Category 911

"A corpse lies draped over a fence in the Ninth Ward Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005, in New Orleans," says the Associated Press caption. Three weeks after Katrina and one week before Rita, the poor and the black and the dead of America have become its scarecrows, warning those with eyes to see what time it is, and to save themselves.

But that's not to say it's all bad, everywhere. Here's another snapshot of New Orleans, the same day:

Exotic dancer "Alex" entertains patrons at Deja Vu Showgirls during the strip club's second day of business in the French Quarter of New Orleans, September 20, 2005...entertaining the city's hoard of police, rescue and fire workers.

Well, New Orleans has always been known to be a city full of contrasts, though maybe not quite to such an extent. Read the article - this is a good summation of the latest American news and it contains some vivid parallels and comparisons.

tags: victims  inequality  katrina