Did everyone see Bush last night? I was shook that he used words like ‘race’ and ‘poor’ in sentences so close to one another. Man, if he would have used ‘disenfranchised’ I might have screamed. Then when he essentially said, “Dang, my bad.” I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was really watching the current President of these Unites States. Completely out of box for this cat.
I listened carefully to his plans for rebuilding. I listened to the numbers he tossed out. I paid close attention to what seemed like plans to give minorities an opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty. I thought all of his ideas were pretty good. In fact, I’ll admit that my initial thoughts were more in line with how I could start a small business down there.
Then Chandra called. Some of you met her at the Left Bank. She’s been working directly with a group of about 150 evacuees. And you know what she said?? She said what I’d heard in passing from others around the country who have direct contact. Be it through their church or another local agency. All of these people are telling me that the mindset of the poorest people is their greatest hinderence. We can have all the programs in the world, but if the people are not interested, then what?? I’m gone stack some doe. And then what?
She told be about a young lady who got of the plane with nothing more than her baby on her hip. No food, no money, no diapers even. To make a long story short, she has been nothing short of difficult and ungrateful throughout. Almost like the volunteers owe her something. Not only that, but when the bulk of that group got money (from Red cross and private donations) many of then went to Walmart and blew the money on gold rings, liquior, and other silly bullshyt!!! I’m talking about getting nails done and everything. Without even a mention of trying to get to the Red Cross 1-Stop-Shop for job placement assistance and housing!!! I hear that 80% of the poorest evacuees are behaving this way. And maybe I’ve just heard of worse case scenarios. But even if 10% act out of the box and ungrateful, that’s 10% who cling to the mindset that keeps them poor!
And the crime. One person recounted how a 13 year old boy was arrested for attempting to rape a 19 year old girl. Both are evacuees. I keep hearing about the rapes. I was at the salon yesterday and heard second hand stories that brought tears to my eyes. But then I think back to something a blogger (who needs to get back to blogging) told me. She had lived in Louisiana for a spell. Way before Katrina exposed it, she said it’s common place and bordering on acceptable down there. So now, we across the nation are hearing about what they do when they aren’t under the microscope and we’re sickened. But, according to my source, this is just the way they roll down there in certain communities. Da hell??
Bush laid out a plan where the very people who were displaced will get first crack at jobs in NO. He laid out a plan to pay for job training and even child care. He laid out a plan where the government will give people land so long as they work with Habitat for Humanity or other similar organizations to build a home on it. I wish somebody would give Kajuana some land!!!! Even if I couldn’t build immediately, I’d be so happy I might put my tent up on it just so I can see how a building might look my land!!! Granted, these are all plans and not exactly in place. But they are all great ideas. Except for one little thing. Are we going to force the people to participate??
What are we as a country going to do to change the mindset of these people?? What are we going to do to teach them that working is a good thing? What are we going to do to teach them how to budget?? And I’m not talking about all of then. Truthfully, everyone I know who was there is pretty focused on re-building their lives. But. There are those who aren’t. The people Chandra’s working with didn’t even have checking accounts until yesterday!! I had my first checking account at 17 and a bank account way before then!!! What are we going to do to teach these people to care about their communities?? What are we going to do to teach these people that rape shouldn’t be accepted?? What will we do to highlight the value of education and fiscal responsibility? What are we going to do so that these kids believe they can be anything they want to be with hard work.
Building LA, NO is bigger than programs. I think most of us, especially those who have volunteered, know that a lot of programs go under-utilized or those not directly intended to benefit are the ones that do. See above where I was trying to figure out how I could open a business in NO. Right now, everyone’s concerned about those people. I predict there will be a backlash if people encounter too many people who don’t want better for themselves and their kids. But in my heart, I hope that people try to understand that their behaviors are driven by a mindset most of America doesn’t share. Not one created by race but one created by circumstances. And I hope that this country doesn’t give up on these people.
As I come to a close on this entry, my head is filled with one vision: Dave C’s sketch. You know the one where Black folks get reparations and spend all their money on liquior and cigarretts!?
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