The American Natural Disaster Hurricane Katrina - 1209 Words

The American natural disaster Hurricane Katrina is likely to be the most actively blamed associated disaster in the United States. Although the question remains who is to receive the blame – for the deaths and failures of appropriated emergency response and aid, I believe to place the blame on one party over another is dismissive due to sundry factors requiring attention. This is not to say, however, that FEMA or the national or state and local governments are not at all to blame for this tragedy -- as they were all responders to the situation, but how yellow journalism was utilized – by journalists – to provide false and inaccurate statements regarding Hurricane Katrina. For example, the way media televised, photographed, and displayed Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath – in New Orleans -- remarkably revealed the vast majority of those affected were African-American. These numbers were not only disproportionate to the sizable percentages of African-Americans within the city limits (CensusScope, 2006), but also how mainstream media and news outlets manipulated their stances. In fact, it wasn’t until Rapper Kanye West declared a statement in 2005 stating â€Å"George Bush doesn’t care about black people† (Broder, Wilgoren, Alford, 2005), that caused an open debate on live television initiating a political-partisan outcry. Although the extent of Kanye West s words were heavily debated by Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and others (Broder et al., 2005; Susan, J., 2008), theseShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Hurricane Katrina On Impoverished New Orleans Essay1738 Words   |  7 Pages The Effects of Hurricane Katrina on Impoverished New Orleans Brianna Algazali Sociology 2410 December 16, 2016 Abstract Hurricane Katrina will forever be noted in United States history as one of the worst natural disasters to hit the states. Within its wake, Hurricane Katrina left thousands of Americans dead and many more homeless with no place to call home. A vast majority of the homeless were already living in poverty in New Orleans, where Hurricane Katrina hit the hardest. PeopleRead MoreHurricane Katrin A Devastating Storm1576 Words   |  7 PagesHurricane Katrina was a devastating storm that ravaged New Orleans, but it was more than just a natural disaster. The general public and even some top officials are quick to dismiss this great storm as an inevitable force of mother nature as if it was just another hurricane of the season. In doing so, they subscribe to a mindset that is actually a disservice to those who suffered Hurricane Katrina’s wrath. A myriad of publications like Come Hell or High Water, Overcoming Katrina, and There is NoRead MoreUnnatural Disasters: Thinking about Natura l Disasters in a Sociological Way1731 Words   |  7 PagesAugust 23rd, 2005; Hurricane Katrina, formed over the Bahamas, hitting landfall in Florida. By the 29th, on its third landfall it hit and devastated the city of New Orleans, becoming the deadliest hurricane of the 2005 season and, one of the five worst hurricanes to hit land in the history of the United States. Taking a look at the years leading to Katrina, preventative actions, racial and class inequalities and government, all of this could have been prevented. 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Hurricane Katrina was a monstrous natural disaster that made landfall andRead MoreHurricane Katrin The Second Largest Hurricane862 Words   |  4 PagesHurricane Katrina known as the fifth largest hurricane ever to hit the United States formed on August 23, 2005 and dissipated August 31, 2005. Katrina was classified as a category five hurricane with wind speeds up to 175 mph. Katrina made headlines because of its destruction region which was Louisiana. Many families especially African-Americans were considered to be vulnerable and left to die from the disaster. In the following I will address whether Katrina was a natural disaster ready to happen