There’s no question that the media response to both storm disasters are different. And so was, is, the government’s response to them. There’s also no question that there is no interest in why this is.
First and foremost in the Katrina storm coverage was the racial aspect of its inhabitants and Bush (R) didn’t care about them, for a couple ‘reasons.’ They’re Black and for the most part, democrats. The media pushed the race card narrative, and paid less attention to the interference of the state’s own politicians.
New Orleans population is about 250, 000 and 67% Black. Staten Island’s population is twice that, about 500,000, and 9.5% Black. Not saying that the racial disparity between both disasters is material to the government’s poor response to the people in Staten Island. The disparity in the media’s response and coverage is perhaps more political than racial now that there’s a D in The White House, who also happens to be a White-Black (by NYTimes definition). Who knows? I’m just say’n.
What is obvious is that the government response, FEMA and the rest, is no where near as efficient in Staten Island as it was in New Orleans. Same with the media’s coverage of it, which, aside from FOX News, has been pretty much forgotten.
It’s easy to assume that the government is overwhelmed and unable to respond like it did after Katrina. What’s not so easy is for the media or The White House to admit it. The photo ops have been done. Obama is going on his Hawaiian vacation. That must mean the disaster relief is complete. Just don’t ask anyone, Black or White, in Staten Island if they think so.
