Hurricane Porn
Hurricane Porn is a term, new to me, that is popping up in blogs around the country. Most of us are concerned about what has happened and is still happening on the Gulf Coast. Some of us will actually DO something about this. Along with compassion there is also a voyeuristic side endlessly fascinated with disaster, flying debris, and people clambering to their rooftops waiting for rescue.Beyond the 'trainwreck attraction' common to most of us are three levels of Hurricane Porn exhibited in the coverage and aftermath of Katrina.
1) Idiot weather/newscasters standing out in gale-like windstorms macho/machette like telling us that it is 'REALLY WINDY OUT HERE'. The high-point of these shots is when roofing material flies by to show us how bad it really really is. Any moron knows that hurricanes really BLOW. The story is the effect of the hurricane on the PEOPLE who live in the stricken area - not in some parking lot rimmed with nearly prostrate palm trees.
2) Blanket statements that 'all looters should be shot'. Yeah, there are a lot of opportunistic people out there. This is not the time (nor is there any time) to be five-finger-discounting TV sets or stereo components. This is called stealing. On the other hand, if your food supply is destroyed and you don't have clean water to drink, maybe taking bottled water and foodstuff is a little more understandable and justifiable. Nuance is often missing in porn.
3) Price gougers (who deserve their own circle in hell) actually may deserve to be shot. Seriously, anyone who would triple the price for any items (plywood, water, gas) in scant supply before or after a hurricane is despicable. There are many heroic people heading down to the coast to help, feed, and rescue the victims of Katrina. My wish is that price gougers would be jailed and forced to watch videos of the compassionate acts of people who don't have to do anything at all but choose to come to the aid of their fellow man.
God bless the survivors and people coming to their aid.
