A while back, one of our best writers made a statement about what happened post-Katrina. So many of us were charging Bush and his fellow criminals with incompetence. Luckydog had a different, and I think, far more accurate take:
great article ... one point, tho' ...
...in order for the crony contracts to have come about as quickly as they did, it is indisputable to me that any and all discussions in the White House in the first days after Katrina were not "how can we help NOLA & the Gulf Coast", rather the discussions were "get our friends lined up".
In the whole White House, there never ever was a reaction of compassion and action.
On the other hand, there was no hesitation, none whatsoever. The White House was always, from the get-go, always...Cha-Ching!
It's not as though the White House stumbled upon ways to help cronies - they approached the whole situation from the outset as an opportunity.
And that's as fucking sick as it gets.
At this point, can anyone doubt this is true? How many of Bush's cronies have now made a killing off the suffering of folks on the Gulf Coast? How many golf courses, high-income condominiums, and casinos are being built to profit the few over the needs of the many?
They did not hesitate, no they jumped right in ... not to help, but to profit.
And now we are seeing the result of the evacuations of so many poor folks out of New Orleans and into the diaspora. These folks lived in public housing projects that were not destroyed by Katrina. They could have moved right back in. They were prevented from doing so. And now private developers wish to demolish all four housing developments. The promise is that there will be "mixed" low-income housing as well as moderate and high-income dwellings.
Does anyone really believe this? Because I don't.
Kai over at zuky has the video of a community meeting on the subject that is well worth checking out. It was most surely NOT the community who helped make these decisions and the video is proof of that.
Ca-Ching! Ca-Ching! Ca-Ching! Guess who's cashing in? And guess who's suffering from that?
The title of this diary is from an amazing video, entitled "A Mile In Their Shoes - The Veterans' Gulf March," a march from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a stunning documentary about a group of Iraqi War Vets and activists, it shows the strong link between what happened on the Gulf Coast and what is happening in Iraq.
Ca-Ching! Ca-Ching! Ca-Ching! Guess who's cashing in? And guess who's suffering from that?
Here's the video, provided by the Feral Scholar (for some reason I could not embed this into the diary).
There have been wonderful contributions by private groups and private citizens to the folks affected by the storm on the Gulf Coast.
But it can never be enough.
A national issue. This is a national issue. And it requires a national solution. This will affect each and every one of us across the nation.
We have folks in power in our country who are profiting from our suffering. They are extremely competent in this endeavor. Their initial reaction to Katrina was to head for the cash-register. The neglect was purposeful and so is this present demolition of public housing. Make no mistake about that.
From The People's Hurricane Relief Fund & Oversight Coalition:
Pledge of resistance in defense of the right to housing in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast
Dec. 10th-Human Rights Day
Come to New Orleans and join the Stop the Demolition Coalition as we mount a campaign to stop the demolition of public housing. The demolition of all four major public housing developments has been set for mid-December. We are calling on our national allies to join with the residents of New Orleans and all those who believe in the human right to housing to resist demolition
And from Defend New Orleans Public Housing:
We really need as many people here as possible, but if you are unable to join us in New Orleans, here are some ways you can help:
*financial donations (email us at action@peopleshurricane.org for info on where to send donations)
*organize a solidarity demonstration at your local HUD (Housing and Urban Development) office for the week of December 10.
This will be an ongoing campaign. If you are not able to come for the week of the 10th but would like to receive updates on the campaign, send back the pledge and let us know your availability.
This is about all of us. This is about government itself. All that George W. Bush and his gang of criminals care about is CA-CHING!
Make no mistake about it. This is war on the poor. It is deliberate. And it won't stop until we stop it.