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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2017)
5A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 Harvey racial optics much different than Katrina Tale of two hurricanes “In Harvey, nobody is talking about race. It’s just, ‘What do you need?’ ” By ERRIN HAINES WHACK Associated Press The charges of racism that swirled after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans 12 years ago have yet to surface as Houston recovers from the floods unleashed by Harvey. Houston was hit as the nation roiled from a white supremacist rally that turned deadly Aug. 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia. The vio- lence left in its wake deep divisions primed by President Donald Trump’s assertion that “many sides” were to blame, producing heated debates about Confederate statues and whether they are important historical markers or sym- bols of hate that should be removed. Those raw tensions didn’t boil over even as Trump provided another potential spark by pardoning Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted of ignoring a judge’s order to stop targeting Latinos suspected of being in the country illegally. Trump made the move just as Harvey made landfall Aug. 25 and took aim at Houston, where Hispanics make up about 44 percent of the population. When Katrina struck on Aug. 29, 2005, New Orleans had 500,000 residents, nearly 70 percent of them black. Americans were hor- rified by images of people stranded on roof- tops and scrounging for food and water. There were appalling conditions in the Superdome, the shelter of last resort for thousands and a hell-scape for those too poor to leave ahead of the storm. The face of Katrina was largely black and poor. Within days, Katrina’s death toll was into the hundreds. By contrast, Harvey’s death toll hovered around 60, though it’s expected to rise as waters recede. Many cited the heavy death toll follow- ing Katrina, and the slow, inadequate govern- ment response, as evidence that New Orleans’ poor, black residents were considered dispos- able. “I hate the way they portray us in the media,” rapper Kanye West declared during a Red Cross telethon, adding that President George W. Bush “doesn’t care about black people,” a sentiment that resonated with many African-Americans. Devin Coleman 34-year-old who moved to Houston from the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans just before Katrina hit Urban sprawl AP Photo/Matt Rourke Antoinette Porcarello views her flood-damaged possessions piled in the front yard in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Houston. Racially diverse By comparison, Houston — a sprawl- ing city of more than 2.4 million — is more racially diverse, with blacks and whites each accounting for about a quarter of the popula- tion. Because there was no mandatory evacu- ation, people of all races and classes remained in the storm’s path, not just folks who couldn’t afford to leave. That made for diverse images in the scenes of boat rescues and families huddling in shel- ters, said New Orleans native Mtangulizi San- yika, a retired professor and social activist who left his New Orleans neighborhood the day before Katrina hit and now lives in Houston. “In New Orleans, we had a human tragedy on our hands that obviously, black people were the primary victims,” Sanyika said. “The flood here … was an equal opportunity flood.” George Washington University sociologist Gregory Squires said “there’s no question the optics feel different” in Houston. “What we’re not seeing in Houston are the hundreds of black people being stuck in a build- ing or stopped on a highway and blocked from getting out of the city,” said Squires, co-edi- tor of the book, “There Is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster: Race, Class and Katrina.” “Nobody is saying that Donald Trump doesn’t like black people.” In New Orleans, as the levees broke, the water rose and people struggled to survive as media reports of looting depicted storm vic- tims as criminals. Those who were eventu- ally able to relocate to other cities were labeled “refugees,” a term usually reserved for people fleeing one country for another. AP Photo/David J. Phillip In this photo combination, evacuees wade down Tidwell Road in Houston on Aug. 28, 2017, top, as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey rise, and a car drives down the same road on Tuesday, bottom, after the water receded. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert Members of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Louisiana National Guard help rescue with elderly people from the Golden Years Assisted Living home, which was flooded from Hurricane Harvey in Orange, Texas. LISTINGS THE DAILY ASTORIAN T HURSDAY E VENING A (2) (-) (-) (6) (-) (8) (9) (10) (12) (13) (-) (20) (-) (29) (30) (31) (32) (34) (35) (36) (38) (39) (43) (44) (45) (46) (47) (48) (49) (50) (51) (52) (53) (54) (56) (57) (58) (61) (63) (64) (65) (162) L KATU KOMO KING KOIN KIRO KGW KRCW KOPB KPTV KPDX KCPQ TBS KZJO ESPN ESPN2 NICK DISN FAM FMC LIFE ROOT FS1 SPIKE COM HIST A&E TLC DISC NGEO TNT AMC USA FOOD HGTV FX CNN FNC CNBC BRAV TCM SYFY RFD (2) (4) (5) (-) (7) (-) (3) (10) (12) (-) (13) (20) (22) (29) (30) (31) (32) (34) (35) (36) (38) (39) (43) (44) (45) (46) (47) (48) (49) (50) (51) (52) (53) (54) (56) (57) (58) (61) (63) (64) (65) (162) 6 PM The narrative around Katrina was urban neglect — years of disinvestment in infra- structure affecting a largely minority popula- tion. With Harvey, the focus is more on urban sprawl and how development may have com- pounded a natural disaster. “Katrina was kind of a crime scene, with implications against local, state and federal government on how they were failing poor people; in Houston, it’s kind of universal,” said Rice University historian Douglas Brin- kley, author of “The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who is black and grew up in a lower-income area of the city, noted that the George R. Brown Con- vention Center where 10,000 people took shel- ter was far different from what those in New Orleans encountered. “I think people have felt comfortable,” he said. “This is not their place of choice. They would rather be at home. But we try to treat people with respect. They are our guests. They are our fellow Houstonians.” Devin Coleman, 34, moved to Houston from the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans just before Katrina hit. He lost his aunt and his grandmother in the storm. He was sheltered at Houston’s convention center for nearly a week and was amazed at how helpful people were. “If you weren’t white or had your own money, it’s almost as if they didn’t want you there,” Coleman recalled of the environment during Katrina. “In Harvey, nobody is talking about race. It’s just, ‘What do you need?’” Al Sistrunk, 67, echoed Coleman’s senti- ments, praising the city’s response to Harvey while waiting in line to file a claim with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “Here in Houston, it’s everybody,” Sistrunk said. “We’re getting housing, people are get- ting food, people are getting material they need for their houses. They rescued everybody, they weren’t rescuing white people first or black people first, at least that’s what they show on the news.” Financial disparities Texas Southern University urban planning professor Robert D. Bullard warned what hap- pens next could uncover racial disparities. Homeowners of color may lack the finan- cial resources or networks to rebuild as quickly, if at all, he said. On the city’s more affluent and white west side, Bullard noted people are “hir- ing contractors and starting to rebuild.” Bullard, regarded as the father of “envi- ronmental racism,” also pointed out that poor and minority residents were most likely to have lived in proximity to the industrial areas affected by the storm. Pollution and chem- ical spills could affect those communities disproportionately. Squires predicted as the scope of the dam- age is surveyed the racial impact will grow. “Rich and poor alike were affected by the storm, but I strongly doubt that these groups were affected equally,” he said. “The optics clearly are not as racial here as they were in New Orleans. But I think we need to distin- guish between the optics and the reality.” Juliet Linderman and Juan A. Lozano con- tributed to this report from Houston. Whack reported from Philadelphia. Evening listings THURSDAY S EPTEMBER 7 A - Charter Astoria/ Seaside - L - Charter Long Beach 6:30 7 PM 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM 9:30 10 PM 10:30 11 PM 11:30 KATU News at 6 (N) Jeopardy! Wheel of Fortune Battle of the Network Stars Battle of the Network Stars (N) The Gong Show (N) KATU News (N) (:35) Jimmy Kimmel KOMO 4 News (N) Wheel of Fortune Jeopardy! Battle of the Network Stars Battle of the Network Stars (N) The Gong Show (N) KOMO 4 News (N) (:35) Jimmy Kimmel (5:00) NFL Football Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots Site: Gillette Stadium (L) Evening King 5 Special "Disaster Prepardness" Dateline NBC KING 5 News (:35) Tonight Show KOIN Local 6 (N) Evening News (N) Extra Ent. Tonight Big Bang Theory Mom Big Brother (N) Zoo "Cradles and Graves" (N) KOIN 6 News (N) (:35) Colbert KIRO 7 News (N) Evening News (N) The Insider Ent. Tonight Big Bang Theory Mom Big Brother (N) Zoo "Cradles and Graves" (N) KIRO News (N) (:35) Colbert (5:00) NFL Football Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots Site: Gillette Stadium (L) Paid Program Paid Program Grant's Getaways Inside Edition NBC Preview KGW News (N) (:35) Tonight Show Last Man Standing Last Man Standing Modern Family Modern Family Penn&Teller "I Dream of Genie Tube" Whose Line (N) Whose Line Is It? News at 10 (N) Two and a Half Two and a Half Met Your Mother Mickela Mallozi Business (N) PBS NewsHour (N) Oregon Field Guide "Farewell to Steve Amen" Oregon Revealed "An Oregon Field Guide Special" Great German Cities 6 O'Clock News (N) Family Feud Family Feud Beat Shazam "Episode Thirteen" (N) Love Conn. "Episode Fourteen" (N) 10 O'Clock News (N) News (N) Raising Hope Mike & Molly Mike & Molly Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory FOX 12's News (N) 9 O'Clock News (N) Family Guy Family Guy American Dad! Cleveland Show Modern Family Modern Family Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory Beat Shazam "Episode Thirteen" (N) Love Conn. "Episode Fourteen" (N) Q13 News at 10 (N) Q13 News (N) The Simpsons Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory The Guest (N) Conan "Comic-Con 2017" Last Man Standing Last Man Standing Friends Friends Modern Family Modern Family Q13 News at 9 (N) Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory Two and a Half Two and a Half (4:00) ITF Tennis U.S. Open (L) SportsCenter (N) SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt (N) SportsCenter (N) SportsCenter (N) (5:00) WNBA Basketball Playoffs (L) WNBA Basketball Playoffs (L) Nación ESPN (N) Jalen & Jacoby (N) 30 for 30 "Trojan War" Nashville The Loud House Henry Danger Henry Danger The Thundermans To Be Announced Jessie Bunk'd K.C. Undercover K.C. Undercover Raven's Home Stuck in Middle Bizaardvark Bizaardvark Liv and Maddie K.C. Undercover Bizaardvark Raven's Home (5:05) Forrest Gump (‘94, Comedy/Drama) Sally Field, Gary Sinise, Tom Hanks. (:20) Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011, Comedy/Drama) Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Steve Carell. The 700 Club The Watch (2012, Comedy) Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller. (:25) FXM Presents The Watch (2012, Comedy) Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller. (5:00) The Lorax (:45) The Lorax (2012, Animated) Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito, Zac Efron. Grey's Anatomy "Yesterday" Runway "An Unconventional Recycling" Runway (N) (:50) P.Runway (N) Project Runway "We're Sleeping Wear?" (N) (:45) Runway "We're Sleeping Wear?" (:45) P.Runway (N) (4:00) MLB Baseball Houston vs Seattle H.S. Football (L) H.S. Football H.S. Football Press Pass (N) Press Pass (4:00) UFC UFC 191 Main Event "Johnson vs. Horiguchi" (N) MLB Whiparound (L) Speak for Yourself Skip and Shannon: Undisputed Opinions on the biggest sports topics of the day. It (1990, Horror) Harry Anderson, Dennis Christopher, Tim Reid. A group of adults reunite to battle a demonic creature from their childhood. (4:30) Limitless (‘11) Bradley Cooper. Limitless (‘11) South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park The Daily Show (N) The Daily Show Mountain "Only the Strong Survive" Mountain Men "Waste Not, Want Not" Mountain Men: Fully "Long Shot" (N) Mountain Men (N) (:05) Ice Rd. Truckers "Helter Melter" (N) (:05) Mountain Men First 48 "Fast Friends/ The Thin Line" Murder of Laci P "Missing in Modesto" Murder/Laci Peterson "Media Frenzy" Murder "Most Hated Man in America" Laci Peterson "The Trial Begins" (N) (:05) Murder/ Laci "Missing in Modesto" Say Yes-Dress Say Yes-Dress My 600-lb Life "Penny's Story" My 600-lb Life "Olivia's Story" My 600-lb Life "Tracey's Story" My 600-lb Life "Penny's Story" Naked and Afraid "Double Jeopardy" Naked and Afraid "Wrath of Nature" (N) Naked and Afraid "Melt Down Under" Nasca Lines: The Buried Secrets Wild Colombia Great Migrations "Born to Move" Great Migrations "Feast or Famine" Fight for Life "Bad News Black Bears" Fight for Life "Slum Monkey" American Sniper (2014, War) Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes, Bradley Cooper. Miracle (2004, True Story) Kurt Russell. Bones "The Princess and the Pear" Bones "The Bones That Foam" Independence Day (1996, Sci-Fi) Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Will Smith. (5:30) Twister (1996, Action) Bill Paxton, Jami Gertz, Helen Hunt. AVP: Alien vs. Predator Sanaa Lathan. NCIS "Iceman" NCIS "Grace Period" NCIS "Rogue" NCIS "Being Bad" NCIS "Privileged Information" The Sinner "Part VI" Beat Bobby Flay Beat Bobby Flay Chopped "Meatball Madness" Chopped "Viewers' Vengeance" Chopped "Wild Times" Beat Flay (N) Beat Bobby Flay Beat Bobby Flay Beat Bobby Flay Love It/List It "Not Enough Bedrooms" Love It/List It "Opportunity in the Attic" Flip or Flop Flip or Flop FlipFlop ATL (N) Flip or Flop House Hunters (N) House Hunters (N) Desert Flippers (N) Desert Flippers Snow White and the Huntsman (2012, Action) Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart. (5:00) Furious 7 (2015, Action) Paul Walker, Jason Statham, Vin Diesel. Snow White and the Huntsman Anderson Cooper 360 CNN Tonight With Don Lemon CNN Tonight With Don Lemon Anderson Cooper 360 Anderson Cooper 360 CNN Tonight With Don Lemon The Five Hannity Tucker Carlson Tonight The Five Hannity Tucker Carlson Tonight Shark Tank Shark Tank Filthy Rich Guide Filthy Rich Guide Filthy Rich Guide Filthy Rich Guide Filthy Rich Guide Filthy Rich Guide Paid Program Million Dollar Listing New York "Seaportlandia" WatchWhat Below Deck Flipping "Welcome Home, Monroe" (N) GFs Guide "Rule #49: Let It Shine" (N) WatchWhat (N) Flipping Out Aguirre: Wrath of God (‘73) Dan Ades, Klaus Kinski. (:45) Cobra Verde (5:00) Fitzcarraldo (‘82, Dra) Claudia Cardinale, Klaus Kinski. (:45) Stroszek (1977) Eva Mattes, Clemens Scheitz, Bruno S. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (‘05, Adventure) Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Johnny Depp. The Princess Bride (‘87, Rom) Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Cary Elwes. (:20) The Princess Bride Cary Elwes. (4:30) Priest (‘11) SF Machinery Small Town Rodeo Cody Stampede Steve Lantvit Rural Eve. News Market Journal GA Farm Monitor SF Machinery Small Town Time Life Library