When Disaster Strikes

Code Switch

NPR

Society & Culture

4.6 • 14.5K Ratings

🗓️ 6 March 2019

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A deadly tornado ripped through Lee County Alabama this past Sunday. An NPR investigation found that white Americans and those with safety nets often receive more federal dollars after a disaster than people of color and Americans with less wealth.

Transcript

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0:00.0	A deadly tornado with 170-mile-prayer winds ripped through Lee County, Alabama this past
0:08.8	Sunday.
0:09.8	At least 23 people were killed in Boregar, Alabama.
0:12.7	For the county sheriff says it looks like someone took a giant knife and scraped the ground.
0:18.3	In a Monday morning, Alabama Governor K.I.V. got a phone call.
0:22.5	About 815, President Donald Trump called my cell phone.
0:28.9	He wanted to know about the devastation.
0:32.2	During a press conference, IBSH said she told the president there was a lot of property
0:36.0	damage in her state and a tragic loss of life.
0:39.0	She also told Trump she was working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to get
0:43.8	him to expedite aid for recovery.
0:46.8	And we'd sure appreciate your support.
0:48.9	Soon after, the president tweeted, FEMA has been told directly by me to give the A-plus
0:54.0	treatment to the great state of Alabama and the wonderful people who have been so devastated
0:59.6	by the tornadoes.
1:03.7	This is Code Switch.
1:04.7	I'm Shrine Marisol Maraji.
1:06.2	And I'm Gene Demby.
1:07.6	Maybe you're wondering what disaster recovery in Alabama has to do with race.
1:11.6	Well, a lot.
1:12.6	If Federal disaster aid programs have anything to do with it.
1:16.7	An empire investigation found white Americans and those with safety nets often receive more
	...

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