ExiledInIllinois Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 Ben Stein made an interesting point. If our media put as much effort into raising poeple's spirits as they did into trying to make everything seem as awful as possible, we'd all be a lot better off. Sadly, it's important to them that everything look horrible and everyone in the government look incompetent. Basically there's been no praise for people taking care of the refugees, no praise for the search and rescue teams, and no praise for ordinary people who helped one another survive this thing. As weird as it sounds, there's a lot of good work being done. The rescue effort may have taken longer than people wanted, but how many countries could do better? How many countries could do it at all? In other words, the big complaint from CNN/FOX/MSNBC is "it took too long." 429286[/snapback] You gotta sift through that. Again it is about the victims... Most of them already falling through the cracks of the system... Probably the reason it took so long? It isn't about praising people. Criticism is okay if it is about what I did wrong so I can do it better next time. There is a hell of a lot of great work out there... Have you've seen the resources that sprang up?... I know it took time... Even faster than in the past. Just yesterday at shift time, my relief said: "I am getting sick of seeing those people on TV." "Watch, they will get all new houses." I fired back, "How can you think that way!" You know what he said? "Why don't you go live with them!" And sulked off. How many Americans are feeling this way? We will never know?
SilverNRed Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 Again it is about the victims... Most of them already falling through the cracks of the system... Probably the reason it took so long? 429354[/snapback] Story after story about the victims having to wait for help isn't really useful information at some point. I'm more interested in finding out what relief efforts are mobilizing and what they're doing than hearing Jesse Jackson or the mayor of NO on TV again pointing fingers at everyone and telling me how bad things are. Seriously, it's one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history and I have an imagination so I really don't need another talking head telling me stories they heard. It isn't about praising people. Criticism is okay if it is about what I did wrong so I can do it better next time.The hurricane made landfall a week ago today and I have yet to hear any constructive criticism on the news. I've heard a lot of race baiting and I've heard a lot of reporters on the ground try to out-do one another in the melodrama department. I don't think any constructive criticism is going to come out of the 1st week anyway. There is a hell of a lot of great work out there... Have you've seen the resources that sprang up?... I know it took time... Even faster than in the past.I have. But I've been making an effort to look for that. I wonder how many other people know what's going on and how many are going with the Kanye West "Bush doesn't care about black people" theory. Every time I turn on CNN or FOX it's more belly-aching about how terrible everything is. CNN and MSNBC are interviewing Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton around the clock and every time they try to make this about race, the newscasters nod their heads and say "interesting point." I wonder how many Americans think the bottom line is that the government didn't care about black people and just let them die there because they didn't care. Basically the mainstream media has taken a bad situation and made it about a million times worse. As BiB pointed out, people around the world watch our media and they're forming opinions about America from this. Right now America looks like a racist country full of rapists and criminals just waiting for a natural disaster to take out the police. In reality, we're probably the only country that could rescue as many people as we have. Too bad that story will go untold. Just yesterday at shift time, my relief said: "I am getting sick of seeing those people on TV." "Watch, they will get all new houses." I fired back, "How can you think that way!" You know what he said? "Why don't you go live with them!" And sulked off. How many Americans are feeling this way? We will never know? I don't know what to say to that. Yesterday at church, our priest asked if there were there was anyone from NO present. There was about 2 dozen of these people and the reception they received from the Austinites was amazing. That's the America I remember. A week of MSM's coverage of this disaster had basically made me forget this is what most of us are like. I'm disgusted by that.
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 Ben Stein made an interesting point. If our media put as much effort into raising poeple's spirits as they did into trying to make everything seem as awful as possible, we'd all be a lot better off. Sadly, it's important to them that everything look horrible and everyone in the government look incompetent. Basically there's been no praise for people taking care of the refugees, no praise for the search and rescue teams, and no praise for ordinary people who helped one another survive this thing. As weird as it sounds, there's a lot of good work being done. The rescue effort may have taken longer than people wanted, but how many countries could do better? How many countries could do it at all? In other words, the big complaint from CNN/FOX/MSNBC is "it took too long." 429286[/snapback] I think Ben Stein makes the same mistake that most folks who depend on the Hollywood-NY entertainment axis for their living make in that he gives the media way too much credit for driving folks reactions than it deserves. Partioularly in today\s technological age with computers, cellphones, 24/7 cable, bloggers etc there is simply too much info for there to be one MEDIA which determines the message and gets it out and has the public dance to that tune, Definitely there are common themes which carry through media reports, but this commonality is determine by the common interest the professional media shares in wanting to make as much money as the can, but the idea that there is some common ideological presentation is actually stupid if he believe in it. The images are important, but the idea that if the press chose to be more positive about the images of a dead body lying in a wheelchair next to the convention center (or chose not to broadcast it on the 24/7 networks and some blogger got a hold of a photo of it and it became an even bigger story because they sat on this image). The bottomline is that this would not have been handled as such a horrible story if: 1. There had not been a deicison to settle in NO way back when and build a city which as it developed was surrouned on three sides by water and was below the water levels of the Lake and the Ocean. 2. Through government at levels from municipal to federal a series of decisions were made which destroyed the natural ability of the MS Rr. to deposit silt and keep up the wetlands and marshlands which have disappeared and allow the storm surge of a cat 4 Hurricane to hit much harder and cause more damage. 3. Through government at various levels to allow a levee system to be built to protect this city from floding which clearly could not withstand a storm hit which was going to occur sooner or later. 4. Local governments delayed in issuing the mandatory evacuation order since they appeared to fear issuing this costly order when the storm might turn making it a total waste of money. Instead, the locals resisted federal pressure to do this until it came so late that only those with the cash and assets could respond (70% of the population in question or so). The poorest, most criminal, most unlucky or stupidest folks were those who were left. 5. A host of other factors and issues. Nen Stein or the media could dress this story up anyway they want. The reality of dozens, hundreds and probably of thousands of people being dead is why this story is what it is.
Dan Gross Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 I have. But I've been making an effort to look for that. I wonder how many other people know what's going on and how many are going with the Kanye West "Bush doesn't care about black people" theory. Every time I turn on CNN or FOX it's more belly-aching about how terrible everything is. CNN and MSNBC are interviewing Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton around the clock and every time they try to make this about race, the newscasters nod their heads and say "interesting point." I wonder how many Americans think the bottom line is that the government didn't care about black people and just let them die there because they didn't care. In the meantime, people in the predominantly white parishes outside New Orleans who are smaller in number but still in dire straits are being largely ignored by both thr gov't and the media....yeah, it's a race thing... Basically the mainstream media has taken a bad situation and made it about a million times worse. As BiB pointed out, people around the world watch our media and they're forming opinions about America from this. Right now America looks like a racist country full of rapists and criminals just waiting for a natural disaster to take out the police. In reality, we're probably the only country that could rescue as many people as we have. Too bad that story will go untold. I just read that the coast guard has rescued nearly twice as many people during Katrina as they have over the last 50 years. Decent kudos buried in the doom and gloom here... if you know where to look for it... I don't know what to say to that. Yesterday at church, our priest asked if there were there was anyone from NO present. There was about 2 dozen of these people and the reception they received from the Austinites was amazing. That's the America I remember. A week of MSM's coverage of this disaster had basically made me forget this is what most of us are like. I'm disgusted by that. 429369[/snapback] I hear ya.
BigAL Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 I just read that the coast guard has rescued nearly twice as many people during Katrina as they have over the last 50 years. Decent kudos buried in the doom and gloom here... if you know where to look for it...I hear ya. 429405[/snapback] So while folks are complaining about CNN and MSNBC, you point to a CNN article for some positive news. Brilliant
Dan Gross Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 So while folks are complaining about CNN and MSNBC, you point to a CNN article for some positive news. Brilliant 429426[/snapback] And point out that: a.) it's one of about 30 current articles on the aftermath, and you have to search to find it, b.) the point of the article is the "doom and gloom" about the remaining people, but it bothers to also cover the heroic efforts of the rescuers, the Coast Guard in particular. Sorry that in condensing those points, you missed that while I was giving them some credit, it was very little, and something the casual reader (90% of the people reading) would have likely missed.
Ghost of BiB Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 Support Update STATE INFORMATION STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES Mississippi Official Website Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (601-352-9100); 24-hour emergency line, (800-222-MEMA or 800-222-6362) Alabama Disaster Web Weather, Safety Tips, and Contact information from the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (205-280-2200) Florida Disaster Web Florida Emergency Management Agency (1-800-342-3557) Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Contact Information, News Bulletins, and Shelter Information for the state of Lousiana. (225-925-7400) LOUISIANA Assistance For Storm Victims FEMA Disaster Assistance 1-800-621-3362 / 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) National Flood Insurance Program Katrina - Tropical Weather Tools National Hurricane Center Weather Related Links Flood Safety Tips Actions Before & After A Hurricane Storm Surge Information Sheet LSU Hurricane Tracking Chart - (PDF) State Police Road Closure Hotline: 1-800-469-4828 Road Closure Index Parish Contact Information State Police Evacuation Information Your Evacuation Plan Disaster Preparedness/Response Links for Pets, Domesticated Animals Katrina Satellite Imagery - LSU’s Earthscan Labs Shelter Information: Red Cross- 1(866)-GET-INFO (438-4636) Special Needs Shelter Information Triage Phone Numbers: Alexandria: 800-841-5778 Shreveport: 800-841-5776 Baton Rouge: 800-349-1372 Monroe: 866-280-7287 Houma/Thibodaux: 800-228-9409 Slidell/Hammond: 866-280-7724 Lafayette: 800-901-3210 Lake Charles: 866-280-2711 Equine Shelter/Evacuation Site Information Locations for Animal Evacuation: Alexandria - Large & Small 318-442-4222 (all vet clinics will accept) Lamar Dixon - Gonzales - Large Animals Shreveport - LSU-S (pets only, no livestock) West Monroe - Ike Hamilton Coliseum Louisiana Hotel Information 1-800-99-GUMBO Emergency Shelter Information Points: Tourist Welcome Center, US 65 & 84, 1401 Carter St. (US 84), Vidalia, LA Tourist Welcome Center, TA Truck Stop, Tallulah Exit (Hwy 65 & I 20) Paragon Casino, 711 Paragon Place, Marksville LA Sammy’s Truck Stop, I-49, Exit 53, 3601 LA 115W, Bunkie, LA Med Express Office, 7525 US 71, Alexandria, LA P.E. Gym, LSU- Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, LA Pickering High School, 180 Lebleu Rd., Leesville, LA Mowad Civic Center, 5th & 10th St., 1 Block off US 165, Oakdale, LA DONATIONS Donate cash to: American Red Cross 1-800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English, 1-800-257-7575 Spanish; Operation Blessing 1-800-436-6348 America’s Second Harvest 1-800-344-8070 Donate Cash to and Volunteer with: Adventist Community Services 1-800-381-7171 Catholic Charities, USA 703 549-1390 Christian Disaster Response 941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554 Christian Reformed World Relief Committee 1-800-848-5818 Church World Service 1-800-297-1516 Convoy of Hope 417-823-8998 Lutheran Disaster Response 800-638-3522 Mennonite Disaster Service 717-859-2210 Nazarene Disaster Response 888-256-5886 Presbyterian Disaster Assistance 800-872-3283 Salvation Army 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769) Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief 1-800-462-8657, ext. 6440 United Methodist Committee on Relief 1-800-554-8583
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