George,

Hurricane Katrina Kills mostly Black and Poor People. Needless deaths and misery in New Orleans

On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina struct the U.S. Gulf Coast with vengeance and afterwards when the levee broke that protected New Orleans, a city that is below sea level, much of the flooded city stood in twenty-five feet high water. Because the Government, after having been warned in sufficient time that Katrina would be a category five when it came to shore, DID NOT provide transportation to help the city's poor people who are mostly black (30 percent of them living in abject poverty) and because after the levee broke) it took five days for the Federal Government to intervene and help evacuate these people from their houses, many from attics and roof tops, who were desperately screaming for help, multiple thousands (according to the city's Mayor a number that could be ten thousand) people are dead and nearly three hundred thousand are misplaced people who continue to live in misery.

WHY DID IT TAKE 6 DAYS TO RESCUE THE VICTIMS OF KATRINA IN NEW ORLEANS WHEN THE MAYOR OF THE CITY WAS PLEADING FOR HELP?"

What did RACE have to do with the Government's (Federal, State and Local) failure to respond to this dire situation? Nearly 70 percent of the residents in New Orleans are black people. Only after black outrage and extensive media coverage (by news persons who made contact with victims while those who were paid by taxpayers to make such contact said they were afraid to do so because they could get shot, robbed are be diseased by contaminated water and so on) did the Federal Government slowly come to help rescue the people. (5 days later). You know the answer to this systemic condition that in a word is about race.

Why were the people who were unable to leave the city taken to the Superdome in the first place when it was predicted that a category 5 hurricane would hit New Orleans...and with plenty of time...why didn't the Government providce transportation for these people...many of whom did not have cars to take them out of the city"? What sense would it make to take people to a Superdome that is expected to be hit by a category 5 hurricane? The Government moves people. Ask the American Indians?

Reportedly, exits were closed early that prevented some people who were on their way out of New Orleans from leaving the city.

RELATED AND GERMANE

The State of Louisiana has the largest prison population in the nation with 173,059 people in that State's prisons. There are 5,100 prisoners in the maximum security Angola Prison (located some 60 miles northeast of Baton Rouge). This is also the largest prison in the United States. It is situated on 18,000 acres with 1,500 cattle and vegetables galore that are tended to by prison laborers. Who's pocketing that money? It is estimated that 85 percent of the prisoners in Angola Prison will die there. This land could have been used to set up a tent city for the people who became victims of Hurricane Katrina. 75 percent of these prisoners are black even though Blacks are only 32.5 percent of Louisiana's general population. That State has only 4,469,334 people. Yet, that State has more prisoners than California that has a population of 35,000,000 people. State rights, I suppose? The United States is the world's largest jailer and Louisiana is the United States's largest jailer. It should be noted that in the United States there are 4,919 black males in prison per 100,000 in contrast to 717 white males per 100,000. It should also be noted that these black prisoners, after being incarcerated three to seven years, some more, are given a $10.00 check and many of them return to New Orleans without any place to stay, no job and nobody to help them get jobs because they are black and ex-cons.

They are disfranchised, not allowed to vote, because they are designated as felons. Who said ex-felons or felons couldn't vote? It is no wonder there were looting and shooting even during that Katrina catastrophe. In most states where there are few backs felons can vote. These ex-prisoners who continue to be on probation and many other people are in a state of chronic crisis. Had these black men not been in Louisiana's prisons they most likely would be productive citizens and available to help in the rescue of these desperate people who for five days were not helped by the Government.

Despite the fact that Louisiana incarcerated this extraordiary large number of black men, among other reasons, to keep the city low in crime so tourists can come to the city and spend their money, New Orlaens has for years ranked as the city with the fourth or fifth highest murder rate in the United States. This is evidence that the incarceration of poverty-sticken people is not the answer to reducing murder and other crimes. Observng the facts it is not unthinkable that a person could conclude that this is genocide aimed at eliminating the black race in America.

Hurricane Katerina sheds light on this issue glaringly and convincingly. Clearly, 8/29 thru 9/2-05 (5 days of heedless neglect by the U. S. Government) is more devastating and deadly than 9/11-01.

Now is the time for all Americans to speak out or up and demand that those who have been derelict in their duty to protect and save American lives; yes Americans, not refugees, face the bar of justice. The blood of those who died in this catastrophe is on somebody's hand. Whose Hands? Also let us PRAY, GIVE and WEEP.

8/29 thru 9/2-05 (5 days of death and misery).

URIAH J. FIELDS (Sounding the trumpet) (electronic mail, September 7, 2005)

Copyright 2005 by Uriah J. Fields