African American
Related: About this forumThe Rebirth of Black Rage
There are two quotes from September 2, 2005, that
have become fixtures in our cultural and political language, and each sums up the ways in which Americans with differing perspectives came to view the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. The first is from George W. Bush: Five days after Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast region, the president landed in Louisiana facing heavy criticism for his administrations slow response to the devastation. Touring the state with FEMA director Michael Brownthe only person whod been more heavily criticized for the governments inadequate responseBush turned to the man hed placed in charge of disaster relief and said, Brownie, youre doing a heckuva job. Part of Bushs appeal had always been his folksiness, but it offered no solace here. His comment only served to further exemplify his ineptitude.
The other quotewhat Bush would later call the worst moment of his presidencycame at an unexpected time from a rather unexpected source.
Later that same evening, after Bushs heckuva job comment, NBC did what television networks do during times of disaster and hosted a celebrity telethon. Faith Hill, Harry Connick Jr., Claire Danes, Hilary Swank, Lindsay Lohan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others stood before an audience of millions, accompanied by the pictures of despair that were still streaming from the gulfNew Orleans in particular.
Also invited was Kanye West, one of the more popular entertainers in the country at the time. He was paired with Mike Myers, famous for his performances as Austin Powers and as the voice of Shrek. Myers read from a teleprompter about the suffering in New Orleans, attempting to build up sympathy before the big ask. When it was Wests turn, he deviated from the script and started speaking from his heart.
http://www.thenation.com/article/the-rebirth-of-black-rage/
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)an uproar. Katrina absolutely outraged me and still does.
As do the murders of citizens, especially the young and black by police.
It has been a long time coming and the outrage is needed.
I just hope the movement doesn't throw its allies of other hues under the bus in the process.
ETA: Changed races to hues since I like to think of us as all one human race.
daybranch
(1,309 posts)those white supremacist liberals like Bernie Sanders. sarcasm Collective outrage works if sustained but it does not work if divisions between groups can be achieved making allies see the struggle as not their struggle. If we white people who readily see this class war brutalizing black lives in many many ways, can work with that community to achieve victories for poor and working people across the board we can fight the oligarchy. If the oligarchy can turn expressions of anger by the black community as events that do not affect whites then expressions of black outrage can be used against us all. Lets join together. We must unite to win the fight, The rich are killing us all and I do not mean figuratively.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)Both against racism and class inequities.
virgogal
(10,178 posts)the people at BLM only want blacks discussed.
Most confusing.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)It isn't hard to see that blacks in this country have and are getting the short end of the stick. They have been marginalized since the founding of this country and continue to be so. They are being murdered at an exceptionally high rate by today's police forces. There is a good reason for the outrage and I understand it and support it wholeheartedly.
I can also sympathize with their mistrust of people's motives but we really all need to come together and support Black Lives Matter along with our other causes.
ismnotwasm
(42,020 posts)Then reread it. No prisoners are taken here--as fond as I am of Predident Obama--it's a good analysis.