Fwd: [ NOLA_C3_Discussion] re: Amy Goodman run out of FEMA trailer park

[Guest guest]

From dailykos:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/24/23344/0971

 

Amy Goodman " run " out of FEMA park

by gabbardd [subscribe]

 

Mon Apr 24, 2006 at 08:03:44 PM PDT

 

It was unbelievable what happened to Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! inside one of

the FEMA trailer parks outside of New Orleans.

 

The people there are not permitted to speak to the press, unless they leave Camp

property.

 

The camp, by the way, is run by a private contractor.

 

Below the fold is the exchange between Amy, park residents/Katrina refugees, and

the stormtroopers in charge.

 

It's worth reading. Is this our future?

 

http://www.democracynow.org/...

 

gabbardd's diary :: ::

 

AMY GOODMAN: That was Donna Azeez, speaking to us in Renaissance Village in

Baker, Louisiana. As we traveled around, the security guards told us that we had

to leave. These were security guards from C.S.S. of Grand Rapids, Michigan,

hired by FEMA. That's Corporate Security Solutions. These were guards, a number

of whom had been in Afghanistan and Iraq. The residents, though, of Renaissance

Village, seemed surprised that they weren't allowed to speak in their own

community, and one man asked if he could talk to us.

And this is what happened.

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Deception. Lies. A famine. A shortage.

 

AMY GOODMAN: Wait, don't stop.

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Everything. And it ain't no good to be here.

 

SECURITY GUARD: Turn it off.

 

AMY GOODMAN: We were going in the car, and he said, " Please interview me. "

 

SECURITY GUARD: Yeah, he -- he can't. That's not his privilege.

 

AMY GOODMAN: He's not allowed to talk?

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: What's wrong? What's wrong?

 

SECURITY GUARD: You can go -- get that -- you've known the deal since --

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: No, I don't know the deal. Tell me. What is the

deal?

 

SECURITY GUARD: You can go get interviewed as long as it's off post.

Otherwise, you, like I said, I can call the 800 FEMA number and have them come

in --

 

AMY GOODMAN: You mean, he has to come off of the property?

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: What is -- there's a problem being

interviewed?

 

SECURITY GUARD: Turn it off.

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Turn it off, man. I don't want no problems.

 

AMY GOODMAN: Okay.

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: 'Cause I don't know anything about not being able

to be interviewed.

 

SECURITY GUARD: You -- no, you can be interviewed, as long as it's off the

installation.

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Well, okay, we can move over there.

 

SECURITY GUARD: Other than that that [inaudible].

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Okay, we can move over there. `Cause I was sitting

out here reading my Bible. But I didn't know anything about -- we will not being

interviewed, because --

 

SECURITY GUARD: Yes, you can be interviewed --

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Okay.

 

SECURITY GUARD: -- if they had a FEMA representative with them, but since they

don't and do not have an appointment --

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Oh, okay. `Cause I know they do it all the time.

 

SECURITY GUARD: Yes, they have the FEMA public relations officer with them.

 

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Okay, well, I didn't know.

 

SECURITY GUARD: I'm not mad at you, Red. You know that.

 

AMY GOODMAN: As we drove off of Renaissance Village, we were chased by the

guards in golf carts, who said they would be taking down our license plate and

that we couldn't return. This was the day after FEMA had ended the free meals

that they had been providing to the more than thousand people, anyone who wanted

to take advantage of it in Renaissance Village, again, about an hour away from

New Orleans in Baker, Louisiana.