Why Hurricane Katrina  emphasized that the poverty exists in America?
534869
There are a lot of things in our society and our way of life that tend to make people who are living in poverty 'invisible.'\n\nPeople of different social strata or income groups tend to live in various pockets because of the varying value of land for their homes (poorer people tend to live in areas where the land is inexpensive, or residences allow for more people living in a smaller space). The poorer an area is, the less likely it is to attract outside investment such as grocery stores or work sites, so there is much less reason for our media to pay attention to the area.\n\nPeople in the middle class tend to live in outer suburbs where land is more expensive but available, services are better provided, and there is more relative safety. If they work in urban areas, they have access largely via the Interstate Highway system, so they avoid contact or even sight of poor and blighted areas.\n\nBecause people who live in poverty tend to have a higher amount of relative depression, they tend to not believe there is anything to be gained through voting, so there is no incentive for our political leaders to pay any attention to them at all.\n\nIn short, our people living in poverty tend to live in pockets and areas that have nothing in them that the rest of society is interested in, so they become invisible. We then tend to believe that there is no real poverty in America. The only poor people we tend to see are the con artists along the highway exits who try to intimidate us into giving them money so they will leave us alone.\n\nWhen Katrina came along, it devastated such a large area that these invisible people were driven out of their homes and were forced to seek outside help. Because they had no cars and no caches of food or supplies, they were herded into camps and holding areas where they suddenly became a story worth reporting on because their misery was now out in the open and on display.\n\nNow that they have been dispersed across the country, of course, they are invisible again, and we can go back to asking our government to reassure us that poverty does not exist ... again.
494214
I don't know if it was the government's plot to reduce the black population but it sure did work.  When Katrina hit; the American Government showed their butts by not helping out the American People.  They did anything in their power not to help by delaying the trailers and the transportation.  Katrina showed us as an American of what our government is all about when it comes to disaster in an black population.
201382
I was in New Orleans the day before Hurricane Katrina hit. When we were evacuating the city we passed by very poor neighborhoods. Most of the people living in those neighborhoods were African American. They were sitting on the porches waving to us. I asked my boyfriend why they weren't leaving and he said they didn't have enough money for gas, food, hotel etc.. I don't think its the entire black race that feels this way about it. Just those in New Orleans who did not have enough money to evacuate.
571345
Why should we in the U.S. care about the plight of ILLEGAL immigrants when we have our Own to help!!\n\nWhy shouldn't we as bad for the poor in the U.S. as much as others feel sorry for those in other countries? How is what happened in New Orleans any different than the Asian tsunami? Why should it be 'self pity' for us to aknowelge our fellow citizens who are living in squallar? Anyone can see the U.S. is becomming a two tier economy. It's been heading in that direction for quite a while now, and there's no sign things will change for the better. If you don't know what a two tier economy is, please look it up and educate yourself! Almost all of the income growth in the States since 1975 has been for the richest 20 percent of households. Today the economic gap between between rich and poor in the United States is greater than ever. There's nothing like taking a walk around your (bank-owned) house, then going outside and kneeling down in your (bank-owned) lawn and grabbing a handful of (the bank's) dirt to make you realize how precious (their) land is. Americans aren't that 'rich'! lol. \n\n\nWhy are Americans above all nations so self-delusional? They aren't that rich, majority are poor. They work longer hours for things they will prob. never REALLY own. They have to BORROW more, as in credit cards. The american education system is laughable. No health care. What does the U.S. REALLY have going for it besides WEAPONS??!!!!!! Nothing......\n\nDidn't the Roman empire died eventually? Why do Americans think that it will continue to be the "world leader" in anything? Many, many people around the world don't like Americans because they believe they are full of themselves.\n\n\nWhy shouldn't the world feel as bad for the poor in the U.S. as americans feel about others? Is it a feeling of superiority?? Possibly?\n\nWhat about New Orleans?? PEOPLE STARVED TO DEATH WHILE THE U.S. GOV. WATCHED ON T.V.!!! What about the elderly and the children who are "lost"?
950769
Probably becuase poverty is always a relative concept. Being the richer nations they probably still see Africa as the "Dark Continent" back from their sea-faring days.\n\nThat said...\n\nMost other countries probably have more than their share of poverty in their own country to be worried about poverty in another country.
391909
The reason for poverty in America is the politics's of greed, or Repuglicans in general. I have mine and I want to make more therefore I do not want to pay taxes and to hell with anybody else. Being poor is no more a choice then homosexuality. It is thrust on 10% of the population by another 10% of the population the very rich. I wonder why of for what reason that a person needs every cent of their billion dollars and there are many billionaires here. There is also a thing with corporate greed. Move the good paying jobs with health benefits overseas to a place where people work for pennies. But do you see the price come down on anything because of it. The answer is a big NO. Socialized medicine is long overdue here it is needed by all, not just an elite few. Every one in the United States should have a birthright to three things food, shelter and health care.
688895
Finally, we have discovered the roots of George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatism." \n\nOn the heels of the president's "What, me worry?" response to the death, destruction and dislocation that followed upon Hurricane Katrina comes the news of his mother's Labor Day visit with hurricane evacuees at the Astrodome in Houston. \n\nCommenting on the facilities that have been set up for the evacuees — cots crammed side-by-side in a huge stadium where the lights never go out and the sound of sobbing children never completely ceases — former first lady Barbara Bush concluded that the poor people of New Orleans had lucked out. \n\n"Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them," Mrs. Bush told American Public Media's "Marketplace" program, before returning to her multi-million dollar Houston home. \n\nOn the tape of the interview, Mrs. Bush chuckles audibly as she observes just how great things are going for families that are separated from loved ones, people who have been forced to abandon their homes and the only community where they have ever lived, and parents who are explaining to children that their pets, their toys and in some cases their friends may be lost forever. Perhaps the former first lady was amusing herself with the notion that evacuees without bread could eat cake. \n\nAt the very least, she was expressing a measure of empathy commensurate with that evidenced by her son during his fly-ins for disaster-zone photo opportunities. \n\nOn Friday, when even Republican lawmakers were giving the federal government an "F" for its response to the crisis, President Bush heaped praise on embattled Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown. As thousands of victims of the hurricane continued to plead for food, water, shelter, medical care and a way out of the nightmare to which federal neglect had consigned them, Brown cheerily announced that "people are getting the help they need." \n\nBarbara Bush's son put his arm around the addled FEMA functionary and declared, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." \n\nLike mother, like son. \n\nEven when a hurricane hits, the apple does not fall far from the tree. \n\n\nBy John Nichols\nReprinted with permission from The Nation.
377956
By definition, those on the lowest incomes are poor - this is true for all countries.\n\nHow poor - well, if peoples' income is insufficient to buy the very basic food, shelter, healthcare, education and clothes then those people are in poverty. And most countries would 'step in' at this level to ensure that these basic needs are met and citizens do not die of starvation, primary illness or exposure\n\nHistorically, the US has relied on immigrants arriving and working in poverty as a base and not supported these people as they are not in the truest sense citizens. As the US restricts immigration, more of its own citizens are in poverty. Which then presents a dilemma - does the US let its own citizens die of poverty? Given the TV footage of people requiring 2+ jobs and charity food aid just to survive, the US answer is yes\n\nSo a mixed economy (some socialism, some capitalism) is the preferred model in Europe where the appalling poverty of the post WW2 years are still more than a memory\n\nBTW - France has the best medical care system in the world according to most measures - the US varies between 4th and 10th
3949
Unfortunately, the government does. Hence the reason they were in poor shape before Katrina and destroyed afterward.\n\nNew Orleans is/was one giant welfare state. Nearly the entire popuplation was government-dependent, and that is why most of its citizens acted so helplessly after the hurricane. This is never a problem in other cities, where citizens are proud of their self-sufficiency and laissez-faire capitalism.
114891
Poverty is a financial state.
508994
(1) US does have over 300 million citizens, so its hard to supply enough oil for them alone.\n(2) US mainly has oil in the southern states near the coastline. Hardly anywhere else. With Katrina, things took a HUGE hit, and a oil deficiency was created.
750059
lol, in reality america can't save nothing, look at when hurricane katrina hit, what did they do, lol pray to god to make it go away and when that failed they cried at its destruction,
1085507
Hunger and poverty will always be around, but their burden can be lessened significantly.  While we cling to our faith that government will deliver us, provided that we let ourselves be taxed to death, no great dent can be put in the global issues of poverty and hunger.  \nWelfare and foreign aid do nothing but give harmful bureaucracies more and more power to abuse.  Such programs look good, but they create a system of force: govt steals from us, calling it compassion, making us victims who "gave at the tax office" and perpetuates a dependency on legalised theft.  That is not "social responsibility"!  This is a perversion of the concept of compassion, of charity, but as long as we trust religion and/or government to rescue us, there is no real help for the poor.  \n\nCompassion, NOT compulsion.  http://www.bureaucrash.com/
341168
In the deep south they need construction workers especially roofers for the hurricane damage. Many only have plastic tarps and the rainy season is near.
193085
These people aren't rich because they are homeowners, ESPECIALLY since they still have to pay their mortgages!  Their houses were destroyed and insurance will not cover the cost, regardless if the house was destroyed by the wind (many roofs were ripped off) or the eventual flood.  The insurance companies have been fighting this from the moment it began...they would be out millions and they aren't willing to do that.  So these people are homeless, jobless, pennyless, and still forced to pay the mortgage to the bank.  I think a little government assistance is expected, espicially since the AP has now provided those wonderful tapes in which the president WAS warned of the devastation and damage that the storm would cause.  "No one expected the levees to breach."  Give me a break.  He knew DAYS before he made that comment.
480641
I have been talking about this a lot to the father of my children, who is constantly complaining that "everyone" else has more than we do. I point out to him that we have plenty of food, shelter, clothes, two beautiful, healthy children, entertainment on some nights....We really lack for nothing...Granted we are considered to be well below poverty level based on our income..and can't fly off to Europe....But as I tell him, Look as the victims of hurricane Katrina, or the tsunami victims...read "Angela's Ashes...We have it great! I think part of this syndrome has to do with what is shown ot us on T.V....everyone has nice cars, they go out and by great flat ware and whatever and we think that this standard of living is normal the world over. We Americans are very blessed and need to realize it!
126794
The welfare of the Katrina victims and make sure the money donated gets to the people who actually need it!(May God have mercy on your soul, the ones who made claims and were not victims)\n\nAlso, global warming and the perverts on the internet trying to sleep with children boys and girls(i'm a mother this truly concerns me).