From its coverage, it’s obvious that MTV News knows who is responsible for the Katrina devastation: The (Republican) federal government. They also know why the federal government response was “delayed”: because most victims were black. It looks like viewers think the same thing in a poll they bill as Kanye West vs. George Bush:
On a nationally televised benefit concert, Kanye West suggested that the federal government’s response to the Katrina disaster was not taken seriously because the majority of victims were black. What do you believe was the biggest reason for the delay in getting aid to the victims?
Aid was delayed because the majority of victims were black. 38%
Aid was delayed because the majority of victims were poor. 20%
Aid was delayed because of poor planning and coordination. 34%
The government responded as fast as it could have under the circumstances. 8%
Plenty of fellow rappers were there to stand behind Kanye West’s comments: Jay-Z, Diddy, David Banner, Twista, T.I. and others went off on everything from the war in Iraq to America not concentrating enough on the “pain in the music” that they make. They charged the government with “looking at them as less than human”. David Banner even said he doesn’t want to hear the national anthem around him anymore.
Another MTV News article, “Federal Agency Delayed Katrina Response, According To Internal Memo“:
According to the wire service, Katrina raged for five hours before Brown petitioned Chertoff with his first request for aid: 1,000 Homeland Security workers who’d be dispatched to the region two days later to lend their support to localized rescue efforts and “convey a positive image of disaster operations to government officials, community organizations and the general public.” He also suggested that an additional 2,000 personnel be sent over the course of the following week.
So, according to the story, “internal documents” show that he waited 5 hours from the initial impact of Katrina before making his first request? That was the federal delayed response the title is referring to? Five hours?!? The title suggests that there was something ready to go but a decision was made not pull the trigger just yet (because the victims were black?).
Brown is then criticized for discouraging out-of-state, non-federal support crews from scrambling to the affected areas without first have a specific request (by a local or state government) to go there. Apparently, this is an unreasonable request and we should just have everyone rushing in as fast as possible and not wait to see what and where things are needed.
In a touching article, MTV finds what it was looking for in a 24-year-old Jessica Strahan who was crying because “she was three months pregnant and it was too late to consider having an abortion.”
They also found someone who went to the Astrodome to complain to the Red Cross because she wasn’t getting all the free stuff that she heard others were getting:
Annie Gonzalez, a 23-year-old, stopped by the Astrodome to complain that the Red Cross wasn’t providing her with enough assistance, since she was staying with a friend nearby and not at the shelter there. When Red Cross VP Darren Irby pointed out that she at least had shelter, she explained that she was but one of a dozen people crashing with a friend, and that she wasn’t getting access to the free food, medical attention, clothing and other donations the evacuees at the Astrodome were getting. “Food costs money, clothing costs money,” she said, pointing out that she had run for her life and had just as few resources as the rest of the people there did.
Of course, everyone in the article who had evacuated early or had insurance was classified as “lucky”.
Eric Anderson at 1:51 am
Aid was delayed because the majority of victims were black. 38%
Aid was delayed because the majority of victims were poor. 20%
Aid was delayed because of poor planning and coordination. 34%
The government responded as fast as it could have under the circumstances. 8%
What do you expect from MTV. Real, thinking human people don’t believe this stuff at all.
Another real poll was taken over the weekend and the 13% of Americans blamed George Bush for the disaster.
I’d trust Gallop before I’d trust MTV.
Comment by Anonymous — September 8, 2005 @ 2:23 pm
Mtv proves Its incompetance again. Of course it wasnt race, it was just population control.
Comment by mike — September 9, 2005 @ 7:26 am
that poll is ridiculous. i would like to see the demographics of who voted on this poll. chances are they were easily influenced children between the ages of 15 and 19. however, i do think kanye got his point accross because its made ripples in a very large pond.
Comment by doug — September 9, 2005 @ 5:25 pm
Honestly who cares who took the poll.. its just people stating there honest opinon just like you
Comment by Calvin — September 12, 2005 @ 3:59 am
It matters because if you ask all black people if George W. Bush hates them, most would say yes. If you ask all white people if GWB hates all black people, only the white democrats would say yes. If you asked all the Republicans if GWB hates black people, they would probably all say no.
It matters who you ask. You ask the group that will give you the answers you want. That’s how polls work.
Comment by Dave — September 14, 2005 @ 2:58 pm
Honestly who cares who took the poll.. its just people stating there honest opinon just like you
You mean people would give a dishonest opinion?
How can you tell between a poll taken with honest people or one taken with dishonest people?
That’s the problem with polls.
Comment by Homey — September 19, 2005 @ 6:30 am