Not much to report. I hung out with Mandy a bit last night and watched part of Spike Lee's Hurricane Katrina documentary (When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts) until it became too depressing and we had to switch over to Nanny 911 (I've come to be a much bigger fan of mindless, comfortable television in recent weeks, but yes, I do intend to eventually watch the remainder of the New Orleans documentary because it seemed to be extremely well done). One interesting part of the documentary, and something I had not heard before, was the assertion of some New Orleans residents that the levees which were supposed to protect the ninth ward and some of the other poorer sections of the city were intentionally destroyed with dynamite in order to divert floodwaters and protect the French Quarter, The Garden District, and some of the other wealthier sections of the city. Speculation along these lines is fueled by the fact that the city has done this sort of thing before, intentionally flooding poorer sections of the city in order to save wealthier sections back when the Mississippi broke its banks and flooded the city in 1927. That history, coupled with the fact that a number of residents claim to have heard loud explosions at the times that the levees gave way, have combined to create a sort of conspiracy in which the government sacrificed the poorer, mostly minority areas of the city in order to save wealthier parts of town. I really, really hope that these rumors are completely unfounded.
Anyway, Camille's now back in Boston. We miss her. Kellie's back in Seattle. We miss her, too.
Hope everyone is doing ok.
12 comments:
I disagree on the Katrina/Dynamited levee theory, or CNN would have scooped it with one of their super journalists and film crews! Oh yeah, did your documentary happen to also mention that Bush was a Navy Seal trained in underwater stealth demoli-tion?
Smoldering Infadel
I'm pretty sure that Bush isn't allowed out of the kiddie pool. Even when he wears his floaties.
CNN doing investigative work? Any of our major media outlets doing investigative work. Give me a break. You give them too much credit.
I have enjoyed some Spike Lee movies, but his suggestion here is reckless, way off base and done for one and only one reason: self-promotion. He knows that controversy sells. Controversy, along with piles of talent, is why everyone knows Spike Lee's name in the first place. If he really believed that the levees were blown up, he should have been saying that's what happened well prior to the release of his documentary. Instead, he says something just short of saying that he believes foul play took place...note his word choice "it is possible" because he knows he can't prove it and more importantly, he knows he doesn't have to prove it. People are so rightfully upset about Katrina that the media and psyche of those impacted will do the rest of the dirty work for him in the remainder of his argument, turning "possibility" into "the levees were blown up by the government to destroy the black community." Admittedly, I'm taking a lot of license with what Spike knows and what he doesn't, and history is always a powerful ally, but he is undeniably incredibly media savvy, and he certainly has the soapbox and media influence to voice that type of comment months ago effectively if he wanted to do so. Plus, if he's talking about something that turns ineptitude (of which there was plenty in the pre and post Katrina govt response) into criminal conduct tantamount to a tactical assault, then he has a duty not to sit on that type of information until it best serves him rather than the public interest. Does anyone believe that if Spike Lee called a press conference in New Orleans six months ago and suggested this stuff to the media that he wouldn't have received an audience? Hell, he could have obtained a congressional hearing if he'd so desired. I would also note that because of his status and media reach, he also has a duty to ensure he doesn't harm the very public interests he purports to be protecting. Put differently, how many government officials will be excited about fixing the myriad of problems in and around New Orleans and the Ninth Ward if they are going to be accused not only of incompetence, but of malice aforethought? What happened down there was an inexcuseable abomination. EVERYONE, with the possible exception of the President, agreed upon that almost immediately. Correcting the errors and rebuilding the city is the important thing now, not slinging unsubstantiated innuendo that will only increase the hurdles to solving the many remaining and future problems.
This is why people should only watch Entourage on HBO.
Note #2. I would add that any agreement with that pinhead Tucker Carlson, who I intensely dislike not because of his politics, but because of his ridiculous and obviously calculated decision to wear a bow-tie as a young man solely for media attention (seriously, would the guy have a t.v. show but for the bow-tie?), is purely coincidental. Such agreement, if any, is also practically unprecedented. It pains me to no end to even be remotely aligned with someone under the age of 80 wearing a bow-tie. Now, seersucker--that's someone I can appreciate.
Right-on Weedo...they tend to spin the news to the
point it seems 'created instead of related'.
I'll say this, I don't give a damn for biased news, left or right! Tell me what happened, I'll make up my own mind concerning effect, and or fallout.
Lee, your's was one of the best...and one of the most comprehensive posts I have ever read on any subject period! Very well written. As an afterthought, did not Minister:Louis Farrakhan spawn the dynamited levee theory...surely Spike
did'nt get his levee-theory data from the minister, or would that be a stretch?
Jason...great blogspot, keep er' going!
Smoldering Infadel
I'm not sure what Spike Lee's source for the dynamite theory was, but if it was Louis Farrakhan, that would weaken his position even further. Minister Farrakhan can preach all he wants, but his answer to the bigotry he says he fights against has historically been simply more bigotry. He has called Jews, Palestinians, and Asians alike "bloodsuckers" and once called Adolf Hitler "a great man." He is a zealot and espouses at least as much hate as he does reconciliation. Perhaps once Mel Gibson gets out of drinking school, he will make a movie about Farrakhan someday...
I agree that Spike Lee's comments may have been reckless, but I disagree with the notion that that the only reason he raises these concerns is for self promotion. Although he certainly doesn't seem to have anything approaching conclusive evidence that the New Orleans levees were blasted, I think Lee raises the issue because it's a rumor that's already prevalent among what's left of some of the poorer, black communities of New Orleans. Although he may not even give the rumors much credibility himself, I think Lee included those rumors in his documentary in order to show the level of distrust and anger that lower income black residents of New Orleans feel when it comes to dealing with federal, state, and local government. These people not only feel that they were abandoned by their government during their hour of greatest need (which is plenty awful in itself), but many of them honestly fear that the government may have been part of the cause of their plight in the first place. Whether the rumor of orchestrated levee demolition is true or not, the simple fact that the rumor has persisted and spread tends to illuminate the attitudes that New Orleans' poorest citizens hold toward their government. They certainly don't trust the government to help them, and many resolutely believe that welathy are willing to sacrifice the poor in order to provide benefit for themselves. Given the history of the city (where the need for levee improvement and repair has been ignored for decades in order to save tax dollars, despite warnings by the Corps of Engineers), how much blame can you place on these people for harboring such attitudes?
I don't blame the folks in New Orleans for anything. If I had been hustled into the Superdome and forced to abandon everything I knew, there's no telling what I might believe. But, it didn't appear to me that was the tenor of Spike Lee's comments. He was launching accusations (or rather, cleverly permitting them to be launched), not simply providing a voice to the voiceless. The crux of his argument appears to be that the response to Katrina or some similar calamity would have been entirely different in a predominantly white city. Thus, his police response time in Beverly Hills versus Compton hypothetical cited in the transcript to which you linked the Adventurers. I agree with him there. I think most everyone else does too. His main argument (and it is a very good one) is marginalized though when he starts lending the credibility he generally carries to an idea which otherwise has no credibility. And thus his motives for doing so become clearer. I don't blame the man for pursuing self-promotion, but I think he can do it with his credibility in tact. After all, there's so much other material for him to mine in this debacle that doesn't have the taint of rumor and speculation.
I agree again Lee,...there's enough stench in New Orleans to last for quite some time...why nurture it with the intermittant fragrances of bulls--- artists, the likes of Spike Lee, Jackson, Sharpton, and Farakahn...don't the poor and homeless of New Orleans deserve no more or no less, than the truth, and nothing but.
Imagine if you were defending, and our court system allowed the prosecution to say or infer any and everything, they pleased, with no "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" needed. Would your brilliance be able to stand up to their bulls---baffling? I dunno.
But I do know this, the majority of New Orleans pro-
bably did not vote for George Bush, while that same majority voted for Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin!
The initiation of need for federal mobilization of the National Guard, and Fema, is the responsabiliy of the states respective Governors with close co-ordination of city mayors. and various appropriate officials.
In addition to the tremondous suffering and loss of life and property, I observed inept planning and execution, a Governor and a Mayor with minimum leadership qualities, a disgraced police department,
flooded unused school buses to be used in evacuations, disabled hospitals, unchecked looting,
and on and on. All of this in a city that damn near leads the free world in crime, murder, 'in your pocket' elected officials, and ravaging corruption beyond the pale!
The only solice (for me at any rate) was the sight of those stoic black men in a jon boat, going from home to home of their neighbors literally chopping holes in rooves to free trapped human beings about to drown in their attics. And green and tan and camouflage of the personnel and equipment of our respective armed forces rescuing thousands!
And at one point, observing a Blackhawk helicoptor
in a precarious rescue, and I became a bit emotional
and quickly very proud...that was MY Blackhawk rescuing those terrified folks! Its' Jason's and Sigmund's Mandy's Karebear's, even Spike's Blackhawk...all of us who pay taxes, own that beautiful Blackhawk helicoptor (with of course, the possible exception of three tax exempt ministers who come to mind).
So Mr. Lee, in keepng with our constitution's guar-antee of your freedom to say what you please, I ask: You owe it to your race, and your people, who by the
way are my fellow Americans, please don't pick at scabs that don't exist, I'm sure we'll ALL be the beter for it...
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it,
Smoldering Infadel
I miss y'all too. Adam got to see Spike Lee up close and personal at the Red Sox's game on Sunday. In fact, Adam was closer to the field than Mr. Lee. I want to watch the documentary so please save it on the DVR for me.
P.S. That last post was from Connie Cuchie Connie.
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