Analysis from Fall 2005

The following news and analysis were posted soon after the hurricane.

 

General Analysis

New America Media
This collection of articles and commentary on Katrina emphasizes race and racial groups.

Katrina Ought to Reshape Us
Sept. 2005 - David M. Whettstone, MCC Washington Office for Mennonite Weekly Review

News and Notes with Ed Gordon, National Public Radio
Various segments since late August of this daily NPR program have dealt with Hurricane Katrina and race. The site has brief descriptions of each segment, but no transcripts; the audio is available for streaming.

Chasing A Katrina Conspiracy: Was There An Attempt To Kill Blacks?
Oct 4, 2005 - Earl Ofari Hutchinson, BlackNews.com

No Ark to Save Them: Reflections on the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Sept. 6, 2005 - Ewuare Osayande
Ewuare was a keynote speaker at Damascus & Beyond in March 2005 and is scheduling speaking engagements to talk to various groups about how racism was and is manifested in the Hurricane Katrina event.

Katrina Exposes Racism
Aug. 31, 2005 - Lee Sustar

 

Impact on Various Communities

Since many of the other articles on this page are primarily from an African American point of view, it is important to remember other communities that are affected by Katrina, in similar or distinct ways, and that each community is supporting its members.

Indian Tribes and Hurricane Katrina: Overlooked by the Federal Government, Relief Organizations and the Corporate Media
October 10, 2005 - Interview with Brenda Dardar-Robichaux (Principal Chief of United Houma Nation) and Charles Verdin (Chairman of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe), Democracy Now!
Note: At the end of the interview, Mennonites from Poarch Creek are mentioned (see picture at the top of this page).

Congressman Mike Honda Speaks Out on Katrina
Oct 05, 2005 - Mike Honda, Asian Week

ADAPT Concludes Successful Week in Washington, D.C.
September 25, 2005 - ADAPT

28,000 Filipinos Were in Katrina's Path; Hundreds Evacuated to Houston
Sep 15, 2005 - Filipino Express and Philippine News

Louisiana state coastal tribes hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina
Sept. 09, 2005 - Brenda Norrell, Indian Country Today

 

Immigrants and Immigration

The Invisible Victims of Katrina
Sep 22, 2005 - María Elena Salinas, Vida en el Valle

For Illegal Immigrants, Some Aid Is Too Risky
Sept. 20, 2005 - Darryl Fears, The WASHINGTON POST

Latino Organizations Blast Chertoff for Detaining Katrina Victims
Sept 21, 2005 - National Council of La Raza

 

Relief and Government Responses

Hurricane Katrina Aftermath: Testing the Responses of People and Systems
Oct 21, 2005 - David M. Whettstone, MCC Washington Office for Third Way Cafe

Coalition of African American Leaders Call for a Proactive and Inclusive Agenda to Address Problems Caused By Katrina
Sept. 26, 2005 - NAACP

Katrina inspires unprecedented outpouring of aid in black America
Sept 9, 2005 - Jesse Washington, The Associated Press

Race Issue Haunts President Bush in His Response to Katrina
Sept 4, 2005 - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

 

Media Response

Race, Lies and New Orleans
Oct. 19, 2005 - Earl Ofari Hutchinson, BlackNews.com

Bill Bennett's Abortion Fantasies
Oct 4, 2005 - Mark Sorkin, The Nation

Fear Exceeded Crime's Reality in New Orleans
September 29, 2005 - Jim Dwyer and Christopher Drew, New York Times

New Orleans Resident Discusses Race and Looting at Circle K
Sept 12, 2005 - Democracy Now! news program

Hurricane Katrina and the chaos of New Orleans in her aftermath
September 3, 2005 - Jose Torres Tama, In Motion Media

Looters vs. Finders
Aug. 31, 2005 - a collection of several news photos with captions (The linked site is a personal weblog.)

 

Environmental Concerns

Katrina Reveals Environmental Racism's Deadly Force
Sept 21, 2005 - Beverly Wright, New America Media

Mennonite Weekly Review - Task Force Keeps on Urging Creation Care
June 2001 - Melanie Zuercher, quoting Steve Cheramie Risingsun (Mennonite pastor in the Gulf region) with some background about environmental concerns in eastern Louisiana.

 

Reconstruction

The Latinization of the New New Orleans
Oct 18, 2005 - Roberto Lovato, New America Media

New Orleans: Leaving the Poor Behind Again!
October 11, 2005 - Bill Quigley, New Orleans activist and lawyer

HUD Chief Foresees a 'Whiter' Big Easy
Sept 30, 2005 - Brian DeBose, The Washington Times

Purging the Poor
September 23, 2005 - Naomi Klein, The Nation

Old-Line Families Escape Worst of Flood And Plot the Future
Sept 8, 2005 - Christopher Cooper, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

 

Organizing for Change

What Mexico Can Teach Us About Katrina
Sept. 30, 2005 - Chuck Collins, United for a Fair Economy

'That Could Have Been Us' -- Struggling Communities Seek New Solutions After Katrina
Sep 22, 2005 - Raj Jayadev, New America Media

A Shock To the System
Sept 19, 2005 - Bell Gale Chevigny, Alternet

 

Organizations

Katrina Information Network
This site includes a collection of news and analysis articles as well as specific action items that anyone can participate in.

People's Institute for Survival and Beyond
Our colleagues at the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, New Orleans, have been engaged in antiracism organizing and educating for years.

People's Hurricane Fund, a local, grassroots coalitions in New Orleans initiated by Community-Labor United.
Sept. 6 - Displaced New Orleans Community Demands Action, Accountability and Initiates A Peoples Hurricane Fund
Sept. 19 - New Orleans Resident Opens Community Center In Her Home

The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog - Hurricane Katrina---Donations Needed for Justice Activists Struggling to Rebuild
Families and Friends of Louisiana's Incarcerated Children (FFLIC) is a grass-roots, anti-prison organization that fights for justice for Louisiana's youth. This link is to an appeal they sent out by email.