Jackson Free Press

Bill Minor takes Gov. Haley Barbour to task this week over the myth that the Coast is in such better shape a year after Katrina:

Presidential non-candidate Haley Barbour was recently up in Iowa, the presidential testing ground, telling folks down here that we're through the Katrina recovery stage and now working on rebuilding. How's that again? Recovery done? What recovery?

Tell that to the 40,000 Mississippians still cramped into FEMA trailers, or to longtime Coast social activist Carol Burnett who says the Coast is still a "blank slate." Worse, she adds, with the Coast's housing stock wiped out, low- and moderate-income families are now priced out of the housing market.

Yet, Barbour has enjoyed high marks by most Mississippians for his post-Katrina management. Some scribes have even conceded his re-election next year, thanks to Katrina. Maybe so. Look what 9-11 did for George W.

Generally, Mississippians got a favorable impression of Barbour on TV in the post-Katrina era because they compared him to the seemingly overwhelmed New Orleans and Louisiana leaders.

But, bad as Mississippi was hit, Barbour didn't have to deal with anything like the massive humanitarian crisis in New Orleans, a densely-populated city of 475,000.

Previous Commentsshow

Bill Minor is so partison its hard to take him seriously anymore. I could almost write this column before I even read it. My favorite technique of his is when he bashes tort reform and goes on the attack on similar issues while leaving out his son is one of the leading plaintiffs lawyers on issues he writes about. SOmewhat unethical if you ask me. While Minor bashes Barbour, Barbour gets bashed in LOUISISANA for getting more aid than Mississippi deserved (and the TP has made such a point) while LA was left out in the cold. Barbour fought the Bush administration just to get the aid he got, I guess Minor forgets that one.

Kingfish

Aug 25 2006

Kingfish, your posts sound rather partisan, as well, especially the ones that don't seem to need facts behind them. Like him or not, Mr. Minor is, and has, a good researcher. If you want to discredit him, attack his *facts*, not his opinion. A good opinon writer bases their opinions on facts, so it's the facts that matter. You're also remarkably tolerant of Mr. Barbour for trying to pit Mississippi against Louisiana in such a disgusting, political way. Once the immediate pain of Katrina wears off, that little trick is going to mar his place in history mightily. Of course, it's already so marred by his racist-pandering and love affairs with tobacco companies that it likely won't matter. But it has been truly horrifying to watch. I'm ashamed of it as a Mississippian. He's always been one to play to people's worst instincts to win in politics, though. That's what made him such a "great" political powerbroker and lobbyist. He will stop at nothing.

DonnaLadd

Aug 25 2006

Minor is NOT a good researcher. I've been reading his stuff for 15 years. You want it, you got it. I'll start paying more attention to his stuff every week and pointing it out to you. I just gave you one example. I consider him unethical for not pointing out repeatedly that he has a son heavily involved in issues he writes about. Its also funny how someone who is so worried about Republican corruption NEVER said a word about the beef plant. Yes, he gave them all a pass. However, I accept your challenge. I'll start documenting it everytime I catch him. Now as for Barbour, let me elaborate further. I don't blame Haley for splitting off from LA. You can blame Blanco, Vitter, and Landrieau for that. They did a GREAT job of angering those in DC by requesting 250 BILLION dollars in aid. It was so ridiculous it poisoned the atmosphere against helping our area as they saw it as a nother case, which it was, of Lousiana politicians trying to get rich off of the govenrment Barbour really had no choice but to get it seperately. You may not like it, but he did fight for Mississippi along with the rest of our Congressional delegation. The CL reported how the Bush admin (which I do criticize Bush for) fought against Barbour and their efforts to help Mississippi. I can also state that Blanco et al would make sure they got more aid at Mississippi's expense if it meant they took care of La. first. Your anger should be with Blanco and company for trying to get $250 billion from the feds which screwed up alot of stuff.

Kingfish

Aug 25 2006

Kingfish, 1. Editorial columns are by their nature always partisan. That's why it is called "opinion." 2. Bill Minor has never tried to cover up in any way that attorney Paul Minor is his son. 3. Unlike you, Bill Minor does not and has never written under an alias. Who are you, anyway?? Ed Inman

ed inman

Aug 29 2006

That is not true Ed. He never mentions in his columns when he writes about such issues that his son is a plaintiff's lawyer or one of the tobacco lawyers. I defy you to show me where he has done so. You can't. You know why? Because it doesn't exist. I have emailed the editorial page of the CL more than once after he pens a column on something related to tort reform, tobacco settlement, etc. requesting that it be stated when he writes those columns that he or the editor disclose who his son is. He does not flat out lie as to who his son is but it is unethical for him to write about such issues and not disclose that information either. If you read a top newspaper such as the Wall Street Journal or Washington Post, such an omission would not be allowed. This is the same CL that also never points out when they quote David Meredith as a doctor on tort reform issues as an opponent of "tort reform" that he is also a plaintiff's lawyer. He writes letters to the CL, which they publish, signing off as an M.D. but never as an esquire. This has been pointed out to the CL editorial page but for some reason it still is not disclosed.

Kingfish

Aug 29 2006

Back to the subject: If people want to know how the Coast is REALLY doing, all they have to do is watch the Weather Channel last week and this week. They are doing Katrina retrospectives and showing how far the Coast has(n't) come since last year. Good stuff. Presumably Barbour, Mississippi's famously non-partisan governor, wants to paint a rosy picture of the Coast in order to make the Bush administration look good. I don't think it's entirely the Bush administration's fault that the Coast isn't farther along than it is -- after all, Katrina was a devastating hurricane -- but I certainly can't respect Barbour when he out-and-out lies about the situation down there. Best, Tim

Tim Kynerd

Aug 29 2006

Tim, insurance has alot to do with it. Frankly, I don't know how much a governor can do about that problem. The insurance companies can always pull out if their rates are limited. That is the problem. Its holding alot of homeowners and would be buyers from moving forward. Right now there is an oversupply of condos from Gulf Shores to Destin. 3500 are on the market. one of the main reasons is insurance. rates have gone up from a few hundred a month to over a thousand a month. It is killing the market over there. However, one fact will give you pause in your post. Coast has four times as many building permits as does New Orleans.

Kingfish

Aug 29 2006

Tim, insurance has alot to do with it. Frankly, I don't know how much a governor can do about that problem. Oh, I agree, but that doesn't mean the governor has to lie about the situation. However, one fact will give you pause in your post. Coast has four times as many building permits as does New Orleans. The Coast wasn't damaged nearly as badly as New Orleans. While the area nearest the Gulf was wiped mostly clean, areas farther back from the Gulf were much less hard-hit. Which means it was much easier to get things up and running on the Coast than it was in New Orleans, which, let's not forget, remained flooded for weeks AFTER Katrina hit. And none of which means the Coast's progress is anything to brag about. It's not going as fast as it could with the right help.

Tim Kynerd

Aug 29 2006

For the record, Bill Minor has acknowledged his son Paul in numerous columns, May 18, 2006 and Feb. 26, 2004 among the more recent ones. I ought to know, because as Bill Minor's office assistant, it's from my computer that these columns were sent out to newspapers all over the state. Furthermore, with all the recent front page news about Paul, the relationship is common knowledge. The idea that political columnists are supposed limit their topics or put disclaimers on their columns based on what profession one of their adult sons is in strikes me as a bit of a stretch. I've never heard that argument being made about any other columnist, left, right, black, white, Republican or Democrat. But, to be honest, I doubt Bill would have any problem with it if some papers wanted to do that. In fact, I know it has been done at least once before, by the Neshoba Democrat: http://www.neshobademocrat.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=7476&SectionID=7&SubSectionID=302&S=1 If you want to be taken seriously as a media critic, Kingfish, I repeat my challenge for you to stop being such a wimp and come out from behind your phony alias. Who are you and what do YOU do for a living?

ed inman

Aug 29 2006

wimp? you are more than welcome to email me and I have no problems corresponding with you by email. However, I take up the gauntlet and I'll be more than happy to dig up columns where he did not do so and should have. My personal view is that if you are writing about a topic that one of your immediate family members is involved in then you have a duty to disclose or if you've had business dealings with the subject you are writing about. For example, once Peggy Noonan wrote about Enron and one of the first things she wrote was that at one time they had hired her as a consultant of some sort. However, I respect you for defending your boss and his work. However, if I'm going to criticize I agree with you that I should back it up. So, in the interest of fair play I will do so. If I am wrong, then I will publicly admit to you on this forum I am. Fair enough?

Kingfish

Aug 30 2006

Kingfish, no offense, but why would anyone posting under his real name, with his real job description, want to correspond back-and-forth by email with an anonymous critic? As for Bill Minor: I'm not terribly familiar with his later work, and I've only met him once in passing, but I'm very impressed with his courageous record on civil rights and find that many of his older critics, when pressed hard enough, will admit that they started disliking him back then. These older critics tend to be heavy-hitters with lots of meme production power, so younger (as in post-segregation era) conservatives--such as yourself--often find yourselves hearing about how bad Minor is and learn to dislike him without ever finding out what made him really dangerous. If all Minor ever wrote was what he'd written over the past 15 years, he'd have very few enemies and his son probably wouldn't have ever ended up in court. It's sort of like the hostility surrounding Jesse Jackson, as if he suddenly came on the scene in 1988. This is the guy who held up MLK Jr. and pressed the towel against his neck to try and stop the bleeding. People hated him precisely because he was Dr. King's heir apparent. The later stuff made him a laughingstock, but it would never have been enough to generate the kind of hostility against him that exists, and that has existed since the sixties, long before the antisemitic slurs. There's nothing wrong with being a conservative, but try to be a skeptical conservative, mmkay? Ask yourself why you've been told to hate Bill Minor so much. Ask yourself: Why Bill Minor and not Tom Head, or Donna Ladd, or Robert McElvaine. Why Bill Minor? I'm sure you'll post a snappy answer to this to the forum, but I hope deep down, on some level, you'll realize you don't really know. It's like the Hatfields and the McCoys. You've been bred to hate the guy, you're part of the feud, but you have no idea why there is a feud or who's pulling your strings. And I suspect if you did know why, you'd be disgusted. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Aug 30 2006

The idea that political columnists are supposed limit their topics or put disclaimers on their columns based on what profession one of their adult sons is in strikes me as a bit of a stretch. I've never heard that argument being made about any other columnist, left, right, black, white, Republican or Democrat. Agreed, and Kingfish, the Peggy Noonan example doesn't respond to this point because she was talking about herself, not one of her children.

Tim Kynerd

Aug 30 2006

Ed, posting anonymously does not make anyone a wimp. That's just bullshit. There are crazy people wandering the streets of jackson, and I for one don't want to give them one click access to my email, home address or anything else. You don't need to call people names on the blog. It weakens your argument, and makes you look petty. I often don't agree with Kingfish, and I think he's attaching way too much importance to the Messenger rather than the Message in this particular instance, but that doesn't make him a wimp.

kate

Aug 30 2006

This is a forum for the free excahnge of ideas. As such, I am really not interested in who any of you are. I don't mean that I don't care about you, or I wouldn't shake your hand if I saw you in public. I just mean that it doesn't add to the conversation. If you haven't given me enough content in your argument for me to evaluate it, then I just have no basis for judging it. What difference does knowing your real name make?

GLB

Aug 30 2006

Forgive me Tom. I have no problem disclsosing my name in emails. I'm just not going to post it in a public forum like this. Kate is correct. Too many crazies or what will happen is some nut vehemently disagrees with you and instead of just debating you takes your posts, finds out where you work, and then sends it in to your employer raising hell over teh public views of their employee etc. That stuff goes go on because I've seen people fired for it. Tom, I have all the respect in the world for Mr. Minor's civil rights work and am aware of it. Frankly when I read his columns the last several years I see someone who is bitter, mean spirited. When people like Sid Salter and Matt Friedeman (and to be clear, I do not have any intellectual respect for Matt Friedeman at all) criticize what he writes he doesn't just defend his points, he goes out of his way to call them names and insult them. I have no problem with a columnist being partisan. It IS an opinion piece. I expect a columnitst to take a stand or write something strong. I merely pointed out that his work tends to be one sided. While he is whining about Barbour's trust fund, I would've liked to see some of his fury and talent directed towards the beef plant. You remember that fiasco? Lester Spell and company don't follow basic business practices, the bill gets stuck in a conference committee bill and no one has any idea how that happened, we pay 50 million dollars for it, and McCoy, Holland, Spell, et al escape any accountability for it. Minor ignores things like that which DO affect me and you and our state directly while slamming Republicans (disclaimer: I did not vote for Barbour). I prefer my columnists to be more like Salter or Novak. They find legitimate issues and write their opinions on them. Sometimes they slam Republicans (as Salter did over the state mental health funding) and sometimes Democrats (and Novak has slammed Bush as often as Dems) I'm not crazy about McEvlaine either. I didn't think of him because as an occasional columnist, he doesn't get published that much and I have not read his work in months. I don't care for him. Mr. Atkins? I read his work every Sunday. I often don't agree with it but he is a good writer and I think a voice like his needs to be heard and I do like the way he writes about labor issues and brings out the other side. I think hearing too much of one side is never a good thing. That is one reason I do not believe in labels. If you really do think about things, you are not going to always agree with a party or label on issues. take Buchanan. Sometims he agrees with republicans on taxes, spending, national security, then he agrees with Democrats on NAFTA, Iraq, etc. You may not agree with him but he is thinking about his position on something and not taking it because that is his party. Tim, I will merely say that if you write about tort reform, the tobacco settlement, etc. then you should disclose who your son is if he is heavily involved in those issues, especially if you take a position that would favor his side.

Kingfish

Aug 30 2006

Yes, no one has any business demanding the identity of posters to this Web site. My name is Brian Johnson, if that makes you feel more comfortable Ed, and I am the managing editor. Argue with Kingfish, but do not demand his identity.

Brian C Johnson

Aug 30 2006

Tim, I will merely say that if you write about tort reform, the tobacco settlement, etc. then you should disclose who your son is if he is heavily involved in those issues, especially if you take a position that would favor his side. You're not responding just to me on this point; you're responding to Ed and Tom as well. Since this is a matter of journalistic ethics, can you point to any respectable set of journalistic standards that would require this, or is it just your opinion?

Tim Kynerd

Aug 30 2006

I apologize for calling "Kingfish" a wimp. It was a poor choice of words, though I'm sure I've been called worse (LOL). I was merely trying to point out the hypocrisy of publicly criticizing a journalist's ethics based solely on who his son is when you, yourself hide behind a phony alias. I think that is a valid point.

ed inman

Aug 30 2006

Tim: Just my opinion. Sorry for confusion, yours was the last one I saw. Just my opinion on what ethics should be. I was not criticizing his ethics , Mr. Inman, based solely on who his son is. Should he always state that? No. However, I do think that on certain issues on which his son is involved or directly affects him, that he should do so. I didn't say for him not to state his opinion or avoid the topic, just state that fact. To me, it makes it look like he is trying to mislead somewhat. I see similar disclosures all the time and once I see them, I take the article at face value and on its merits. That is merely my opinion of what journalistic ethics are. I have also written emails to the CL editorial page for not disclosing that David Meredith is also a lawyer in addition to being a doctor. He writes letter to the editor, usually opposing tort reform (which by the way, I am not wholly in favor of so don't be so quick to assume I'm some Republican hatchet man) and ALWAYS puts MD by his name yet leaves out Esq. and the fact he is a plaintiff's attorney which usually opposed tort reform as well. I've seen similar letters to the editor by Lance Stephens and Baria and others were the fact they were Plaintiff's lawyers were not disclosed either. I think the CL should disclose that fact in their letters and if it was at the WSJ I can assure you that would happen. Didn't mean to digress, just wanted to explain my opinion on ethics a little more. However, there are valid reasons for not posting my full name on this forum, which I used to do. After I changed it to a screename and explained my reasons for doing so, I received a couple of emails from posters saying that when they used their full names they would catch grief at work or their employers would for things they wrote. Having said that, I'll dig around in the CL next week at past columns to prove my point. If I make a point and am called to back it up, its my responsibility to do so.

Kingfish

Aug 30 2006

Tim: Just my opinion. Sorry for confusion, yours was the last one I saw. Just my opinion on what ethics should be. No need to apologize, and I'm sorry (my turn!) if I came across that way. I just meant to point out that I wasn't the only one in the thread with the point of view I was espousing, and I didn't want to take credit for originating it, so to speak. I see similar disclosures all the time and once I see them, I take the article at face value and on its merits. I can't recall that I have ever seen this kind of disclosure from anyone based on anything other than the writer's own connection or a connection to the writer's spouse. If you can find an example of this, I'd love to see it. Best, Tim

Tim Kynerd

Aug 31 2006

I read the BR Advocate, WSJ, CL, and Times Picayune on a daily basis. Disclosures like that you see more in the WSJ than you do in the local papers.

Kingfish

Aug 31 2006

Hmm. I don't have time to go searching for this, particularly since there's no really good way to search for it, and I have no intention of reading the WSJ regularly. So that doesn't really help me.

Tim Kynerd

Aug 31 2006

Here is a PERFECT example of why I quit using my full name on here. I belong to an LSU website. Last week in Baton Rouge there was a sports reporter who is an Ole Miss grad. There was a fire in TS a couple of Sunday nights ago, set by some kids (9-14). Did over $300K in damage. Reporter belongs to an Ole Miss website and was posting some comments that were not too nice about LSU and how funny he thought it was etc. He's a pretty young guy too. And he puts his identity out there as well. Next thing you know, a bunch of LSU fans are emailing and calling the tv station demanding he be suspended or fired etc, which was ridiculous but if you are a station manager, you feel the pressure. However, that is what happened when he let his identity be known on an internet message board and one person cut and pastes his comments to another site and he is getting called in to the principal's office. There are people that lurk or disagree with you and aren't content to just disagree with you. They will also take it upon themselves to get you in trouble for what you post even if there was nothing wrong with what you said just to create trouble.

Kingfish

Aug 31 2006

I can't believe I missed this good one. Mr. Minor will leave a great and courageous legacy in my opinion. I met him the first time about 9 months ago and told him what a fan I am. I even purchased a book containing many of his columns so I would always remember his writings. Real soldiers often fight until they die. Some of them start to make errors in their later years like Andrew Young did recently when he said Jew, Koreans and Asians sold blacks bad poultry, grocery and products without qualifying or saying some of them has. Andrew Young has lived a remarkable life, and in my opinion, is the most respected and deserved of Dr. King's trainees. Jessie is clearly on the take and full of crap to boot despite have done many good things too through his remarkable skills as an orator. I have seen Jessie do his thing with my own eyes. However, Young recently took a job with Wal-Mart and he started to live and act in questionable ways. I guess working for the devil will cause one to lose their mind. Don't get me wrong I'm going to Wal-Mart this afternoon and buy me some stuff. Smile. I hope Young's comments and his past job with Wal-Mart don't hurt his legacy too much. It is being reported that one of those groups mentioned has filed a lawsuit against Young and Wal-Mart for those comments. I'm sure this lawsuit will be dismissed shortly for inability to prove damages and standing to sue.

Ray Carter

Aug 31 2006

Correction. Young also names Arabs in his comments.

Ray Carter

Aug 31 2006

When I was marching in the pro-choice rallies, there were some folks who covered up their faces with bandannas and didn't use their real names because they were afraid of being tracked down. When Flip Benham walked up, I shook his hand and said "Hi. I'm Tom Head." I don't know, maybe I'm just stupid. Kingfish, believe it or not--and I say this as someone who has hassled people over anonymity before--I have come to understand your decision a little better, looking back years ago to an online acquaintance who was nearly fired, and another who was harassed something fierce, for posting something a troll very persistently didn't like. I'm lucky to be in a line of work where nobody can really touch me. Hell, if people get angry at me, that's good for book sales/pageviews. If I had a 9-5 job and people knew where and people knew how to reach my employer, I might feel a little differently about things. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Aug 31 2006

I'm sure this lawsuit will be dismissed shortly for inability to prove damages and standing to sue. You mean "failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted"? ;-)

Tim Kynerd

Aug 31 2006

I was thinking another way til recently and then saw what happened to the Ole Miss grad last week and that cemented it. Now going to a rally is one thing. Most employers etc won't say a word about that. however, when you start writing things, well, those are alot easier to use against you. For example, I'm in the mortgage business. Suppose we had a candid converstion on here about mortgages and lending. I state an honest opinion or fact. Next think you know, some activist who does not like what I have to say, is doing the cut and paste and emailing my employer, then the complainant starts asking did he use a company laptop, was he representing the company, is this what they really think etc etc. I wouldn't do that to anyone but apparently there are those that do. And yes, last week on that LSU site, some of us chastized those that tried to get the guy in trouble.

Kingfish

Aug 31 2006

That too, Tim. Also I apologize to all the Wal-Mart employees working hard to make a living. My devil comment was a joke and was meant only in the context of Young and Wal-Mart, not other lower level employees scrapping to make an honest living. Young was working in the larger context of condoning the running off of small businesses he and Wal-Mart thought needed to be run off or of little worth. I'm not sure that i explained this well or correctly. Tim, I'm glad you're staying in touch with us despite moving.

Ray Carter

Aug 31 2006

Tim, I'm glad you're staying in touch with us despite moving. I'm doing more than that: I'm actively trying to get back to Jackson now. Wish me luck. And thank you for the welcoming words. Best, Tim

Tim Kynerd

Aug 31 2006

Those of you minimizing the impact of Katrina on your own state might want to do a little reading. [quote]Mississippi residents are among the nearly 750,000 households who have been displaced from the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Current estimates show that of the 47,000 Mississippi residents, who fled their communities in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, only 27,000 have returned to rebuild their homes in communities that have not fully recovered one year after the storm. There are more than 101,000 Mississippi residents living in temporary FEMA trailers. According to the American Red Cross, 47 counties in Mississippi sustained hurricane damage to single family houses, apartments, and mobile homes, but the majority of the damage occurred in the coastal counties of Hancock, Harrison and Jackson, where more than 64,000 homes were completely destroyed and over 70,000 homes damaged. As a consequence, each of the Mississippi coastal counties have experienced a significant population decline, while counties located further inland now have an influx of displaced residents.[/quote] Source: http://www.naacp.org/advocacy/gcac/ms_report/

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

I would add that though then number of people affected in Louisiana was far greater, the geographic scope in MS is much vaster. [quote]According to a National Hurricane Center report on Katrina, "in many locations, most of the buildings along the coast were completely destroyed, leaving few structures within which to identify still-water marks." The center's researchers estimate that the hurricane produced a storm surge as high as 27 feet in some locations.... [quote]Hurricane Katrina wiped out the entire Gulf Coast of Mississippi. The scale of the destruction is difficult to comprehend. All along the coast—mile after mile—just about anything that was there is now gone. But this is only part of the story. According to the National Hurricane Center, the surge "penetrated at least six miles inland in many portions of coastal Mississippi and up to 12 miles inland along bays and rivers. The surge crossed Interstate 10 in many locations." Interstate 10 runs east-west, four miles or more north of coastal Highway 90.[/quote] And Barbour may have got some big CDGB money for MS but a year out, he's still only helping middle class and wealthy home owners. Low-income renters are SOL. [quote]On October 11, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour announced the formation of his Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal. "The Coast and South Mississippi will decide their own destiny," Barbour said, "but with strong support from the Commission, our Congressional delegation, state officials and many others." But whom, exactly, will government support? "It took some seven weeks after that commission was convened to even have a committee on housing, even though housing was the main thing the goddamn storm knocked out," noted Derrick Evans, founder and director of Turkey Creek Community Initiatives, an innovative nonprofit community development corporation in the historic African-American settlement, now part of Gulfport. "They quickly fast-tracked legislation to allow the casinos to be rebuilt on land so that the casino companies and operators wouldn't abandon the Gulf Coast. An opportunity was missed to also require those folks, when they rebuild, to pay into an affordable housing trust fund, like the hotels do in Boston."... "Housing? Nobody was talking about housing before Katrina and nobody was talking about it after Katrina, until fairly recently," said Derrick Evans. "You know, housing is not a function of government in the state of Mississippi. It's a foreign concept." Reliable figures on the number of Mississippians who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina and the number who still need housing are hard to come by. FEMA reports that just in the three coastal Mississippi counties most affected—Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson—the hurricane either destroyed (64,120) or caused major damage (35,340) to nearly 100,000 single-family homes, apartments, or mobile homes. In February, FEMA reported housing 95,700 people in trailers in the state; an internal FEMA document obtained by the Biloxi Sun-Herald indicated around 8,900 households were still awaiting a trailer.... Renters are finding themselves vulnerable even if their homes were not destroyed. Since the hurricane, evictions have been commonplace. Gulfport attorney Tart has taken numerous cases. "You see a lot of landlords realizing that they can get more for their property," she said. "They don't want to fix the property. So they're telling people, 'I don't have to do this—you can get out.' The courts have basically sided with the landowners, mostly because a lot of people couldn't produce leases. And if you're on a month-to-month lease, you get 30 days to get out. You just have to go, but go where?" (For a particularly egregious instance of an African-American community neglected by military relief efforts, then faced with mass evictions, see Derrick Evans' account of the Redball housing project in "Ground Zero of Someone Else's Future," http://www.dollarsandsense

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

I would add that though then number of people affected in Louisiana was far greater, the geographic scope in MS is much vaster. [quote]Hurricane Katrina wiped out the entire Gulf Coast of Mississippi. The scale of the destruction is difficult to comprehend. All along the coast—mile after mile—just about anything that was there is now gone. But this is only part of the story. According to the National Hurricane Center, the surge "penetrated at least six miles inland in many portions of coastal Mississippi and up to 12 miles inland along bays and rivers. The surge crossed Interstate 10 in many locations." Interstate 10 runs east-west, four miles or more north of coastal Highway 90.[/quote] And Barbour may have got some big CDGB money for MS but a year out, he's still only helping middle class and wealthy home owners. Low-income renters are SOL. [quote]On October 11, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour announced the formation of his Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal. "The Coast and South Mississippi will decide their own destiny," Barbour said, "but with strong support from the Commission, our Congressional delegation, state officials and many others." But whom, exactly, will government support? "It took some seven weeks after that commission was convened to even have a committee on housing, even though housing was the main thing the goddamn storm knocked out," noted Derrick Evans, founder and director of Turkey Creek Community Initiatives, an innovative nonprofit community development corporation in the historic African-American settlement, now part of Gulfport. "They quickly fast-tracked legislation to allow the casinos to be rebuilt on land so that the casino companies and operators wouldn't abandon the Gulf Coast. An opportunity was missed to also require those folks, when they rebuild, to pay into an affordable housing trust fund, like the hotels do in Boston."... "Housing? Nobody was talking about housing before Katrina and nobody was talking about it after Katrina, until fairly recently," said Derrick Evans. "You know, housing is not a function of government in the state of Mississippi. It's a foreign concept." Reliable figures on the number of Mississippians who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina and the number who still need housing are hard to come by. FEMA reports that just in the three coastal Mississippi counties most affected—Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson—the hurricane either destroyed (64,120) or caused major damage (35,340) to nearly 100,000 single-family homes, apartments, or mobile homes. In February, FEMA reported housing 95,700 people in trailers in the state; an internal FEMA document obtained by the Biloxi Sun-Herald indicated around 8,900 households were still awaiting a trailer.... Renters are finding themselves vulnerable even if their homes were not destroyed. Since the hurricane, evictions have been commonplace. Gulfport attorney Tart has taken numerous cases. "You see a lot of landlords realizing that they can get more for their property," she said. "They don't want to fix the property. So they're telling people, 'I don't have to do this—you can get out.' The courts have basically sided with the landowners, mostly because a lot of people couldn't produce leases. And if you're on a month-to-month lease, you get 30 days to get out. You just have to go, but go where?" (For a particularly egregious instance of an African-American community neglected by military relief efforts, then faced with mass evictions, see Derrick Evans' account of the Redball housing project in "Ground Zero of Someone Else's Future," http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2006/0306evans.html) "There are no apartments; there are no houses for rent," lamented Rod Mimbs. "Even now, four months after the storm, they're not to be found. Finding a home to buy is virtually impossible in the co

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

I would add that though the number of people affected in Louisiana was far greater, the geographic scope in MS is much vaster. [quote]Hurricane Katrina wiped out the entire Gulf Coast of Mississippi. The scale of the destruction is difficult to comprehend. All along the coast—mile after mile—just about anything that was there is now gone. But this is only part of the story. According to the National Hurricane Center, the surge "penetrated at least six miles inland in many portions of coastal Mississippi and up to 12 miles inland along bays and rivers. The surge crossed Interstate 10 in many locations." Interstate 10 runs east-west, four miles or more north of coastal Highway 90.[/quote] And Barbour may have got some big CDGB money for MS but a year out, he's still only helping middle class and wealthy home owners. Low-income renters are SOL. [quote]On October 11, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour announced the formation of his Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal. "The Coast and South Mississippi will decide their own destiny," Barbour said, "but with strong support from the Commission, our Congressional delegation, state officials and many others." But whom, exactly, will government support? "It took some seven weeks after that commission was convened to even have a committee on housing, even though housing was the main thing the goddamn storm knocked out," noted Derrick Evans, founder and director of Turkey Creek Community Initiatives, an innovative nonprofit community development corporation in the historic African-American settlement, now part of Gulfport. "They quickly fast-tracked legislation to allow the casinos to be rebuilt on land so that the casino companies and operators wouldn't abandon the Gulf Coast. An opportunity was missed to also require those folks, when they rebuild, to pay into an affordable housing trust fund, like the hotels do in Boston."... "Housing? Nobody was talking about housing before Katrina and nobody was talking about it after Katrina, until fairly recently," said Derrick Evans. "You know, housing is not a function of government in the state of Mississippi. It's a foreign concept." Reliable figures on the number of Mississippians who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina and the number who still need housing are hard to come by. FEMA reports that just in the three coastal Mississippi counties most affected—Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson—the hurricane either destroyed (64,120) or caused major damage (35,340) to nearly 100,000 single-family homes, apartments, or mobile homes. In February, FEMA reported housing 95,700 people in trailers in the state; an internal FEMA document obtained by the Biloxi Sun-Herald indicated around 8,900 households were still awaiting a trailer.... Renters are finding themselves vulnerable even if their homes were not destroyed. Since the hurricane, evictions have been commonplace. Gulfport attorney Tart has taken numerous cases. "You see a lot of landlords realizing that they can get more for their property," she said. "They don't want to fix the property. So they're telling people, 'I don't have to do this—you can get out.' The courts have basically sided with the landowners, mostly because a lot of people couldn't produce leases. And if you're on a month-to-month lease, you get 30 days to get out. You just have to go, but go where?" (For a particularly egregious instance of an African-American community neglected by military relief efforts, then faced with mass evictions, see Derrick Evans' account of the Redball housing project in "Ground Zero of Someone Else's Future," http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2006/0306evans.html) "There are no apartments; there are no houses for rent," lamented Rod Mimbs. "Even now, four months after the storm, they're not to be found. Finding a home to buy is virtually impossible in the coastal counties of Mississippi, in the lower counties of Alabama."[/quote] http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2006/0306greenberg.html Full disclosure: I am quoting myself, here. That said, my report is from my 8 days in MS back in January. Talk to people on the MS Gulf Coast now. Not a lot has changed, especially if you were a low-income renter before the storm. The casinos are coming back but that in itself is not progress. While the NY Times reported on how activists stopped the bulldozing of neighborhoods in NOLA, Point Cadet, on the eastern tip of Biloxi, was wiped clean. People who lived there cannot rebuild even if they have the means (most don't), because current zoning will not allow the same density of structures that existed pre-Katrina. There is still a MASSIVE housing crisis. There is still tremendous suffering and incredible obstacles to people rebuilding their lives.

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

oh drat. Looks like my previews somehow posted weirdly. Donna, could you delete the misfires from 2:00 and 2:04? The one from 2:09 is the one I intended. : )

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

"They quickly fast-tracked legislation to allow the casinos to be rebuilt on land so that the casino companies and operators wouldn't abandon the Gulf Coast. An opportunity was missed to also require those folks, when they rebuild, to pay into an affordable housing trust fund, like the hotels do in Boston."... Casinos are not a bottomless pit of money. They are trying to rebuild on the coast yet some want to add to their costs. Never mind they are the ones that will be doing the hiring and building on the coast. In La. they are raising hell because our casino industry is going to wipe theirs out as they tax them at a rate double our rate and are making it tougher for them to operate. The quick rebuilding of the casinos has been one of the few bright spots on the coast yet that is not good enough, some want to add to their costs. Never mind they all suffered losses too, even if they did have insurance.

Kingfish

Oct 5 2006

Before Katrina, the Casinos were buying up property in East Biloxi and promoting gentrificatoin that drove low-income residents, largely African American, from their neighborhoods. Since Katrina, the Casinos have been accelerating this process. Where are the people who get those casino jobs going to live? There is very little if any housing that they can afford in Biloxi. Why was Haley Barbour given the discretion to spend ALL of those CDBG dollars on a subset of the middle and upper class survivors? CDBG money is supposed to support affordable housing and fight poverty. Right now the poor, who lost everything thorugh no fault of their own, are being left in the dust. If the Government isn't responsible for proviing affordable housing to storm survivors, and the businesses profiting from the losses of storm survivors are not obligated, who is?

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

Ben, it doesn't minimize our own damage to say that we shouldn't minimize anyone else's. Not sure where you're getting that.

DonnaLadd

Oct 5 2006

Hi Donna. In my late at night stupor, I started out reacting to these sentences from Tim, [quote]The Coast wasn't damaged nearly as badly as New Orleans. While the area nearest the Gulf was wiped mostly clean, areas farther back from the Gulf were much less hard-hit. Which means it was much easier to get things up and running on the Coast than it was in New Orleans, which, let's not forget, remained flooded for weeks AFTER Katrina hit.[/quote] On rereading, thanks to your question, I see Tim's statements to be more evenhanded than I had first thought, since he also notes that rebuilding has not happened at the rate at which it should. But I also hear a bit of the myth that MS wasn't that badly affected by Katrina. Tim, maybe you weren't saying that; I apologize if I went over the top to make my point. I do think it's important to note that there was a lot of flooding quite far inland along the Gulf Coast and that the damage wasn't only the devastation of the coastline from one end of the state to the otheer. My follow up post was in response to Kingfish's praises of Barbour. Do my comments make better sense now?

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

Ben: who do you think is going to be hiring most of those lower income people you worry about so much? Most of the jobs they will be qualified for are going to be in the casino industry. The growth of the casino industry has been a boon for the state. If you want to stick them with higher costs, go ahead, Nothing like killing the goose that lays golden eggs. La's casino industry is a wonderful example of what higher costs and taxes can do. Has Barbour been perfect? Not at all. Has he made a serious effort at helping our state recover from katrina? Beyond question. However, he has done a pretty good job overall and I doubt there was any perfect way to handle something that was unprecedented. Just remember when Bush was wanting to deny substantial aid to our state Barbour was on the plane to DC working with our congressional delegation to ram it through. While you criticize him here for not doing enough or the right things, people in Louisiana criticize him because they think MS has gotten more help than it deserves at La's expense and its Barbours fault.

Kingfish

Oct 5 2006

PS I entirely agree with you, Donna, that the comparisons between MS and LA and the pitting of the states against eachother is a red herring. My posts last night were not in response to your original post. They were what some might call tangents.

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

I'm also sure those "upper and middle class survivors" as you put it will appreciate being told they are being given too much aid, especially considering most of them will still be much worse off than they were before the storm.

Kingfish

Oct 5 2006

When you've lost everything you owned, a new house to live in does not solve all of your problems. I understand that,, Kingfish. I'm not saying that middle and upper class storm survivors were given too much aid. In MS, Katrina did not discriminate, but Barbour has does. I am complaining about the narrow focus of Barbour's relief efforts and at how the needs of the most vulnerable have been largely ignored.

Ben G.

Oct 5 2006

how much do you give a renter? Keep in mind they don't own anything. they are renting. I do agree housing is a problem down there. severe problem. Its a catch 22. they need workers but workers have no place to live. I think the government should bring in the seabees, someone, build dorm type buildings. Nothing fancy, cinderblocks will do. But build them to where you have apt's that are around 600 square feet. Large enough to live in but not large enough to get comfortable and want to stay in for years. Charge a fair rent. Require them to have a job. There is too much work to be done down there to be jobless if you are able to work. Something like that could be built in 60 days. Military does it all the time. I'm also aware of how you will have a multi building apt complex, only one building iwas damaged, then the landlord claims the complex has to shut down because of storm damage, then reopens charging much higher rents. AG should go after those and I have no sympathy for them. back to my point though. The purpose of the aid is to help people regain what they lost or get on a footing to where they can help themselves back up. You do run into the problem that renters didn't own anyting so how do you make them whole?

Kingfish

Oct 6 2006