discrimination by Mother Nature

I just heard a reporter say that Hurricane Katrina discriminated against the poor people of NOLA. I think I understand what he was trying to say, but how can an act of Mother Nature discriminate? Should reporters be required to take more Engish classes?

Yes, they should...good grief!!!!!

Next - a congressional subcommittee to investigate and inact new laws to prevent rampant discrimination by Mother Nature... (ultimate result will be federal spending for 2B to study, and 5M to purchase 500,000 cheap plastic KMart umbrellas, at twice retail, to distribute for protection against driving rain).

I just heard a reporter say, "Hurricane Katrina discriminated against the poor people of NOLA, who happen to be black". I think I understand what he was trying to say, but how can an act of Mother Nature discriminate? Should reporters be required to take more Engish classes?

I have heard this before about other disasters. "They" say the poor are forced to live in the areas more prone to disaster because the poor can't afford to make a better choice of where to live.

I keep going back to an earlier quote of yours SJ:

"Mother Nature doesn't even know your house is there."

Puts it aaaaaaallll into perspective, and makes politics seem silly.

I have heard this before about other disasters. "They" say the poor are forced to live in the areas more prone to disaster because the poor can't afford to make a better choice of where to live.

That's true, and while I abhor discrimination and wish for a great education for all (and great parents for all), it's hard to argue with the free market. The best locations -- not just the best neighborhoods but the highest elevations, the best pieces of land to build on -- are always going to be more expensive. Poor people can't afford them. That's not discrimination. It's reality. Unless we want socialism, it's always going to be that way.

That's not to say that, perhaps, we can't do things to make those lesser pieces of land more desirable. Which comes down to, in the case of New Orleans, protecting the wetlands, building better levees and floodwalls, etc. I believe the government has a responsibility to make those things happen. Does that make me conservative or liberal? Somebody tell me, because I don't know anymore!!

It should be noted that my tounge was firmly planted in my cheak ;-) . Last I checked the wealthy were located on the 1 row of coastal property not the poor. I understand there are some coastal prop owners that have 30+ years in their property so they may not have lots of cash but they were not "forced" to live in the dangerous area. Same for the property owners in the hill of CA. Every year we read about landslides and forest fires. Again not the poor and they are where they are by choice. Just my

It should be noted that my tounge was firmly planted in my cheak ;-) . Last I checked the wealthy were located on the 1 row of coastal property not the poor. I understand there are some coastal prop owners that have 30+ years in their property so they may not have lots of cash but they were not "forced" to live in the dangerous area. Same for the property owners in the hill of CA. Every year we read about landslides and forest fires. Again not the poor and they are where they are by choice. Just my

So noted. I was not even thinking of those in Malibu who are one day going to see their houses aflame or in the ocean. I was thinking of more traditional communties, where the nicest houses were always built on the most solid ground way at the beginning of development and everybody else had to fight for what was left over. It's no accident the French Quarter stayed mostly dry.

So noted. I was not even thinking of those in Malibu who are one day going to see their houses aflame or in the ocean.

That's why I'm buying property in AZ on the boarder. Gonna be beach front some day

That's true, and while I abhor discrimination and wish for a great education for all (and great parents for all), it's hard to argue with the free market. The best locations -- not just the best neighborhoods but the highest elevations, the best pieces of land to build on -- are always going to be more expensive. Poor people can't afford them. That's not discrimination. It's reality. Unless we want socialism, it's always going to be that way.

That's not to say that, perhaps, we can't do things to make those lesser pieces of land more desirable. Which comes down to, in the case of New Orleans, protecting the wetlands, building better levees and floodwalls, etc. I believe the government has a responsibility to make those things happen. Does that make me conservative or liberal? Somebody tell me, because I don't know anymore!!

It makes you a clear thinking citizen. There is not a dime's worth of difference between mainstream Dems and Repubs...they both suck up to corporate America. It's a weird situation in NO, I had a wedding to attend 23 Sept. Full formal,outdoor in Jackson Square. No wedding now of course, and the well-to-do respective families are just as homeless as the poorest. Regarding discrimination, America was founded on discrimination. Capitalism discriminates against the poor and uneducated. But how do you get an uneducated people to embrace education? Socialism discriminates against the wealthy by grabbing their income. Today, I believe we have a healthy mix of the two with the future going the way of socialism. There's just too many people now, and the problems[health care for instance] are daunting.

I just heard a reporter say, "Hurricane Katrina discriminated against the poor people of NOLA, who happen to be black". I think I understand what he was trying to say, but how can an act of Mother Nature discriminate? Should reporters be required to take more Engish classes?

It is known fact in Alabama that tornados actually seek out and destroy trailer parks. I'd call that blatant discrimination.

It makes you a clear thinking citizen. There is not a dime's worth of difference between mainstream Dems and Repubs...they both suck up to corporate America. It's a weird situation in NO, I had a wedding to attend 23 Sept. Full formal,outdoor in Jackson Square. No wedding now of course, and the well-to-do respective families are just as homeless as the poorest. Regarding discrimination, America was founded on discrimination. Capitalism discriminates against the poor and uneducated. But how do you get an uneducated people to embrace education? Socialism discriminates against the wealthy by grabbing their income. Today, I believe we have a healthy mix of the two with the future going the way of socialism. There's just too many people now, and the problems[health care for instance] are daunting.

You have a good post. Did NPR help you get there?

A certain percentage of existing housing stock is assumed "retired" every year due to its age and condition, but usually remains occupied, mostly by the poorest segment of the population. These structures do not have the advantage of code compliance or upgrades or being built according to new (and improved) building codes. Consequently, they are at double jeopardy when disaster strikes. This was distressingly demonstrated in San Francisco during our Loma Prieta earthquake. Most recently constructed freeways were unaffected. Those built before the building code was strengthened for seismic incident were literally destroyed. So the good news is that low-cost housing built in NOLA will now receive the benefit of the new, strengthened codes...built higher in recognition of flood potential and built better to withstand wind action.

By the way, in the aftermath of Loma Prieta, the San Francisco Mayor rushed into the Office of Emergency Services looking for the Director, who couldn't be located. The Director had suffered a heart attack as a result of being overwhelmed by the scope of the disaster and was in the ICU unit of a hospital. I guess some cope with a Mexican meal and a Margarita and others cope with nitroglycerin.

You have a good post. Did NPR help you get there?

I am a regular listener of "fresh air". After throwing darts at my Bill O'Reilly poster, I'm ready for my latest Oprah show. Actually I don't follow the left or right. My earlier comment about NPR has to do with their one-sided, leftist viewpoint posing as journalism. It is as sickening as listening to Fox news defend Bush on Iraq. Maybe we could have CNN. Compromise News Network.

I am a regular listener of "fresh air". After throwing darts at my Bill O'Reilly poster, I'm ready for my latest Oprah show. Actually I don't follow the left or right. My earlier comment about NPR has to do with their one-sided, leftist viewpoint posing as journalism. It is as sickening as listening to Fox news defend Bush on Iraq. Maybe we could have CNN. Compromise News Network.

I love Fox news. No other media outlet even comes close to being "fair and balanced" IMHO. They report I decide.

I just heard a reporter say, "Hurricane Katrina discriminated against the poor people of NOLA, who happen to be black". I think I understand what he was trying to say, but how can an act of Mother Nature discriminate? Should reporters be required to take more Engish classes?

It seems to me that approximately a week to 10 days after any news event, the media try to juice up the story to maintain the interest of the reader, listener or watcher. This often involves playing the "race" card.

While I am sure that the people who lived along the MS coast would argue that they have been ignored compared to the people in NO, that was not based upon poverty or race. That said, those persons who had been instructed by their mayor to evacuate NO and could not, due to lack of transportation and money, could say that because of their financial situation (arguably due in some part to racial discrimination) they bore the brunt of the flooding. If blame is to be placed, it seems to me it should be placed on the NO mayor for not planning ahead for the means for those disadvantaged persons to evacuate and a safe place to which they could evacuate. If he needed federal assistance, that should have been requested well before the event occurred.

I have four evacuees (their dog, their birds and their gerbil) living with me and and my family. They had two cars and credit cards and the means to escape to a relative's house. While this has been a terrible tragedy for them, it is nothing compared to those who did not have those means and were left in their flooded homes or even worse, in the Super Dome.

Question for liberals and conservatives: Does the performance of government at all levels in preparation for and response to Katrina justify increasing or decreasing funding for governmental programs?

A certain percentage of existing housing stock is assumed "retired" every year due to its age and condition, but usually remains occupied, mostly by the poorest segment of the population. These structures do not have the advantage of code compliance or upgrades or being built according to new (and improved) building codes. Consequently, they are at double jeopardy when disaster strikes. This was distressingly demonstrated in San Francisco during our Loma Prieta earthquake. Most recently constructed freeways were unaffected. Those built before the building code was strengthened for seismic incident were literally destroyed. So the good news is that low-cost housing built in NOLA will now receive the benefit of the new, strengthened codes...built higher in recognition of flood potential and built better to withstand wind action.

By the way, in the aftermath of Loma Prieta, the San Francisco Mayor rushed into the Office of Emergency Services looking for the Director, who couldn't be located. The Director had suffered a heart attack as a result of being overwhelmed by the scope of the disaster and was in the ICU unit of a hospital. I guess some cope with a Mexican meal and a Margarita and others cope with nitroglycerin.

Perhaps a Chappellet Chardonnay and Foie Gras would be better.

I thought Katrina was a democrat. I mean, she is causing all kinds of trouble for President Bush.

I love Fox news. No other media outlet even comes close to being "fair and balanced" IMHO. They report I decide.

I, too, like Fox news to get the other side's opinion. The only balance it has is the balance to CNN and the likes. Fox News itself is not balanced. Alan Colmes doesn't carry enough weight to balance the other guys. I will say that their hurricane coverage is usually pretty good coverage.

It seems to me that approximately a week to 10 days after any news event, the media try to juice up the story to maintain the interest of the reader, listener or watcher. This often involves playing the "race" card.

While I am sure that the people who lived along the MS coast would argue that they have been ignored compared to the people in NO, that was not based upon poverty or race. That said, those persons who had been instructed by their mayor to evacuate NO and could not, due to lack of transportation and money, could say that because of their financial situation (arguably due in some part to racial discrimination) they bore the brunt of the flooding. If blame is to be placed, it seems to me it should be placed on the NO mayor for not planning ahead for the means for those disadvantaged persons to evacuate and a safe place to which they could evacuate. If he needed federal assistance, that should have been requested well before the event occurred.

I have four evacuees (their dog, their birds and their gerbil) living with me and and my family. They had two cars and credit cards and the means to escape to a relative's house. While this has been a terrible tragedy for them, it is nothing compared to those who did not have those means and were left in their flooded homes or even worse, in the Super Dome.

Question for liberals and conservatives: Does the performance of government at all levels in preparation for and response to Katrina justify increasing or decreasing funding for governmental programs?

My comments really have nothing to do with race. My problem with the guy's statement is that he says the Hurricane Katrina discriminated.
dis?crim?i?nate ([font=verdana,sans-serif] P [/font]) Pronunciation Key (d-skrm-nt)
v. dis?crim?i?nat?ed, dis?crim?i?nat?ing, dis?crim?i?nates
v. intr.

1. 1. To make a clear distinction; distinguish: discriminate among the options available.
   2. To make sensible decisions; judge wisely.
2. To make distinctions on the basis of class or category without regard to individual merit; show preference or prejudice: was accused of discriminating against women; discriminated in favor of his cronies.

How can a non-thinking thing think or make a decision to chose one thing over another?
It is not a big deal, just a problem with the lack of proper English spoken by professional journalists on a daily basis.

I agree folks. I like FOX News, too. It's refreshing to have a news outlet that gives a voice to mainstream America.

I always thought of CNN and the network news as being free campaign ads for dems. CNN seems to have its anti-Bush campaign in full swing. I mean, what with Katrina and that Cindy woman. And they make the Iraqi people out to be "victims" of our military. That's why I thought it was strange that the BX on Hurlburt and one of its office buildings had their TV sets tuned in to CNN.

Will someone please shoot me now?

I, too, like Fox news to get the other side's opinion. The only balance it has is the balance to CNN and the likes. Fox News itself is not balanced. Alan Colmes doesn't carry enough weight to balance the other guys. I will say that their hurricane coverage is usually pretty good coverage.

Alan Colmes is not the only liberal on Fox News Channel. If that was the case I would agree with you. Studies have been done by independent media watch dog groups that show Fox to be more balanced than the others. "CNN and the likes" don't even attempt to present both sides of an issue. :roll:

Alan Colmes is not the only liberal on Fox News Channel. If that was the case I would agree with you. Studies have been done by independent media watch dog groups that show Fox to be more balanced than the others. "CNN and the likes" don't even attempt to present both sides of an issue. :roll:

I hear you say "more" balanced, but more balanced that what, CNN? That ain't sayin' much. Who is the other liberal on Fox?

wishly...that cat still scares me!!!

wishly...that cat still scares me!!!

I really should put a fish up. I'll have to draw it. Please stand by . . .