Americas' obsession with revisiting disasters

[KafirChobee]

First, the American news (all channels and then some - if you gots cabel or sattelite) was filled with "Katrina, one year later" - and now it is "9/11, 5 years later".

Both are important to our history, I guess. The former in how incompetent the present administration is in reacting to a disaster that concerns or has racial overtones. The later, in how long it has taken them to figure out how to blame Clinton for 9/11.

There is nothing an American loves more than watching a national disaster - as long as it isn't happening to them. [My daugher told me, after I went thru 3 hurricanes, "Dad, we're tired of hearing about 'em". - She has no idea what listening to the jetliner outside one's door is like.] Revisiting them (the disasters), honoring the dead and listening to the peeps that allowed them (while they are so so sad, promise the events will never happen again on their watch - even though the first ones did) seems sorta apropo. For America. See, Americans love nothing more than finding a scapegoat for a disaster. They also love that later we (those not affected) can look back, shake our heads in unison and say "well, we'll certainly never let that happen again". 'Til the next time of course.

What is it about us (Americans) that we feel it imperative to slow down to look at an auto-wreck (especially if there is the opportunity to see blood or brains), and then revisit it by telling our friends about it (at every opportunity).

With national disasters, we wallow in self pity for those that died, while at the same time keeping a distance (aside from maybe our checkbooks) from the reality of the situation. Katrina was 10 times the national embarrassment and disaster that 9/11 was. Yet, because 9/11 was a foreign attack (by a guy living frugal and safe, and being worshipped by millions) - versus a natural one (unless one believes the rumors that someone dynamited the levees) we bend to a knee and give thanks that it they somehow coulda been worse. Ask one of the displaced Blacks that can't get a FEMA loan to rebuild their home, living 1000 miles from property Trump is now buying to build his 60,000 condominium project if it could be much worse.

Still, wa simple moment of silence be enough? Or is it imparitive that every political opportunity be expoilted - regardless of the severity of the incident? I am not saying let it go away, but if we seriously are not going to do anything for "all" the victims? Wouldn't it be wiser to ignore them? Except of course with a "60 second" time of silence?

Cosmetics. In both cases that is all the people have received. We were more than generous (to some) 9/11 widows (ers), others we (the government) found ways to exclude - as did their insurance companys. Katrina? What a sham. It is a national shame, and an administration success in disenfranchising a majority of the Blacks that once lived there.

200 hours of TV time will be dedicated (don't believe me? count it up) to 9/11 before the end of next week. As shocking as it was to wake up on that MORNING, and at first thinking I was watching some Orson Wellian scare crap - I find it disheartening that it is the mainstay arguement for some political figures to justify curbing my rights and privilegages. Then again, that's just me = Give me freedom or give me death.

[Redleg]

Care to take a wild guess on how much Television coverage of the revisiting of Katrina that I watched? and how much on 9/11 will be?

Give you a hint, if there is no review of lessons learned to prevent such an occurance the answer is none.

I deplore the crap on television, its often not worth watching.

[rotorgun]

I can personally not see why anyone would want to relive the deaths of thousands in such a morbid way, but I know many that do. I cannot bring myself to watch the footage of that sad day dispassionately, even after five years. I say let us learn the lessons of that day, honor the fallen in our memories, and do right by them and work much harder towards bringing their killers to justice. I don't need this constant bombardment by the media, designed to play on my feelings to be saddened again by the events of those days. I merely have to close my eyes and remember the vivid details that have been etched permenantly in my mind.

I will spend this weekend practicing my horeback riding skills, so that if I am ever in Afghanistan or Pakistan I might be able to use them if needed to chase the sorry hides of Osama Bin Laden and associates down if they are ever found. I will personally volunteer for that mission if it should ever become a reality. This is how I will honor the memory of my fallen countrymen. Who will join me?

Blessed is the Lord which teachest my hands to war against my enemies.(Psalms)

Regards,

[doc_bean]

It's human nature, not just typical for Americans...

[Scurvy]

every country in the world revisits terrible events in its history, buty also celebrates the good ones to the same amount - its good for giving a feeling of nationallity and also gives the media something to talk about...

[whyidie]

I agree that the media overemphasizes these events. I hate it. I tune out.

Katrina was 10 times the national embarrassment and disaster that 9/11 was. Yet, because 9/11 was a foreign attack (by a guy living frugal and safe, and being worshipped by millions) - versus a natural one (unless one believes the rumors that someone dynamited the levees) we bend to a knee and give thanks that it they somehow coulda been worse Ask one of the displaced Blacks that can't get a FEMA loan to rebuild their home, living 1000 miles from property Trump is now buying to build his 60,000 condominium project if it could be much worse.

This is because natural disasters happen quite often. Maybe not to the extent of Katrina, but those types of events are more common than what happened on 9/11, no ?

As for dealing with the aftermath, in general people aren't as concerned with the "clean-up" as they are with the event that neccesitated the clean-up. No one cares about picking up the pieces, they care about the wreck itself and the general details of the devestation wrought.

[Fragony]

It's human nature, not just typical for Americans...

^ what he said.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

....oops. Thought from the title this was a discussion of U.S. election politics.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I really enjoyed your post, KC. Some random comments:

See, Americans love nothing more than finding a scapegoat for a disaster.

On thing that strikes me about Americans is their urge to 'blame' somebody for disasters.

You know, shit happens, to use an Americanism. Sometimes for no reason at all, with nobody to blame.

Nobody is to blame for hurricanes, or floods, or earthquakes. For your kid hurting himself when playing, or for tripping over something.
It is the culture that spawned the joke about a guy getting a heartattack on the middle of a New York street. One guy runs away from him, another towards him. Both as fast as they can. The guy running towards him is a lawyer, the guy running away a doctor.

What is it about us (Americans) that we feel it imperative to slow down to look at an auto-wreck

Definately human nature, as has been said above.

200 hours of TV time will be dedicated to 9/11 before the end of next week.

Only 200 hours in the States?

Well it is one of the defining moments of our times. I still remember everything about that afternoon (it was afternoon over here).

Everywhere you looked, everybody, literally everybody, walked around aimlessly, dazed and confused. Talking on their cell phones, gathering in the streets. There was a feeling of total confusion, of shock, disbelief.
And I'm not talking about New York, but over here. Talk about a shot heard 'round the world.

Yes, Katrina was the more embarrassing moment for the administration. A total c###-up.
But Katrina will be forgotten in a few years time. 9/11 on the other hand, well you knew, you just knew right back then that the world had changed.

The WTC, the Pentagon, they were not picked randomly. They are global symbols. To see the WTC crumble was like seeing the Berlin Wall crumble, that other global symbol. In a perfect antithesis, this time liberty was the one under attack. The long, happy nineties (89-01) were over, the end of history was not achieved. We overlooked something in those glorious nineties, we overlooked some people, a frustration that grew and a danger that lurked.
Not Fukuyama, but Huntington turned out to be the better analyst.

This, the historical significance of 9/11, is reason enough to have devoted so much attention to it in the last week.

'tis a pity that the US should've had a Bush, and not a FDR in the White House at that time, at that crossroads of history.

[Scurvy]

Well it is one of the defining moments of our times. I still remember everything about that afternoon (it was afternoon over here).

Everywhere you looked, everybody, literally everybody, walked around aimlessly, dazed and confused. Talking on their cell phones, gathering in the streets. There was a feeling of total confusion, of shock, disbelief.
And I'm not talking about New York, but over here. Talk about a shot heard 'round the world.

Yes, Katrina was the more embarrassing moment for the administration. A total c###-up.
But Katrina will be forgotten in a few years time. 9/11 on the other hand, well you knew, you just knew right back then that the world had changed.

.

i completely missed 9/11, i was v busy that day, and wondered why i got home by london transport in record time, didnt read it until the next morning

Katrina should be remembered, but it wont, because the government dont want it to be remembered....