(written 2005)

With the latest string of natural disasterz over the past couple yearz, it would make one wonder if we really are in the Last Dayz. But this piece isn’t about “God’s wrath”… this is about how humanz treat humanz in tymz of disaster.

Not even 5 yearz ago, the aftermath of 9/11 reminded me of the 1993 movie, Demolition Man which starred Wesley Snipes and Sylvester Stallone. Several dayz (and possible weeks) there was no crime, everyone dropped their stereotypical differences and saw each other as one; a country united who needed to bond if we were to get through this. Everyone suddenly started dawning red, white and blue flagz under the illusion they can cover up their fearz by feelin’ patriotic. This was a tyme where everyone was affected and thus, everyone participated in the rehabilitation to bring calm.

Fast forward to Hurricane Katrina. Although there weren’t alleged terrorist planes attacking skyscraperz, we find ourselves as victimz to yet anutha uncontrolled attack. The reaction this tyme? Not the same…

I started to think, other than this bein’ a natural disaster instead of a man-made and planned attack, what was the difference? I started doin’ some searching for stats ‘cause before I can make my obvious claimz, for all those naysayerz who are quick to say I try to make everything a black-white issue, I needed stats to verify what I know to be true. I went to a website (www.newyork.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm & www.neworleans.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm) to search for the amount of black people that live in New York and compare it with those of use that are in New Orleans.

According to the 2000 US. Census, New York has a total population of over 8 million people with 44.6% being white, 26.6% Afrikan and 28.8% other. New Orleans has approximately 485,000 with 28.1% white, 67.3% Afrikan and 4.7% other.

Now, after marinating on the numberz, it’s safe to say that New Orleans is predominately Afrikan with just over 30% consisting of whites and other ethnicities. Now, am I wrong to think there’s somethin’ racial about US Government’s response 4-5 dayz after Katrina hit the hood?

Next comes a barrage of questionz: 1)Y were all the News stationz able to get there to cover the story as it developed and throughout the aftermath, yet there were none that would bring supplies ‘til dayz after?; 2)Of all the helicopterz and News teamz that covered the story, Y didn’t they just put some supplies in those copterz to give to the victimz?; 3)Y were the National Guard show up heavily armed and given permission to shoot anyone “looting” for supplies to survive on?; 4)Y did it take Bush so long to come to see the aftermath and Y did he just go to Biloxi, Mississippi and not New Orleans – where our people dwell? And Y didn’t he take at least one person with him to safety when he left?; 5)Y did Jesse Jackson and Elijah Cummings nut-up when Larry King asked if the US. Government’s delay in relief was racially motivated?; 6)Where are our so-called leaderz? Y haven’t we heard Farrakhan say anything about how the victimz have been treated? What about Al Sharpton?; 7)Y is everybody tryin’ to tie God into this? Farrakhan stated Katrina was “God’s punishment for the war in Iraq.” What parties responsible for the war in Iraq live in New Orleans?!!? Evangelist, Michael Marcavage stated Katrina “destroyed a wicked city” favoring the hurricane because it caused the cancellation of an annual gay festival; 8)If this God shit is true, Y would God destroy a city where a lot of Black people live and label it a wicked city, yet not destroy DC which is the symbolic headquarterz of the most wicked clan that’s responsible global white supremacy?; 9) Where were all the helicopterz in the nation that could’ve dropped off supplies starting the day after the storm?; 10)Knowing that the eye of Katrina had passed over Florida Thursday, August 27 th and that it was headed toward New Orleans, Y didn’t the US Government take any preventive measures before the storm?; 11)Y hasn’t anyone come down on the press for its blatant racial epithet it showed when they released two photo’s, one with a white couple “finding” food from a local grocery store contrasting it with a young Afrikan doin’ the same exact thing, yet the media claimz he’s “looting” a grocery store?; and 10)Y are hedz blastin’ Kanye West for speakin’ the truth?!!?

These are but a few questionz that may never be addressed by the actual parties that need to answer them, and that’s not my purpose for addressing them. The questionz are for you, the reader to look at and ask yourself Y you think they’ll ever be addressed. All this points to two logical points: 1)Afrikan people, even in America, are still considered less-human than whites and 2)Our so-called Black leadership is so weak, we are virtually paralyzed to do anything our self, for ourselves.

In a tyme where fellow Americanz, no fuck that, Human Beingz are in need of help other living beingz chose to ignore, then because of tv coverage, finally stepped in – I mean, why’d it take 5-6 dayz to finally have a nationally televised relief program?!!? Racizm is the answer. The statistics support my claim, for if it were New York City or any other predominately white populated city, relief would’ve come much sooner – remember the hurricanes in Florida? What about the Tsunami?!

The lengthy delay our people have endured since August 28 th, 2005 is the longest and most inhumane atrocity done on modern US. soil. The way the government chose to both relieve and gain control in New Orleans also showz just how they feel about Afrikanz-in-America. To show up with gunz before food and water verifies my claim.

Friday, September 2 nd, Kanye West did what those who know him well, would do. He spoke the shockin’ truth. Stating Bush didn’t care about Black people, YTs massa-media has again flooded the waves clamin’ Kanye attacked Bush, when he was only echoing what several other reporterz as well as New Orleans officialz were saying – especially mayor Ray Nagin. I applaud Kanye’s courage to actually do somethin’ many think about doin’! Nagin should be commended as well.

Nagin has gone on record with CNNs WWL Radio, demanding the federal government get off their ass and do something! Nagin also revealed in the interview that they’ve requested in the past, the governor, homeland security, FEMA, etc. to fix the 17 th Street Canal where a pumping station that’s used to keep the city dry because it’s 6 feet below sea level. Because this plea was ignored, it probably killed thousandz more, because the pump station also pumped the cities water supply through the city. You can read more of his interview at www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/nagin.transcript/index.html.

He was asked what could people do to help and his first response was to keep talkin’ about it, which is Y I wrote this piece. We need to keep talkin’ about this Afrikanz! At the dawn of the possible historic Millionz More March this October, we must begin to see that what happenz to Afrikanz anywhere in the world affects us all globally! We must make it our business to know what’s goin’ on abroad as well as in this country because you’ll find that YT discriminates against us all equally. If you thought not before, hurricane Katrina should be your wakeup call!

Keep talkin’ about Afrikanz, keep talkin’!!

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