Mississippians’ Suffering Overshadowed

On Thursday, I posted a question about the lack of significant coverage coming out of affected areas outside of New Orleans and why there wasn’t more of it.   Looks like I’m not the only one wondering:

Mississippians’ Suffering Overshadowed

Mississippi hurricane survivors looked around Saturday and wondered just how long it would take to get food, clean water and shelter. And they were more than angry at the federal government and the national news media.

Richard Gibbs was disgusted by reports of looting in New Orleans and upset at the lack of attention hurricane victims in his state were getting.

"I say burn the bridges and let ’em all rot there," he said. "We’re suffering over here too, but we’re not killing each other. We’ve got to help each other. We need gas and food and water and medical supplies."

Gibbs and his wife, Holly, have been stuck at their flooded home in Gulfport just off the Biloxi River. Water comes up to the second floor, they are out of gasoline, and food supplies are running perilously low.

Until recently, they also had Holly’s 75-year-old father, who has a pacemaker and severe diabetes, with them. Finally they got an ambulance to take him to the airport so he could be airlifted to Lafayette, La., for medical help.

In poverty-stricken north Gulfport, Grover Chapman was angry at the lack of aid.

"Something should’ve been on this corner three days ago," Chapman, 60, said Saturday as he whipped up dinner for his neighbors.

[…]

Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist, said he’s been watching hours of Katrina coverage every day and most of the national media attention has focused on the devastation and looting in New Orleans.

"Mississippi needs more coverage," Sabato said. "Until people see it on TV, they don’t think it’s real."

Yep.  Could this be the reason why we aren’t seeing too much coverage of other affected areas outside of NO?

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