Culture, New Orleans Style
Political correctness and cultural "sensitivity" will prevent an accurate and truthful examination of what is really going on in the hurricane destruction zone, especially in the New Orleans area. But news reports of lawlessness, looting, violence and vandalism might lead some to call into question the apparently razor thin veneer of civilization that exists in black communities throughout America, a veneer that tends to evaporate everytime social services are not available to placate the residents.
As black residents ransack abandoned homes and businesses, shoot at rescue helicopters and fire fighters, threaten police and National Guard troops simply trying to help, and blame the government and President Bush for what really amounts to their own bad life choices and disaster planning, comparisons to similar disasters in other parts of the country should be made. For example, why did we not see such wholesale societal breakdown ten years ago, when Hurricane Andrew decimated Homestead, and other cities in Southeast Florida?
The answer is certainly not poverty. Median income for a family in New Orleans is $32,338 compared to Homestead's median family income level of $26,409. In fact, the per capita income for New Orleans is significantly greater than Homestead as well, $17, 258 vs. $11,357. In Homestead, 31.8% of the population are below the poverty line, while only 27.9% of the population in New Orleans fall below the poverty line. More children live under the poverty line in Homestead than in New Orleans, 43.9% compared to 40.3%.
What about family structure? Not likely, since 22.4% of the families in Homestead have a female householder with no husband present, as compared to 24.5% in New Orleans.
What about level of devastation? Certainly, New Orleans, being below sea level, is mired in muck and mud, electricity and water services are non-existent at this time, and hundreds may be dead. But many of those killed in New Orleans ignored common sense warnings to evacuate for days, and chose voluntarily to stay. However, Homestead was without power and water for weeks and much of the city was razed by the force of Andrew, which killed 23 people and caused nearly $30 billion in damages. Even two years later, the devastation was obvious, and there were still relocation centers inhabited by people who had lost homes.
While reports from Homestead described neighbor helping neighbor, and a shaky but calm attempt to restore services and civilization, there were few incidents of looting and violence. The situation in New Orleans is just the opposite. There, the law of the jungle prevails. Unlike Homestead, where National Guard troops were sent primarily to render aid and comfort, the National Guard is being sent to New Orleans to restore order from societal chaos, and take back a city under rampage.
Is there any demographic difference which might explain why two similar situations result in two very different outcomes? There is.
Homestead, like most of the area destroyed by Andrew in 1992, is 2/3 white. New Orleans and the surrounding area is 2/3 black.
No one ever wants to admit that all cultures, even sub-cultures within our own country, are equally positive, or equally valuable. While it has not always been true, much of American black culture today is violent, angry, dependent, resentful and destructive. Black culture rejects education, the American Dream, parental responsibility, and earned respect. It embraces foul rap music, easy money, misogyny, the welfare state, and respect from the end of a gun or through other violent means. Black culture labels a successful mainstream black man an Oreo, and an integrated black man an Uncle Tom. Black culture believes that even now, a century and a half after slavery, white people owe them everything. And they will burn their own neighborhoods down if they don't get it: Watts, 1966. Newark and Detroit, 1967. Miami, 1980/82/89. Los Angeles, 1992. Benton Harbor, 2003.
Any questions?
As black residents ransack abandoned homes and businesses, shoot at rescue helicopters and fire fighters, threaten police and National Guard troops simply trying to help, and blame the government and President Bush for what really amounts to their own bad life choices and disaster planning, comparisons to similar disasters in other parts of the country should be made. For example, why did we not see such wholesale societal breakdown ten years ago, when Hurricane Andrew decimated Homestead, and other cities in Southeast Florida?
The answer is certainly not poverty. Median income for a family in New Orleans is $32,338 compared to Homestead's median family income level of $26,409. In fact, the per capita income for New Orleans is significantly greater than Homestead as well, $17, 258 vs. $11,357. In Homestead, 31.8% of the population are below the poverty line, while only 27.9% of the population in New Orleans fall below the poverty line. More children live under the poverty line in Homestead than in New Orleans, 43.9% compared to 40.3%.
What about family structure? Not likely, since 22.4% of the families in Homestead have a female householder with no husband present, as compared to 24.5% in New Orleans.
What about level of devastation? Certainly, New Orleans, being below sea level, is mired in muck and mud, electricity and water services are non-existent at this time, and hundreds may be dead. But many of those killed in New Orleans ignored common sense warnings to evacuate for days, and chose voluntarily to stay. However, Homestead was without power and water for weeks and much of the city was razed by the force of Andrew, which killed 23 people and caused nearly $30 billion in damages. Even two years later, the devastation was obvious, and there were still relocation centers inhabited by people who had lost homes.
While reports from Homestead described neighbor helping neighbor, and a shaky but calm attempt to restore services and civilization, there were few incidents of looting and violence. The situation in New Orleans is just the opposite. There, the law of the jungle prevails. Unlike Homestead, where National Guard troops were sent primarily to render aid and comfort, the National Guard is being sent to New Orleans to restore order from societal chaos, and take back a city under rampage.
Is there any demographic difference which might explain why two similar situations result in two very different outcomes? There is.
Homestead, like most of the area destroyed by Andrew in 1992, is 2/3 white. New Orleans and the surrounding area is 2/3 black.
No one ever wants to admit that all cultures, even sub-cultures within our own country, are equally positive, or equally valuable. While it has not always been true, much of American black culture today is violent, angry, dependent, resentful and destructive. Black culture rejects education, the American Dream, parental responsibility, and earned respect. It embraces foul rap music, easy money, misogyny, the welfare state, and respect from the end of a gun or through other violent means. Black culture labels a successful mainstream black man an Oreo, and an integrated black man an Uncle Tom. Black culture believes that even now, a century and a half after slavery, white people owe them everything. And they will burn their own neighborhoods down if they don't get it: Watts, 1966. Newark and Detroit, 1967. Miami, 1980/82/89. Los Angeles, 1992. Benton Harbor, 2003.
Any questions?
posted by Mark Outland at 3:21 PM
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