CBS Sunday Morning - MUST READ!

[johnaries]

If you didn't see Nancy Giles SLAM on the response this morning, the transcript is now up:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/04/sunday/main814720.shtml

Go Nancy! :applause:

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Post it!

After meeting with Louisiana officials last week, Rev. Jesse Jackson said: "Many black people feel that their race, their property conditions and their voting patterns have been a factor in the response." He continued: "I'm not saying that myself."

Then I'll say it.

If the majority of the hardest hit victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans were white people, they would not have gone for days without food and water, forcing many to steal for mere survival.

Their bodies would not have been left to float in putrid water.

They would have been rescued and relocated a hell of a lot faster than this. Period.

I mean, reporters and crews are getting to stranded people, and government and military agencies can't? Why doesn't CNN run FEMA?

When I saw pictures of black people taking things from stores, my first thought was: "How are those Air Jordans necessary for your survival?"

Then it hit me: People needed shoes and clothing. Some escaped the floods with just the clothing on their backs

We have American citizens, not "refugees" from an underdeveloped country, still waiting for shelter.

Waiting.

Waiting.

You leave children, pregnant women, the elderly, even the able-bodied, in a city destroyed with no help, no food, no water, no electricity for three, four, five days? What would you do if your family was starving, and you saw people dying in the street?

And why didn't the stores in the disaster areas simply make their goods available to these desperate folks? Surely, they've got insurance.

Love thy neighbor. Didn't I read that somewhere?

The real war is not in Iraq, but right here in America. It's the War on Poverty, and it's a war that's been ignored and lost. An estimated 37 million Americans are living in poverty. New Orleans is one of the poorest cities in the country, with 40 percent of its children living in poverty. Mississippi has the highest poverty rate of any state. We've repeatedly given tax cuts to the wealthiest, and left our most vulnerable American citizens to basically fend for themselves.

The whole world is watching. And once again, a day late and a dollar short, words of wisdom from our president: "This is a huge task that we're dealing with." "These are tough times." "Give cash."

Once again, he finds the photo op: Some black folks to hug, some white men in Mississippi to bond with. He flies over the messy parts of New Orleans, waves and leaves.

The president has put himself at risk by visiting the troops in Iraq, but didn't venture anywhere near the Superdome or the Convention Center, where thousands of victims, mostly black and poor, needed to see that he gave a damn.

[KaryninMiami]

5. My heart hurts from this- it's beyond disgraceful.

There are no words to describe the way our government has failed it's people. They need to be outed. Enough is enough.

[linazelle]

9. I sent an email--here it goes...

I want to thank you for your frank commentary on the Bush administration's response to the disaster in New Orleans. After listening to hate radio and looking at television in horror all week, I have yet to hear or see anyone but mayor Nagin call out Bush and the federal government for their responsibility in this mess.

I have witnessed the federal government stepping in and taking control in the face of national disaster my entire life. Yet, people applaud as Bush begs citizens for money (appalling) and the so-called leader of the free world announces after a brief visit to New Orleans that "we did our part." Appalling and yet people sit calmly in their homes.

God help America. God bless you for trying to save us.

Please, please keep up the good work.

[melody]

14. I think it needs to be added...

That there are thousands of dead and abandoned-to-die white and Native American poor in rural areas, too. The issue here was monetary, not racial. There's definitely a racist reason for the larger number of impoverished black folk in that area, but the impact of the disaster itself was largely the result of economics.

There's no rescue for poor white neighborhoods either, which is why my cousins are called "poor white trash".

[applegrove]

2. Why doesn't CNN run FEMA? That was part of the plan in putting

an incompetent at the helm. GOP is hoping people are open to change and desire private enterprise to take over the role of FEMA. Unfortunately CNN didn't play along - they reported the news.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. I think the point is

that CNN was there before, during and after the hurricane hit. But FEMA didn't get there until Friday.

[YDogg]

3. Saw it - Very powerfully stated.

[Gloria]

4. KICK!!!!

[mzmolly]

6. Contact Ms. Giles here:

Email: [email protected]

Can't hurt to contact CBS either.

http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/info_faq_contact_us.shtml

[johnaries]

10. Thanks! I sent her an email commending her

and included a link back to here:


Ms. Giles, I watched you on Sunday Morning - you were FANTASTIC! I am a middle-class white male, but I don't understand how anyone who has been watching coverage of the aftermath in NOLA could NOT think that class and race were a factor in the appalling lack of esponse on the part of our federal government.

When GWB's brother asked for help for a bunch of rich white hurricane victims during an election year, the response was entirely different!

I posted a link to your speech on Democratic Undergound.com, and they applaud you, as well:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4628175

Keep up the good work!

[Fleshdancer]

8. WOW. That was incredible. n/t

[autorank]

11. "Must" and I did: Recommend. Schieffer is a pit bull when he's pissed.

He's also got "f' you" money. He doesn't need the job.

Watch out, he's one cranky dude when he's provoked.

[IndyOp]

12. Schieffer Video is Up: Washington was like a dog watching television.

At top of Crooks & Liars page -

You will have to be patient - streaming slow due to overload:
<http://www.crooksandliars.com/>

[Coexist]

13. kick

[Booster]

16. That was probably the best line I have ever heard to describe

how the government has performed during this entire thing. I could just imagine my own dog watching TV. ha Bob was great and I don't think he's finished. He's probably going to retire and this is one of the biggest stories of his career so I don't think he'll let up. Go, Bob, we got your back.

[earth mom]

15. Awesome!

Thank you! :applause:

[libnnc]

17. Wow. *gulp*

Well put. :applause:

[GOPFighter]

18. A powerful statement!

"Many black people feel that their race, their property conditions and their voting patterns have been a factor in the response."

Do you know how many times I've heard Republicans whine about how they just can't figure out why more African Americans don't vote Republican? I can now answer those questions with just one word - Katrina.

I want to know where Carl Rove was during Katrina - this has his fingerprints all over it (fuck your enemies).

Thanks, Nancy, that was a powerful statement!

[Historic NY]

19. She is 100% on the mark............

even Faux News was begging for help for these people.