East Texas News

by Billy “Hollywood” Groves
African-AmericanNews&Issues

Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama like no other natural disaster has in our history. The people most victimized by this tragedy have been Black people, African Americans, who have been dubbed as “refugees” by mainstream media, when they are actually “American evacuees!” I really and truly believe that because of the race and color of the victims of this catastrophe, help was slow in coming and it added to the magnitude of that deadly calamity. Cutting through “the chase to save space,” the whole world got to see “good old American racism” in its finest form when they witnessed and continued to observe how lack luster rescue and relief efforts were conducted in New Orleans. While I am aware that natural disasters have no respect of color, race or financial backgrounds of the people they victimized, the U.S. government, private American rescue operations and people who normally respond to tragedies seem to have a preference or bias toward the people who they help. If a tragedy similar to hurricane Katrina had happened in a predominately white city in America and white Americans were suffering the way the people of New Orleans are suffering, the national response would definitely have bean quicker and more organized. Because of the images on television and the media putting the “Black refugee” tag on the victims, mainstream America felt no great urgency to react. After President Bush and his people realized how severe the problem was, lives had been senselessly lost and more were trapped or placed in harms way, because of America’s tardiness. When you hear people in power, who are suppose to handle the aftermath of these types of mass destruction, being asked to discuss what went wrong with the evacuation efforts, and they gave the following answer. “We don’t want to point fingers and get into the “blame game” there will be time later to talk about who didn’t do what.” Well I will talk about it now! America didn’t respond to “those people,” because they were predominately poor, Black people whose lives and misfortunes didn’t matter, because Black people don’t matter to the U.S. Government or American society. America has shown little respect to African American people down through history. From 300 years of slavery to the New Orleans disaster, things haven’t changed much for Black people. Hurricane Katrina further exposed the myth of racial equality in America; subsequently, when White Americans are in danger, you don’t have to activate people to react to the tragedy, they just do it quickly, and instinctively. When Black Americans or Black people anywhere are in dangerous perilous situations, the opposite reaction occurs –no one of power seems to be able to understand what to do, and nobody is there to tell them what to do. It’s mighty strange to me that they can get armed solders in a “heartbeat” to go after so called “black gangsters” in New Orleans, but they can’t get rescuers, food, aide and medicine in a timely manner to the same area. I hope Black people understand and don’t put unfair blame on New Orleans African American Mayor Ray Nagin. He tried to get the state of Louisiana and the federal government to help, they didn’t respond. At the end of the day, I think most Black people knew all along how mainstream American society viewed them, what they didn’t know or expect was to be treated like “outcasts” in their time of need. This is a wake up call for all African Americans to realize that we must pull together and help our people who are victims of hurricane Katrina, the prison industrial complexes of America, poverty in America, voter disenfranchisement, and other disasters of nature and racists cause. God Bless America, Africa, the victims of Katrina and the rest of the world! The 17th Annual Labor Day weekend Myrtis Dightman Rodeo was held in Crockett at the Port Ag indoor arena. World Champion bull rider, Myrtis Dightman, who is the National Cowboy Hall of fame and several other Rodeo cowboy Hall of Fames of Houston, hosted the Rodeo. Black cowboys and cowgirls from all over the state entertained the large crowd that attended the rodeo, after the Myrtis Dightman Rodeo Parade through downtown Crockett, Prince Hall, Lewis Circle communities and ending at the Groves Educational Foundation on MLK Jr. Blvd. in Crockett. Rev. R.C. Emanuel and Emanuel funeral homes of Crockett, Palestine and Oakwood, Lagway’s Bail Bonds, Shep’s Bar B Que from Palestine, Joe Ned, Dean Cattle Company, Wal-Mart and the Holiday Inn Espress in Crockett were also major contributors to the Myrtis Dightman Rodeo. Tyler rapper singer Biggs of Houston brought me a copy of his new CD, “In my Hood,” which goes on sale this month. Biggs, a former member of Mad Kat the Crockett Rap Group, is now doing his thing for “Big Wags” of Ft. Worth and Houston on the Street Science Record Label. Biggs, who has been in the rap music game for a while, is a young man trying to get his music to the top. “In my Hood,” features rappers J-Dot, Iceberg, Klassie, Mark B and Dino. For information on Street Science and Biggs, you can contact Broderick Williams at 1-866-371-2052.