Protesting the demolition of 4500 housing units in NO (tasers & pepper spray used) - lots of pics

[Kadie]

New Orleans police officers force back dozens of protesters, seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units, as they tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 in New Orleans.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


New Orleans police officers try to hold protesters who tried to break the gate at the New Orleans City Council meeting where the council was expected to vote for the demolition of housing projects in the city, New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


New Orleans police officers hold off protesters who tried to break the gate at the New Orleans City Council meeting where the council was expected to vote for the demolition of housing projects in the city, New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


New Orleans police officers chain a gate leading to the New Orleans City Council meeting area where the council was expected to vote for the demolition of housing projects in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


New Orleans police officers subdue protesters at the New Orleans City Council meeting where the council is expected to vote for the demolition of housing projects in the city of New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


Protesters are treated after New Orleans police officers subdued protesters at the New Orleans City Council meeting where the council is expected to vote for the demolition of housing projects in the city Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


A woman gets treated after New Orleans police officers pepper sprayed and tasered protesters who tried to break the gate at the New Orleans City Council meeting where the council was expected to vote for the demolition of housing projects in the city of New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


A police officer raises a Taser gun at protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units, tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 in New Orleans.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


A cloud of pepper spray floats over protesters as New Orleans Police re-lock a gate outside the New Orleans City Council chambers as the council was holding a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

[HughBeaumont]

1. Way to "protect and serve" . . . yourselves.

And the killing of a major city continues unabated . . .

[Occulus]

2. Get a load of the coward getting ready to tase from behind iron bars

Way to serve and protect, asshole.

[uppityperson]

34. that is quite a picture. Whew.

[Yukari Yakumo]

25. This is the NOPD

"Protecting and Serving" themselves is nothing remotely new to them.

[xxqqqzme]

3. Are these the units not even touched by the flood waters

but people were forced to evacuate? Spike Lee featured one of the residents in his HBO film. What was done to those residents is criminal.

[Suich]

29. I've heard that the units WERE damaged.

I've also heard they weren't. Let me know if you find out. I'd like to know what their definition of "damaged" is.

:)

[NOLALady]

36. I guess it does depend on the definition.

They look solid and sturdy to me. But, I've been told that some were damaged but not beyond repair. It would cost less to repair them and bring them up to code than to demolish and rebuild.
A former Councilman (J Jackson)reminded the Council that even Congress asked for a 60 day moratorium. Still, they voted unanimously. I am so ashamed of those people.

[Kadie]

4. *** More Pics ***

Protesters scuffle with police before the New Orleans City Council holds a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


New Orleans police attempt to restrain a man before the New Orleans City Council holds a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


A man objects to being kept outside the meeting as a check for empty seats is made, before the New Orleans City Council holds a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


Protesters scuffle with law enforcement officers before the New Orleans City Council holds a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


Kawana Jasper, left, and her mother Sharon Jasper talk to a man before the New Orleans City Council holds a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

[shance]

26. The white policemen holding down the blacks. The racism speaks for itself.

Just minus the robes.

[AspenRose]

30. Look closely at Sharon Jasper's shirt.

"Wanted for Mass Murder"

I see Condi's face and I think I can make out *s face.

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. Good taste in t-shirts!!

[mogster]

59. Video with Kawala Jasper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAOHW-ir0LA
About 4 minutes long.

Kawana Jasper, who lived at the St. Bernard housing development before Katrina, talks about her experience trying to come back to New Orleans, and her belief that the city is trying to push out public housing residents.

Directed by Luisa Dantas
Cinematography by Micheal Boedigheimer

http://www.VoicesFromTheGulf.com

On edit, here's the link to the news article, MSNBC:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22344261/

[Eurobabe]

61. I haven't seen this at all on MSM

Anybody?

What an atrocity. Shame on NOPD!! :rant:

[flashl]

5. K&R n/t

[EFerrari]

6. This is ANY TOWN, USA, folks.

Support the people of NOLA.


K&R

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. It sure is, The junta could roll in on any of us at any time.

[EFerrari]

9. And send Blackwater into our streets to protect money against

citizens.

Watch carefully.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Any guesses on what the big "crisis" will be that will allow ** to call for martial law?

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. "election" '08 if a Dem wins?

:shrug: Can't have that, now can we?

[Leopolds Ghost]

60. Uh, yes -- "post-Katrina" New Orleans

The National Guard still patrolls in Humvees -- folks I know got pulled over by them routinely. What's Worse is, the cops are worse.

[Whisp]

7. k&r for the beautiful and rightfully angry of NOLA. nt

[Downtown Hound]

10. And the ethnic cleansing of New Orleans continues

Kudos to all those protesters for standing up.

[Virginia Dare]

12. This is America. Sad.

Sad that people have to fight for a place to live.

[jmg257]

13. Another example why we DO NOT want only the police and govt to have guns! nt

[Bucky]

15. Right. Cause a bunch of armed angry civilians would have made it much more peaceful

Some of us prefer the kinds of violent protests where people don't get killed. Of course in an ideal world protests would never get violent. But back here on Earth, reality sometimes happens, and that's when it's better not to have the police having to confront a heavily armed citizenry.

[LSK]

28. get all the Guns you want, if the Govt wants to get you, they will get you

[Downtown Hound]

41. Snort...yeah, because if they had all been armed

then we either would have had a crowd full of dead civilians or a bunch of dead cops, which would likely mean martial law, and then civil war after. Maybe after 50 or 60 million died, one side would give up.

No thanks. I fully support the right of people to own guns in a limited fashion but I'll never understand why some of you always jump at the chance to bring guns into a situation that should be defused, not blown up to nuclear proportions. Police brutality is a serious problem, as is the way we treat the poor in this country. The answer though, isn't more guns.

[varkam]

14. K&R

:thumbsup:

[spanone]

16. the united snakes of america....taser and pepperspray our citizens....

[HCE SuiGeneris]

17. From behind chained gates... tasering and pepper-spraying the people.

Corrupt cowards.

[K Gardner]

18. Here's a link to the video (posted in another thread too)

I'm looking for something "unedited"

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=81d_1198176288

[NOLALady]

38. Bill Quigley said in an interview

that many residents were called and threatened if they protested or smoke out against demolition. The reporter on the video said most New Orleanians supported the demolitions. Maybe, they have access to more New Orleanians that I do, but the ones that I talk to are well aware of the land grab.

[Leopolds Ghost]

62. Most White New Orleanians -- and middle class blacks who only care about homeowners rights

Old New Orleans is surrounded by very racist, classist (going back 200 years classist) ideologically backward areas.

People who think public housing is "socialist giveaways to inner city thugs" and say so openly.

One guy (black, lives in the 9th ward, voted for Jindal) told me that New Orleans would not tolerate apartments of any sort.

Because "This is the south. We don't want to have to get along with our neighbors. That's why we're all armed. Take your Northern ideas elsewhere."

[blogslut]

52. Here you go

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5jvhp4iZFd0

and

http://youtube.com/watch?v=W4ksBmZqTRk

[walldude]

19. So now when the government comes in to tear down your home

you need to just shut up and let them do it. After all, Bush is spreading his goodwill and freedom and democracy, and you need to just shut up and let him do it or his goons will have to use their "democracy weapons"..

[DrDebug]

20. The same Bush who said the following:

Probably shouldn't post it, but I feel like it:

September 22, 2005
Bush Compares Responses to Hurricane, Terrorism
By DAVID E. SANGER

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 - President Bush on Wednesday for the first time linked the American response to terrorism and its response to Hurricane Katrina, declaring that the United States is emerging a stronger nation from both challenges, and saying that terrorists look at the storm's devastation "and wish they had caused it."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/22/national/nationalspecial/22bush.html

NEVER forget the following excerpts either:

Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans
By Jeremy Scahill and Daniela Crespo
t r u t h o u t | Report

Saturday 10 September 2005

New Orleans - Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal force. Several mercenaries we spoke with said they had served in Iraq on the personal security details of the former head of the US occupation, L. Paul Bremer and the former US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte.

(...)

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/091005A.shtml

FEMA Requested Only 455 Buses To Rescue 20,000 ... Then Cancelled The Order

'As the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency stepped down yesterday, government documents surfaced showing that vital resources, such as buses and environmental health specialists, weren't deployed to the Gulf region for several days, even after federal officials seized control of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/09/13/fema-requested-only-455-b_n_7281.html

Anderson Cooper
Monday's 360

(...)

"The water is, as it recedes, I mean, it is going to reveal an awful lot of bodies, people inside their homes. You even see them now just floating out on the street one week after this hurricane hit. And it is still hard to believe the things you see every day."

"Heartbreaking too is the grim task ahead of the three mortuary teams now in place in New Orleans. It's their job to recover the bodies, which seem to be everywhere, floating in canals, abandoned on roadsides, still hidden in flooded homes."

"We were out there today in a shallow-bottomed boat. And what we saw was just -- I mean, it continues to just be horrific, bodies floating in the water, dogs drinking this water, dogs dead in the water, dogs starving to death."

I'm seeing a lot of dogs on TV, but not a lot of bodies. I think I saw two during 360. How are news organizations reaching their decisions about showing bodies? Why aren't more still photos being shown?

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser

[K Gardner]

31. I'm GLAD you posted this.. we can never forget. Notice how coverage of Katrina and

the Aftermath just completely dropped off the radar.. unless of course Brad Pitt is down there.

I never even heard what the "Final" death toll was.. anybody know?

[DrDebug]

33. 1,836. I think it's one HUGE lie

I will never accept that figure. Even though I merely witnessed the event from the internet through websites, messageboards, I spend three times just reading, duplicating and posting. Personally I refuse to believe the official death count is correct. 50,000 body bags were ordered and shipped to New Orleans and the most amazing story was in the Financial Times (quite a reputable source):

The US confirmed on Thursday that it is braced for the discovery of more than 10,000 bodies following Hurricane Katrina.

The temporary morgue is capable of holding 10,000 bodies but the US Federal Emergency Management Agency has told De Boer to be ready to increase its capacity to accommodate more fatalities, according to Koos Tesselaar, the company chairman.

De Boer will begin transporting the 600-tonne structure, which when erected will cover an area of 10,000 to 20,000 sq metres, by air from Ostend Airport, Belgium, on Saturday.

The company is also flying out accommodation to house up to 2,500 people involved in all aspects of the operation, not only those who work in the morgue.

-snip-

The company was recommended to the US authorities by the UK Home Office, which had contracted De Boer to supply the mortuary to deal with the victims of the London terrorist bombings in July that killed more than 50 people. But the Dutch company said the New Orleans aid operation was straining international air-freight logistics. It has hired one aircraft to fly four trips at two-day intervals

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/009b5f50-20ae-11da-81ef-00000e2511c8,dwp_uuid=6ab6c2fa-1adf-11da-a117-00000e2511c8.html

If the death count is 1,836 then why use a European company to handle the operation. And isn't that 5-10 square meters per person who averages about 1 square meter?

I was rereading the Katrina period again and I missed two excerpts:

By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 10, 2005; Page A04

Some lawmakers are still struggling to find the sympathetic but diligent tone that a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina -- and the lagging government response to its victims -- would seem to call for.

The latest elected official to step into the swamp was Rep. Richard H. Baker, a 10-term Republican from Baton Rouge. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that he was overheard telling lobbyists: "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/09/AR2005090901930.html

WHY was this man reelected??

Frankenstein's monster is on the loose

By Luciana Bohne

September 2, 2005—Well, yes, there is a kind of shocking distillation of meaning in the catastrophe that hit the city of New Orleans. It's as if the belly of the beast that is the US imperial leviathan has been turned over—its underbelly exposed. There, you can see the reality: two nations, one rich, one poor; one televised, the other invisible—until now.

Abject poverty, criminal infrastructural neglect, opportunistic defunding of minimal preventive planning, disaster relief resources otherwise engaged abroad in protecting the interests of oligarchs, industrial poisons erupting at a mere shrug of nature from their thin disguise just beneath the urban surface of triumphant financial capitalism—a river of murderous toxins running free, running free in the streets of the city of sweetness, the city of food, the city of jazz like a Frankenstein's monster shaking loose his chains and going after its creator:

"Free markets, free markets, free markets," he's calling, laughing madly, "here I am, your creature, your bastard, your long-suppressed experiment in planned anarchy for profit, your pig-ethics child. Your beloved; your nightmare."

Gasoline prices rising.

New Orleans—welcome to Baghdad!

As it shall be abroad, so it will be at home. Poor people ain't got no home, no electricity, no water. No hospitals, no schools, no city. New Orleans, welcome to Fallujah, to Gaza, to Haiti, to El Salvador, to Nicaragua.

Bechtel, Kellogg Root & Brown, Carlyle, Halliburton welcome you to "globalization": the pain is yours; the gain is theirs.

(...)

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Commentary/090205Bohne/090205bohne.html

"And if it is working right, we are going to duplicate it elsewhere"
- George W. Bush, Sept 1st 2005

[K Gardner]

40. Thanks so much for this response, am bookmarking this thread. I agree with both of you,

that the death toll HAS to be greater than reported. I bet anything if Shrub thought he could start a freakin war over it, we'd get the real numbers. Everybody knows how many people died on 9/11. No one knows NOLA, and people certainly don't know the REAL death toll in Iraq.

[NOLALady]

37. Many locals do not believe the official death toll.

I've talked to many who think the figure is more like 10,000.

[EFerrari]

47. I don't know anyone who does believe it.

How are you holding up, NOLALady?

[NOLALady]

49. Actually, the day could have been a lot better.

After two years I thought that there were no more tears left for the Katrina disaster. Then the City Council passed this unanimous decision to turn my hometown over to the highest bidder. And to think that I foolishly thought there were no more tears left.
A friend was one of those arrested. I don't think he was beaten as I didn't see him in the clips.

I believe New Orleans is their test case. If they succeed in destroying New Orleans, other cities will follow.

[EFerrari]

50. I think a lot of us are thinking the same thing.

I hope your friend gets out and home in one piece and soon.

:hug:

[intheflow]

68. I agree.

I don't believe the Mississippi death toll. either, which stands around 250 -- and most of those were from tornadoes upstate. Meanwhile, on the Coast, there was the storm surge to take bodies out far into the Gulf or sunk into Biloxi Bay or the Wolf, Pearl and Pascagoula Rivers, and gators to eat other bodies lying around after the storm.

A big part of the problem is that the official death toll doesn't take into account the 6500+ people that are still missing. According to the CM, all those people were deadbeats who "disappeared" because they were looking to get out child payments, parole commitments, debt, whatever. I cry bullshit on that! Maybe even up to 500 people might be deadbeats, but my guess is the rest are just dead. :cry:

[NOLALady]

70. I cry bullshit to that also.

"all those people were deadbeats who "disappeared" because they were looking to get out child payments, parole commitments, debt, whatever"

When reporters make statements about "unidentified bodies", we interpret that to mean there's an entire family dead.
This is a clannish close knit community with humongous extended families. Everyone is a cuzan. There's this routine before a storm where everyone calls loved ones to find out their plans. After the storm, its the same thing. Family members track each other down to make sure everyone is OK. And I do mean they try to find EVERYONE, extended family, neighbors and their extended families.
If there's an unidentified body, you can believe that an entire family has been lost.

You're right. We don't believe the Mississippi figures either. Many Pearl River people lived here (Slidell) for a time after the storm. They told stories of dead bodies that would give you nightmares forever.

[intheflow]

71. There were coroner teams working behind the

Route 90 Wal-Mart (in Long Beach? Pass Christian?*) for at least a couple weeks after Katrina. But they said they only found a few bodies in that area.

*I was never in Mississippi before Katrina, so I'm unsure where the actual town lines were in relation to the Wal-Mart.

[NOLALady]

72. Have the locals told you about the frozen food

containers (can't remember if it was at Wal Mart or not). They told me they saw food containers with bodies stacked like sardines.

[intheflow]

73. No, I hadn't heard that one.

The most haunting thing I remember about that Wal-Mart was the thousands of blue Wal-Mart bags wrapped around skeletal trees. But by the time I got down there with my own car (the first time I went down was with the Red Cross and didn't have my own wheels), the shell that was Wal-Mart had been surrounded by chain link fence. Also at that time, the neighborhood around the Wal-Mart still had barbed wire and some troops positioned to stop people from looting - which of course stopped anyone walking through there. So who knows wtf they were hiding from the public.

[NOLALady]

75. Interesting.

A fence, barbed wire and troops to guard Wal Mart "junk" that was water damaged as well as covered by Insurance. Did they have reports of looting in that neighborhood?

[intheflow]

77. No, the barbed wire was around the neighborhood.

Some of the wealthiest people on the Coast lived in the first 1/2 mile inland just about everywhere. The barbed wire ran along the south side of the railroad tracks. You could drive down Route 90, but if you stopped and the cops saw you, you would have to move along. Even if you were just taking photos (like I was). So it was "protecting the wealthy from looters," real or imagined. Meanwhile, in Biloxi and the lowest lands in Pascagoula, no barbed wire whatsoever. Except in Biloxi you couldn't walk on the beach because casino rent-a-cops would shoo you off... just in case you found casino chips or money or whatever. :eyes:

[cascadiance]

21. Damn, this is starting to look familiar!...

[malaise]

22. This is as bad as post Katrina neglect

Why am I not surprised this time?

[Kadie]

23. *** Even More Pics ***

Viola Francois Washington, center, reacts after being doused with a spray by police officers in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters tried to force their way into a packed City Council chamber during a debate on the planned demolition of some 4,500 public housing units.
(AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)


A woman sits on the ground after officers re-lock a gate outside the New Orleans City Council chambers as the council was holding a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


Protesters fall to the ground as New Orleans Police re-lock a gate outside the New Orleans City Council chambers as the council was holding a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)



Protesters fall to the ground as New Orleans Police re-lock a gate outside the New Orleans City Council chambers as the council was holding a meeting about tearing down public housing buildings in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. Police used chemical spray and stun guns Thursday as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of 4,500 public housing units tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

[Sugar Smack]

43. Jesus, Kadie. Those photos are powerful

These are our people. It makes me sick.

[Tom Joad]

48. any Dem pres. candidates going to challenge what the "Democratic"

city council and mayor is doing to New Orleans?
surely not a whisper from the top contenders.

[Dollface]

54. This should be retitled "Democracy in Amerika"

Taxpayer supported police keeping the taxpayers from being represented.

[Tejas]

27. an IRON GATE in front of City Hall?

What's up with that?

I don't think I've ever seen a City Hall with an iron gate at the front door, much less burglar bars.

Wow, just.....wow.

[earth mom]

35. How do these bastards that do this sh*t live with themselves?

And I'm talking the police and those who are behind tearing those public housing units down.

Despicable. :puke:

[MasonJar]

39. The new New Orleans will be a dead zone; New Orleans was the most

incredible city in the world after Paris, in my view. It was the magical land of talent and cosmopolitan aura. New Orleans was the birthplace of some of America's premiere commodities...jazz, blues, and talent. It was the Southern city which refused to fold to the crime of segregation, until forced to by Louisiana, years after Reconstruction ended. It is the birthplace of the music of Louis Armstrong and King Oliver and, oh, so many others. It will become just another place. Way to go, George, your venom spreads so purposefully. New Orleans, I am so glad that I knew you when!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[eridani]

42. If you can't be there, let your fingers do the walking

12/20/07 13:30p.m. -New Orleans Public Housing residents, and affordable housing advocates are being locked out of the New Orleans City Council (public meeting) proceedings and being harassed by multiple 'law enforcement' agencies as they attempt to conduct a peaceful show of support for a halt to the immoral and untimely demolition of the 4 largest housing developments during an unprecedented housing crisis in this city.

Approximately 500 participants who attended an opening press conference preceding City Council's regularly scheduled session this morning were met with a show of force from several law enforcement agencies. Since 10:00a.m. this morning people have been peppered sprayed, locked out of the proceedings and 24 have been arrested.

Organizers on the ground in New Orleans are asking for supporters in the struggle for affordable decent housing and the right for all those displaced by Hurricane Katrina and the policies which hold blatant disregard for low-income and poor people to send out a call to:

1.Get on the Phone- Call your congressional and senate representatives urging them to support the passage of SB 1668- the New Orleans Housing Recovery Act, currently awaiting a vote in the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. There is a list of phone numbers here: www.katrinaaction.org/node/293

2.Send out Mail and Make Calls - Send word to New Orleans elected officials that their way of working with recovery issues is inhumane and until the broad constituency they were elected to represent are treated with the respect they deserve and represented in the process of redeveloping their city their plans are hinged on the backs of the very people that make this city the unique and special place that it is.
Council Members

Arnie Fielkow (President)
City Hall, Room 2W40
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email:[e-mail]

Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson (Vice President)
City Hall, Room 2W50
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Shelley Midura District A
City Hall, Room 2W80
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email:[e-mail]

Stacy S. Head District B
City Hall, Room 2W10
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email:[e-mail]

James Carter District C
City Hall, Room 2W70
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Cynthia Hedge-Morrell District D
City Hall, Room 2W20
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Cynthia Willard-Lewis District E
City Hall, Room 2W60
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Mayor Ray Nagin
New Orleans City Hall
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

City Hall Operator: [phone]

3.Spread the Word via, e-mail - Get the word out to your network of family, friends and co-workers. The attack on low-income and poor families is not limited to New Orleans, If we allow affordable housing to disappear during a critical time in it's recovery, there will be less chance for it's survival throughout the US.

HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson has helped to procure lucrative contracts for hundreds of thousands of dollars for friends and associates who went to work at HUD-controlled housing authorities in New Orleans and the Virgin Islands, he is now holding the end to funds for all redevelopment in his sector over the head of this city, if demolitions do not go forward. There is valid reason to be suspicious of the type of contract work that will be done for millions of dollars that destroy sound structures rather than redeveloping communities with the input of it's residents. Act now to support a full and just recovery for all of those so devastated in the gulf south.

for more information visit www.defendneworleanspublichousing.org

[Breeze54]

44. Thank You Kadie, this is horrible! Haven't they suffered enough already?

:grr: :nuke:

[smokey nj]

45. K&R!

[Tom Joad]

46. If Dennis Kucinich were President, there would not be Gestapo Tactics on the streets of New Orleans.

the streets of New Orleans.

Little fascist Nagin is to blame, too.

These people have a right to defend their homes.

(historical allusion in first line... )

[OneBlueSky]

51. what we have here is the class war at it's most odious . . .

while the poor people of New Orleans are scattered all over the country, needing only adequate housing to return home, the rich and powerful are destroying perfectly good housing to make way for their own "investments" . . . they'll get rich(er) off the misery of those who have neither the money nor the power to fight them . . . all they have are their bodies, which they are sacrificing in a losing effort to change the way things are . . .

once again, the rich and powerful will win, and the poor will lose -- it's the American way . . .

[Lance_Boyle]

56. do you have any support for your claim that this is "perfectly good

housing?" My understanding is that these units were in horrible condition prior to Katrina, with massive mold problems owing largely to the lack of central air conditioning. It's also my understanding that the cost to repair these existing units is more than the cost to raze and rebuild. Of course, the rebuilding plan is for mixed-income housing, not traditional "projects." Which I believe is the source of the "land grab" allegations. Nevertheless, I'd be very interested to see any support at all for the notion that this is "perfectly good housing" slated for demolition. It's not good housing for anyone but mold spores.

[NOLALady]

69. Mixed Income did not happen for the St Thomas Project.

http://neworleans.indymedia.org/news/2007/12/11634.php


MYTH #8:
It would cost much more to repair these apartments than tear them down and start over.

FACT:
HANO's own insurance company documents prove that, right after Katrina, cleaning and repairing CJ Peete apartments could be done for less than $5000 per apartment. HANO's own documents right after Katrina also documented that the cost for repairing and modernizing apartments would be far less costly than demolishing and rebuilding. Only after HUD announced that the buildings were coming down (a decision by HUD that HANO did not participate in nor even know was coming) did well-paid consultants go back and re-work the numbers.

[eib1]

53. Compassion and confrontation will win

The people are betrayed by the tyranny of institutions.
But they are powerful in their will not just to show the way, but to help each other. It is as much through these acts of compassion as it is through the acts of confrontation that the people will prevail against the tyranny of the few.

[populistdriven]

55. New Orleans Brave Men & Women in Blue (pic)

[uppityperson]

58. Are Police black uniforms, Sheriff blue?

trying to figure out who this is, what office. Thanks.

[NOLALady]

63. I think the blue shirts are the police

The black uniforms are from the sheriffs.

[uppityperson]

65. Thanks

[debbierlus]

57. Where are the Presidential candidates? New Orleans housing being destroyed for the poor

Where are all the candidates?

[Leopolds Ghost]

64. I am sure they will issue a carefully nuanced stastement about how this is just the beginning

Of a struggle to build NEW! BETTER! homes elsewhere, in cities like
Fayetteville and Houston, where poor people can benefit from a less
visible exurban existence working for Wal-Mart.

[intheflow]

66. More tyranical governments using chemicals weapons on their own citizens!

Ahh... if only they lived in Iraq, we could count on Uncle Sam to stop them, but as it is, they are a domestic branch of Uncle Sam. :grr:

[tgnyc]

67. Don't tase me, bro.

[Sugar Smack]

74. A loving kick.

:applause:

[Greyhound]

76. To serve the rich and protect the status quo. n/t

K & R

[Orwellian_Ghost]

78. bump

n/t

[NOLALady]

79. Bump /nt