Katrina's Citizen Journalists

A sample of emails posted on CNN's site and labeled as "citizen journalism"

As a European watching in horror the evolving and increasing chaos in the American South, I find it well nigh impossible to believe the lack of civic responsibility evidenced by this disaster....While racism is ostensibly banned and frowned upon amongst your nation, this is surely economic cleansing where ethnic cleansing would be generally reckoned to be unacceptable? I'm not surprised that anarchy and armed looting has started in the face of such desperate conditions as these people have been abandoned in. Oh America, this is your shame -- please learn from it that everyone deserves care and dignity.
Fiona / London, UK

...I have this to say to President Bush, if you can't get those poor souls at the convention center just one canteen of water you might as well go back on vacation.
Elie / Moreno Valley, California

I am shocked to see the level of slowness of the help provided. Coming from a third world country without the resources of USA, I have seen my country handling situations much better in extreme floods which are very common. Example of armed forces pressed into service immediately, air dropping food and water, ensuring security are the first things that one does...I cannot understand why it took 4 days to provide food and water at the Superdome and the convention center when we knew from beforehand that people shall move there. Communication failure is no excuse.
Rohit / Wisconsin

I am furious that our president is thinking about Trent Lott's house while thousands of people are stranded, dying, and waiting for help in New Orleans....
Jay / New York

How repulsive can the 'lack of real response to these desperate needy storm survivors in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf Coast States' become! And to presently watch the president of the United States and two Republican governors turn this into a "photo-op" on the fifth day, literally, reassuring and patting one another on the back in front of running cameras" ... was really, quite frankly, a repulsive display.
Greta / Reno, Nevada

None of these are really citizen journalism in any precise sense, but it doesn't matter. The thing is, they are authentic. That's what it's all about. Conventional journalism is compromised by it's profit motive and hampered by "professional practices" that are founded on myths and incorrect assumptions. Authentic voices are what is needed - personal voices that cut through corporate, journalistic, and marketing speak.

I'd rather listen to someone who is authentic but mostly wrong that someone who is inauthentic and mostly right. Substitute "wrong" and "right" for "uniformed" and "informed" and we'll be getting somewhere. The informed authentic voice is the future of meaningful communications.