed leadership and taken the reins.

Green, what is in your granola?

Total area of New Orleans (Land and Water): 350 sq miles

Total Area of Federal Disaster Declarations for Katrina 90,000 sq miles.

I am always amazed that when people talk about Katrina they only talk about New Orleans as if that was the only thing damaged by the hurricane. 238 people were also killed in Mississippi.

To repeat, Katrina devastated 90,000 sq miles of area. That includes New Orleans to be sure. And I am not minimizing the catastrophe of New Orleans. But many people tend to lose perspective of the immensity of the problem that the Federal gov't was dealing with. The Fed didn't just have New Orleans to contend with, they had a disaster that affected New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

Greenstater consider this concerning Hurricane Floyd which took place in 1999 during Clinton's administration.

The Hurricane Floyd disaster was followed by what many judged to be a very slow federal response. Fully three weeks after the storm hit, Jesse Jackson complained to FEMA Director James Lee Witt on his CNN program Both Sides Now, "It seemed there was preparation for Hurricane Floyd, but then came Flood Floyd. Bridges are overwhelmed, levees are overwhelmed, whole towns under water ... [it's] an awesome scene of tragedy. So there's a great misery index in North Carolina." Witt responded, "We're starting to move the camper trailers in. It's been so wet it's been difficult to get things in there, but now it's going to be moving very quickly. And I think you're going to see a — I think the people there will see a big difference [within] this next weekend!"

emphasis mine

Hurricane Floyd was noting compared to Katrina. Yet it took Clinton's FEMA 3 weeks to respond to the problems there. Do you still think Clinton would have done a better job with Katrina?

Sorry, but I've got to cut and run--surgery today, four days of recovery in hospital, then I move to Korea.

I'm sure you people will still be here in a year when I get back. =)

NPR has a report. It sounds like Spike let all voices be heard.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5641453

Anyone know if Spike Lee is only going to talk about New Orleans?

Initially, I was very sympathetic to the NOLA area after the hurricane hit. Along with many in this nation, I sent supplies, etc. too. However, when I read of the abuses and misappropriation by some of the recipients of the government's aid (also translated "my tax money"), that's when I said, 'no mas.' Good people do what they can to get life on track, but others insist on making the victim role their life-long endeavor and keeping their hand out for more.

Big Mo,
It is only about New Orleans if the title is correct.
TG,
If you look at the location of the the corruption it is usually people not from Louisiana. It is hustlers trying to take advantage of their federal connections, or people in other states trying to pass themselves off as Katrina victims. I am sure there was overspending with the $2000 cards because they were throwing them around like candy. Government mis-management and poor oversite is the reason for this over spending. You would think a conservative would recognize that, but when it is a conservative government doing it, the conservatives turn a blind eye. I am sorry you lost your sympathy, but it tells me more about you than it does New Orleans.

What a bunch of racist lunatics!!
We have to thank GW for letting you people out of your fucking caves!!
Do us all a favor and go back to sleep!!
Geojazz

The people that the local government "did not care about", did not have a problem voting Nagin back into office even when they were not even living here.

Being from one of the hardest hit areas outside of NOLA, Chalmette, when I go home I actually see progress where I live. In the 9th Ward there is none, there are people who are actually moving back to that area, but compared to Chalmette the progress is just not there. The crime has got so bad in the NOLA that they had to call in the National Guard to help out NOPD.

The people who are saying that it is racial and a conspiracy are crazy! Everyone, except for my Aunt, in my family lost EVERYTHING and we are not African American and we are not rich. Just on a personal level it is hard to hear when people say that, "they blew up the levees" or something about leaving the races behind. When do people start taking care of themselves? The government can only do so much? You live in SE Louisiana and a hurricane is coming, YOU LEAVE! Everyone knows that. I know a lot of those people stayed because they wanted to. My dad almost stayed, be he left because my sister's car broke and he had to drive her. A few of my sister's friends did stay and had to ride around in boats for a week rescuing people. My friend's parents were on their roof for 4 days. I am just tired of the whole hurricane being focused on one group of people who think they were the only ones that were left after the levees broke, when there were so many more that were hurt. I work at Wal Mart in South Mississippi, where i go to school, and was getting so mad when people would come in and buy TVs and needless items with FEMA checks. Also people who did not need relief money applying for it just because they were in the desaster area.

I'm sorry if this was the wrong place for this I just saw this thread and had to comment.

The problems we suffered were not really a race problem but a class problem. New Orleans has one of the highest percentages (24%) of residents without cars or reliable transportation. This is directly related to income/education.

Until New Orleans takes education reform seriously this will contunue to be a problem.

Good afternoon,

I listened to Tom Journer this morning and heard Spike's interview. I can't wait to see another one of Spike's films! He is very talented & gifted.

I hope Spike's next vision is to conduct interviews about what is on our minds and hearts regarding this tragic & senseless event that has effected everyone, one way or another. Interviewing at least 10 people that had no direct effect from the Katrina experience and listen to what they have to say. I think you would be very surprised at what you will learn.

Always: Love, Peace & Harmony

Mahogany

First of all Eric, the movie is focused on the MANMADE disaster of the levees failing, not necessarily the NATURAL disaster of Katrina itself, though Katrina is the straw that broke the camel's back. This focus of the film highlights not the natural disaster of Katrina (as in hurricane Floyd [or Andrew, or any earthquake, etc.]), but rather the film highlights the HUMAN component, and why our system has failed to meet the needs of thousands of people using the storm as a backdrop. Do not be fooled, these are real needs with real people behind them, no one wants to live in a trailer in a trailer park. Today there was a story in the Times-Picayune about how many ninth ward residents still have no potable water. These residents have formed a group called ACORN and are fighting local government and the sewage and water board tooth and nail to even have the opportunity to have clean water in a FEMA trailer! Let me reiterate that this story was ran today! The failures came, as KB504 suggests, when the government could not identify who needed help. This is a problem that has been around since Katrina hit land, the government (at its highest levels) claims it had no knowledge that the levees would not withstand forces of hurricane strength. To this, many agencies have cried "shenanigans", but worse would be if the government was telling the truth. I am infinitely more angry if the government were to know nothing of the defense of a major port, cultural center, and large city, than that they were lying. I believe the disaster of the levees hes revealed a gaping hole (think: antartica, think: ozone layer, think: government denial) in the wall of rhetoric about the government giving a shit about the people.
Secondly, Eric, as I touched on above, the comparison of Katrina to Floyd is only acceptable when comparing the Katrina victims of the gulf coast minus the New Orleans victims. How would Clinton have responded to the HUMAN caused problem of destroyd levees? The answer is this: Clinton would have done what ever good politician does, he would have maintained deniability (think: "I did not have sex with those levees") just as Bush has maintained "reasonable deniability" by blaming the failure on a natural disaster, not the human error in faulty design, faulty function, faulty monetary backing, and faulty rhetoric. These faults are system-wide, yet it is clear to see that as the leader of the system, our president should have taken a little responsibility at least.
This response was too long like 20 minutes ago, but one more thing...
I am a New Orleanian, and last night I went to the movie premier of Spike Lee's documentary; When the Levees Broke. It was, simply put, a fabulous film. Please Please Please, if you read this, see the film. Especially if you disagree with me, see the film. Sorry to everyone who read this, my long diatribe about the city that care forgot, but remember, dont stop caring...

I prefer to withhold judgement on the film until I see it. But from what I have heard from the people that HAVE ACTUALLY seen it, they have all said it was excellent.

What's wrong with you all!! Spike Lee is right!
These are AMERICANS!!!!! We send money all over the globe , but then it comes to helping our own we turn our heads!We have money to rebuild irac, give money to isreal make it easy for companies to move jobs to mexico, but none to help rebuild an ANERICAN city.

Those people effected by katrina black and white were working TAX paying AMERICAN . Alot of them didn't make much but they worked for a living. If this happen in a mostly white city this would not be an issue!

FUCK THAT NIGGER!!

You can't treat this as just another right vs. left issue, no matter what side of the spectrum you think you're on. You can't treat this as just a failure of government under corporate/elite influence, either, although it definitely is an example of that. What this is, is the tip of a very large iceberg of global warming, infrastructure rot, wealth disparity, collapse of democracy, and racism less by disposition than as a means of sorting out casualties (triage) from a worldwide catastrophe that is about to turn all of our lives upside-down, just as it has already for the residents of New Orleans.

So if you are still nursing some synthetic ideology and arguing about who's right and who's wrong in all this, it might be time to toss that baggage and get involved with the only thing that can hope to address this emergency, which is...a political movement. The folks who are joining the ACORN and other political organizations in the region have the right idea: grass roots organizing. Because the alternative is militarization and fascist control as civil society falls apart in the wake of future serial Katrinas, which are surely on the way.

What Diversity said, I agree with... well put

I should probably wait until the second night (parts III and IV) is over, but I have to comment on this. New Orleans was devastated, Mississippi was devestated. Our collective government, local, state, and federal, failed in the aftermath. Failed in planning and preparing actually. Failed miserably.

But for Spike Lee to make this a racial issue, which he has tried so hard to do with this film, is wrong. It was hard on everyone involved, still is. But because they're happen to be black does not mean it's a racial thing. Not all things that happen to the black community are racial.

I'm not convinced that he makes it a racial issue, i mean yes, he does use some of the worst white New Orleanians such as the two rich vacationers in Pompeii, but he also used the radio host, who was very informative, and it seems to me that every memorable african american in the movie is also balanced out with a memorable white person. For example, wynton Marsalis' commentary is intellectual and interesting as well as heart-wrenching the way the radio host's commentary was. Mrs LeBlanc's commentary was funny the way the ladies with the destroyed