Day 6 - Checkpoint? - They're not them out of New Orleans?

[Doreen Peri]

What the hell is this? Genocide? I don't understand this!

I just watched the video of Geraldo Rivera on Fox News (of all places... I mean, if Fox is broadcasting news like this and it's TRUE, well, hell, ladies and gentlemen, we are in BIG trouble!}

You can watch the video here.
http://www.livejournal.com/community/an ... .html?nc=9

From this article
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46131

Fox's Shepard Smith explained in a excited negative tone that authorities were preventing survivors from leaving the area.

"[Authorities] have set up a checkpoint at the bottom of this bridge," Smith said, noting the structure was the gateway to other parishes where the quality of life was better. "Anyone who walks up out of that city is turned around."

This is Day 6 - For the people now "locked down" at the convention center, the promised help has not come. We watched amphibious trucks yesterday supposedly carrying food and water but the people at the convention center in New Orleans have not received any help. That's what Rivera said. Is this TRUE?

Is there really a checkpoint at the ONLY bridge to get out where people who are trying to leave are turned back?

Partial transcript- Geraldo Rivera & Shepherd Smith reporting live from the convention center.

GERALDO RIVERA:
There is no earthly reason that these people are still here. Let them walk out, let them walk away from the devastation, let them walk away from the dead bodies. I saw FoxNews on Wednesday, and people were saying "Get me out" - two days later, they're still here.
Where are the buses? I've been here all day, and as far as I know, not one of them has been bussed out. I've got a baby - there's babies here - let them walk out.

COLMES:
Let's go to Shepard Smith standing outside of the Superdome.

SMITH:
They won't let them walk out because the govenment's locked them in - they said go in the Superdome and you'll get help, and they locked them in and watched them die.

COLMES:
I want to get some perspective here.

SMITH:
That's all the perspective you need.

RIVERA:
Take a look - I want everyone in the world to see - that six days after the hurricane, they're still here - look in the eyes of this baby - let them go, let them walk out of here....

http://www.faulkingtruth.com/

____________

If any of you know any more about this... about this checkpoint ... about the military keeping the people in the city with no food, no water, no sanitary conditions, where babies and elderly and sick are dying .... If you know more, please let us know.

Is there really suck a checkpoint? Are people being kept from leaving?

Where is the water? Where is the food?

Today, I heard that many who were at the Superdome were evacuated today to various other locations where they can get housed, be safe, and have food and water and medical attention. That's great! It's about time!

But what about the other people who are at the convention center, stuck, with NOTHING? Are they REALLY being held there against their will?

What is going on?

Any insight from any of you would be appreciated.

[Doreen Peri]

More.

Looters should be shot on site?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-amat ... _6753.html

"Idiots like John Gibson proclaim that all looters should be shot on sight. I bet he hasn't missed a meal for more than two hours now. Not all the people trapped and rummaging for food and clothes in NOLA are criminals. "

I'm getting an education.

What kind of country are we living in?

[Doreen Peri]

Here's another link to the story about a checkpoint being set up and people being kept from leaving the city.... and to the video

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/25013/

[Jenni Mansfield Peal]

At this time, I plan to save my emotional resources (as much as I can) and use all of my available resources to assist the needs of these people, and I hope our country will do the same. Let's spend our energy helping first the people, then the city.

I am thankful to the press who have courageously brought us news each day. I am glad that we have so much documentation available, and will continue to have, that will allow us as a nation to determine causes and accountability. I will remain very interested in how state and national, including military, entities account for their actions (and inaction.) Natural disasters can happen in any city - tornados here on the prairie, earthquakes along the faultlines, floods, you name it. I'm a voter and a taxpayer; I expect more from a government by, for and of the people. I feel personally accountable.

Officials lament lost battles for storm funds

Efforts to shore up coastline were largely resisted in Washington

This article in the Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com and others begin to look at how Bush has demoted and downsized FEMA (from cabinet level to subsumed within Homeland Security).

Most disgusting quote of the moment from our president: "I fully understand people wanting things to have happened yesterday," he said in an interview at the White House with ABC's Good Morning America. "I understand the anxiety of people on the ground. ... I don't think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees."

Just look through those DMN and other sources to see how well such a breach was anticipated.

Gotta stop. Blood pressure's up again.
JMP

[Doreen Peri]

You are right, Jenni. We need to focus on the positive and help as much as we can. All of us.

I was just so upset last night when I saw the Geraldo Rivera report and heart that they had a checkpoint and weren't letting anybody out of the city and many STILL had no water or food after 6 days.

I don't know how true the checkpoint story is. I don't know if Geraldo was simply relaying back what he had heard from some of the people who had exaggerated or whatever. Perhaps some tried to leave and some military personnel talked them into going back because they thought help was coming and to take it to the road was even more dangerous than their current situation. I don't know.

Today, I'm going to put a housing offer on http://hurricanehousing.org/

I thought we might be too far away to participate like this but I saw listings by many other people in my area (about 20 miles outside of DC) offering housing.

I also gave some $ through my employer's payroll deduction offer to match every dollar the employees donated. I thought this was an extremely generous offer and I'm proud I have an employer who has decided to match funds. I did this because it doubled the meager amount of money which I was able to give.

These are the only two things I know how to do at the moment.

I've been very upset about it all and have the urge to just up and leave and go down there and volunteer with the Red Cross. I want to do *something* to make a difference, even in some small way.... to help. But I don't think that idea is feasible. I doubt if my job would be here when I got back and my own family needs my attention.

What can we do? Only the best we can do to support those who are suffering from this tragedy.

I get so upset. I cry and weep. I want to pull away because, emotionally, I need to take care of myself, too. But I find myself constantly wanting to find out more and continually questioning our government's response (though, I commend the many who have effectively helped by rescuing people from roofs and attics, transporting them out of the city, etc.) It's not like NOTHING has been done! LOTS has been done and we need to focus on what has been done and what can be done.

Still, I do not think there is ANY excuse that on day 6, some remain with no water, no food and unsanitary conditions. And if they are truly being held in the city, not allowed to leave by their own means on their own two feet, then there is a big problem which needs to be resolved, and soon.

You're right that there will be plenty of time to determine causes and accountability. But, I thought the video I accessed last night was a very important one and wanted to know what people thought about the Geraldo's report regarding the checkpoint.

[Jenni Mansfield Peal]

I've been very upset about it all and have the urge to just up and leave and go down there and volunteer with the Red Cross...

Note to all readers from JMP: Contact the Red Cross first before physically relocating. Extra bodies on the scene give them additional management problems. We're learning this in a big way in Dallas.

I get so upset. I cry and weep. I want to pull away because, emotionally, I need to take care of myself, too. But I find myself constantly wanting to find out more and continually questioning our government's response ...

I feel the same way, Doreen. Tom and I have assessed what we've done and what we can do. Now we're taking a break. We're going to camp out tonight with some friends and play some music. What a luxury.

Still, I do not think there is ANY excuse that on day 6, some remain with no water, no food and unsanitary conditions. And if they are truly being held in the city, not allowed to leave by their own means on their own two feet, then there is a big problem which needs to be resolved, and soon.

Damn straight.

You're right that there will be plenty of time to determine causes and accountability. But, I thought the video I accessed last night was a very important one and wanted to know what people thought about the Geraldo's report regarding the checkpoint.

Thanks for bringing it to our attention, and for your work in building this forum. It's been a great source of information and reflection to me.

All the best, JMP

[abcrystcats]

Jenni's right. Disorganized, spontaneous volunteering can be its own mini-disaster. What you are doing already, Doreen -- ESPECIALLY offering living space to people who need it -- is fantastic.

Disasters require pretrained, skilled workers on the scene, who know exactly what they need to do to get the job done.

I got pretty close to becoming an EARS (emergency animal rescue service) volunteer a couple of years ago in CA. To qualify, I had to complete four full days of training, pass a medical/physical exam and sign a bunch of paperwork. Then, I MIGHT have a chance to begin to provide the most basic volunteer services for animals evacuated from disaster areas, such as brush fires and floods. That was just to help the ANIMALS, for crying out loud!

A flood zone's very dangerous place, and unless you have some experience at water rescue or a related background, better not even consider going. You'll end up being in the way, or worse, you'll become another statistic.

BTW, I have to mention this. It's slightly off-topic, since we are talking about human tragedy, but I can't help it. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a plan in place for your animals in case of an emergency like this. Have carriers and pet food stored in a convenient place, so you can grab em and go. Have your pets microchipped with current information so that people can reach you if you are separated. Expect to be separated from your pets if you are put into any kind of temporary public housing intended for people.

If you have pets and you care about what happens to them, the best thing is to decide VERY early on what you are going to do, and ACT QUICKLY so you can carry it out. Chances are that if you wait too long to evacuate, you and your pets will be shuttled into the public services and you may lose them forever. If that is worse to you than losing your possessions, then plan ahead and ACT ahead, the best way you can.

I just read the following story, and I'm sorry, but I'm almost as upset for the pets in this case as I am for the people. And I try to imagine what kind of life some of these poor people will have to face without their pets. it just makes me very sad.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article ... 2509990001

We have no substantial support system for pets in disasters. Terri Crisp helped to create one, EARS, years ago, and it is still functioning. If EARS can get out there, they are there.

Here, I just checked the website:

http://www.uan.org/ears/action_report.html

and --

http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/defaul ... oid=143193

Sorry again. I know the rescue focus should be on people, first, but what do you say to a little boy who's crying for his dog, or an old woman whose only friend in the whole world was her cat? Do you say, "Tough luck. Get another one." ?

OK, I've said my piece, and if somebody has a look at the websites above, that'll be enough.

[Doreen Peri]

Hey Cat!-

I'm not going... nope... I just said I felt compelled to. I'd lose my job if I disappeared for a while and then I'd lose my own home because I wouldn't have the funds to pay the mortgage. You know why they call it a mort-gage, right? Because you have to pay it until you die!

I really would like to help more than I am, though. I haven't added my name and contact info to the housing list yet, but I plan to soon. There's just lots of info on the form I haven't yet figured whether I want to fill out honestly. I don't think the people at moveon.org need to know my address and phone number, for instance. I just want to be contacted by the families themselves (by email, initially), not have my info added to their database. That along with sorting through (in my mind) the potential of abuse of that list. After all, people are offering free housing all over the US. Do you think those who have not been victims of the hurricane might access that list and use it for purposes which aren't honest? I donno. These thoughts run through my mind. I have 2 empty rooms and would be happy to house a mother and child for a few months and help them get back on their feet. But I'm thinking this thing through. I will figure it out.

That's very good advice about pets. I haven't hit the links yet, but I will as soon as I post this reply to you. Unfortunately, I don't have a pet any more.... .... but I don't think this house would be home without a cat. Alicia asked me if we could get kitten soon and I said yes. I adopted Wink from the animal shelter. I'll probably do that again. I miss him a lot. He can never be replaced, but we will rescue another animal soon.

I've been concerned about all of the pets, too. The dogs and cats roaming the streets. The little boys who had to be told they couldn't take their dog on the bus. The elderly lady whose pet cat was her only companion. It's all so very sad.

When I get another cat, I will take your advice and keep carrier in the house and have an emergency plan. I'm not so sure about the microchip thing, though.

Thanks for your post, Laurie! I will hit those links now.

[Michael]

First, let’s look at the source of the “finger pointing”.

The two Fox News reporters have probably placed their jobs in jeopardy, but could no longer prostitute themselves as sleaze balls for Rupert Murdoch’s fiefdom.

Secondly, as much as it sounds like the right thing to do, diverting our attention from what The Regime is doing to insure the deaths of Americans in New Orleans is exactly what The Regime would want us to do.

It seems to me that it’s never time to question The Regime’s negligence or criminality.

When 9/11 happened, it wasn’t time to point fingers and no one did. Congress gave The Regime carte blanche to commit homicide where ever it wanted to commit homicide (never mind that the homicide that was committed on September 11 was committed by The Regime).

But it wasn’t time for partisanship and no one even questioned The Regime’s part in 9/11. To this day, people will not explain the anomalies of that day. They won’t explain them because they can’t.

Several members of The Regime called 9/11 “an opportunity”. Red flag there.

Then we invaded Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with 9/11, a country that never even threatened the US.

We’ve been told by people who affix magnetic ribbons to their SUVs that we are at war and this is not the time to question our government. So The Regime sends body after body to Iraq to face their last day on earth and we’re told to shut the fuck up.

Now, once again, it’s not the proper time to note the negligence of The Regime in its lack of response to the needs of the citizens of New Orleans.

And it is negligence. I’ve heard it called incompetence and ineptness, but it’s far more sinister than that.

Just as 9/11 presented us with “an opportunity”, the front man for The Regime, the court jester, said, “The nation will be better off for this.” (the devastation)

But now is not the time to point fingers.

So we won’t point fingers at the time that the crime is being committed.

What will happen?

How much do we hear about The Downing Street Memos today?

How much do we hear about Karl Rove’s outing of Valerie Plame today?

And The Regime will fade this into black while it fades blacks into hell.

But now’s not the time to point fingers.

The only difference is that we haven’t gotten to the point where The Regime fights the initiation of an investigation of the slow deaths in New Orleans and, maybe in a year, The Regime will be forced to choose an investigating commission made up of friends of The Regime.

Then The Regime will once again set the ground rules for the commission. Those ground rules will include starting at the point where Louisiana’s state government and New Orleans municipal government failed and how to help them better communicate next time. Maybe we’ll even see a Department of New Orleans Hurricane Preparedness created. Of course that department will not be a cabinet level department. It will be under the umbrella of The Department Of Homeland Security which will be under the umbrella of an even larger, bureaucratic department.

Another ground rule will be that members of The Regime will not have to testify or, if they do have to testify, they’ll insist upon doing it in private and not under oath.

I hope that common criminals get the same treatment someday.

Right now, they’re innocent until proven guilty. Of course, a wealth of circumstantial evidence can prove them guilty.

The Regime, on the other hand, doesn’t even have to go through the red tape of waiting to be proven guilty. Because they are the leadership, such as it is, of this sinking nation, they’re unassailable, untouchable, proven not to be investigated from the get go.

Wouldn’t it be nice for common criminals to have so many people rush to their defense before they’re even brought in for questioning?

We have to help people who’ve suffered because of this natural disaster. But now is exactly the time to point fingers. Point fingers while the crime is in progress or criminals will be free to continue committing deadly crimes. Don’t let them off the hook because of some politically correct assumption that this is not the time to point fingers.

This Regime thrives on the deaths of Americans. This Regime declared war on the population of The United States long before it was anointed.

Is it not time to retaliate?

[stilltrucking]

the chickens coming home to roost
for Bush
too bad
they going to shit on everyone

Michael I don't get you at all
You have such a long finger to point.
There is no msytery about who to blame
It is the Jews michael.
Always the Jews
Remember that
everytime you discover a sinister plot or insidious conspiracy
I can't forget that you mentioned that Netanyahu cancelled his appointment at The World Trade Center on 9/11

Even though Israeli intelligence tried to warn us of an imminent attack.
never mind that about 500 Jews or more died on that day.

You don't have much credibility with me my friend.
Sorry
Oh yes I forgot to warn you, I am the son of an immigrant Jew and hold onto your hat, he immigrated from Russia in 1915, fought in world war one to get his citizenship. I am true blue on my mother's side, oh no wait she was a Jewess.
So you know I am not to be trusted.
Man you make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.


I was born right here November '43
My dad was a captain in the army
Fighting the Germans in Sicily.
My poor little momma
Didn't know a soul in L.A.
So we went down to the Union Station and made our getaway.
Got on the Dixie Flyer bound for New Orleans
Across the state of Texas to the land of dreams.
On the Dixie Flyer bound for New Orleans
Back to her friends and her family in the land of dreams.
Her own mother came to meet us at the station,
Her dress as black as a crow in a coal mine
She cried when her little girl got off the train.
Her brothers and her sisters drove down from Jackson, Mississippi
In a great green Hudson driven by a Gentile they knew.
Drinkin' rye whiskey from a flask in the back seat
Tryin' to do like the Gentiles do
Christ, they wanted to be Gentiles, too.
Who wouldn't down there, wouldn't you?
An American Christian, God damn!
On the Dixie Flyer bound for New Orleans
Back to her friends and her family in the land of dreams
On the Dixie Flyer bound for New Orleans
Across the state of Texas to the land of dreams
Across the state of Texas to the land of dreams
Randy Newman
better watch out for him too.

[Michael]

Stilltrucking, I must beg your pardon. I have never blamed the Jews for anything.

I never said a thing about Israel in respect to 9/11.

I never said a thing about Jews in relation to the post Katrina genocide.

I never said that we are fighting a murderous war in Iraq to protect the Jews, although that's what others have said. I know that it's mostly to gain control of resources in the world that the US has no right to control.

I did infer that Israel was warned before the first London bombings.

I never talked about the Gaza pullout.

I'm amazed. Where did you get the idea that I blamed the Jews?

I blame the psuedo Crhistians, maybe, in the form of The Regime in Washington.

I heard that Israel warned us about the 9/11 attacks. However, from my viewpoint, I don't believe anyone warned us because I believe The Regime in Washington coordinated them. I know people think I'm a conspiracy theorist for believing that and that people who believe that The Regime didn't have anything to do with it don't have to prove a negative. So the onus is on the people who believe that The Regime coordinated 9/11.

Those people have pointed to extremely strong circumstantial evidence. Maybe the strongest is that no photographs have ever been released of a commercial airliner crashing into The Pentagon. Never! And of course, there's so much more.

But, back to blaming the Jews. I read what I wrote here once again and I don't see where I've blamed Israel.

As an "ally" of the US, Israel was warned about the London bombings. No one can deny that Israel is a US ally.

Other than that, please show me where I blamed Israel.

If there's anything at all, it's the fact that the Israeli government knows about what the self described Christians in Washington do before they do it.

I no more blame American citizens for what The Regime does than I blame Israeli citizens for what the Israeli government does.

I do want the citizens of the US to see the agenda of The Regime in Washington and the more The Regime in Washington is exposed for what it is, the more I'll say that those who continue to support it are complicit in its crimes.

I blame the citizens of the United Kingdom for continuing to support Blair in light of what England's support of the US.

And, if the Israeli government or the government of any other nation continues to support the US in spite of evidence of The Regime's agenda, I'll blame them as accessories to the crimes.

You must point out in any other of my posts where I even mention Israel.

If you don't believe me about 9/11, you're not alone and that's your prerogative. However, my challenge for someone to read both of Griffin's books and explain every anamolie in them still stands.

If you don't believe that the war in Iraq is based upon the lie after lie, that's your prerogative. However, I can repeat those lies again for you.

If you don't believe that The Regime was behind at least some of the "terrorist" attacks, that's also your prerogative. Many of them seem to happen at times when The Regime most needs them. I can feel one happening soon to balance out the New Orleans genocide.

If you don't believe what even Fox News says about The Regime locking people in a convention center in New Orleans, that's your prerogative. Call Geraldo Rivera and Shepard Smith liars and tell me that they hired a cast of thousands of African Americans to look as if they're suffering and they put their jobs on the line by speaking out against the government.

But please don't make things up.

You've floored me with your baseless accusations.

[gypsyjoker]

But please don't make things up.

You did not say that here you said it on the board that you moderate.

One bit of circumstantial evidence that’s already surfaced is the fact that Israel’s Treasury Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was supposed to attend a meeting in a building just above the tube in which one of the blasts took place. There is speculation the Netanyahu was warned by his own government, a close ally of the US, not to attend the meeting. He did not attend the meeting.

what does that mean, what can I infer from that? So Israel know it was going to be attacked but FDR was a jew and he wanted Pearl Harbor to be attacked so he could come to the aid of the internationa jewish l bankers.

If you want to repeat every fuking lie on the internet, then you got to eat your own worlds.

Ithis is about Katrina, this is about rotting corpses laying in the streets of a Great American city, this is about dieing babies. This is about a corrupt incompetent government. This could do more harm to those turds in washington then a thousand Cindy Sheehans, this is a time to stay focused on the USA not Iraq. Going to be an election next year, we need a regime change, it has to start now not in 2008. It will be too late. Time to impeach that mother fukker.

[Michael]

I'll try one more time.

You can infer nothing from the statement you quoted other than the Israeli government was warned about the London bombings. That's all you can infer.

I've already said that that is the only time I have ever mentioned Israel in a post.

I agree with you whole heartedly that The Regime is criminal.

The only reason I brought up any of the other instances is because we're once again being told that this is not an appropriate time to point fingers. But, you are obviously joining me in not being politically correct and pointing the finger at The Regime, or turds as you call them, for allowing many of the deaths, including those of babies, to happen. And I'm glad that you see that. It is time to point fingers.

I wholly admit that I wrote what I wrote about Netanyahu. That's the only time I've ever mentioned Israel in any post anywhere.

I guess if you want to believe I'm anti Semitic, you can. But you have no basis for believing that.

I'm much more anti phony Christian - phony Christian, than I'm anti anything.

I guess I won't answer another baseless accusation if you want to make one. I can only say what is true.

I'm with you on toppling The Regime. In fact, Jefferson said that "the tree of libery must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

If no one is held accountable for the post Katrina genocide, then I will believe that the time has come to spill that blood, including my own.

I don't understand why you're saying what you're saying. I'm totally baffled.

[stilltrucking]

I would bet my bottom dollar you are a veteran... Only a veteran of a war can hate it as much as you do. Let us leave at this. You hijacked the post. This Ain't about Iraq, nothing going to stop that because the congress is to chicken shit to deal with that. but this is something they can run with. We may not see pictures of coffin's coming home, but those rotting corpses laying in the streets of New Orleans are going to stick in the minds of the American public.

going to be hard to spin those images away, no matter how many trips he makes to New Orleans, or how many hugs he gives on prime time tv. Do you think it might help if he gives Michael Brown of FEMA a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Yeah that could do it a nice cereomony in the Rose garden.

[jimboloco]

charmaine veville video

I was thinking about the relationship between the Iraq War and the New Orleans third world in America's poor underbelly tragedy.
Had been pondering about it as I was getting myself together for the Vets for Peace counter-recruiting at the high school last Friday morning. When I saw that first young woman approaching, the first student, a healthy black girl, taller than me, I instinctively drew the connection between the War in Iraq and the forsaken people of New Orleans and did not hesitate to say so. The response was unanimous, I spoke to about thirthy students, anout ten parents, all in all we dished out hundreds of leaftets against Americas skewed imperialist wars and at the same time connected it to the misuse of our young people in the military when they should be training for jobs that help people. Etc.

Bringing the Iraq War into NewOrleans is exactly what should happen.