Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
ABC News had an insightful report tonight looking at the New Orleans madness through a racial lens.
It’s something that syntax alluded to, way ahead of the mainstream media, in posting a couple of wire photos, one showing a black man with supplies and one showing a white couple with supplies. The black man, in the photo caption, was described has carrying “looted” goods. The white couple was described as having “found” the goods.
This is what Tom Joyner cynically calls “hidden racism,” a regular feature on his radio show. It’s cynical because it ain’t so hidden.
Let’s ask ourselves some hard questions:
Do you think that if the majority of people shown suffering in the Superdome and on the streets of New Orleans were white and middle class that this madness would be dragging on as it is?
Do you think that if the majority of people shown breaking into stores for food and water were white that President Bush would be telling Diana Sawyer that “we’ll have a zero tolerance” for people breaking the law in times of emergency?
I’m tired of listening to Haley Barbour tell how he literally begged people to leave before the hurricane hit. Hey governor, they couldn’t leave. They’re poor. They don’t have cars. They don’t have money for hotel rooms. They don’t have any number of other resources.
Did anybody think of this before the storm hit? Did anyone try to provide for them, by offering them the resources to get out? No. All the officials can say is, “We told you so.”
Folks, that doesn’t cut it. It just goes to show you how deeply ingrained this stuff is. I don’t think I can really call it racism, because I think the people at the top just don’t think about this, period.
They’re blind. The poverty and disenfranchised simply stand as a giant blind spot on their view of their city or state or country.
Get these people some help.
Please.
Thank you Son! It’s true!
When the racism becomes so second nature, it’s known as systematic racism, and that’s what minorities in this country meet at every turn.
Right on, Ash! I live in a neighborhood here in Ashvegas where the majority of the folks take the bus to work. They wouldn’t be able to leave under a mandatory evacuation–like you said, no money and no car.
My sentiments EXACTLY, Ash. Thank you. I twice tried to write about this yesterday, but started crying both times and wimped out. Thank you.
My post from yesterday hammers home the same point. They knew it was coming. They knew it was huge. They knew it was going to be this way. Why didn’t they load up every available school bus, city bus and child care van and start moving people before it hit. It boggles the mind. It makes me physically ill. It makes my gut churn with anger that I don’t have the resources to do anything about it.