There is no doubt or debate about this. Racism at its root; the fear of black skin.
That seemingly small little kind of racism that makes people lock their car doors when they find themselves in a black neighborhood; that fear run rampant, carried to its logical end, is a killer. It murdered thousands in New Orleans:
Helicopters thinking that signal shots fired by desperate people on rooftops were aimed at them, and that shuts down rescue efforts.
National guards too scared to slow down and pick people up, speeding by in their empty trucks;
Armed guards so scared of black skin they won't let people cross the bridge out of the Convention Center:
Bus drivers afraid to go in and bus people out until the situation is 'secure'.
Guards and cops shooting people they imagine are attacking them, when they are in fact, trying to get the attention of SOMEONE to get them out or to help.
Watch this video if you doubt it:
Charmaine Neville Talks:
http://www.wafb.com/Global/SearchResults.asp?qu=charmaine+neville&search=Search