CyclingChick

September 4, 2005

NOLA: An Insider’s View…

I got this from princessmelissa.com Fans of the Real World series will remember her from the New Orleans cast. The entry moved me, so I’m sharing it here. Whether you agree/disagree with the race issues, it’s obvious that the initial rescue response was lacking.

http://www.princessmelissa.com/news.php?page_id=1

New Orleans
Sep 02 2005

I never know how exactly to go about posting a message like this…

I tried contacting my friend Lionel Milton for days, with no response. For those of you that didn’t follow Real World New Orleans, Lionel Milton is an artist friend of mine that I met there. We’ve maintained a friendship over the years.

I started to go insane when I couldn’t reach him and finally I got a hold of him ten minutes ago.

He was in Lafayette. He’s on his way now to Texas and then he’s getting on a plane to New York. I told him he can stay with me and J.

He lost everything. All of his artwork. His house. His car. It’s gone.

In my limited conversation with him, he said he’s just happy to be safe and dry.

I asked him if there was any place specifically in New Orleans that he’d like me to mention on the site.

Lionel sent me this message that he’d like people to understand:

“That’s the helpless part. There is no direct NOLA spot to make sure the refugees get this stuff NOW!

For now direct them to the Red Cross. But what is most important is to educate people on the inhuman desperate situation my hometown folks are in. Let them know these are people from an unfair educational and social system that crippled their efforts to evacuate our city.

Let them know these are poor people that have been treated like third world citizens and now it became 200,000 times worst. They are homeless, hungry, thirsty, tired and broken. AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE STORM.

Ask yourself what would you do without food, water, shelter and death all
around you? And there is no hope.

There was a young girl who gave birth to twins under the overpass yesterday. Because of the conditions, of not even the basics, she lost them both. She may die soon too from stress and lack of basic needs like food, water, shelter.

New Orleans has offered so many cultural influences to the world – jazz, blues, Mardi Gras, Voodoo Fest, Jazz Fest, but that is overlooked. Did you even know that the state of Louisiana provides 25% of the US’s oil?

New Orleans citizens are NOT violent looters. They are 2005 third world refugees in a first class America. Over 70% are black and they have shown us that we have never and will never be true citizens of a nation we helped to build. Even to our death as it inhumanly plays out for the world to see.

They are sending in thousands of troops to maintain a no tolerance for the looting. Ask yourself this, will each officer have a water bottle and sandwich for a possible refugee? But there is no doubt they will have a bullet if we get out of line. Ya feel me?”

Listen to the mayor of New Orleans by cutting and pasting this into your browser:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/audio/national/NAGIN_AUDIO.mp3

There is a survivor assistance forum where you can post information relating to family and friends in need. Go here:

http://katrinasurvivors.pepie.com/

Go here for a list of phone numbers set up for cash donations and volunteer services:

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18473

Also, there is a temple in Baton Rouge that is helping refugees but they need the following supplies:

diapers, baby bottles, children and adult tshirts, underwear, sneakers, socks, toiletries, dolls, toys and children’s DVDs (anything to distract the children from boredom and fear)

You can send those items to:

RABBI BARRY
B’Nai Israel
3354 Kleinert Ave
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

As you know, you can make cash donations to the American Red Cross by dialing
1 800 HELP NOW

fatcat

September 5, 2005

Fight or flight, man, it’s the reality, desperate times in an already unfair and unjust society. I don’t condone the looking and violence, but I understand it. Completely. And sad to hear that Lionel Milton lost everything, as well as everyone else did.

it is difficult to help people who are shooting at the helpers. No one seems to mention that because it is political suicide, incorrect, but it is the truth

Abbey Lane

Spare me, anon noter. There are an overwhelming number of children and elderly in there. What about them? You can’t tell me that our military can go into Iraq but is scared off by a few random people shooting at them?

MrsDawsondn

I pray that everyone that is still left out there in the heat of the struggle get shelter and safety. I only wonder how long this will stay in the news. Hopefully until all that can be reached are but you know as soon as it gets old they won’t report too much more on it. I hope I’m wrong but realistically it’s about ratings for the networks not saving lives.

let me rephrase that it’s supposed to be about saving lives but unfortunately all the networks care about are ratings. And i’ll disregard the anonymous’s commenters comments hopefully everyone else will too.

Struggle is struggle and when we choose to turn a blind eye to one person’s struggle, we are turning away from our own humanity. Smooches…

Punkus Americanus

Melissa was always my favourite.

I will send what I can to the Temple, I have been wanting to do something like that – so thank you for posting this!

Atrevida

September 6, 2005

Linette

The entire situation is incredibly heartbreaking, regardless of your politics. Puts my measly concerns into perspective. My husband may have cancer, but we have a roof over our heads, food to eat, and both medical care AND medical insurance. I have a job, and I can afford to help those who have nothing. I am fortuante. Linette

Melissa is constantly bringing race into it so I’m not surprised by her post. WE in TEXAS are doing what we can to help our neighbors in the Gulf Coast. I’m offended by the very thought that people think that things went wrong for any other reason other than Bureaucracy! Lisa in Houston!

Hey Girlie! I am glad you made it back safe, you will have to fill me in on what Island boy was trying to come home with you. I need a good laugh in the wake of all of this chaos and destruction, our people are really hurting over there and it breaks my heart so see all of those children and elderly that need help! tontoy 242.2/225/160

Just to let you know Lisa in Houston I don’t know if you know it, but everyday I see first hand that in this country no matter how many degrees I hold and what I have accomplished there is still racism in this country and race and class are one in the same. Black people are suffering and discriminated against everyday and unfortunately something like this had to happen to bring it out (tontoy)

haa i wish, thanks though

i messed up with maxx and it sucked bad. we’re getting better but im afraid im never going to get him back the way it was. im sad. and it sucks. don’t worry because i’ll be okay. i love you! oh and sexual whit chocolate cracked my ass up!

TONTON I’m sure that you ASSUMED that I am white, but I am not. So I do understand racism, but it seems that it HAS to come out no matter what the situation and I’m so SICK of it. Just shut-up roll up your sleeves & get to work rebuilding this city & help our neighbors. Not trying to start anything….just sick of hearing RACISM when we don’t need be negative right now… Lisa

Sorry Courtney I didn’t mean to hog your board, but Lisa I KNEW you were black, I agree with you about everyone getting to work and fixing this mess, but we can’t excuse the fact that race is and will always be a serious problem in this country. TONTOY

TONTOY (SORRY COURTNEY) in answer to your last post. Yes race IS and WILL BE an issue in this country, but you and others pick NOW in the middle of this horrible tradgedy to get on your soapbox. THAT’S SAD!– Lisa I’m finished, we’ll agree to disagree with the timing. But let’s AGREE on praying for a new day!