Guest Shots To The Dome #002: You Call That Help?!?!
[***I forgot to do this yesterday, but venture on over to the newest News site to hit the internet, The Insensitive News Syndicate (INS), for the latest in what the hell is really going on. The INS, offending you on purpose! ***]
Welcome to the second entry of Guest Shots To The Dome, the place where other folks drop their jewels and I get to sit back, relax, and smoke a fat ass joint. The fact that I don’t smoke is irrelevant, but if I did, I would do exactly what I just said I’d do.
Today’s entry brings us back to the Hurricane Katrina situation. They say Americans have a short attention span. What happened last week is last weeks news. And you know what? I agree. It seems like months ago the whole fallout from the hurricane rallied everybody together…now? Nobody’s talking about it anymore.
About a week ago, I received a post from a former blogger who hasn’t shut her site down yet hasn’t posted in months, Nikilovely of Matters of the Heartless fame, discussing some of the issues regarding the relief effort from the Hurricane. She has an opinion, and wants it to be known.
Take a gander.
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Relief? Effort?
1997 Roederer Cristal Champagne: $225.
2 Gold chains from Wal-Mart: $350.
Louis Vuitton handbag: $800.
Four new gold teeth with platinum fronts: worthless.
The FEMA Disaster Card: It’s everywhere it shouldn’t be.
Somewhere, right now, there’s a probably a round of lap dances being sponsored by the good folks at FEMA and the grand ole taxpayers of the US of A.
I’m a generous person. No, really. I give all the time. I’m the first person in the office that you bring your kid’s fund raiser brochure to—I’ll buy the cookie dough, I’ll order the wrapping paper, I’ll pay the $8 for 2 oz. of gummy worms in a “collectible” plastic cup. Not only that, but I give money to just about anyone holding a sign. If you say you need it and I have it, it’s yours. That’s just how I am. So understand that as I pledge here and now that I will not be giving another dime to an organization in order to fund Katrina relief, it is not a decision made lightly.
It’s obvious that there are some victims who are abusing the funds intended to help rebuild their lives. It’s a sad fact that due to the prevalent mentality of many of these affected persons, if and when they get their lives back on track it will go on much as it did before. There will always be those that will constantly have their hand out, all the while blowing everything they get on trifles. But there are people in genuine need out here. The way this is going, there won’t be adequate funds to offer even a semblance of stability when they return to New Orleans. Even worse, as more reports like those listed above leak out, many people will no longer even be willing to help.
It will take billions upon billions of dollars to truly rebuild everything New Orleans lost in Katrina. Most of those funds will come from federal and major charitable organizations. Knowing that, I’d expect some measures to be in place to ensure that when the time comes, there will be enough money to make a go at it. This means taking some actions to make sure that the funds go into the areas where they are most needed. It shouldn’t even be possible to take those funds and misappropriate them to the degree that is being reported.
They’ve set up Food Stamps on an electronic card that restricts the purchase of tobacco, alcohol, and other non-food items. They’ve set up WIC so that participants can only purchase the least expensive brands of the items on the voucher. I won a Thanksgiving turkey dinner in a Salvation Army raffle one year, and instead of the turkey, I got a $50 grocery store gift card that restricted my purchase to food items only, for tax purposes. Obviously, Big Brother has means of curbing inappropriate spending. So it defies logic to think it’s possible for Tre’vinquinae and all of her little hoodmice to march into the nearest Foot Locker and snatch up the latest platinum dipped Nike Air Diamonds with spinners on the back, in blue. With FEDERAL funds. Is it just me, or is this absurd?
There should be measures in place. The organizations in charge should set up for any displaced persons to be provided with housing, food, clothing, and a small monthly stipend until they find sufficient employment. There should be limits placed on how much you can spend on any one item, just like there is with WIC. I understand that administering such a program would take time. Set up a waiting list. Give priority to those that were employed within 90 days prior to the disaster, or can show just cause for not working. In the mean time, send relief funds to those smaller organizations such as schools and churches that are housing and feeding evacuees who have yet to receive funding. This way, we can ensure that money is going where it is most needed, and help ensure that there will be money left to rebuild the city so that people have a home to return to in the future.
It seems like the federal government is has a major case of guilt over delaying assistance to the city for as long as it did, and for allowing conditions to deteriorate to that point. So they’re throwing money, at the victims to keep them quiet and alleviate their own consciences. They’re giving funds, but offering no future. Personally, I find it offensive. Until I see that these or similar procedures have been put into place, I can not support this effort. I will continue to volunteer with displaced families; I will continue to purchase items and give money to those people that I come in contact with. Wherever I can detect an actual trail of effective spending in this effort, I will give. But I’ve made my last pledge, bought my last candy bar, and dropped my last quarter in the checkout jar. I have completely lost faith in the ability of the federal government or corporate charitable organizations to effectively handle this crisis. This so-called “relief effort” is offering little of either.
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Agree? Disagree?? Want to fight Niki??
It’s all available to you at Guest Shots To The Dome!
September 28th, 2005 11:21
First, the Ray J album sucks infected monkey ass. The only, I say the ONLY reason I listened to it, in its entirety is because Launchcast wouldn’t work. And I have a chatty coworker who I was hiding from. Yes, I know I’m commenting on the wrong post, but whatevuh!
As for what Niki–who abandoned her blog–wrote, this was my fear. That a few misguided souls would affect how people view the entire group. And yeah, people are out showing their natural born asses with this money. But not everyone’s doing that and I think those people are the minority. As for me, I long stop giving to large orgs simply because I like to see the results of my donations. But I totally see where Niki–who doesn’t blog on her own site–is coming from.
September 28th, 2005 11:41
Note to Kajuana and Panama:
The word is “hiatus.”
September 28th, 2005 12:30
I can see where you are coming from. I think that if you want to be more hands on with the people you are helping that is great. The thing is a lot of people will see these stories of questionable spending and use it as an excuse to do nothing. It is funny that nobody ever wondered what people were spending all the money donated from 9/11 on.
September 28th, 2005 13:03
I don’t think we have the right tell the people with the FED ATM cards how to spend the money. These people lost everything; friends, family, property, and livelihoods. What if they lost a bracelet or chain in the flood? An expensive heirloom or something was lost. Why not replace what is important to YOU? Maybe these items listed are birthday gifts. Or better yet “sorry your life will NEVER be the same” gifts. There are all types of different contexts to these stories. Don’t let the media (or Dave Chappelle) set you up to think that niggas are out starting record labels with their relief money. Life is hard and happiness is hard to come by. $2000 is nothing when it comes to rebuilding an entire life. Who are we to tell them where to start?
September 28th, 2005 13:06
As I’m not running the show in here today I only have one general comment to make…and its at Kajuana-
Dude…monkey infected ass??? C’mon…it isn’t THAT bad. Shoot, between Ray J and Marques Houston, there’s gonna be a fight for album of the year!!!
September 28th, 2005 14:37
I haven’t read the comments, but I’m sure I’ll be in the minority on this one. Federal relief funds… I do not think they should be monitored, nor hindered in any way they are chosen to be used. I say let ‘em buy whatever the fuck they want with that money. Is it irresponsible to buy gold chains and platinum teeth and LV bags? Of course. But who the hell am I to determine what that money should be spent on??? The money is GIVEN. Give it and walk away.
Niki says she gives money to anyone holding a sign. But does she stick around and make sure they’re spending it the way she sees fit? I wonder if when she gives advice if she’s the type to get mad when they do not heed it?
See that’s not me.
When I GIVE anything, I give it. Period. From advice to money, to gifts. Whatever the recipient does with it once I’ve given it is on them.
And I realize that in this it’s not a personal gift, and it is Federal money… but we all know giving the government the power to determine what is “necessary” and what is not, is a slippery slope. Where does the line get drawn on how they can monitor and curb your spending? Who draws it? Will I be able to go to Publix, or just Saverite? Can I develop my film from the CVS down the street of the last pictures I took of the family members I lost? Can I fill my prescription? Can I use it in the Post Office? Will it get declined when I’m trying to take my kids who don’t even understand what’s going on to the movies? Or to Toys R Us to buy them the bike I promised? Who’s to say what I NEED with that money? Who’s to say what my emergency is?
There will ALWAYS be people who buck the system, or figure a way to get shit out of it that is unthinkable to the rest of us, but that does not keep me from giving. For every person who’s buying the Moet gift set, there are thousands who are buying diapers and cribs and food and whatever else the govt. deems to be “necessary.”
If you give, you should give and turn away, never to think about your gift again. It’s gone, it’s theirs. Let them spend it how they deem necessary. It’s not my place to judge or to deem what the definition of that is.
September 28th, 2005 14:37
@ Poetic Soldier:
Dude, are you for real? I’m all hyped to respond, but I’m so taken aback by that sentiment that I feel that it must be a joke. I’d hate to get all up in arms behind a comment that must have been made in jest.
@ Panama: I agree with Kajuana. And you should be ashamed for accosting my cochlea in this fashion.
September 28th, 2005 14:43
Okay I JUST read the comments… and Panama. You.are.out.of.control. And must be stopped. (Wise Diva, 2005) LMAO
September 28th, 2005 14:46
And I soooooooooo agree with poetic soldier. DEFINITELY… my sentiments only much more laconic. LOL
September 28th, 2005 15:03
@nikilovely: No joke. I’m interested to read your response, though I don’t know if up in arms is necessary.
September 28th, 2005 15:12
LET ME CLARIFY.
My position is that the money that I give to help fund Katrina relief is being mishandled at EVERY level.
HELL YES there should be limitations on what you can spend it on. WHY? Because if you allow it to be spent on unneccesary bullshit then there is no money left to actual build your ass a home to return to. Furthermore, you are fucking it up for the “thousands who are buying diapers and cribs and food,” because after a while, nobody’ll want to give THEM shit, either.
I understand the concept of the comfort purchase. HOWEVER, if that shit takes up 90% of the TOTAL amount you were given for NECESSITIES, your priorities are seriously fucked and I don’t care to fund your shopping spree.
Where should the line be drawn? How about somewhere between Walmart and the goddamned Galleria?
I’m not going on what the media (or Dave Chappelle) says. Except for the examples I used in jest, these are actual accounts. I have actually met the sorry bitch that bought the gold teeth. She spent that money when 3 (count them-3) of her kids still needed clothing, and she was depending on the kindness of others to feed and house them all. That shyt is un-a-fucking-cceptable.
Yes, I give to anyone who asks or is holding a sign, and I really don’t care what it’s spent on. If your sign says you need food and you’re buying a drink, so be it. Hell, you probably need one. I’m not stressing over that.
The difference between that situation and this is that I’m not doling out spare change to some panhandler. I’m giving out of my NEED, curbing my spending in an effort to help someone get their lives into some semblance of order. I’d like to know that at least the majority of that is going toward what it was intended for. When I give to a major organization who is telling me that they are using it to help in this effort, I’d like to see at least an attempt at assuring that is so.
Who’s to say what an emergency is? Mirriam Webster, for one.
September 28th, 2005 15:27
Cosign with poetic soldier to the nth degree. I went off on this topic a week ago, and I got to cussin behind it. living with two katrina victims myself has allowed me to see this issue up close and personally.
Not to mention, in the words of whitney houston, “I wanna see the receitps!” to what extent is there this socalled abuse of funds? Is it 90 percent of people, or a small minority being focused on? Human nature will always produce deviant behavior. That’s how people are when left to our own devices. I’m sure some white folks from 911 got some 80 inch rims off red cross relief funds…….somewhere somebody is abusing something. Period. If u think 2K spent on coach bags is going to bother you and the federal govt, maybe we need to rethink this whole democracy thing and move into a communist state. Then we could really be on top of who gets what and why and how and for how long.
September 28th, 2005 15:59
@ all who continue to worship at Our Lady of Perpetual Missing of the Fucking Point:
I’m perturbed by this “let ‘em buy what they want” attitude. Why? Because despite the documented tendency of the federal gov’t to continuously throw money at unsolvable problems, that policy doesn’t tend to extend to US. That means that when this shit is gone, the big show of sympathy has been made. There’ll be no public outcry if all of a sudden an “executive decision” is made to reappropriate the money meant to go toward Katrina relief toward buying new $800 gavels for the Pentagon. If this money dries up, or if a sizeable amount of it is spent with no real results, that is going to leave the victims of this hurricane right back where they started: royally fucked. Furthermore, there will be enough accounts of LV bag and gold tooth purchase for the upper middle-class political majority to justify not giving a flying fuck. All they want back is a fun vacation spot. They don’t give a damn about the people who live beyond the Quarter.
The iron is hot right now to get what is needed
to truly help. Actual help, not hush money.
September 28th, 2005 16:24
“Our Lady of Perpetual Missing of the Fucking Point”
I will be tucking this gem away for future use!!!
You all make passionate arguments. But I’d like to interject what is bothering me about this whole issue: Throwing money at the issue doesn’t change their mindsets. And allowing them to spend the money all willy-nilly doesn’t force them to change their mindsets either. Plus, these situations are under a microscope. Can someone tell me what these people are going to do when the money runs out? Oh–oh! *raising hand like a third grader* Standing around looking foolish, still feeding the mindset the kept them tucked away in poverty prior to Katrina. Giving them this money and letting them spend it as they see fit is only a short term solution to bigger problems: Poverty and a mindset that enables multi-generational pverty.
Someone mentioned comfort items. I’m not made at that at all. However, the people who are being seen buying these items, from first hand accounts, aren’t the type of people who lost family jewels tucked away in a safe deposit box. Don’t get it twisted. I’m not saying poor people can’t have fancy things. But. The people buying this stuff are the same ones who were living in projects, driving around with spinners on their Esc…I can’t even right it because the ridiculousness makes me ill. Except now, they’re doing it with Niki’s money. And she’s not happy about it.
I definately see both sides but there has to be some common ground, a mid point. Where people can get this money but be coached about spending it. The group my girl is working with in San Diego got their cards. Some of them used it for Bling (Not Bling-Bling cus 2K will only buy one Bling.) but those same folks HAD to get bank accounts. Something most of them had never done before. In order to continue to get help, they have to apply for jobs, learn to write resumes, etc. So there’s that effort at achieving balance.
September 28th, 2005 16:35
How surprising is this??? Two responses from me in a week…hell must be freezing over…
But I agree with Nikilovely. It would be one thing if this were Social Security or something…a system where you have put in money in order to draw out money. If this were insurance where you paid premiums to benefit from the service, that would be another example. But to take FEMA and Red Cross money…I definitely should be able to tell you how to spend that. I put in on part of that for the pretense that it would be used for certain purposes. My tax money is set aside so that certain agencies which are set up for certain purposes can provide need to those in certain situations. But if my tax dollars are going to that, then I vote for them to take the portion of tax dollars that were provided from my check and give that shit back to me. Hell, I need to buy a pair of sneakers that I wanted last year…
Yes, we are all helping out with donations in our own ways. But I am not donating to every cause. If a person did donate to you, then you have a responsibility as a upstanding person to apply the money to the causes that the person gave it to you for. You know that you would not give your friend a loan under the pretense that he/she was paying off a phone bill and instead they took it to Atlantic City and played slots with it. That it the same situation as this. This is not money that is grown on trees and was just divinely bestowed upon the victims of the hurricane. This is money that is taken from people each month for the purpose of providing services for the social good. So if you are upset that I am telling you that you can’t buy a Fendi bag with the portion, then take the $0.02 of the money that came from my paycheck and buy it then. Then I won’t care…but as long as they are hitting me up hard on these taxes, then I can expect my money to be spent responsibly…
Lastly, just as Niki was stating (or I believe she was stating), this money is not endless. Reckless spending by some lead to less money for others. I really can’t believe that anyone can feel that because you lost an heirloom, that justifies you going to buy a Gucci purse to console yourself. And as a result of your purchase, the budget gets stretched further and further, giving the overall public that was affected less money to work with. People have the responsibility to act responsibly with generosity. Though the people who were affected pay taxes also, my tax money is mixed in there. Just as millions of other individuals taxes are. If more money is needed for hurricane relief, they are going to take that from education, social security, welfare and everywhere else. To balance the budget, you boost one area at the expense of another.
Now is not the time to abuse the system because one person’s benefit is going to come at the expense of another. Poetic Soldier, I disagree with your opinion stated above…life is hard and happiness is hard to come by. But are you saying that people should be buying their happiness in these times of need? Forget about necessity and just make yourself happy for the present moment? I can’t say anything about that??? Who am I to tell them how to find their happiness? I am one of the people funding that temporary happiness and I will be funding them when that happiness runs out…
September 28th, 2005 16:40
People didn’t worry about what 9/11 victims spent their federal money on, and now since a majority black, majority poor population has been displaced, we are all concerned about them misspending money.
Of course, one cause of poverty is misspending money, but that is one out of several. People always blame poor people for being poor…as if $2000, some bottled water and hand me down clothes is a privilege. Obviously, if people knew better they would do better.
Somebody said something earlier about throwing money at the problem won’t help it, and that’s true. Poverty is a mindset, and unfortunately Katrina wasn’t a bad enough bitch to change that.
Point is: In America, you can’t tell people what to do with anything. And just because you met a person who bought gold teeth, it doesn’t mean it’s an epidemic…you just met one ignorant person. Black people aren’t that dumb, or materialistic, or short-sighted to fall into those types of traps. I don’t know about you, but some of the wisest people I’ve known in my life were good, honest and broke.
September 28th, 2005 16:46
One of the reasons that people didn’t worry about 9/11 money as much is that it was not distributed to as many people who go out in public and show that it is being misused. The Red Cross hoarded money after 9/11 and they are smart enough to not go to the mall and spend it all on one thing…
It is correct that if people knew better, then they would do better. But do we not teach them better because they don’t know. In America, there are limits on things. You can’t go and buy a ticket to Six Flags with food stamps. You can’t go pay your car note with WIC. So we need to stop talking about how we can’t restrict what people do in America. We have restricted gay marriage and abortion…two guys in Texas got taken to court for having sex with each other. We can’t restrict things in America??? Kanye’s comments got taken out of the telethon before it could even be shown on the West Coast? We can’t restrict things in America??? Cindy Sheehan got arrested for protesting without a permit…we can’t restrict things in America??? I refuse to agree with that…
September 28th, 2005 17:36
I would have to agree. I think FEMA and Bush were in a rush to prove that they were indeed “doing something” after people starting getting on their ass. It didn’t matter if that “something” was actually constructive aid and help, just throw a couple of dollars that way and everything looks better. Good post.
September 28th, 2005 22:18
Excellent post. I understand the sentiment behind your post. I think the isolated cases of fiscal irresponsibility of a few is indicative of a great deal of issues that existed way before Katrina. Issues that even with guidelines that ENCOURAGE prioritizing, won’t ensure that any support you give for the efforts of the organizations that are designed to help people in need (whose version of need?) will be used appropriately. There will always be disdain for people who are not empowering themeselves that cause others to make all kinds of assumptions and judgements simply because we think they are inherantly irresponsible regardless of “aid” that is offered. I think it to be quite unfair to broadstroke things to the degree that you have done thinking that LV bags, rims, and gold teef are items that don’t make the list of pre-approved expenditures for individuals. I am in no way saying they should be wasteful, I just fear that imposing restrictions to the measley amount that is offered is dangerously close to sending a message that help is offered conditionally, as long as you use it as I deem appropriate. So list the stores, name the items, appropriate what you think is best because I am poor and can’t do that on my own. I agree with those who said that it takes more than writing a check to address issues that extend deeper than temporary housing or flossing for that matter. Personally, to me the spirit of giving should appeal to the humanity that exists in you. How can you help your fellow man if you are too busy judging him?
Also, when you give to organizations that are designed to help, how do you feel when you learn of misappropriation of said funds? Do you avoid that organization in the future? Do you think that any organization of its ilk are no longer worthy of your dollars?
September 29th, 2005 09:49
Thank you, Wise Diva, for your well-stated and cordial disagreement.
I see your point about the message that would be sent were they to restrict the items that could be purchased with relief funds. However, they do it everyday with people on other types of federal and state relief, and no one bats an eyelash. I don’t see why that same principle can’t be applied here. I think that a person with nothing but true intentions would welcome any true assistance they could get. I also feel that there’s a line between complete control and none, and the responsible thing to do is attempt to define that line before writing checks that solve nothing.
To answer your question about organizations, I often find myself unwilling to give to organizations that are found to be misappropriating funds.
I’ve never believed myself to be a judgmental person; and I know that there is gray area between right and wrong. However, on either side of that grey area are equally expansive areas of good and evil. I strive to stay on the side of right, and I expect the same of my fellow man. Perhaps that is why I find myself so greatly disappointed when individuals deliberately fail to meet that mark. Maybe that makes me judgmental, but I’m not sure that’s something about me that I’d want to change.
September 29th, 2005 11:43
I agree with you Nikki 100%. ” Our Lady of Perpetual Missing the Fucking Point”… love it.
September 29th, 2005 12:50
What point did you make that you think any of us, one of us, some of us… actually missed. I for one, caught it all, yet disagreed wholeheartedly, as I am wont to do.
I simply can’t imagine having to rebuild my whole life with a mere $2,000 as a starting point, and to add insult to injury, have some muthafucker in a cushy office deem what is “necessary” for me to purchase, simply because someone out there might by new rims.
What further irritates me is that these isoloated incidences of such purchases are even reported… what is the purpose, other than to dissuade people from donating money? And what’s the purpose of dissuading people??? I haven’t heard NEARLY as many heartwarming stories about debit-card purchases as I have the “platinum-teeth/LV bag” accounts. And I just wonder… though I already know the answer… why that might be.
September 29th, 2005 15:50
Nikilovely (ok I sooo used your “our lady gem” already, LMAO, that frickin rawks, gave u shout on it)
anyway…see that is the thing that I disagree on, because I have seen any and every type of program abused, pimped, and corrupted to the point that there are few foolproof programs that could provide you with the “satisfaction” that you would seek in having the person RECEIVING help use it accordingly. SO in THAT vein, I just wonder if you are so easily swayed by media spin (some of it is true, I can totally acknowledge) than what really is your purpose in contributing at all? Even if you adjust or modify the WAY you contribute (i.e. with time, volunteer, etc), if you don’t find what you DO give received in the way YOU would like to see it, what do you do then? I think Kajuana mentioned how frustrating it could be when you are met with resistance, attitude, etc when she took TIME to work closely with some individuals. I think that in those cases, you are justified in feeling frustrated, but I would be hard pressed to say you should stop there because ONE out of 6 of the people you DID impact didn’t receive what you offered in the way you wanted them to. I am not trying to “sway” your opinion, just wanted to offer my thoughts. I appreciate your comments though and I like it when I can discuss without condescending/rudenss too, thank you.
September 29th, 2005 16:45
No one did that with 9/11 because of a few factors:
There was no ‘emergency’ money given the day or week after the attacks.
Those peoples HOMES were not destroyed. The survivors of 9/11 weren’t homeless with the clothes on their backs. Had that been the case- and the Twin Towers were high rise apartments - and the country donated millions to help them- then saw that they were out buying Big Screens, LV bags, there WOULD have been an uproar.
The point is this: some (SOME) of the Katrina evacuees are taking this money and buying unnecessary things, because they KNOW somewhere down the line, the ‘necessities’ will be provided - housing, clothes, food. I know of a few folks who got the card- and the way it was spent was totally different, although they were in the same situations- one female took her $2000, paid two months rent on a apartment, and that left her enough to buy minimal household items to set up camp. Cool. Her kids now had a room to sleep in instead of a cot at the shelter. She could cook her own meals for her children with the help she got from the Food Stamp office. Other female- same shelter- takes her $2000 and goes to the mall- buys her kids $500 worth of Polo and Tommy clothes. Goes to Foot Locker and buys her kids $150 worth of shoes. Spends various amounts of money on eating out, going to the club one night, buying herself some club clothes. With $250 leftover, she is found screaming at the booth set up to help evacuees with housing- screaming because she wants an APARTMENT NOW- that this ’shelter’ is no place for HER children.
folks will stop giving when all this hits the mainstream. Talk Radio has been talking about it for a week.