Katrina v. California

blackvirgo
October 26 2007, 11:18AM

OH god i have been thanking about this since the fires started, how can u not. The USA is so fuck up in so many ways. if you got money and the right skin color, you can make it through the storm, faster and we more care!!!!!

loi wade
October 26 2007, 11:32AM

What kills me is that these people (ca. fires) have the resources to go out and rebuild. There are Katrina victims still living in shanty towns and Bush doesn't give a damn. But, in a way, I'm happy to see it. Maybe now our people will stop living with the delusion that we have overcome. Whatever happened to the 'village' concept. We have got to stop waiting for others to come to our aid and take care of each other. I know the government has a responsibility to it's citizens. But we all now see what will happen if we depend on that.

Cincinnati NAMjA
October 26 2007, 11:33AM

Keith-

Thanks for bringing both side of this argument to light. When I saw that evacuees were being housed at QUALCOMM Stadium, I too immediately thought back to the travesty that hurricane Katrina caused and knew that there will be radicals thinking that the better treatment of the evacuees of the fires in California are all due to race. You pointed out that it is only part of the reason. In addition to your reasons why this natural disaster is getting better treatment for its victims, I would like to add that the nature of the natural disaster (fire being slower moving than a levee breaking) is another reason why resources were more readily available.

'dre
October 26 2007, 12:01PM

Its amazing at how the media can twist things around, as a native of San Diego, and all my family is still there, trying to get info from TV made it seem as though only one place was on fire, ranch Bernardo, which is of course home to some of the richest people in this country. The fires were all over, and, yet, they didn't seem to notice it. And, give me a break, they had 10,000 people at Qualcom, and, offering massages??? And, 400,000 in NO without a usuable toilet system??

the comparisons aren't fair, most rolled up to Qualcom in BMW's and Mercedes, not to say everyone ins San Diego County is wealthy today, but, when half the folks in New Orleans didn't have bus fare to the Suprerdome, the comparisons just does not fit.

And, then there is the dimwit in office praising Calif's gov, and, blaming the ones of Louisiana, always about politics, and, not about his own failed polices.

And, don't forget, these were "evacuees" the NO folks "refugees" enough said.

bubba
October 26 2007, 12:15PM

On another site, some fool swore up and down that race shouldn't be brought into this equation because whites are a minority in southern California. Right.

Blue
October 26 2007, 12:32PM

I think it's a mix of all of the above. It's race, it's class, its resources, and I think it's the government's refusal to have another Katrina incident. I tend to think the latter is the biggest culprit. The last thing they want is the kinds of images we saw during Katrina, no matter what color the folks are. That was an embarrassment to this nation. My big problem with the whole thing is this is a MAN-MADE disaster, meaning that there is no reason for you, no matter how rich you are, to repeatedly build houses in areas you know good and goddamn well are prone to wildfires. It's stupid. I feel bad for them because they have lost their homes, but damn - at some point common sense has to come into play.

Billy
October 26 2007, 12:32PM

This kind of reminds of what happened here in Florida when the hurricanes Charlie and Jean raged up. The relief was swift and President Bush was here faster than the speed of sound. And I remember everyone saying similiar comments that "he would run down there since his brother's the governor." The blunt unfairness of this cali situation is what frustrates everybody but Keith thanks for the article and your objectivity.

alicia banks
October 26 2007, 12:54PM

amen!

and do not forget
katrina v. greensburg
too
http://www.geocities.com/ambwww/katrina.htm

peace
ab

qtmia
October 26 2007, 12:56PM

Who said, "I will work to rebuild with you, Mr. President"....yet people in New Orleans and some of their own relatives are still suffering and living in trailors...

Keith, you are right...I have relatives in San Diego and they were in the QUALCOMM Stadium and they said they had massages, acupuncture, stress counselling, Starbucks coffee, Crystal Lite Beverages, Chipotle, beef and seafood empanadas and fresh fruit, fresh Caesar salads. They are very relaxed...but they said several white people kept on asking if they were residences of the greater San Diego Area and these were the workers in the QUALCOMM Staduim ...they had to show their CA driver's License.

"YES! MR. PRESIDENT I WILL REBUILD WITH YOU!!"

I AM JUST GLAD THAT MY REALIVES WERE NOT IN NEW ORLEANS, BUT THEY COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN IN NEW ORLEANS, I COULD HAVE BEEN IN NEW ORLEANS VACATIONING.

bellah
October 26 2007, 1:00PM

dont forget the sunscreen!!!!

qtmia
October 26 2007, 1:33PM

Let clarify that I believe the major part of the answer is about resources. California is one of the richest states in the country and Louisiana is one of the poorest. San Diego is one of the richest cities in America, and New Orleans is one of the poorest. Blessed with abundant tax dollars and plentiful resources, government officials in California were able to invest in emergency preparation that didn't exist at the time when Katrina hit...but LA is just too poor and messed up!

the liberator
October 26 2007, 2:03PM

Let's be real. The people in New Orleans lost everything. But if you think deeper. Are we going through a tough time trying to sell and buy homes? Hmmm, i wouldn't be surprised that some set their own damn houses on fire in order to get out their housing bank-lease agreement! I know this won't sit too well with most people, but I gotta call this out for what it is!

Mark
October 26 2007, 2:43PM

Honestly this is not about race. I live in San Diego-we had these wildfires three years ago. We knew this was coming again due to the drought it was just a matter of when. We were prepared, we just went through this. Our inrastructure did not collapse like in New Orleans, our roads were usable, as was the airport. Though some of the areas were wealthy white neighborhoods the majority of vistims live in less well to do areas in the back country, mostly at poverty level.

I'm not naive about the race issue. Afterall I am a white gay male raising an african-american child and an asian child. I know first hand of racial intolerance but the people sipping lattees at Qualcomm was not because of race but more because of being prepared, having a plan, and not having a large part of the city destroyed by floods incapacitating delivery systems.

Mark

manchild1
October 26 2007, 2:49PM

Some folks at my job were trying to get together some
donations for CA...then somebody bought up Katrina and
all hell broke out...ie why did we not contribute as
a group to those LA folks...this was an arguement given
by most of us brothas/sistas and a mexican girl with a
black fam....needless to say the white folks did not
understand our point. Keith....thank you for bringing
this issue to light,though most of us regular folks
knew it anyway....Bush do not like us period. He flew
to Texas like his ass was on fire....but it took him
a billion days to come down "the bottom". He will
do as he has always done,and the media does not find
fault with it.....let OBama become Pres and a mostly
white community be destroyed and he not react in
a timely matter. This is why we peeps must vote...

Luther
October 26 2007, 2:49PM

Well, it goes to show that if you don't vote for someone, you don't get help when its needed. San Diego has long been a GOP bastion, along with Orange County, and, big donors to the party and Bush and that Governor. So, it makes sense that he shows up and "supports" them. San Diego and OC are still a strongholds of GOP, even though both have large Hispanic and Asian populations, and, San Diego, a pretty good size black community, which is still nonexistent in OC, and most of whom don't vote.

Had South Central L. A., or some of the barrios in L. A. County or the Inland Empire been blazing away, I doubt if they would have got Starbucks and massages, and words of "comfort" from the dimwit in office. Same treatment as New Orleans, although, I do think that Arnold has more of a clue and is a bit more compassionate than Bush could ever dream of being about one thing, people.

Native
October 26 2007, 3:29PM

Incredible.

The inland Empire IS one fire. Where do you think Running Springs, Arrowhead and Big Bear are????

Barrios in Southern California ARE burning. What do you think parts of Santa Clarita, Saugus, Poway, Leucadia and Canyon Country are?

Don't you people realize that Rancho Bernardo and Rancho Santa Fe were only two of the areas that were hit? Hundreds of home have been lost. 25,000 people ended up at Qualcomm because they could not afford to stay at hotels, and have no family in San Diego. The city was prepared for this and kept people as happy as they possible could while their lives were destroyed by the fires.

Race could have been an issue, but not this time. We went through firestorms four years ago that destroyed our county. We were far better prepared this time around, and no thanks to FEMA and Bush.

People clueless about California and making snap judgements about what our state is comprised of. Classic.

Maddison
October 26 2007, 3:36PM

Bottom line is this, money talks period. I know this cause I live in California, and I have seen first hand, that It does not matter what color you are here in CA, just how much money you have. That is the only real thing that determines the level of respect you will recieve by the powers that be.

bubba
October 26 2007, 3:39PM

Even if California is richer than Louisiana, that doesn't excuse FEMA, a federal agency that should be ready to pitch in if a state's resources fail.

Luther
October 26 2007, 3:59PM

I hear you Maddison, its all about money, hence the reason the major news outlets kept harping about Malibu and Rancho Bernardo! Only rich folks count, and, in most cases, the rich are white, nothing wrong with that, but, lets keep it real about some of these enclaves that are getting all the media attention.

Sorry "native" your anger falls on blind eyes, you aren't the only Southern Californian who has lived through the fires for years and is still in one of the areas affected and posting here, so, try and stay on topic of how each area was treated different by FEMA and Bush, and race was a factor as well as party affilation.

Funny how "new" screen names pop up worth their racial nonsense that everyone is treated equal in this country, that never post here before, and when they come off with the "you people" time to get your laugh on at how seacrh engines work!

MLee
October 26 2007, 6:17PM

In California, even the pets and farm animals of the evacuees were provided shelter. I not saying anything is wrong with that. But, the only option the evacuees in New Orleans had was to leave their pets behind to die.

Native
October 26 2007, 7:16PM

Luther, you might want to do some homework before you start in with your comparison of the response in California vs. New Orleans. Even Boykin acknowledges:

"Blessed with abundant tax dollars and plentiful resources, government officials in California were able to invest in emergency preparation that didn't exist at the time when Katrina hit."

The "F" in FEMA stands for Federal. Still keeping up with me? California's response was a success because of the local tax base in San Diego and Los Angeles, and a STATE response.

Two more things:

1. I was born and raised in San Diego, and have lived in Los Angeles for the last 20 years, sweetheart. I didn't have "google" to find the names of the towns/areas hit, or where the "barrios" and "black folks" live.

2. We don't refer to ourselves as "Hispanics". That's was made up by non-latinos, and derogatory.

Check yourself.

*M*
October 26 2007, 7:23PM

The residents of CA have more money, thus more tax dollars to give, like Native said.
Also, CA learned lessons from Katrina and created a good emergency plan.

Luther
October 26 2007, 8:08PM

LOL, thanks native, checked and totally unimpressed, and, fyi, I still live in San Diego and was also born here so, you have nothing to be crowing about there, and, still find your opinion to be wrong, so, check mate, LOL! And, if I need info on Latino's, I'll ask a real one like my next door neighboor or my brother's Mexican American wife, so, no thanks "sweetheart."

And, M, you are right, a good emergency plan should have been in place, and, yet, in the case of NO, they governemnt was well aware that the city was not ready and had no money to do anything, the local govenrment, with all its infighing, and also , the federal governemtn.

Andy
October 26 2007, 8:47PM

All in all, this is still a tale of two cities, and, since New Orleans is one of the poorest cities in one of the poorest states in the country, the comparison becomes even more striking. I would hope California would have more resources on hand, its what, the 8th or 9th largest economy in the world? And, a state government despite its issues can work together, unlike Louisiana?

A good emergency plan is always a good idea, but, when you have a population that is as poor, and a city that is as dysfunctional as New Orleans was and is, that's when Bush and FEMA should have been there in a flash to help, good grief, they can build a bridge in Iraq in a week, and yet, you have people wading through diseased water to get to the Superdome?

And, I agree with Ms Marchand, they, FEMA hasn't learned a single thing, better than Katrina, but, still a long way to go, just ask the displaced Katrina victims. Class, money and race, the biggest obstacles to making this country be what it can be.

@Luther, too funny!

ChicagoAngel
October 26 2007, 9:05PM

On one hand I agree out government reacted to slow to the people in new Orleans. Now on the other hand, it's in the past and I think people have learned their lessons about how to react to natural disasters. But there are still hurt feelings.

BITTER
October 26 2007, 9:35PM

Gee, and I can't feel sorry for this glorified white trash because?????????????????? Gee, CUNT imagine why. Fuck them.

Marietta Man
October 26 2007, 9:49PM

IS THERE A REAL COMPARISON????

In New Orleans, there was no electricity, major flooding, and major barriers to people getting in to provide resources; including law enforcement and surrounding cities who were not supportive.

But, there were millions of people and private businesses, corporations, and non-profit organizations who tried to help in New Orleans, but they were denied access or access was not possible due to the major flooding. Now, in California the majority of convenience services and comfort services are being provided by locals, businesses etc., right? I think the American people were equally ready to serve, but there was the flooding and lack of leadership. Even other nations pledged funding, but leadership said no.

KB
October 27 2007, 4:48AM

Please remember that most of the food and donated services in the San Diego area (Qualcomm Stadium in particular) were corporate donations (which are also a year-end tax write-off).

While outlying areas and suburbs of San Diego county have been devastated, the downtown and business area is intact. The same could not really be said for New Orleans...not that the economic climate of NOLA or Louisiana could support such donations necessarily in the first place.

I live in Southern California and I am also offended by people making ridiculous assumptions and judgements about the rather specious comparison of San Diego and New Orleans, based on what little they know about facts of the evacuations and evacuees, demographics, economics, or who did what to help those who had to flee their homes. Federal, state, and local government let New Orleans DOWN, and continues to do so. Thank God there are volunteers who continue to go there to help.

Captain
October 27 2007, 6:21AM

Long live Bush!

Chris
October 27 2007, 12:32PM

Long Live Bush????? That either might be joke, we don't get or maybe it's "SNOWING" in your backyard. HMMM

TRY THIS FUCK BUSH!

The bottom line is this discrimination on this tragedy lies at many hands. Although I will admit wealth plays a BIG PART in how thongs will be quickly resolved. It's really sad how when the folks on the tragedy are predominately white they can go into a stadium and be pampered.
But in NOLA it was a different story. It just seemed that on one cared. Once again people of color
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!

And OH YEAH the only ones who will not be discriminating regardless of race, creed, or color in this tragedy is the following

1) Allstate
2) State Farm
3) Nationwide
4) Liberty Mutual
5) Met Life
6) Travelers
7) Farmers
8) A.I.G.
9) Safeco Lloyds

They don't care who you are. Just pay us the premium and we'll pay you NO MIND!...UGH! :-(

Derrick from Philly
October 27 2007, 1:56PM

Captain, you aint a goodlookin', pretty man, are you? Must be rough.

Even ugly mens usually have a big jpretty thaing. Dayuhm.

Sean M
October 27 2007, 4:45PM

First. FEMA is not suppose to replace local or state action. It is not suppose to fix local and state mistakes. That is why the states who have plans and implement them, get the better treatment. FEMA is a govt agency, and it will be run like one. Govt agencies are not built for speed.
CA and FL handle emergenices right. They know the federal govt is not even suppose to be there for the first 48-72 hours.

second. It is a fire! completley different than a levee breaking.

third. Bush didnt run to San Diego. The fires had been going on for a few days before he got there. This idea that he runs to whites, but not blacks is just wrong and silly.

fourth. those ranting about rebuling NO need to be honest. Most people, including blacks, dont want it rebuilt! Why? because it would be stupid to put that many people in that city again. It is built below sea level!

Andy
October 27 2007, 5:19PM

Maybe all those burned down houses in California should not be rebuilt either since they are in the fire zone, and earthquakes as well since the fires will strike again, and earthquakes are both inevitable. People want to live in places that are for lack of a better word, better than a place like North Dakota, Montana. No one wants a handout, but, what's the point of paying all these taxes and rip-off insurance premiums and, then have to fight like crazy to get what you have paid for? I live in a bland state, and the hassle I got for a lightening strike to my house was so bad, I ended up paying for it out of my pocket. So, its not where people want to live, its the way the system is set up with insurance. And, like Arnold said, rebuilding is going to be just as hard as any other place hit with a natural disaster

And, if the US government can speed help to Iraq, Afghanistan and waste billions, why not help the poor here without it being a major deal?

@derrick, too funny!

Myra
October 27 2007, 9:37PM

Well, with FEMA doing FAKE news confrences patting themselves on the backs and high fives for a "job well done" is it any wonder that this is a topic of discussion? I for one don't care if its a fire or a levee break, the fed's should be there to help along with local gov., since we all pay taxes, and, in most cases over pay with this out of control administration for past 7.5years spending like no tomorrow.

MLee
October 28 2007, 10:00AM

This is for people who still believe racism was not involved in the evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans. That it was only the lack of money. In New Orleans, the government deliberately separated children from their parents during the evacuation. When parents asked why? They were told those were the rules. They were not separated by mistake. This was a government policy. That is unconscionable. With mothers and children crying and refusing to be separated, they were given two choices, to be separated or to be left behind and die. As a result of this outrageous government policy, kids were lost from there families for months. As I mentioned in a previous post, even pets in California was not separated from their owners. Doesn’t this remind you of slavery times when families were separated? This is not a case of the rich vs the poor.

JinCA
October 28 2007, 10:10PM

Let's face it, the katrina issue was in large part caused by a lack of preperation from the local government as well as the federal government. The mayor and governor should have been thrown under the bus just as much as our idiot president and FEMA were in that situation but for some reason people refuse to hold them accountable as well. The people in NO were failed by the government on all levels, not just federal.

In CA we do have preperations in place for things like this, mainly because we have fire outbreaks every few years although not quite on the level we just experienced. Also most of the things people were getting down in San Diego were donated by the people locally, it's not like that idiot Bush was giving people massages himself, besides who'd want one from him anyway?

Obviously economics is the biggest factor here, they are 2 totally different types of disasters that took place in 2 totally different types of cities (rich/poor) so trying to compare them directly isn't really fair.

Chris
October 29 2007, 12:48AM

Sean M

You're right about FEMA. I guess then answer this question since you feel that alot of people do not want to return to NOLA. There are many here in the Philadelphia area who has made this home and say everyday "If I could go back home, I would" So what your saying is not actually true. And who would want to live below sea-level? You wait until Curious George's Buddies get that land and rebuild it into FIERCE condos, and Homes and you will see who wants to live below sea-level.
And if FEMA is all that why all those FUCKING TRAILORS stayed in Arkansas instead of helping the people in NOLA? And it doesn't matter FIRE, or LEVEE BREAKING it’s a DAMN DISASTER now GET TO WORK!!!!!!! Bush didn't run to Cali. But he let his Rethuglican Gov know from the jump we're here for you! Ray Nagin had to get on air and CURSE they ass before he came RACE DID & DOES MATTER MY DEAR!

Ron
October 29 2007, 1:42AM

I'm not going to really make a big deal about this issue compared to Katrina. I think the biggest factor was the fact that the Bush admninistration wanted to move swiftly (as it should in any natural disaster) and didn't want criticism for the slow Katrina response. Ashame that it could happen in this day in age but there are always lessons to be learned from things. Katrina wwas a tragedy that should have never occurred but its safe to say now that no one, regardless of class will be ignored in the way that the residents of Katrina were. I'm fairly confident of that. Oh and...Bush still sucks!

JinCA
October 29 2007, 10:33AM

An issue I think some people are ignoring here is Arnold and Bush were never friendly before this. Arnold is not a traditional Republican and he has not supported Bush on a lot of issues. I didn't want Arnold to be our Governor but I won't pretend he's a Bush flunkie, he's not.

Also another difference for people to consider about these 2 different disasters is that the city of San Diego wasn't hard to reach during the fires, people who wanted to donate things could just drive up to the stadium and drop them off vs people who wanted to help at the superdome didn't think they could get into the area to help. San Diego wasn't a flooded city/county, mission valley where the stadium is was just fine and all of the business within many miles of the stadium were open. In NO most of the area was under water and with the shootings and lack of roads in and out of the area most people probably didn't feel safe to go.

Most of what you saw on tv was either donations from private citizens, local business or the stat

Justin
October 29 2007, 5:01PM

Hey Mark,

Why do you assume just because you are a gay white male and raising black and asian children, you think you know about inequality?

Steve
October 29 2007, 10:56PM

Mark and Native seem to be the only people on this list that are talking reason. Simple truth: In New Orleans the ENTIRE infrastructure of a REGION was wiped out. Completely. There were NO resources to be had, and that was at least partly due to extremely poor planning at the state and local level. Laissez faire culture reaped it's own reward. In California, SPOTS were destroyed while the overall infrastructure remained in place. The region remained functioning, despite heavy losses locally. STATE and LOCAL resources did most of the heavy lifting.

You cannot blame everything on race. Local people have to be prepared to deal with local problems. And when a whole region is destroyed and the infrastructure is completely wiped out, there can only be disaster, racism or not.

SoCal
October 31 2007, 12:51AM

Every Californian commenting on this can agree with me, the Golden State "shakes and bakes" year in and year out and we all deal with it, regardless of race or class.

Wow
November 2 2007, 11:41PM

You know what we should do? Compare things that are not a like at all. Let's see how many differences arise.

sterling
November 14 2007, 2:41PM

Plus I think finding out why he made those decisions is important. To visit one group of people over another. I think judgement closes down the conversation when we need a seat at the table and the conversation about race to continue.