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Katrina Evacuees: Next Steps?
There is a lot of anger in the African American community in
response to what happened in
"African Americans for Democracy" is developing
steps to re-establish democratic mechanisms to empower
There are three steps, in order of priority and complexity:
1. Putting a more
personal face on the evacuees (online posts, audio, video)
2. Helping the evacuees develop local "meetups" where they are now displaced
3. Reconnecting the
evacuees with the local elected officials who represented them in
This last step is the most ambitious, but offers a tangible
vision that speaks to our ideals as Americans. It is providing a mechanism for "virtual democracy" for the
people of
The handling of Katrina's aftermath has revealed some plain truths about racism and classism. These truths provoke many of us to anger. Through this project, we can turn our anger and the tragedy of this hurricane into something lasting and positive for affected Gulf Coast residents.
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Let's talk about what you experienced watching the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and discuss the variety of actions that might be taken on behalf of Katrina evacuees.
Posted by Quintus Jett on September 12, 2005 at 08:01 PM | Permalink
Comments
Hi. What's on your mind?
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:04:31 PM
Sounds fantastic, Quintus. These folks certainly do need to be better represented...politically and on the media. I just finished watching MSNBC Hardball and for the first time I was seeing stories that I've been reading about in the independent news.
Posted by: Charlene | Sep 12, 2005 8:11:13 PM
Hi Quintus,
OK, Let's start with #1.
One thing that's bothered me in the last day or so is the story of the 2 paramedics that were shot at trying to cross the bridge to get out of NO.
I can't help but think that if it were 2 black people telling that story it wouldn't be getting the coverage it is getting.
So, how do we get black people to tell their stories, and how do we get the media to cover it?
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:13:14 PM
Even so, the stories that I was seeing were tempered. For instance, the Police Chief was thanking Bush for his help. What?? He seemed to be using Talking Points with everything he said.
Posted by: Charlene | Sep 12, 2005 8:15:55 PM
#2. Do you mean DFA Link-Ups, or actual Meetups for Hurricane Victims, not associated with DFA?
How would this be publicized?
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:16:15 PM
I know that there's talk out there about whether New Orleans will be rebuilt. But it will. And for whom will it be built? The point of the AAFD project is have the evacuees speak for themselves and hear their views, as a constituency.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:16:40 PM
#3 actually sounds like the easiest to me, and perhaps it should be the first step, not the last. Couldn't we have estabolished Link-Ups print out contact info for NO officials and distribute the lists to evacuees in their area? Or perhaps have DFA pay to "advertise" that info in newspapers where large numbers of people have been evacuated to?
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:19:06 PM
#4 (not mentioned): What about Voter Registration? Either as absentee to NO (if they plan to return) or as new residents where they are.
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:20:17 PM
#1 - The point is to get at some of the stereotypes that might be operating about evacuees.
What Barbara Bush said is perhaps a crude form of what a lot of people believe. A sense that evacuees, particularly those in shelters, really had no life worth living in New Orleans.
It would be worthwhile to ask and get more stories posted and heard (rather than the occasional anecdote). What jobs did people have? What did they own before Katrina?
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:20:32 PM
Jessica, you're so quick that I struggling to keep up. I like that! : )
I'll jump to #3. That one is more involved than it sounds, because creating such a system will involve much more than advertising and creating an online system. Any online system, in order to work, will need a foundation of face-to-face communication and telephone, in order for an internet overlay to work.
I don't think we should assume that all evacuees are not internet savvy. But even if they are, they still might not have access to the internet as reliably as they might if they were "settled."
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:24:01 PM
#2 - I mean physical Meetups, facilitated by common dates and telephone/internet coordination.
Some evacuees are already in homes.
Some evacuees are being housed by churches.
Some evacuees remain in shelters, and the President of the Louisiana NAACP has recently advocated the creation of "shelter committees" that could serve as forms of local representative organization.
DFA volunteers might be of help in this process, because they are distributed throughout the country and have direct experience with this kind of local organizing efforts and could provide some support finding venues and offering advice on organizing meetings.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:27:56 PM
Any online system, in order to work, will need a foundation of face-to-face communication and telephone, in order for an internet overlay to work.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:24:01 PM
Right. That's where I was thinking the local DFA Link-Ups (where the evacuees are) could come into the picture.
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:31:29 PM
#4 - interesting, I know someone who is working with evacuees to get processed in Alabama. Among all the forms given to fill out, voter registration isn't one.
It's unclear what it would mean if an evacuee registered in a new location and state.
It's debatable, but I would argue that each evacuee who was a resident before Katrina still has right to some political voice about what's happening in New Orleans, more so than those of us who weren't residents before Katrina.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:31:54 PM
Right. That's where I was thinking the local DFA Link-Ups (where the evacuees are) could come into the picture.
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:31:29 PM
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Yes, I would like to see some collaboration between AAFD and the local DFA Link-Ups (where the evacuees are). Particularly in Texas.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:33:38 PM
#2 - I mean physical Meetups, facilitated by common dates and telephone/internet coordination.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:27:56 PM
Right, but there are Meetups for everything from Vampires to Poodle Lovers.
I'm asking if they would be DFA Meetups (now Link-Ups). Or if they would be totally seperate from DFA, or if they would even be political.
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:34:15 PM
I'm asking if they would be DFA Meetups (now Link-Ups). Or if they would be totally seperate from DFA, or if they would even be political.
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:34:15 PM
They would be independent of DFA. They would not necessarily be political, but I could imagine the "what do we need?" conversations of an evacuee meeting becoming political. Particularly, the shelter committees that the Louisiana NAACP is talking about, in shelters where conditions are especially bad.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:38:10 PM
I foresee a meeting structure similar to what DFA are already acquainted with. Lots of local meetings around the country that are typically on the same day, but more frequently than once a month. Perhaps weekly.
This concept is old hat to DFA people and others who have used meetup.com.
But I have found most people are still unfamiliar with this structure.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:40:51 PM
They would be independent of DFA.
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:38:10 PM
If Meetup.com is used, a progressive org should offer to pay the organizer fees, since Meetup is now charging for their service.
Posted by: Jessica | Sep 12, 2005 8:41:49 PM
How can we help you make this happen, Quintus?
Posted by: Charlene | Sep 12, 2005 8:43:03 PM
One thing that I've seen is that African Americans from all over are fired up about this.
I'm wondering whether most white Americans will go on to something else, as the immediate needs of evacuees are met.
Is that likely to happen? What can be done to prevent it if it starts to happen?
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:43:24 PM
Still feeling a bit contrarian, I'm inclined to resist the conclusion that the dereliction of duty and exploitation of privilege was motivated by race or class. While the victims of these abuse may take small consolation from thinking that some characteristic of theirs was responsible for the miserable performance by those who should and do know better, it's an explanation which lets everyone who's certain that he/she harbors no such attitudes off the hook. When, in fact, we are all responsible for letting the vulture capitalists prey on the "disadvantaged" year in and year out, not just during emergencies.
One of the things that makes the Republican ideology attractive is that it relieves ordinary citizens of responsibility for how the community is run. And, as long as competent and honorable public servants step forward to do what needs to be done, it's a strategy that makes a lot of sense.
Where the problem arises is when the people who propose to do the public's bidding haven't a clue as to how things get done and rely, instead, on public relations.
In thinking this morning about the difference between public service and public relations, I was reminded that, whatever his faults. Bill Clinton was quite certain about the difference and, no doubt accurate, when he asserted that he had not "had sexual relations with that woman..." He had accepted a service to which he was not entitled and paid rather dearly while the current crew is getting away with murder.
Whether one would buy a used car from any of them seems hardly pertinent. And all the Florida swamp-land has been sold. But wait, there's bodies to be buried and land to be drained in New Orleans. What an opportunity!!! Or, as Georgie would say "a catastrophic success." Or was that a "successful catastrophe."
I'd really like to stay and chat, but it's been a long day.
Posted by: monicasmith | Sep 12, 2005 8:44:12 PM
How can we help you make this happen, Quintus?
Posted by: Charlene | Sep 12, 2005 8:43:03 PM
To start:
1. Email me: [email protected] (or click my name below)
2. Find a way to get in direct contact with groups of evacuees near you. In many cases, there may already be a volunteer group (e.g. church) that has made contact of some kind and is providing relief assistance.
3. Help us make contact with either the evacuees or the relief group. We are preparing a flyer that you can disseminate to either evacuee or relief groups with next steps.
4. As you come across news stories that are related to our three steps, or if you have a particular contribution that you are most equipped to provide, also please email them to me. Or visit the AAFD blog to post in the comment section:
http://africanamericansfordemocracy.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Quintus | Sep 12, 2005 8:50:44 PM
#1 could be an on-line printer friendly newspaper. "The New Orleans On-Line Daily." the people could report on each other. people with internet access could be encouraged to print copies and hand them out to those who aren't. this could also attract msm attention.
Posted by: mprov | Sep 12, 2005 8:51:42 PM
I just don't have much focus right now as far as participating in a discussion, but I've been plugging this discussion here and there. Patricia Taylor left this comment over at Daily Kos:
"Renee, did you see the Bob Brigham's diary on the LA NAACP? There are comments in there by people who are coordinating similar efforts and connecting up with the NAACP in local efforts, as well."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/12/102155/271
Posted by: Renee in Ohio | Sep 12, 2005 8:52:59 PM
Quintus, It's going to be very tough to keep attention on the reasons for the response failures/negligence. Now that Brown has resigned they have the fall guy and the media will be tempted to let up. Keep the anger up and keep expectations up for media outlets.
Partnering with Rapid Response may help keep the media alert up.
Posted by: Charlene | Sep 12, 2005 8:57:05 PM
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