MICHAEL BROWN, FEMA, THE NEWS MEDIA, AND BAD POLITICS:
CORRECTING CULPABILITY AND FIXING FALLACIES IN THE IMMEDIACY OF KATRINA
Abstract
Although FEMA does have a great role in the response phase of a disaster, the state and city managers have the most responsibility in preparing the emergency management systems and the public. The news media, however, have distorted the role of FEMA and its blameworthiness. In support of those arguments, an examination of FEMA’s role and culpability in the Katrina preparation phase is presented in this commentary. The following fallacies and supposed foul-ups, with counterpoints, are also addressed: FEMA Director Michael Brown bundled the Katrina response so he is at fault; FEMA was slow to respond to Katrina and its victims; FEMA was at fault for not evacuating more people; FEMA should have done more to create a greater sense of urgency; FEMA should not have been merged into the Department of Homeland Security; people staying in New Orleans were below poverty level and had no way out of the city; too many National Guard were in Iraq; the War on Terrorism deflected emphasis from emergency management of natural disasters to terrorism; Louisiana Democrats attempted to divert blame for Katrina to the Republicans; and the news media pushed an erroneous agenda and distorted reality regarding who solved the problems opposed to who caused them.