[matilda] fucking anarchist i love them..

[worldwarfree at riseup.net]

taken from http://neworleans.indymedia.org/ oh go read check out what these
mothers are doing puts our hack lab into the shade a little the power of free
information reclaime the net go linux

Katrina Relief: News and Notes for Sept. 16
by Naomi Saturday, Sep. 17, 2005 at 1:23 AM
arche at riseup.net Algiers

    REAL REPORTS OF KATRINA RELIEF went into downtown, 9th Ward, Lower 9th, and
St. Bernard Parish. Though what's been happening in Algiers has been incredibly
intense, the magnitude of the event hit home on this fact-finding trip.

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.

www.realreports.blogspot.com/