Posted on 09/02/2005 7:22:43 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
BATON ROUGE, United States (AFP) - Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson fired off a fierce attack on President George W. Bush over Hurricane Katrina and claimed black people were being locked out of top relief roles.
Jackson raised the sensitive issue of race, simmering below the surface in New Orleans, even before the hurricane tragedy, pointing out that many of those trapped in the city by the storm were poor and black.
"There is a historical indifference to the pain of poor people, and black people ... we seem to adjust more easily to black pain."
Jackson spoke after leading a bus convoy into New Orleans to rescue 450 students trapped at Xavier University, and said he had been shocked by scenes of pain among refugees trying to flee the city.
"We reach out today for our president to lead from the ground, not the air," Jackson said, as Bush toured hurricane hit areas by foot and by helicopter after admitting government relief efforts so far were "not acceptable."
Jackson said 120,000 people in New Orleans make less than 8,000 dollars a year. "They are poor people, black people for the most part without private transportation, many of them are old and sick."
And he also criticized the role given to former presidents George Bush senior and Bill Clinton as coordinators for a fund raising effort following the Katrina tragedy, similar to their role as tsunami fund raisers.
"Why are there no African Americans in that circle?" Jackson asked.
"How can blacks be left out of the leadership and trapped into the suffering?"
Jackson also found time to throw political barbs Bush's way, claiming the president's policies had given the top five percent of Americans a tax cut and a "five billion dollar a month war in Iraq" while federal officials had neglected flood control systems in New Orleans.
"When the 9/11 tragedy struck us, the president was there in two days, on the ground embracing police and firemen. When the tsunami struck, he immediately mobilized world opinion.
"The UN relief effort for the tsunami was superior to the US effort for New Orleans and Louisiana. For American citizens, we deserve better."
Bush earlier on Friday rejected claims that expenditure or use of troops in Iraq had been partly to blame for what critics say was a sluggish, initial response by the US government to the Hurricane Katrina crisis.
"We've got plenty of resources to do both," Bush said, and also predicted that "the great city of New Orleans will rise again."
"I'm going to fly out of here in a minute, but I want you to know that I'm not going to forget what I've seen. I understand the devastation requires more than one day's attention," Bush said at New Orleans airport.
"It's going to require the attention of this country for a long period of time. This is one of the worst natural disasters we have faced, with national consequences. And therefore, there will be a national response," he said.
What a surprise. Hijack Jackson the pastor with no Church says a Republican is a racist. He is the racist.
Wait until Jesse tries to con his way into heaven..........:-)
JJ says the word "racist" about as often as the rest of us say "the".
Pat Robertson might have a plan.
"Jesse Jackson hits out at Bush, suggests race behind New Orleans' plight"
Jesse Jackson can offer up some of his illegitimate babies diapers, baby food, maybe the nanny(paid for by the Rainbow Coalition slut fund) to the Katrina infant survivors, (ahem) if it isn't asking too much.
Jesse, fuhgawdsakes, try a new schtick, willya? This one's not werking anymore.
Just how much food and water did Jesse's Rainbow Group send down there and when did it get there.
Stay out da bushes!
"but it was misplaced (blue dress)"
Yeah, I wonder where that blue dress is now. Did Monica ever get it back after the DNA testing? Maybe she could lend it to the Clinton Library/Trailer Park/Massage Parlor for a temporary exhibit.
Don't forget their equally incompent white governor.
I just did a google on rainbowpush.org
Why does he have documents on a MIL site?
Especially since he likes African Blood Diamonds.
https://www.patrick.af.mil/deomi/Library/EOReadFile/Affirmative%20Action/Extension%20of%20Historic%201965%20Voting%20Rights%20Act.PUSH.pdf
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3/16/2005
Contact: Jerry Thomas
773-256-2714
773-677-6378
jthomas@rainbowpush.org
Tannis Williamson
773-256-2718
773-425-1931
twilliamson@rainbowpush.org
NATIONAL LEADERS UNITE WITH RAINBOW/PUSH TO SUPPORT EXTENSION OF HISTORIC 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Blah blah blah blah blah
Why does someone that routes monies to Soros, extorts businesses, takes monies from African dictators in the form of BLOOD DIAMONDS and meets with Cuban Commies get docs on MIL sites in 2005????
This tragedy isn't about race.
It's about poverty, greed, heroism and nature.
Xaiver is a black University in NO. He went and rescued 400 students from there. I wonder if he got supplies to any of the students that may be in dire need at Tulane, Loyola, Dominican or UNO?
It must be a black thing. I know many of us will reach into our pockets to aid the Katrina victims. should us so called racist tell Red Cross and other fund raisers to give only to white victims? Everyone on the left is hoping on the band wagon of race. They need to stop and pony up some money and help ALL victims of this tragedy.
It's proof of America's racism that its foremost under-sea level city is voluntarily populated by ... [vote for your choice of down-trodden ethnic, social and anti-social minorities here: two from column A and two from column B]. /sarc
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