Seeking the truth about New Orleans and Gulf Coast reconstruction

Typical Lee droning. "Da white man he do it." Yah got a black Mayor down there, everyone was warned and warned to leave, they didn't leave, Millions and miliions were mis-spent by "victims", and it is all da white man's falt. Geeesh Lee, why don't you get down there and spend some of your hundreds of millions helping your fellow black man?

I haven't seen Lee's documentary yet, so I can't comment on your opinion. But thanks for leaving a comment and we welcome anyone's response.

Mike,

As an author for a Know More Media Blog I for one appreciate everyones comments and opinions. I also appreciate a little friendly verbal sparring. I'm in the same boat as Easton in so far as I have not yet seen the documentary. A question I have for you is if you have actually seen the documentary? If you have indeed not seen the documentary then I must assume your comments are based on your general outlook of Spike Lee. Putting that aside I am curious as to why you specifically chose this phrasing for "Typical Lee droning," "Da white man he do it?" Is there some latent or even overt rascist beliefs I am sensing or am I completely off my rocker? Spike Lee, as I'm sure you are well aware, attended Moorehouse College in Atlanta and made his first full length feature in 1986 and has since directed over 30 films. Do you really think he speaks like that? Please enlighten us as to your thoughts.

Secondly about the people who were warned to leave New Orleans and in your words "didn't leave." The area I'm assuming you are speaking of is the Ninth Ward. An area with many citizens that do not own a car and rely on public transportation, which by the way was not running the day the flood waters hit. How do you presume thousands of people, many elderly, walk many miles to get away from the impending flood waters? I guess its just all their fault and they deserve what they got right?

While my biting sarcasm is strong it is because I am baffled as to your comments and where they originate. How does one come to your conclusions? In all seriousness I truly want to know how you decided to write what you did.

Did Spike Lee give all proceeds from the Documentary back to the victims of Hurricane Katrina? Does anyone know the answer? Is there an official Spike Lee website?

Proceeds were suppoed to be donated to Katrina victims.

I don't know if there is an official Spike Lee site but check these sites for info.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000490/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Lee

hello my name is jack

The story is far from over. I'd like to see Spike Lee do a sequel about the current sorry state of affairs and what the future holds.

If you have seen the documentary or any other Spike Lee movies he usually does films to enlighten thinking in people. Many times it's to enlighten African-Americans. If you watch them with an open mind you will be enlightened to the real status of racial issues in America. Everyone is entitled to there own opinion about "When the levee's broke," but as you see in the film he has white people speaking also. It was more of a poor vs. rich, than a white vs. black. Or a state government vs. federal government. I'd say watch the film with an open mind, instead of bringing in un-supported biases about Lee. And to Mike in the first comment: "Da white man he do it.", This is very disrespectful and by implying that this is how Lee speaks, shows how you feel about the rest of Black America.

Easton,
You said, "Secondly about the people who were warned to leave New Orleans and in your words "didn't leave." The area I'm assuming you are speaking of is the Ninth Ward. An area with many citizens that do not own a car and rely on public transportation, which by the way was not running the day the flood waters hit. How do you presume thousands of people, many elderly, walk many miles to get away from the impending flood waters? I guess its just all their fault and they deserve what they got right?"
The facts are as follows: The Governor was told to declare a mandatory evacuation on Friday of New Orleans.
It didn't happen until Sunday.
The alleged plan that Mayor Nagy had in place was just that,"a plan" that had never been coordinated with the people that for one were supposed to drive those busses we saw flooded.
The Governors of Mississippi and Alabama declared a state of Emergency on Friday, Louisiana didn't do that till wednesday two days AFTER Katrina hit.
One other thing I read so I don't know if this is accurate or not but Mr. Lee blames the Army Corp of Eng's. for the levees failure. Money earmarked for those levees were diverted to other things for decades.
What is really nuts is the fact we are rebuilding New Orleans including the Ninth Ward. Even the Dutch have said it is a lost cause for many reasons to involved to get into here. However, the bottom line is no matter what we do 95% of the area will be underwater in less than 100 years and that assumes we don't have another Class 5 Hurricane hitting New Orleans.
All that being said I have no problem with Spike Lee or his efforts to help New Orleans residents. I also think there were problems at all levels of goverment that we need to fix. Had the Governor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans done there jobs properly many of those people that were trapped would have gotten out.
I know your comments were a comment on anothers lame comments so you probably know all this.

Does anyone know if Spike Lee is planning a sequel to the '06 documentary "When the Levees Broke"? Someone needs to do a follow-up film. It's been two years and New Orleans residents NEVER deserved this kind of treatment from our government.

Spike Lee's a knocked-out film maker. I'd love to see him tackle a history of the great early Black jazz band leader, JAMES REESE EUROPE, the man who truly legitimized jazz (before WWI) and was the TRUE first man to premier jazz in Carnegie Hall DECADES before Bennie Goodman! He also led the band that fronted the Harlem Hell Fighters, the first American (Black) troops to kick 'heck' out of the Kaiser before Pershing finally showed up with that so-called 42nd Rainbow Division. My respects to Mr.Lee, Mike Fitzgerald (Orlando, FL)

This documentary opened my eyes. I live in a very small, country town that worries about keeping food on the table and doesn't necessarily worry about the state of our nation. No one ever discussed Katrina or its effects with me, not at home or even in school (I was in high school at the time). No one bothered to talk to me about what was going on in New Orleans while I was blindly leading my middle-class, shut-down life. I'm ashamed now that I couldn't and didn't do more. It has been a long journey opening my eyes on my own, but now that I'm awake... I'm going to help. I want to be a positive force, and I'm done being ignorant. Many thanks to Spike Lee and the countless others that did the right thing in waking up and helping while others wouldn't... or couldn't.

I am a scriptwriter and live in London, UK. I'm having a very hard time trying to sell my scripts and I really need a break. The genre of the films is a mixture of Action/Gangster/Comedy. Willing to negotiate for further projects. Is there any information about directors who need scripts? Please inform me by email, anyone? "Desperately Seeking Script Buyers", Thanks, KEVIN