One of the more shocking things to me was that the idea of evacuating the area was not even discussed as an option for the Batiste family. Do some googling about Hurricane Katrina and discuss what you find regarding evacuation orders and compliance with those orders. Another angle for this discussion is to look at the socio-economic reasons for the disparity between who evacuated and who stayed.
While the evacuation was discussed leading up to Hurricane Katrina, a mandatory evacuation was not ordered until approximately 20 hours before the storm hit. Although many people wanted to leave, the short notice left many stuck in Louisiana. Within the city of New Orleans hotels were full with tourists unable to catch flights home due to the storm and people within the city without a car, as well with the astrodome being filled with people. As much as most would have wanted to leave it was not an option for some like the Batiste family.
Socio-economic differences had a huge part to play in who evacuated and who stayed. When the hurricane hit more than a quarter of people living in New Orleans lived below the poverty line, 27% didn't own a car. Many of these people also likely only had access to the news through the TV rather than a radio or the internet where the news of how bad the storm was only hit TV broadcasts 48 hours before the storm. Families at a socio-economic disadvantage also were less likely to leave their communities which meant they were less likely to have a network of people outside of the state who they could stay with when they wouldn't be able to afford a motel room. Those living under the poverty line who were on disability or living paycheck to paycheck from government assistance were also not likely to have the means to leave as that month's checks were due 3 days after the hurricane.
Many of these factors you can see playing in the fact that Batiste family didn't even speak of evacuating. It was clear they were a family living under the poverty line and although they had a car, they wouldn't have had the money for a motel. They also got most of their news of the storm from the TV or what the father heard on the radio while in his truck but they didn't know the severity until a mere days before the storm. It was also made clear that they did not have connections outside of Bois Sauvage as both parents met in school and you know the mother grew up in the house next to theirs, all of their friends were also from the same neighbourhood. Without the means and no government assistance to leave, evacuating was impossible for families like the Batistes.
Socio-economic differences had a huge part to play in who evacuated and who stayed. When the hurricane hit more than a quarter of people living in New Orleans lived below the poverty line, 27% didn't own a car. Many of these people also likely only had access to the news through the TV rather than a radio or the internet where the news of how bad the storm was only hit TV broadcasts 48 hours before the storm. Families at a socio-economic disadvantage also were less likely to leave their communities which meant they were less likely to have a network of people outside of the state who they could stay with when they wouldn't be able to afford a motel room. Those living under the poverty line who were on disability or living paycheck to paycheck from government assistance were also not likely to have the means to leave as that month's checks were due 3 days after the hurricane.
Many of these factors you can see playing in the fact that Batiste family didn't even speak of evacuating. It was clear they were a family living under the poverty line and although they had a car, they wouldn't have had the money for a motel. They also got most of their news of the storm from the TV or what the father heard on the radio while in his truck but they didn't know the severity until a mere days before the storm. It was also made clear that they did not have connections outside of Bois Sauvage as both parents met in school and you know the mother grew up in the house next to theirs, all of their friends were also from the same neighbourhood. Without the means and no government assistance to leave, evacuating was impossible for families like the Batistes.
Hey Emily! Your analysis really helped me understand why the Batiste family stayed. I never even thought to factor in the point that they clearly do not have family, or at least the book is silent on whether they did, that could have provided shelter for them outside of the storm zone. I feel like Claude knew enough, having experienced a similar storm in his youth, that if there was a chance to go stay somewhere else, he would have taken it.
Hey Paytra! I never even considered your point and it is so true. This is heartbreaking and the fact that they were unable to go to safety left them in such a treacherous position. I was only 6 when Hurricane Katrina happened and I feel so privileged that I never have had to experience such devastation.
Hey Emily, I totally agree with your analysis. I feel as if the Batiste family did have more family outside the the state or even just the radius of the storm they would have left, but given their socio-economic status it still would have been extremely difficult for them to evacuate even if they did have more family. The Batiste family did not even consider leaving neither did many of the people around them, even if they did leave they would not be able to afford to stay anywhere. it was pretty much impossible for them to even consider leaving their home.
Like Paytra, I really appreciate that you point out that it's important to actually have somewhere to go, and the Batistes never mention any outside family. Even a middle-class family with a car might not be able to evacuate with those circumstances if it meant leaving for a long period. I also find your mention of the Astrodome interesting-- when Esch gets the government phone call to evacuate, they didn't point her towards any evacuation site. If there had been a site, I wonder if the family would have considered evacuating.
I also wanted to note that in disasters, local buildings such as schools are often used to help the community, as evacuation locations, pickup locations for supplies, and free meal locations. The school Esch goes to is completely destroyed in the hurricane, which likely even more greatly reduces the ability of the community to support one another.
I also wanted to note that in disasters, local buildings such as schools are often used to help the community, as evacuation locations, pickup locations for supplies, and free meal locations. The school Esch goes to is completely destroyed in the hurricane, which likely even more greatly reduces the ability of the community to support one another.
It is unfortunate that the availability of resources plays such a significant part in the realization of human rights. The Batiste family had to watch other families leave while they had no choice in the matter. This shows that simply writing rights on paper is not enough, it is important for states to make the resources necessary for safety accessible for all people.
I also found it quite shocking that they did not even talk about leaving, their only option was preparation for the storm from the start. At one point in the novel, I believe that the radio is turned off while the reporter talked about evacuating, as if they did not want to even entertain the idea for a second.
I think Emily did a great job discussing her findings that she found on the evacuation order and why people stayed. I also believe that socio-economic differences played a huge role if not the largest role in why people stayed and did not evacuate, even though it was considered mandatory by government. I found the same resource as Emily at https://psmag.com/environment/who-didnt-evacuate-for-hurricane-katrina detailing those same statistics she shared, such as a quarter of people living in New Orleans at the time lived below the poverty line. Another key statistic that struck me was that 68% of people who did not evacuate and were rescued, did not have a usable credit card or money in the bank. This just makes it strikingly clear how impossible it was for these people to evacuate- where would they have gone? If they had no money and no credit card, the only option would of course be to stay. I think the fact that I was shocked at the Batiste family in the novel not leaving, only attests to my privilege.
The Batiste father from the start knew what to do to prepare for this storm, because he had done it before. He had never had any other choice but to stay. The cycle of poverty had continued onto his children, so they too had no choice. People living in poverty are less likely to have connections outside of their community, and though it does not mention it explicitly, it seems as if the Batiste family had been in Bois Sauvage for a while and did not have many outside connections. There are so many socio-economic factors that lead to the family in the novel staying through Hurricane Katrina, and also 150,000- 200,000 Americans in real life.
I think Emily did a great job discussing her findings that she found on the evacuation order and why people stayed. I also believe that socio-economic differences played a huge role if not the largest role in why people stayed and did not evacuate, even though it was considered mandatory by government. I found the same resource as Emily at https://psmag.com/environment/who-didnt-evacuate-for-hurricane-katrina detailing those same statistics she shared, such as a quarter of people living in New Orleans at the time lived below the poverty line. Another key statistic that struck me was that 68% of people who did not evacuate and were rescued, did not have a usable credit card or money in the bank. This just makes it strikingly clear how impossible it was for these people to evacuate- where would they have gone? If they had no money and no credit card, the only option would of course be to stay. I think the fact that I was shocked at the Batiste family in the novel not leaving, only attests to my privilege.
The Batiste father from the start knew what to do to prepare for this storm, because he had done it before. He had never had any other choice but to stay. The cycle of poverty had continued onto his children, so they too had no choice. People living in poverty are less likely to have connections outside of their community, and though it does not mention it explicitly, it seems as if the Batiste family had been in Bois Sauvage for a while and did not have many outside connections. There are so many socio-economic factors that lead to the family in the novel staying through Hurricane Katrina, and also 150,000- 200,000 Americans in real life.
Hi Sarah! Thank you for the link with the statistics.
I too found it shocking that evacuating was not an option ever on the table, even after spending so much time in preparation. I think Paytra and Elizabeth above raised a good point that maybe they did not have anywhere else to go, else perhaps they would have evacuated, especially when they got the warning that it had reached a higher category just a few hours before it hit.
I agree with you that the cycle of poverty carried onto the children. The article you provided states that poor people are less likely to leave the place they grew up, this is evident in the novel with Claude, the community and now the children as well. It was shocking that the last hurricane warning only told them to evacuate and that if they did not they would be liable for their own losses. They were not provided with helpful plans on evacuating like going to a city hall where they'd be provided with food and safety. And after the hurricane, nothing is mentioned about any relief provided. It seemed as though the community had to pick up their lives themselves.
I too found it shocking that evacuating was not an option ever on the table, even after spending so much time in preparation. I think Paytra and Elizabeth above raised a good point that maybe they did not have anywhere else to go, else perhaps they would have evacuated, especially when they got the warning that it had reached a higher category just a few hours before it hit.
I agree with you that the cycle of poverty carried onto the children. The article you provided states that poor people are less likely to leave the place they grew up, this is evident in the novel with Claude, the community and now the children as well. It was shocking that the last hurricane warning only told them to evacuate and that if they did not they would be liable for their own losses. They were not provided with helpful plans on evacuating like going to a city hall where they'd be provided with food and safety. And after the hurricane, nothing is mentioned about any relief provided. It seemed as though the community had to pick up their lives themselves.
Hi Muchaneta! I agree that in the book it details no community support outside support from their friends, and no government support was evident. It is really sad to imagine the people in real life who were forced to stay and lose their homes and possessions without a lot of relief.
Another great discussion! We see this time and time again with natural disasters. People cannot leave because they do not have the resources. If you have no one who can take you in (and remember even if the Batiste family had relatives, they would need to be able to afford to feed and house the extra people), you need to pay to sleep and eat somewhere that is not home. While many people did not have a car, even the people who did may not have been able to afford the room and board and if you didn't have a credit card, you couldn't get a hotel room anyway in most spots.
So with all this mind, what does this mean from the HMRTs perspective. There is no UN treaty for environmental disasters. And the resources at the government level are completely reactionary, kicking in only after the event has occurred. What is the solution? What do you propose?
So with all this mind, what does this mean from the HMRTs perspective. There is no UN treaty for environmental disasters. And the resources at the government level are completely reactionary, kicking in only after the event has occurred. What is the solution? What do you propose?
I agree, Muchaneta-- I was absolutely horrified by the fact that Esch was called so late about evacuation, and that they weren't given any additional information or told where to go. The fact that they were essentially told that by staying they were responsible for their own injuries and death, and that they shouldn't expect any help demonstrates how little the government actually cares if these people live or die. I would like to think that FEMA helped the families in towns like Bois Sauvage, but given the rest of the novel I wouldn't expect them to.
Looking at Sarah's statistics, I also wonder what would happen if people did try to evacuate. If everyone was only told to evacuate at the last moment, wouldn't people be stuck in highway blockages when the storm hit? Wouldn't that be almost more dangerous than staying put no matter your circumstances? I was looking at pictures from Katrina on http://archive.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/08/remembering_katrina_five_years.html and there are images of long lines of cars waiting to evacuate and of a family being rescued from atop their car on the highway after the hurricane hit.
Looking at Sarah's statistics, I also wonder what would happen if people did try to evacuate. If everyone was only told to evacuate at the last moment, wouldn't people be stuck in highway blockages when the storm hit? Wouldn't that be almost more dangerous than staying put no matter your circumstances? I was looking at pictures from Katrina on http://archive.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/08/remembering_katrina_five_years.html and there are images of long lines of cars waiting to evacuate and of a family being rescued from atop their car on the highway after the hurricane hit.
Hi Sarah,
It is sad to think of the ongoing cycles of poverty that exist in our world today, though they are evidently present throughout this novel. I was also checked on my privileged as I was baffled to read that they did not even attempt to flee the storm. Your statistics are very surprising and interesting. I had no idea the percentage of people living below the poverty line at the time in New Orleans was so high. Moreover, as you mentioned, the 68% who did not have credit cards or money in the bank further illustrates how little choice these people had in staying or evacuating.
It is sad to think of the ongoing cycles of poverty that exist in our world today, though they are evidently present throughout this novel. I was also checked on my privileged as I was baffled to read that they did not even attempt to flee the storm. Your statistics are very surprising and interesting. I had no idea the percentage of people living below the poverty line at the time in New Orleans was so high. Moreover, as you mentioned, the 68% who did not have credit cards or money in the bank further illustrates how little choice these people had in staying or evacuating.
Hi everyone,
It was heartbreaking to read the situation that the Batiste family encountered in not having the necessary resources to evacuate, and to understand that this is a real-world issue that disproportionately affects those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
It was heartbreaking to read the situation that the Batiste family encountered in not having the necessary resources to evacuate, and to understand that this is a real-world issue that disproportionately affects those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
When reading the novel, I was able to reflect on the challenges that the Batiste family faced in having no option but to remain in their home during the storm and ration food and water between themselves, and apply this to the issue surrounding environmental migration.
Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 expressly states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” While we are all entitled to an adequate standard of living, I question how the enjoyment of this right can be achieved for individuals, such as the Batiste’s, who must face natural disasters without any access to resources or governmental support to protect them from such adverse conditions.
From a human rights perspective, I believe that it is imperative that amendments are made to the Refugee Convention to establish protections for climate migrants who must flee their homes due to natural disaster or environmental degradation, but may otherwise lack the resources necessary to do so. With the increasing prevalence of environmental disasters and environmental degradation, the UN estimates that by 2050, there will be between 25 million and 1 billion environmental migrants (https://www.climateforesight.eu/migrations-inequalities/environmental-migrants-up-to-1-billion-by-2050/). It is important to mention that the government may have viewed the decision of the Batiste family to remain at home during the storm as a personal choice however, that would fail to acknowledge the socio-economic barriers that prevented them from leaving. A first step in combatting this problem on a smaller scale, is for local governments to recognize the communities that are most likely to be affected by the disaster and the challenges it poses for individuals of low socio-economic status to gather necessary resources and adequately prepare for the storm, and to provide them with a means of evacuation so that they can be prepared and protected before the storm hits.
Thanks for all this information, Brianna. I was also thinking about climate change after reading Dr. Dipaolo's comment on government responsibility. Those statistics you gave are staggering, but unfortunately not surprising. I definitely think that the UN must create a treaty for environmental disasters and climate change, but all these issues are so multi-pronged that it feels like nothing will be effective enough. As human rights scholar, relying on UN treaties for change feels naive, because we've seen again and again that nations can and will ignore them. I completely agree with your suggestion that local governments must provide more resources and support for lower socio-economic individuals before natural disasters occur. If there were localized branches of a larger coordinated effort that existed constantly (for example, a state department focused on natural disasters year round in Louisiana with an office in every town) I think that people like the Batistes would be less likely to be overlooked, and they would receive support before every storm. I don't see something like this ever happening for more reasons than I could list (objections to funding being the biggest one).
That being said, I also don't think that local governments can be held responsible for climate change issues. We need to hold national governments responsible for stopping climate change, and to do so they must hold corporations responsible. The world's reliance on capitalist corporations means, however, that governments will not do so and we as individual citizens, and even local governments, can do little to stop increasing disasters such as this. Capitalism is two-pronged, as this story demonstrates, because it means that many people live in poverty, and it also puts these people at greater risk through climate change.
That being said, I also don't think that local governments can be held responsible for climate change issues. We need to hold national governments responsible for stopping climate change, and to do so they must hold corporations responsible. The world's reliance on capitalist corporations means, however, that governments will not do so and we as individual citizens, and even local governments, can do little to stop increasing disasters such as this. Capitalism is two-pronged, as this story demonstrates, because it means that many people live in poverty, and it also puts these people at greater risk through climate change.
Hi Katherine,
Thank you for elaborating on this topic. I agree with you that relying on United Nations treaties is a rather naïve solution. When considering possible solutions to this issue, my first thought was to establish a treaty however, like you mentioned, it may not be overly effective. It is so easy to be hopeful that ratifying States will comply to the provisions set out in the treaties however violations continue to occur, and States continue to benefit from the flawed treaty body system that has failed to hold them accountable.
I agree that it is imperative that national governments are held responsible to take a role in stopping climate change and I had not previously considered the role of capitalism in perpetuating climate change. To that end, it is difficult to propose a solution to the problem provided that we continue to live in a capitalist society. In order to create long-lasting change, it is possible that societal reform is needed where governments will not be penalized by corporations for stepping up and addressing the issue. This would be an incredibly long process to achieve and when it comes to the issues surrounding climate change, it is clear that we do not have a lot of time.
Thank you for elaborating on this topic. I agree with you that relying on United Nations treaties is a rather naïve solution. When considering possible solutions to this issue, my first thought was to establish a treaty however, like you mentioned, it may not be overly effective. It is so easy to be hopeful that ratifying States will comply to the provisions set out in the treaties however violations continue to occur, and States continue to benefit from the flawed treaty body system that has failed to hold them accountable.
I agree that it is imperative that national governments are held responsible to take a role in stopping climate change and I had not previously considered the role of capitalism in perpetuating climate change. To that end, it is difficult to propose a solution to the problem provided that we continue to live in a capitalist society. In order to create long-lasting change, it is possible that societal reform is needed where governments will not be penalized by corporations for stepping up and addressing the issue. This would be an incredibly long process to achieve and when it comes to the issues surrounding climate change, it is clear that we do not have a lot of time.
Hi Brianna,
The amount of environmental migrants that you gave was quite shocking to me, 1 billion is a scary number to see. There have been many experiences already of communities and even small countries having to leave and migrate because of climate change effects such as flooding and natural disasters (such as the residents of the island of Tuvalu, something I learnt about in DiPaolo's class last year). It is heartbreaking to know if things keep going as they have that number will just continue to rise.
The amount of environmental migrants that you gave was quite shocking to me, 1 billion is a scary number to see. There have been many experiences already of communities and even small countries having to leave and migrate because of climate change effects such as flooding and natural disasters (such as the residents of the island of Tuvalu, something I learnt about in DiPaolo's class last year). It is heartbreaking to know if things keep going as they have that number will just continue to rise.
I wrote a long post and it all deleted! I meant to add more.
I stated how I agreed that a UN treaty would recognize the rights of environmental migrants as well as families like the Batistes who require support during environmental disasters. However as Katherine said, these treaties are not a reliable protection for these people who really require it. It is definitely a start though, and it would be the beginning of acknowledging that people suffering through natural disasters need their rights assured, and need support from their national government as well as international agencies such as the UN.
I also stated that national governments certainly need to play a role in creating legislation that assures plans and allocation of resources for its people in case of natural disaster. As Dr. Dipoalo said, their response is reactionary, but it does not have to be. Especially in states or regions that see flooding, hurricanes or storms often, there needs to be a concrete plan set up to support its people. They should have the assurance they will be protected whether they are able to evacuate on their own or not. Otherwise their right to health, food, clothing, housing etc. that Brianna brought up (article 25 of the UDHR) will not be assured. Whether a environmental migrant or a family who needs support during a hurricane, support should be given to you. These storms are out of their control, and article 25 says those rights are to be given "in circumstances beyond his control". Though the storms are somewhat in the control of human beings, as mentioned, since climate change is causing many of these disasters. But again, it is up to government to help combat this issue. There needs to be accountability to corporations as Katherine said, and governments need to adopt immediate plans to cut their countries carbon emissions.
I stated how I agreed that a UN treaty would recognize the rights of environmental migrants as well as families like the Batistes who require support during environmental disasters. However as Katherine said, these treaties are not a reliable protection for these people who really require it. It is definitely a start though, and it would be the beginning of acknowledging that people suffering through natural disasters need their rights assured, and need support from their national government as well as international agencies such as the UN.
I also stated that national governments certainly need to play a role in creating legislation that assures plans and allocation of resources for its people in case of natural disaster. As Dr. Dipoalo said, their response is reactionary, but it does not have to be. Especially in states or regions that see flooding, hurricanes or storms often, there needs to be a concrete plan set up to support its people. They should have the assurance they will be protected whether they are able to evacuate on their own or not. Otherwise their right to health, food, clothing, housing etc. that Brianna brought up (article 25 of the UDHR) will not be assured. Whether a environmental migrant or a family who needs support during a hurricane, support should be given to you. These storms are out of their control, and article 25 says those rights are to be given "in circumstances beyond his control". Though the storms are somewhat in the control of human beings, as mentioned, since climate change is causing many of these disasters. But again, it is up to government to help combat this issue. There needs to be accountability to corporations as Katherine said, and governments need to adopt immediate plans to cut their countries carbon emissions.