Shouting Underwater

The Nation: New Orleans's Defeat Is Also Our Defeat

(The Nation)  This column was written by Walter Mosley.

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We are coming up on the two-year mark since the Katrina debacle in Louisiana and Mississippi. I hesitate to call this date an anniversary because the word implies, in some way, a celebration, a birth. What we are scratching on the calendar is more like a notch on a raw gravestone, a count of the days and years that have passed without a reckoning for those who died, those who lost loved ones and for a city that is still in critical condition.

Not only did our government fail to answer the call of its most vulnerable citizens during that fateful period; it still fails each and every day to rebuild, redeem and rescue those who are ignored because of their poverty, their race, their passage into old age.

The disaster named after the hurricane is not confined to the areas affected. Every emergency room, empty bank account and outsourced life's work could be named. We live in a country rife with ignored and condemned poverty. The rich, high on their great corporate steeds, ride over us believing that they are out of the reach of global warming and its symptoms, of terrorism and dwindling natural resources. When government officials tell them to evacuate, they drive their cars, board their corporate jets or simply climb to higher ground with ease. At this very moment they are looking down on Baghdad and New Orleans, Pakistan and Sudan, you and me. The feeling of invulnerability that these people have is unfounded, but nonetheless it makes them reckless. They take chances and cut corners believing that everything will come out all right. Their delusions of grandeur and ultimate power put us in ever more dire straits.

If we call ourselves Americans (and mean it), then we are all victims of Katrina. If we breathe the air or eat fresh fruit, if we call on our cell phones, drink water from a plastic bottle or just nibble on a chocolate bar, then we are Katrina; we are the rising waters around the ankles of this world.

When the day comes to mark off the two-year point since the deluge descended on the Gulf of Mexico, we should take care not to make too much noise. We shouldn't march in that shadow of time or even protest. Rather, we should sit alone in a room with our imaginations open to feel what they experienced on that day: the waters rising, rising and us climbing stairs and ladders, chairs and fire escapes; sitting on rooftops while bodies float by; calling out to passing boats and helicopters that go by in mute witness; being pressed to the roof by the rising tide and being engulfed shouting, shouting out for the ones we love underwater, unheard; the darkness swirling around us as we die with no one coming to save us, or themselves.

Two years have passed and Americans are still displaced, waters are still rising. Wars are raging and we are waiting for a day to vote for a man or a woman who works, not even in secret, for the rich. We wait for this man or woman to lead us out from the disaster like chattel. We feel sorry for the victims as so many felt sorry for Rodney King, not realizing that his defeat was our loss; the blows that rained down on him were also aimed at our freedom, our ability and feeling of responsibility to fight back. Two years have passed and the dead are still dead and the dying are still dying. The clouds gather like angry anthropomorphic gods, and we stumble and fall unable to make a stand or lend a hand or protest all the victims in ghettos, retirement homes, prison wards and dark skins.

Two years have passed and we are still exporting democracy while we continue living under the semibenevolent oligarchy of international corporations and their candidates. This two-year point measures how far we have sunk under the weight of the rich and their political flunkies — while so many of us still celebrate them as if they were pop stars. We experience the silence of drowning men and women. We call out and are not heard. We believe in systems and people who have no faith in us. We perpetuate the rising temperatures and waters and hatred and feelings of hopelessness. New Orleans's defeat is also our defeat. Its closed schools are a metaphor for our minds and our futures. We see the storm's passage but we don't see it coming. But it is coming. And there are no leaders, no corporations, no benevolent billionaires who are going to save our grandmothers and our babies. We must unite outside of the systems that lie like fast food heaped on golden platters at our feet. We must organize at the ground level, where the water has already begun to rise.

[xzavierbrown]

40"The King will reply, ''''I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.''''
Posted by archangelric at 06:15 PM : Aug 28, 2007
+ report abuse
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******

here is what I am trying to do for the people of N.O....TRYING TO REASON WITH YOU GUYS THAT YOU ARE JUST HURTING THEM MORE THAN HELPING THEM..relief and aid came...and squandered..and misappropriated..THEN A DISASTER HITS..relief and aid will come..and squandered..and misappropriated..THEN A DISTATER AGAIN HITS..so on and so forth..you know why its happening and will continue to happen??? BECAUSE THEY KNOW YOU GUYS WILL BE AROUND AND CAN GET AWAY WITH IT..

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by archangelric at 06:15 PM : Aug 28, 2007
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*******

like I said ''right to free speech" does not automatically make your free speech right.

here is a quote for you..

"feed a man a fish..you fed that man for the day..you teach that man to fish and you fed him for a lifetime"

what you want is.....feed the man a fish..
YOUR INTENT MIGHT BE GOOD but your "ways" is making the situation worse. We have people who, for generations upon generations, were conditioned to be dependent, needy and helpless.ITS TIME TO STOP.

[archangelric]

speaking of rabid vomit ...

one only needs to read your comments, xavier

understand, this is only an opinion piece; the author is entitled to his opinion.

I remember another author; Matthew, chap 25:
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, ''Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a homeless stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.''

37"Then the righteous will answer him, ''Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?''

40"The King will reply, ''I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.''

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by brianbwb at 02:58 AM : Aug 28, 2007
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Okay, so you are whinning about the ills of poverty. I know about the ills of poverty. What I am discussing is something past that. IN THIS COUNTRY, YOU NEED TO WORK HARD AND WORK LEGALLY to make it. These days, with morons like you,(since you decided to bring the migrant issue) MILLIONS OF %u2018MIGRANTS%u2019 ARE FORGETTING THAT. If you want to really help these %u2018migrants%u2019..telling me their ills and trying to lure me into a guilt trip so I would open up my wallet WILL NOT SOLVE IT IN THE LONG RUN%u2026.USING THAT RABID VOMIT ON THOSE WHO RUNS THEIR OWN COUNTRY WILL..YOU NOT ONLY HELP THE MIGRANT BUT YOU HELP GENERATIONS OF POTENTIAL MIGRANTS from misery.

Correction: the poor should not be called trash and be castrated..MORONS LIKE YOU SHOULD BE CALLED TRASH AND SHOULD BE CASTRATED..because you morons lead these people in a false sense of equality.

[mitch0927]

I get it now. It''s the governments fault the hurricane hit New orleans, its the governemnts fault for all the disasters. Well, let me tell you all something, we should not stand on our roof tops expecting the government to hand out everything we want, just because we live in an area prone to natural disasters, we shouldn''t blame the government because of it. Generally it is our choice where we live, not all the time, but most of it.

[afsc30574]

"If we call ourselves Americans (and mean it), then we are all victims of Katrina." The gross hyperbole of this article is stupifying. Americans, and mean it, are not people who throw up their hands, call themselves victims, and wait to be bailed out. New Orleans collected millions in taxes every year from Mardi Gras, and were warned that a city built below sea level was at risk due from a hurricane. They did nothing. Yes, big government isn''t so good at solving local problems. Hmmm, too bad no one thought of that before.

[brianbwb-2009]

I don%u2019t blame the boogey man for all my problems.
Posted by xzavierbrown

Yet you post here about what you perceive as problems, and blame them on the "poor" or the "Blacks".

The "poor" and the "blacks" are your "boogey men"...

[brianbwb-2009]

To readers, my last post was addressing the resident Nazi, xzavierbrown. I forgot to address it, and excuse the typos, I was drinking coffee and typing at the same time...

[brianbwb-2009]

Still having trouble reading? Moving your lips doesn''t help? Maybe you should THINK before you post to what you do not understand.

My point about migrants was in answer to the tired old saw you fascists love and which was in your post, i.e.," why do they come here", the answer being they come because here is better than there.

But that doesn''t detract from the face that here is supposed to be better than there, because our previous generations fought and died to make it so. You seem to wish to posit that people who are poor are "trash" and should be "castrated", that is what shows you to be a fascist. If I were a betting man, I''d bet you also claim to be a "Christian".

There are millions of honest people of all ethnicities who worked hard and played by the rules, only to have their livelihoods outsourced to slave countries, or replaced by migrants from other slave countries, others who work hard only to watch the cost of living rise faster than their wages, and watch in frustration as an elitist government facilitates the decimation of the middle class.

You imply that if an American who wants the necessities of life, shelter, food, clothing, education, health care, transportation, and the opportunity to raise a family, is SOL because you deem them "trash", but since you focused on those who "whine and play the race card" you thus betrayed your ignorant racist nature, in addidion to your love for fascism.

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by brianbwb at 01:06 AM : Aug 28, 2007
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Hence the part of the either %u201Cwhine%u201D or use the %u201Crace card%u201D. I know a lot of worthless pieces of white trash who should be castrated. Don%u2019t fool yourself or try to be politically correct to ignore that fact that that card has been used and abused several times. We have generations upon generations crying that they were targeted because they were black. So what is your point with migrants?? Americans has a choice to live like slaves..i.e. if your dumb arse wants all the comforts of life but knows you cant afford it..THEN SUFFER..YOU WORK YOUR ARSE LIKE A SLAVE.
You business is to whine and fishing for compassion and a guilt trip. Hey I work studied hard and I work hard..I THINK before I make a decision..I am accountable and responsible for my own decisions or actions..I don%u2019t blame the boogey man for all my problems.

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[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by xzavierbrown

Reading is fundamental. Go back and read my posts, you can move your lips, if necessary, you might understand that your reply has nothing at all to do with what I posted.

You made the erroneous point about "poor people pulling race cards", I simply pointed out that all poor are not necessarily of "racial" minorities, there are plenty of poor whites, so your trolling post was at best untrue.

As for helping migrants, I only pointed out that they come to the US because their home conditions are worse than what they face sleeping on the streets in Santa Monica, or twelve to a room in a shack rented by the so-called labor agencies. In fact your post seemed to suggest that Americans should be willing to live like slaves, so I suggested that you yourself would probably not accept such conditions, as an American, you shouldn''t have to, as many people died fighting for more humane work wages and conditions over generations.

But, like I said, you already know this, and choose to be a fascist and racist troll.

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by ubrew12 at 12:51 AM : Aug 28, 2007
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*****

its screwed up on a state level..money is always budgeted for those..if your state decides to squander it on something else..well how far do you want the federal govt. to control liberal states without risking morons in using the "facist" word?

[ubrew12]

We''re gonna spend a trillion dollars on Iraq. We spend half a trillion each year on ''welfare for cold-warriors'' (the military: it should get half that amount). We spend billions each year on farmers (got to keep the GOP die-hards happy). But can''t afford levee systems and bridges (in Minnesota), or any other infrastructure that would be a no-brainer in any other developed nation.

Is this a screwed up country or what?

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by brianbwb at 11:21 PM : Aug 27, 2007
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****

here let me slow it down so your brain can catch up...in this country..no matter what color or faith or sexual preference or how many toes or how inbreed you are..IF YOU WORK HARD AND ARE DETERMINED TO GET WHAT YOU WANT....then you will get it. you whine and expect things to be handed to you..then your dumb arse will use every excuse in the world, INCLUDING RACE..for your incompetence.

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by brianbwb at 11:16 PM : Aug 27, 2007
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You are another one of those MISGUIDED bleeding heart liberal. If you would really want to help those poor migrants who is trying to escape those terrible conditions from where they came from. Take that rabid crusade of yours and aim it towards the government or dictators who created those conditions in their own shi Thole. DOING THAT, YOU JUST HELP NOT JUST THE PRESENT MIGRANTS BUT FUTURE GENERATIONS OF MIGRANTS. (take a hint with another bleeding heart liberal mission in Africa, those mofo are worse off now with your arses helping them than the time when they were dealing with thier own problems)
You are so giving till they tax you then you would change your mind. (remind you I am from California and I know the beast called bleeding heart liberals). If you think that only white people can make it big in this country then add %u201Cclueless moron%u201D in your resume. I am sick and tired of morons like you lavishly spewing %u201Cfacists%u201D labels.

[brianbwb-2009]

"poor" people are conditioned to beleive that if you whine about it and use the race card..you get pretty much want you want. hell will hard work and responsibility. isnt that the liberal mantra??
Posted by xzavierbrown"

Now add "racist" to fascist, especially if you believe all poor are non "white", a tour through Appalachia, northward to Flint, Michigan will show you millions of poor "whites". There is no gainful employment to be had in these areas.

Of course you already know this, but choose to troll these sites with your KKK inspired hate and ignorance.

[brianbwb-2009]

It is all relative, xzavierbrown, would you, as an American, accept sleeping twelve to a room designed for two, or in a park as the poor migrants do? I would suspect not, and as an American, you know your worth to be more than that.

They come because conditions are even worse where they come from, and if you believe that the same should hold true for America, then you are a fascist.

[xzavierbrown]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/25/business/main3203974.shtml

there is no reason to be ''poor'' in this country. we have droves of illegal aliens from all over the planet killing each other to get a piece of this poverty???NO..there is money to be made here..the only ones that think otherwise are the people who thinks the govt is facist because it is not giving them what they want fast enough.

[xzavierbrown]

that is a Republican specialty. Repubs have destroyed the middle class.

Posted by Rafterman1 at 08:24 PM : Aug 27, 2007
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*****
the liberals led the poor along the wrong road to ''equality''..these days "poor" people are conditioned to beleive that if you whine about it and use the race card..you get pretty much want you want. hell will hard work and responsibility. isnt that the liberal mantra??

[alanrobisch]

Rafterman I live near philadelphia which has been hit with serious accusation and convictions of dmocratic politicians including the mayor''s top advisor and his brother. We are in a era of increased murders in philadelphia. We have not had a republican mayor in 50 yrs and the city council is overwhelmingly democratic. The election to chose a mayor was the democratic primary. The forthcoming mayoral election isn''t even mentionned since there is no chance for the republican candidate to win.

The problems could be because the polticians are not held accountable no matter how they act and they get the reward in forms of bribes since reelection is a certainty. It''s called pay to play here. this means you make contributions to the dems in power and in return you get city contracts with no regard to your ability to fulfill the contract. The mayor''s brother was given a contract over the luggage operation at the airport for which he had absolutely no training or experience. It was worth a million dollars