They say that there are two sides to every story. The story of Hurricane Katrina and the events that followed are no exception. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is a point of much debate some say Katrina and its victims were showcased with a biased, at times racist light by all the major media outlets. After watching Spike Lee’s When the Levees Broke, it can be said that he too agrees with the notion that the events in Louisiana were not reported with an unbiased media perspective.
Spike Lee presents his perspective on what actually happened before, during and after Hurricane Katrina. When the Levees Broke accuses both FEMA and President Bush of inadequately responding to Hurricane Katrina. Although his view is extremely negative he uses interviews with Kanye West, Reverend Al Sharpton and many former Louisiana residents to show that he is not alone in his view.
His main criticism is of the amount of time it took the government to respond to and provide aid for the victims of Katrina. The fact that it took President Bush almost two weeks to visit Louisiana after Katrina brings up the point that Louisiana and its residents have never been a priority on the Presidential agenda. Spike Lee also brings the point that once the disaster relief effort actually did begin, FEMA’s efforts were inadequate and poorly executed.
Spike Lee takes it upon himself to present his own opinion about what occurred in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina stormed through. He presents a strong case against the Media and their coverage of Katrina. He proves that there are always two sides to every story.