Voices of Katrina Survivors - Race, oppression and murder.
I try not to dwell on politics, world events, etc., not because I am apolitical -- actually just the opposite. I have a tendency to get so caught up in worry, rage, despair etc. about these things that sometimes I can barely function in my own personal life, and I have to make an effort to avoid that state of mind. That's one of the reasons why I made this blog, to focus on the positive, on my spiritual side and on my connection with nature, which gives me strength.
However, once and awhile I have to make an exception, and let my feelings out because I can't hold them in, and this is one of those days.
Amy Goodman is my hero and role model. I try to listen to her radio show as often as I can. I feel she is one of the only journalists who has any integrity these days. This morning I listened to her show in the car on my way to work. As I listened to the voices and stories of black people who survived being kept in an armed camp, dehydrated, threatened and starved by our federal government, during a crisis in which those very government agencies were supposedly "helping" them, day by day white people selected out of the crowd to be relocated elsewhere... a piercing pain split my head and tears seeped from the corners of my eyes. I feel so enraged by this. My head is still killing me.
One woman said: "They really left us there to die, and the only thing that they didn't expect was how many of us did survive.."
Once again, as I have felt so many times, I am ashamed to be white in this racist country. I am furious. After all we've been through, after the Civil Rights movement haven't we learned one fucking thing?
And once again, the mainstream media doesn't allow the voices of the oppressed to be heard.
Please listen to the download of this program if you have a chance. We need to hear these voices. Only by shining light on these things and talking about them openly can we ever hope to get to a better place.
However, once and awhile I have to make an exception, and let my feelings out because I can't hold them in, and this is one of those days.
Amy Goodman is my hero and role model. I try to listen to her radio show as often as I can. I feel she is one of the only journalists who has any integrity these days. This morning I listened to her show in the car on my way to work. As I listened to the voices and stories of black people who survived being kept in an armed camp, dehydrated, threatened and starved by our federal government, during a crisis in which those very government agencies were supposedly "helping" them, day by day white people selected out of the crowd to be relocated elsewhere... a piercing pain split my head and tears seeped from the corners of my eyes. I feel so enraged by this. My head is still killing me.
One woman said: "They really left us there to die, and the only thing that they didn't expect was how many of us did survive.."
Once again, as I have felt so many times, I am ashamed to be white in this racist country. I am furious. After all we've been through, after the Civil Rights movement haven't we learned one fucking thing?
And once again, the mainstream media doesn't allow the voices of the oppressed to be heard.
Please listen to the download of this program if you have a chance. We need to hear these voices. Only by shining light on these things and talking about them openly can we ever hope to get to a better place.
posted by Kate at 7:07 AM
5 Comments:
I feel you, and it is very sad that we live in such a primitive society.
I know how you feel my dear friend ... I have still not been able to really sit down and watch Roots, and one of the reason is that we still live in a state of slavery and masters. Another reason is there are times when I can't watch certain pictures, because they evoke such rage, which as you know causes us to hate without discrimination.
But never be ashamed of who you are, my beloved friend. We, neither of us, should really allow what some call black or white to define us. It's humanity .. it human beings that are being hurt, and why ... because of how we allow others to define us.
Thank you, I really appreicate this post. I have so much respect for you as a human being that's in touch with nature ... as a woman, who is instilled with wisdom and compassion. I do not see you as white .. I see you as me.
Well being like you is a big compliment! :-) Thank you Amais. I also have tremendous respect for you and your wisdom and compassion.
Sometimes I guess we need to share our outrage and feelings of hopelessness as much as our happiness. It helps to know others also find this upsetting. And you're right, we do have to be careful not to allow that outrage to turn into hate or just another kind of prejudice.
(((K))) Amy Goodman is really wonderful. And so are you.
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Governments are incompitant and humans treat each other raw. The scale of the Katrina disaster was overwhelming, a drop in the bucket, and it brought out the best and the worst in people. It pointed up the fact that when the normal structures break down, we are at the mercy of the people around us, at the mercy of those we ask for help.
I don't see it as a black/white issue. I see it as a human issue. We are a failed species. There are more slaves in the world today than at any time in history. And if you count debt slavery then we are virtually all slaves. Freedom is in your mind. Dignity and human rights only exist where crisis does not.
Amy Goodman kicks ass. We play Democracy Now on my campus station, which has a pretty big broadcast area. Last year during our station's fundraiser week, Democracy Now consistently brought in the most donations. Big donations too. Which means people are listening, at least here in CT. I used to have a show that was right before we aired Democracy Now. It was an honor to introduce the show every week.
My co-host and I always felt great when we had picked and researched similar news stories for discussion on our show...like we were doing something right.
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