more katrina myths de-bunked

the bogus media reporting of exaggerated and sensational claims became so ingrained in the american psyche that a musician who will be soon forgotten was compelled to ascribe racist tendencies on president bush (crooks and liars has the video).

along the same lines as a la times analysis [bugmenot login] awhile back, knight ridder examines the data of katrina deaths. an analysis of (albeit incomplete) data finds

For example, a comparison of locations where 874 bodies were recovered with U.S. Census tract data indicates that the victims weren't disproportionately poor. Another database, compiled by Knight Ridder of 486 Katrina victims from Orleans and St. Bernard parishes, suggests they also weren't disproportionately African-American.

while mother nature didn't discriminate along the lines of poverty and race, the elderly were disproportinially hurt