Blame the Victim?
Posted on September 2nd, 2005 by catalyst into the Uncategorized categoryChris Snethen another local Portland blogger covering the disaster in New Orelans linked to this CNN article. In the article, the FEMA director explains why the residents in New Orleans need to share some responsibility for their horrendous conditions.
Here is what he said specifically.
Michael Brown also agreed with other public officials that the death toll in the city could reach into the thousands. “Unfortunately, that’s going to be attributable a lot to people who did not heed the advance warnings,” Brown told CNN. “I don’t make judgments about why people chose not to leave but, you know, there was a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans,” he said.
Well, I will make a judgement since I’ve just spent the last day watching video of the people left behind in New Orleans, I will judge them. Here’s why they didn’t leave. “THEY WERE TOO POOR AND TOO OLD. THEY COULDN’T LEAVE.” I feel like freaking Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting, telling Matt Damon, “It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.”
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September 2nd, 2005 at 10:28 am
The irony is…most of the affected victims of the ensuing flood say they couldn’t afford to gas up their vehicles in order to evacuate! The price of gas is so freakin’ out of control, thanks to W, that the cost of evacuation was just too damn expensive and furthermore, where were they going to go?! Think about it, it only cost us the city of New Orleans to obtain the states of Afganistan and Iraq, if this were a game of Risk, good move!
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:48 am
I think the blame can be spread around all levels of government. Apparently, N.O. has been asking for money to fortify the levees for years, and Congress (Democrats and Republicans) has refused to give them the necessary funding.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:05 am
I’m going to take a credit card and write “Emergencey Evacuation Plan” on it. I know it can be expensive evacuate and my heart goes out to the victims, but, man, if I have to max out a credit card to get out of town, or if I don’t have one of those I’ll “run Forrest run” my way to safety…or die trying.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:02 pm
Hard to “fun forest run” if you’re taking care of your bed-ridden father with terminal cancer, if your wife is pregnant, or, god forbid, you yourself have a physical/mental problem. One would think that a city-wide MANDATORY evacuation would provide for those who can’t self evacuate.
I know in every situation (e.g. Mt. St. Helens back in the day) when people are too stubborn to evacuate. As is the case, leave them to their doom. From what I’ve read, seen, and heard, this is not the case. Many people have died who should not have had to die.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:19 pm
The “blame” is definitely shared amongst many. What is atrocious is that anyone, anywhere is spending any time or energy thinking about blame right now! The crisis is happening! This is the time to take care of people, NOT sit back and analyze who is responsible and how. The survivors need HELP, not blame.
That said, let me toss in another responsible party to this mess: the media, who essentially “cries wolf” by over-sensationalizing all potential and real natural disasters, which numbs many of Americans to their claims of urgency, even when they should be heeded.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:25 pm
I am amazed at how people cope with problems. Find who to blame as quick as possible.
But since blame is the theme this week on your blog, shouldn’t we be blaming God? He must not care about the poor, He must not care about the pregnant women, or the mentally disabled. He is the one who let this happen. What a jerk, only looking out for Himself.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:46 pm
Anonymous said…
…What a jerk, only looking out for Himself.
Couldn’t agree with you more anonymous.
On another note. This has to be the stupidest thing I’ve heard said all week:
“Watson and others also took issue with the word “refugee” being used to describe hurricane victims.
“‘Refugee’ calls up to mind people that come from different lands and have to be taken care of. These are American citizens,” Watson said.”
From cnn.com
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/02/black.lawmakers.ap/index.html
How amazing that such a racially sensitive person could say something so racially insenstive.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:47 pm
Whoops. that last anonymous was me. Forgot to change it.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:54 pm
As anyone seen this?
http://www.frycookonvenus.com/videos/police_looting.wmv
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:59 pm
Most recent Anonymous,
I’m interested in your commentary…
First off, yes, I completely echo the idea of not sitting on our hands when others are in crisis. Truly, this isn’t a time for general blame, but general action. That being said, it *is* important to ferret out the whys and wherefores so that future tragedy can be averted. Blaming is an inert activity by itself, but if it is enacted with a sense of purpose, it can provide salvation.
Secondly, are you blaming God for this? Do you advocate blaming God? I’m just wondering, because someone who’s just a jerk surely isn’t worth the effort of using the shift key to refer to “His” pronoun….right?
Great cynicism can only proceed from great disappointment. You must have been very disappointed in something you truly trusted in order to feel the way your comments lead me to believe you feel. For that, I am sorry…and I feel like I understand. I’ve learned to accept my own cynicism for what I believe it is — a scar from hope denied. There is great reason for cynicism…and beneath it, probably even greater reason to hope again.
My heart goes out to the people of New Orleans, in particular to those who have been harmed through no fault of their own. Their suffering is our suffering, for they are our family.
May the light of truth dispel the darkness and save all beings from suffering.
September 6th, 2005 at 3:27 pm
No I was not accusing God.
I was pointing out the childish thought patterns that would take a disaster and then use it to accuse the president of racial bias and lack of care for the poor.
If your blame moves up the ladder past the “local authority” then it has to go all the way up to God, doesn’t it?