Reality Check
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 Marshalls 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 opportuntity 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, squirmishes are still occuring 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 Marshalls, 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 busses 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 under Greata PD's loving care. 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 to save the suffering and dying, just donate a few bucks to the AFL or NAACP. But you should still come to DC for the September protests. Absolutely pathetic.
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 Marshalls 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 opportuntity 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, squirmishes are still occuring 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 Marshalls, 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 busses 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 under Greata PD's loving care. 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 to save the suffering and dying, just donate a few bucks to the AFL or NAACP. But you should still come to DC for the September protests. Absolutely pathetic.
posted by Naomi Archer at 9:44 PM
2 Comments:
Naomi,
Why do you refer to this as ethnic cleansing? Is there any reason to actually see race as being a factor ? I think if anything that was class cleansing.
Did that person you met whose neighbor's house was raided know who was in there?
Thanks for another great report.
Boris.
Boris.
What's pathetic is someone like you who values American lives more than Iraqi ones, and therefore exploits the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina to encourage people not to protest the ongoing atrocity in Iraq as you are doing.
A false choice, as you well know, and a conscious diminishment of the catastrophic consequences of the war and the occupation on the Iraqi people.
And, I say this as someone who doesn't really identify with UFPJ, preferring more radical approaches.
On Friday, September 23rd, I hope to participate in an anti-military recruitment event in Oakland, at the recruitment center to honor people like Kevin Benderman and Caremlo Mejia, people who have refused to serve in the subjugation of the Iraqi people
Sorry, guess that means that means I'm a heartless, self-centered person who doesn't care about the victims of Katrina, at least according to the peculiar though process displayed here.
--Richard Estes
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