[sankofalist]FW: ...Maya Angelou Speaks-out on "some results" of KATRINA.......!!!

Akoma Buttons akoma@highimpact-designs.com
Tue, 04 Oct 2005 10:33:29 -0400


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Subject: FW: Words from Maya Angelou on Katrina

>>> >>  I'm not mad at Barbara Bush. Or Fox News' Bill
>>> >> O'Reilly. Or even  at U.S. Rep. Richard Baker
>>> >> (R-La.)Maya Angelou says that when  people show you who
>>> >> they are, believe them the first time. So, no,  I ain't
>>> >> mad at them.
>>> >> 
>>> >> Not at the former  first lady for suggesting that
>>> >> Hurricane Katrina evacuees living  shoulder to shoulder
>>> >> in the Houston Astrodome were now better off  than they
>>> >> were living in poverty in New Orleans.
>>> >>  
>>> >> Not at Fox News' conservative talk-show host, who
>>> >>  maintains that the lesson poor children should learn
>>> >> from Katrina  is that all they have to do is educate
>>> >> themselves and work hard  and they will be able to
>>> >> avoid being left behind on the  "metaphorical rooftop."
>>> >> 
>>> >> Not at the Republican from  Baton Rouge, who The Wall
>>> >> Street Journal reported was overheard  telling
>>> >> lobbyists: "We finally cleaned up public housing  in
>>> >> New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."
>>> >>  
>>> >> Despite the public comments, the private ones made in
>>> >>  segregated company (by conservatives and liberals)
>>> >> likely have  been even more crass and unbelievable.
>>> >> 
>>> >> The hurricane  indeed has shed a light. The spin
>>> >> masters in the Bush adminis!  tration have done a
>>> >> glowing job over the last several years of  pretending
>>> >> that America has achieved a colorblind,  class-blind
>>> >> society.
>>> >> 
>>> >> Look around you,  they say. Look at Condi and Alberto.
>>> >> Colin and Clarence. All  credits to their race. What
>>> >> inequities? What ghettos? What  barrios?
>>> >> 
>>> >> For some time now, the underclass has been  kept off
>>> >> camera, rendered invisible, its voices muted.
>>> >>  
>>> >> But now that the hurricane has reminded us that,  there
>>> >> are Americans too impoverished to leave their
>>> >>  community even when a great storm is hurtling toward
>>> >> them, it's  not surprising that many are shocked by it.
>>> >> 
>>> >> Including  the compassionate conservatives, who, in
>>> >> scrambling to say  something pithy and nice, are
>>> >> speaking off the cuff and  unwittingly revealing
>>> >> themselves:
>>> >> 
>>> >> "Almost  everyone I have talked to says, `We're going
>>> >> to move to Houston,'"  the former first lady told
>>> >> National Public Radio's "Marketplace."  She was
>>> >> referring to the evacuees in the Astrodome.
>>> >>  
>>> >> "What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they  all
>>> >> want to stay in Texas. 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."
>>> >>  
>>> >> I suppose it takes tragedy to shock us, to reveal us.
>>> >>  Until the E2 nightclub disaster here, many
>>> >> well-meaning Chicagoans  weren't aware that the city
>>> >> had its share of segregated  nightclubs. In Chicago
>>> >> today, there are still places where  African-Americans
>>> >> (and not all poor)go so they don't have to  dance
>>> >> around the color line.
>>> >> 
>>> >> I guess I'm  not mad about the comments from the elite
>>> >> or the unknowing.  Wealthy people get to ch! oose
>>> >> whether they want to understand or  deal with poverty.
>>> >> Many have chosen to and have been unfailing  advocates
>>> >> for the poor.
>>> >> 
>>> >> What's more  disappointing are those who come from
>>> >> humble beginnings and who  now have the king's ear, but
>>> >> have remained silent. It's as though  they've been
>>> >> struck with a form of selective amnesia. They  can
>>> >> recall their humble beginnings during, election  time
>>> >> or a confirmation hearing, but how soon they  forget.
>>> >> 
>>> >> They're the ones who should be explaining to  the Bill
>>> >> O'Reillys of the world that, yes, education is key  and
>>> >> hard work a necessity.
>>> >> 
>>> >> But this also  is true: A black or Hispanic PhD who
>>> >> tries to hail a cab late at  night will probably be
>>> >> profiled just like any other black  person.
>>> >> 
>>> >> Maybe someone could explain to Mrs. Bush that  being
>>> >> huddled in a stadium not knowing where other  family
>>> >> members are and uncertain about the future does  not
>>> >> translate into an experience that's "working out!  well
>>> >> for them."
>>> >> 
>>> >> Maybe someone could  explain to the Baton Rouge con
>>> >> gressman why now isn't the time to  be flip about
>>> >> cleaning up public housing and God should be left  out
>>> >> of this.
>>> >> 
>>> >> No, I'm not mad at members  of the elite. They're
>>> >> merely saying aloud what they've been  thinking.
>>> >> 
>>> >> It just shows us that "the line" and "the  spin" can go
>>> >> only so far before--thank heavens--the  spool
>>> >> eventually runs out.
>>> >>  -----------------------------------------
By Maya Angelou
 
 


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<TITLE>FW: ...Maya Angelou Speaks-out on &quot;some results&quot; of KATRIN=
A.......!!!</TITLE>
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<FONT FACE=3D"Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'><BR>
</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'><FONT FACE=3D"Arial"><B>Subject:=
</B> FW: Words from Maya Angelou on Katrina<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></SPAN><BLOCKQUOTE><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'><FONT FACE=3D"Arial"=
>&gt;&gt; &nbsp;I'm not mad at Barbara Bush. Or Fox News' Bill<BR>
&gt;&gt; O'Reilly. Or even &nbsp;at U.S. Rep. Richard Baker<BR>
&gt;&gt; (R-La.)Maya Angelou says that when &nbsp;people show you who<BR>
&gt;&gt; they are, believe them the first time. So, no, &nbsp;I ain't<BR>
&gt;&gt; mad at them.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; Not at the former &nbsp;first lady for suggesting that<BR>
&gt;&gt; Hurricane Katrina evacuees living &nbsp;shoulder to shoulder<BR>
&gt;&gt; in the Houston Astrodome were now better off &nbsp;than they<BR>
&gt;&gt; were living in poverty in New Orleans.<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;<BR>
&gt;&gt; Not at Fox News' conservative talk-show host, who<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;maintains that the lesson poor children should learn<BR>
&gt;&gt; from Katrina &nbsp;is that all they have to do is educate<BR>
&gt;&gt; themselves and work hard &nbsp;and they will be able to<BR>
&gt;&gt; avoid being left behind on the &nbsp;&quot;metaphorical rooftop.&q=
uot;<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; Not at the Republican from &nbsp;Baton Rouge, who The Wall<BR>
&gt;&gt; Street Journal reported was overheard &nbsp;telling<BR>
&gt;&gt; lobbyists: &quot;We finally cleaned up public housing &nbsp;in<BR>
&gt;&gt; New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did.&quot;<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;<BR>
&gt;&gt; Despite the public comments, the private ones made in<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;segregated company (by conservatives and liberals)<BR>
&gt;&gt; likely have &nbsp;been even more crass and unbelievable.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; The hurricane &nbsp;indeed has shed a light. The spin<BR>
&gt;&gt; masters in the Bush adminis! &nbsp;tration have done a<BR>
&gt;&gt; glowing job over the last several years of &nbsp;pretending<BR>
&gt;&gt; that America has achieved a colorblind, &nbsp;class-blind<BR>
&gt;&gt; society.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; Look around you, &nbsp;they say. Look at Condi and Alberto.<BR>
&gt;&gt; Colin and Clarence. All &nbsp;credits to their race. What<BR>
&gt;&gt; inequities? What ghettos? What &nbsp;barrios?<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; For some time now, the underclass has been &nbsp;kept off<BR>
&gt;&gt; camera, rendered invisible, its voices muted.<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;<BR>
&gt;&gt; But now that the hurricane has reminded us that, &nbsp;there<BR>
&gt;&gt; are Americans too impoverished to leave their<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;community even when a great storm is hurtling toward<BR>
&gt;&gt; them, it's &nbsp;not surprising that many are shocked by it.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; Including &nbsp;the compassionate conservatives, who, in<BR>
&gt;&gt; scrambling to say &nbsp;something pithy and nice, are<BR>
&gt;&gt; speaking off the cuff and &nbsp;unwittingly revealing<BR>
&gt;&gt; themselves:<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; &quot;Almost &nbsp;everyone I have talked to says, `We're going<BR=
>
&gt;&gt; to move to Houston,'&quot; &nbsp;the former first lady told<BR>
&gt;&gt; National Public Radio's &quot;Marketplace.&quot; &nbsp;She was<BR>
&gt;&gt; referring to the evacuees in the Astrodome.<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;<BR>
&gt;&gt; &quot;What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they &nbsp;all<=
BR>
&gt;&gt; want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed &nbsp;by<BR>
&gt;&gt; the hospitality. And so many of the people in the<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;this,<BR>
&gt;&gt; this is working very well for them.&quot;<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;<BR>
&gt;&gt; I suppose it takes tragedy to shock us, to reveal us.<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;Until the E2 nightclub disaster here, many<BR>
&gt;&gt; well-meaning Chicagoans &nbsp;weren't aware that the city<BR>
&gt;&gt; had its share of segregated &nbsp;nightclubs. In Chicago<BR>
&gt;&gt; today, there are still places where &nbsp;African-Americans<BR>
&gt;&gt; (and not all poor)go so they don't have to &nbsp;dance<BR>
&gt;&gt; around the color line.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; I guess I'm &nbsp;not mad about the comments from the elite<BR>
&gt;&gt; or the unknowing. &nbsp;Wealthy people get to ch! oose<BR>
&gt;&gt; whether they want to understand or &nbsp;deal with poverty.<BR>
&gt;&gt; Many have chosen to and have been unfailing &nbsp;advocates<BR>
&gt;&gt; for the poor.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; What's more &nbsp;disappointing are those who come from<BR>
&gt;&gt; humble beginnings and who &nbsp;now have the king's ear, but<BR>
&gt;&gt; have remained silent. It's as though &nbsp;they've been<BR>
&gt;&gt; struck with a form of selective amnesia. They &nbsp;can<BR>
&gt;&gt; recall their humble beginnings during, election &nbsp;time<BR>
&gt;&gt; or a confirmation hearing, but how soon they &nbsp;forget.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; They're the ones who should be explaining to &nbsp;the Bill<BR>
&gt;&gt; O'Reillys of the world that, yes, education is key &nbsp;and<BR>
&gt;&gt; hard work a necessity.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; But this also &nbsp;is true: A black or Hispanic PhD who<BR>
&gt;&gt; tries to hail a cab late at &nbsp;night will probably be<BR>
&gt;&gt; profiled just like any other black &nbsp;person.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; Maybe someone could explain to Mrs. Bush that &nbsp;being<BR>
&gt;&gt; huddled in a stadium not knowing where other &nbsp;family<BR>
&gt;&gt; members are and uncertain about the future does &nbsp;not<BR>
&gt;&gt; translate into an experience that's &quot;working out! &nbsp;well<=
BR>
&gt;&gt; for them.&quot;<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; Maybe someone could &nbsp;explain to the Baton Rouge con<BR>
&gt;&gt; gressman why now isn't the time to &nbsp;be flip about<BR>
&gt;&gt; cleaning up public housing and God should be left &nbsp;out<BR>
&gt;&gt; of this.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; No, I'm not mad at members &nbsp;of the elite. They're<BR>
&gt;&gt; merely saying aloud what they've been &nbsp;thinking.<BR>
&gt;&gt; <BR>
&gt;&gt; It just shows us that &quot;the line&quot; and &quot;the &nbsp;spi=
n&quot; can go<BR>
&gt;&gt; only so far before--thank heavens--the &nbsp;spool<BR>
&gt;&gt; eventually runs out.<BR>
&gt;&gt; &nbsp;-----------------------------------------<BR>
</FONT></SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'><FONT FACE=3D"Arial=
">By Maya Angelou<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE=3D"Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"> <BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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