discrimination by Mother Nature

[Smiling JOe]

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?

 

[kathydwells]

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!!!!!

 

[OhioBeachBum]

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).

 

[RiverOtter]

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.

 

[TooFarTampa]

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.

 

[TooFarTampa]

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!!

 

[RiverOtter]

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

 

[TooFarTampa]

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.

 

[RiverOtter]

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

 

[Bob]

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.