"We are drowning in ignorance..."
This is one of the statements I spouted tonight in conversation with my friend Marcus, who had called me to discuss the slant in the media around the floodings in Louisiana and other areas of the south. There seems to be coverage that encourages racial stereotypes of the ignorant kind I'm sure we've all seen before. That is, if you're telling yourself the truth. Below are the excerpts. You make your own calls as to what is being said, but please be sure that the words chosen are definitely no coincidence.
http://flickr.com/photos/firewall/38725768/

If the link doesn't work, the two quotes are below:
"A young man walks through chest deep flood water after looting a grocery
store in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Flood waters continue to
rise in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina did extensive damage when it
made landfall on Monday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)"

http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/480/ladm10908301723
(picture of black man)

"A looter carries a bucket of beer out of a grocery store in New Orleans on
Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, as floodwaters continue to rise in New Orleans after
Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Monday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)"

http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/photos_ts_afp/050830071810_shxwaoma_photo

(picture of white couple)

Two residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda
from a local grocery store after Hurricane Katrina came through the area in
New Orleans, Louisiana.(AFP/Getty Images/Chris Graythen)"


My opinion, as I discussed with Marcus, is that the media (biased owners and all) needs to take more care with its words, but even more, with their actions. Because at the end of the day, it is an issue of race. And the constant images of whites doing things well and right, and others (be they black, hispanic, indian, native american, or any other colored family) will never know righteousness is slapped on us over and over again. And we are unconscious because our brains have melted into place onto the crowbar that originally forced us to the groud on which we lie while white (or dominant) America walks quite contently over our scars and beat-down misery. Our misery, by the way, is a product of the history they created for all peoples from whom they stole memory.

Just something to think about...