Saturday, August 26, 2006
I apologize.
As I read over my very recent blog entries, I just don't feel that I'm doing these topics and issues any justice. I read them over and over knowing that I held back certain opinions in fear of offending someone. Not anyone in particular, but just anyone. I also fear that I have too much to say, so I just don't write anything at all. Other times, I attempt to articulate my ideas but I come up short. Maybe not to you, the reader, but to myself. So I decided that I'm not having that anymore. I apologize. I need to be honest.
And with that confession out of my system and into a bigger one, I continue. (Sappy emoticon goes here.)
Many media outlets are "celebrating" and "honoring" the one year anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina devastation to the Gulf Coast of the United States. The effects of this natural, racial, social and political storm linger still. In choosing an appropriate video to display the tragedy that was Hurricane Katrina, I couldn't. The images are too much to bear and I just come too close to tears and almost always meet frustration. Besides, I've been seeing many of these HK images on news stations for almost a week now. Each one reminding their audience of what happened one year ago today. And as I was watching a two-hour long HK celebratory news segment, I noted the immediate commercialization of this American tragedy. I couldn't believe that a network would of course film in front of an area that was seemingly untouched by Katrina. To add insult to injury, this national news program innocently put in shameless plugs for a local restaurant that was fortunate enough to restore its entire restaurant and staff in one year's time. That's all gravy for their business but what about the people native to New Orleans? This strategy caters to the interests of tourists but the focus needs to be on the locals. A year ago today, I remember seeing video footage of guides attempting to give tours of the dilapidated remains of residential area homes. Commercialization has taken on new forms within our media outlets; the news shouldn't be utilized as another venue for advertising. Nowadays, everytime I hear anything about Hurricane Katrina, I hear about how "America came together" and how the situation is "improving" as if it never took place. People need not overlook nor forget about what really went down one year ago:
One year ago today Hurricane Katrina made landfall. For many of us, it wasWater is a symbol of Hurricane Katrina: the storm, the flooding and the tears.
a moment of clarity: "this is what government looks like when it's run by
people who don't believe in it."
A year later, dead bodies are still lying in abandoned homes, garbage has
yet to be collected from New Orleans streets and countless residents have
no home, temporary or permanent.
But instead of addressing the continuing disaster, the administration is
on a public relations blitz to rewrite history. There are two things we
can do together to help make sure that America remembers Katrina.
1. Watch "When the Levees Broke" on HBO. Spike Lee has put together a
beautiful documentary that captures the full experience of Katrina in
a gripping and powerful way--you don't want to miss it. It's screening
on HBO tonight and all this month, and since a lot of folks who want
to see it don't have HBO, ColorofChange is encouraging folks to watch
together. If you can help someone who doesn't have HBO see it click
here. And if you don't have HBO, you may be able to find folks hosting
screenings here.
2. Write a letter to the editor. The administration's media tour is
designed to whitewash the government's terrible response to this
disaster. Let's not let them get away with it. The opinion pages are
the most popular pages in the newspaper--if they're flooded with our
letters, we can help shape public opinion. (There are some talking
points below.) Click here to get started.
As progressives, we don't believe in a sink or swim nation--we believe
we're all in this together. And Katrina's a terrible reminder of why that
basic idea is so important. Together, let's make sure it doesn't happen
again.
Thanks for all you do,
--Nita, Justin, Eli, Ilyse and the MoveOn.org Civic Action Team
Tuesday, August 29th, 2006
P.S. Here are some points to help with your letter, but you can find more
here:
http://civic.moveon.org/lte/?lte_campaign_id=64&id=8613-6765691-9sqyUAmgd0XMbUQfNbZT3Q&t=5
* Katrina shows that the Bush administration is unable to keep us safe.
The failed response and the fact that things got as bad as they did in
the days following Katrina showed all of us that 4 years after 9/11,
the government still can't keep us safe.
* Katrina reminds us that poverty in America is real. President Bush
vowed then to learn from Katrina and renew a commitment to fight
poverty in America. This is promise he has either broken or forgotten.
* Katrina underscores the need for change in America. During Katrina,
the people who needed the government most were the ones who were
forgotten. As progressives, we believe we're all in this together.
Katrina's aftermath was a terrible reminder of why that basic idea is
so important.
And here are the documentary links again:
* Set up a screening:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2032&id=8613-6765691-9sqyUAmgd0XMbUQfNbZT3Q&t=6
* Attend a screening:
http://civic.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=48&id=8613-6765691-9sqyUAmgd0XMbUQfNbZT3Q&t=7
* Learn more about the documentary
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2033&id=8613-6765691-9sqyUAmgd0XMbUQfNbZT3Q&t=8
I can't help but compare this watershed (pun intended) to that of 9/11. It's amazing how much these tragedies of our time serve as revelations that, perhaps, unravel themselves too late. This can definitely be seen with the 1898 Spanish-American War that jumpstarted the U.S. colonization of the Philippines. So how could a nation justify taking colonies of its own especially after fighting for its own independence as a colony against a colonial master? And what the hell does this have to do with 9/11 and the Philippines? In summing up an entire semester's worth of history and information, the U.S. faced a major decision at the close of the 19th century (republic or empire) regarding its social, economic, political and militaristic future. Through claiming the Philippines as an official colony-turned-commonwealth, we see the consequences of that decision with events such as 9/11.
It's been argued that at the time, the U.S. could have pursued a path of a republic or an empire. I'll let you guess which one was chosen with the following verse:
"Just because I'm Asian doesn't mean I'm politically passive or or attracted to racial lies that are massive and classic like // 'Freedom is spreading democracy' // but then don't tell us that democracy is a consumer commodity for sale without modesty // by political pimps so America could turn slutty tricks // for corporate dicks // who sell her out to dishonesty and tell us they're 'saving the economy' // Yeah it's even gotten to be there's no ridicule for big pimpin gone political // it's criminal // the World Trade's rebel tender money Bush calls honey // so he can hitch his bitch towards a disaster centerfold // as his fake president's pot of gold // 9/11 ends up commercially sold and now the situation is critical // people are taking ground zero car tours and Congress gives Bush the okay to start wars // drop bombs on Islam // Afghanistan .. // all by invoking the names Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein // but it's plain // Bush's Christian mission leaves blood stains on stone tablets // as his family has this habit of seeing themselves as American Royal // while they covet Middle Eastern oil // not above it to stake out the oil and claim war spoils from the oh so chic // make indiscreet excuses for the lies they deplete // but UH OH politics in play // better watch what I say // ain't supposed to start trouble // because Asians ain't part of the struggle // that's okay // keep being gullible // bury a century of Asian faces under your war revel // then expect Asians today to quietly stand by // as you force feed them your super size lies // just don't act surprised when the numbers are not on your side // when half the world uprise" - Yellow Rage
Even the big leagues are into this Empire of Liberty.
With the World Trade Center movie and now with Hurricane Katrina, the same tired strategies are used to supposedly uplift the American public. The WTC trailer publicized 9/11 as an event that "showed the strength of the American people" and "brought people together" but with all this I'm sayin that it shouldn't take a 'terrorist attack' or a 'natural disaster' to bring a people together. We don't need a movie or a tragedy or its aftermath to show our individual strengths and bring people together. In order to empower and learn, let's not exploit ourselves and each other to ultimately reach understanding.
When did we cease to be a people?
x_magsalita
// posted by Janice @ 10:52 PM 
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