When Racism Kills

Go read this post over at Atrios. The key line is the last line.

The stereotypes of poor "gangster" blacks running amok in the Superdome were believed and this delayed relief efforts until "security" could be restored. Only problem was, there seems to have been no "security" issue at all. Buried racist stereoptypes were accepted by those in power and influenced their actions, delaying the delivery of food, water, and evacuation.

Okay, maybe it's time to revisit the argument that the race of the victims might have played a role in the government response.

After all, show me a Katrina decision maker above Mayor Nagin who had had any significant daily life exposure to blacks at any time previously in their life.