September 03, 2005 @ 12:20 pm

Hurricane Real Talk: Tempers Rise With The Gas Prices, Temperature, No Help

by: Tanisha Blakely

Last night on MSNBC, West criticized President Bush’s response to the victims devastated by Hurricane Katrina. After his disparaging comments about the president, Kanye was cut off the air and his comments were edited from the live show when it broadcasted hours later. Later on MSNBC’s Tucker Carlson show, Rev. Al Sharpton thanked West for his observation while Carlson passionately argued that race isn’t an issue, the host said saying that it is [racism] only encourages paranoia. Sharpton and West aren’t the only black men questioning the prez. After talking to Jimison Nelson, I found that West’s remarks aren’t unfounded. “[Bush] ain’t caring about people from New Orleans who talk funny.” "Like Webbie said, ‘It’s savage’” Have you ever sat on the hood of a hot car? That’s what Nelson (known as “Jay” to friends) said it feels like tonight as he talks to me on his cell phone while driving down Ridgewood Road in Jackson, MS. It’s two hours before mignight and the weather channel said it’s 80 degrees and feels like 84 with 72 percent humidity. With no lights, no clean cold running water, no power for air conditioning, or money for food to eat, Jay would give anything to get in his car and drive down I-20 to get home to Atlanta. But the Jackson State University graphic design student is trapped and classes have been cancelled. For the last week, the 21 year old has been living in his Palisade Apartment on the Mississippi college campus in a space only fit for two college students, yet he’s sharing his apartment with 15 of his New Orleans refugee relatives. They’ve taken the mattresses off the beds and laid them side-by-side, and moved the furniture back to make room for his cousins, aunts and uncles. He’s embarrassed to tell me how they go to the bathroom with no water, but he shares that the heat has forced him to sleep in his underwear. “Anything you wouldn’t usually worry about, it’s a major thing now,” he said, “I would pay $10-15 for a cold glass of water.” “I wish people from up there in New York could see what’s going on.” While media channels have heavily focused on New Orleans, a city now under water because of a 100 year old broken levee, the frustrated student said the areas of Biloxi and Gulfport Mississippi look like an atomic bomb hit them. He stresses, “There’s nothing standing.” Nelson has seen the desperation first-hand. The other day he saw a woman get shot over a bag of ice and every night he hears gunshots. The student, who interned at Blow magazine in New York this summer, said people are afraid to come out of there house at night. “I hear gunshots now.” Nelson passes by a 2-mile stretch of cars waiting for gas at a Chevron station. “I guess they’re hoping someone is going to let them fill up,” he says. I ask, ‘what do you mean?’ He answers, “You a lucky ni**a if you got a full tank of gas.” Jay reports that gas, which ranges from $4.50 to $6 a gallon, is being rationed. He said some people have slept in their cars overnight waiting for gas, only to find that there’s no gas left or they can get no more than $20 worth. “If you got a truck, you’re not getting out of here,” he points out. Jimison confirms that the reports of rape, killing and robbing are true. He believes that people have gone crazy because they’ve gone a week with no help and hope of rescue. The local stores have been depleted and he said they’re not restocking food. He said he knows women who have babies with no food to feed them.

“They’re not helping us get out,” he concludes, ”[Bush] knows exactly what he’s doing.”

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Article tags: Al Sharpton, Webbie, Jimison Nelson, Hurricane Katrina, Kanye West, President George Bush, Bush, George Bush