Even the formerly gray lady noticed that reporters on the ground might have overstated things just a tad. And Powerline, via Drudge, is reporting that Michael Kinsley thinks CNN is actually coaching people to seem angry when they comment on Katrina. On the other hand, Matt Labash has a riveting piece in the Weekly Standard about conditions on the ground in New Orleans as he experienced them, and they are bad. It's great because it's a window into why an eyewitness account can sometimes be a hindrance to imposing order. To the people living a crisis, doom understandably seems eminent, and a reporter is likely to get caught up in that mood. Labash has done a great piece of reportage, but managed to keep a sense of perspective.
A weird comparison: it's like labor pains. (Fear not, Gentlemen Readers, I won't be graphic.) Through concentration and mind games you fool yourself with, you can manage your pain up until a certain point. But --at least in my (4x) experience-- there comes a point where you are in so much pain and contractions come so frequently that you start to feel not just pain, but fear because you're losing control. You're thinking, "I am at my limit right now; if it's going to get worse and last who knows how much longer, I really don't know how I can take it." Child-birth experts will tell you that almost always at the point you start to think that thought, the baby's about to be delivered, and that's where a wise doctor, nurse, husband is invaluable --because he or she can assure you that it's almost over, that you're already through the worst --or whatever-- and help you not to panic. It's not that the pain isn't real and severe, but fear aggravates it tremendously. After the fact, a new mom will often realize, "If I'd only known it was almost over, I wouldn't have freaked out so." This is where I fault the Katrina reporters, even though I think it would be hard to be on the ground and keep your head. If you want to be "part of the solution," you have to be the kind of labor coach who encourages and calms --not the kind who starts shouting, "My God, help her! Do something!" A reaction which, while understandable and well-intentioned, actually makes things worse.
(Which, incidentally, is why --in a friend's aphorism-- "natural childbirth is where the husband stays in the waiting room with a cigar.")
