[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [SRRTAC-L:17466] Katrina Relief: News and Notes for Sept. 16

[Al Kagan]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Chuck0 <chuck at mutualaid.org>
> Date: September 17, 2005 12:08:18 AM CDT
> To: SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l at ala.org>
> Cc: dc <dc at lists.mutualaid.org>, kc-anarchists at lists.mutualaid.org, 
> iww-news at iww.org, greatplainsanarchistnetwork at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [SRRTAC-L:17466] Katrina Relief: News and Notes for Sept. 16
> Reply-To: chuck at mutualaid.org
>
> Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2005 00:41:10 -0400
> From: Naomi <arche at riseup.net>
>
> REAL REPORTS OF KATRINA RELIEF
>
> Eyewitness, politically charged, on-the-ground truth telling from New
> Orleans
> http://www.realreports.blogspot.com/
>
> Updated: September 16th
> Location: French Quarter, 9th Ward, Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard 
> Parish
>
> REALITY CHECK
> Hurricane relief got real today. A team of us took a day-long
> fact-finding trip through downtown New Orleans, the French Quarter, 9th
> Ward, Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish. Along the way we passed
> haunting landmarks of human struggle made famous by the media whores
> covering the storm: the Civic Center, the Walgreens drugstore featured
> in the AP "looting" photo, and the flooded homes of the lower 9th Ward.
> I'm finding it difficult to articulate what I experienced today. But 
> I'm
> going to try.
>
>
> SURVIVAL
> Today an earnest hurricane survivor described his experiences surviving
> both the storm, and the gestapo tactics of the local and Federal law
> enforcement units since the storm. Just two nights ago, ATF (Alcohol,
> Tobacco, and Firearms) and US Marshals raided a house next to his. 
> Using
> the armed cover of a hovering helicopter, agents with machine guns
> stormed a house. Flash-bang grenades were used and shooting ensued. Who
> was shot? Did the person or persons die? Why were they targeted in the
> first place? Whatever the answers, I can assure you this won't make 
> your
> local news and if I'm not mistaken, it wasn't addressed by King George
> on his latest photo-op in the Big Easy.
>
>
> SPEAKING OF THE NEWS
> My opinion of several progressive news outlets has plummeted watching
> their coverage of the storm. It's as if Hurricane Katrina has become a
> tired and used story UNLESS it's an opportunity to bash Bush or harp on
> global warming. I hate to pick on "friends", but the raw reality of
> what's occurring down here has ceased getting the attention it did when
> we were all watching CNN 24/7. I got news for folks, Iraq is important,
> but we have our own Iraq occurring within our country live and in 
> living
> color.
>
>
> 9TH WARD TRUTH TOUR
> While in the French Quarter this morning I heard that despite the 
> glossy
> news in the corporate news, skirmishes are still occurring within
> portions of the 9th Ward. This impoverished area just east and north of
> the French Quarter, was the focal point of the racist news coverage
> during the storm. I can personally attest to the fact that 90% of the
> businesses which had been forced open were locations to get food, 
> water,
> shelter or things like chairs. And still, even tonight, teams of
> military, US Marshals, and local police perform sweeps and raids on the
> remaining hold-outs. We will never know the true death-toll of the
> storm, nor the near certain fact that many brown and black residents
> were gunned down in cold blood in a form of ethnic cleansing.
>
>
> THAT'S SUPER-FUND, NOT SUPER FUN
> Just southeast of New Orleans and the 9th Ward is St. Bernard Parish 
> and
> the cities of Arabi, Chalmette, and Meraux.. It is also home to the
> major petroleum refineries, chemical factories and accompanying
> Super-Fund sites. The area suffered massive storm and flood damage. 
> It's
> wrecked.
>
> Disparate reports of residents returning abound. One report says
> residents can return next week, while another says they can return for
> ONE day next week to gather belongings and assess damage to their 
> homes.
> Whatever the answer, the area can't possibly be ready for the public. A
> toxic sheen of film or mud from the flood covers just about everything
> and dust blows across the concrete and grass. It's like walking into
> Love Canal. Unbelievable.
>
> When we returned from our trip today I washed my shoes in a 
> bleach/water
> solution, set-aside my clothes, and took a long shower. Are the
> authorities going to warn residents to protect themselves, or simply 
> let
> them root among the toxic chemicals, black mold, and e-coli bacteria?
>
>
> BUT WE'RE NOT RACIST
> Many of you heard or read about the incident where desperate storm
> survivors were trying to leave New Orleans (population 2/3 black) over
> the Crescent City Connection Bridge leading to the City of Greta
> (population 2/3 white) only to be turned back by a white sheriff
> yelling. "Get off the fucking freeway!" and firing warning shots over
> their heads. Algiers community activist and Common Ground collective
> member Malik Rahim estimated that over 40,000 people could have found
> refuge just over the bridge where high ground prevented flooding.
>
> As it turns out, the decision to refuse entry to the shell-shocked 
> storm
> survivors fell solely on the shoulders of Police Chief Arthur Lawson 
> Jr.
> He justifies his lame decision by an even lamer excuse: he wanted to
> protect Greta property from survivors who were told by other law
> enforcement agencies there were buses on the Greta side of the bridge -
> and would likely become enraged once they realized there was no relief
> there either.
>
> So, let me get this straight. People are suffering, dying, drowning, 
> and
> in dire need of dry land and compassion, but the Chief won't let them 
> in
> because he's afraid a few windows might get broken? Jefferson Parish,
> which includes Greta, is home to David Duke Grand Wizard of the Knights
> of the Klu Klux Klan. Just ten years ago, two black men died while
> hog-tied in former Sheriff Harry Lee’s custody within a week of each
> other. Need I say more?
>
>
> PARTING SHOTS
> United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) and their lame-ass hurricane 
> Katrina
> action page (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3094). Don't
> go to the Gulf Coast, don't take direct action, just donate a few bucks
> to the AFL or NAACP, But you should still come to DC for the September
> protests. Absolutely pathetic.
>
> ------------
> Naomi Archer is a global justice organizer and spiritual activist from
> Asheville, NC working for the Common Ground relief effort in the 
> Algiers
> neighborhood of New Orleans. She can be reached at 828.230.1404 or
> arche at riseup.net. Blog at http://www.realreports.blogspot.com/. Website
> at http://www.intuitivepath.org/
>
>
>
>

Al Kagan
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61820
USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax 217-333-2214
akagan at uiuc.edu
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