WINTER OF DISCONTENT - come to New Orleans - Your help is still needed.

[Leopolds Ghost]

They are still looking for support.

This got no response, none so far, from Dems who are
cheering the high turnout of certain anti-public housing,
pro-free trade corporate candidates in the Iowa and NH races.
Nobody offered to get MoveOn on board, etc.

You'd think now would be the time for party-wide groups such as
MoveOn and DU to institutionally promote national issues such as
SAVING PUBLIC HOUSING and avoid playing favorites in the caucuses.

In case anyone is wondering, the fact that this is the
middle of winter and primary season, if it dissuades
anyone from volunteering in New Orleans, is misguided,

because (a) it's the epitome of what we are supposedly
fighting for (b) it is a problem perpetuated by local
Democratic elected officials and the leading candidates
for the Dem nomination are backing the local officials
and are opposed to right of return for the poor of New
Orleans and (c) winter is the only pleasant time of year
to work in New Orleans, it is not a "summer intern"
sort of climate.

Please, PLEASE forward this to any lists you are on.

If you are a member of a national partisan group
such as MoveOn, please ask them to REPOST this call
to action in solidarity with Common Ground Relief
and the other organizations that are participating.


*** NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION ***


Common Ground Relief's National Call to Action,
invites all supporters to join us in New Orleans to stop the
Imminent Demolition of Public Housing.

As part of a collective effort, Common Ground will host
all our national and international guests by providing housing
accommodation in a 165 year historic black church, that we are
currently repairing and renovating.

In order to address the future of public housing and to
"Stop the Bulldozers", Common Ground has put out
this national call to action.

Please join us in New Orleans this "Winter of Discontent".

For further information:

Common Ground Relief

[e-mail]

[phone]

__________________________________


NEWS ON THE CURRENT SITUATION:

Friday, December 21, 2007

The City Council voted unanimously to demolish the four largest public housing developments in New Orleans. The decision to destroy the homes of 4600 families has raised serious concern for a city with over 18,000 homeless people and another projected 50,000 families who will be evicted from their FEMA trailers.

At about 9:30 a.m., public housing residents and activists gathered at the doorsteps of City Hall to discuss their concerns and attend the public City Council meeting scheduled at 10 a.m. After being required to go through metal detectors, public housing supporters who gained entrance were not allowed to bring in backpack or protest signs attached to sticks. The greater conflict arose when hundreds were not allowed to attend the meeting. The crowd was informed that the room was at capacity. Yet, it was reported by an activist that HUD and HANO reps made up a large portion of attendees. As a result, public housing residents who were at risk of permanently losing their homes were not allowed in due to space issues.

Protesters made their way to the side entrance of the City Council Chambers, only to be locked out by chain that secured the gate. Protesters chanted and argued that as taxpaying citizens, they should be allowed to attend the public meeting. Protesters began swinging at the gate, chanting "Stop the Demolition" and "Housing is a Human Right." Police officers tried to secure the gate, but were a bit cumbersome at getting it securely fastened. The doors eventually swung open and a dance between protesters and police started over a continuously open and closed gate.


Police tazared and pepper sprayed the crowd without regard. At least three women were tazared, with one apparently suffering from seizure like convulsions. Activists quickly responded by setting up a triage center on the nearby lawn. Under the unlit neon light of City Hall, milk and water was poured onto faces of victim's with red and swollen eyes.


As the light drizzle turned to rain, protesters continued to protest their exclusion from the meeting. The site of housing residents being prohibited and ignored in front of City Hall, raises serious concern over a local government apparatus that failed its citizens two years ago during the worse disaster in U.S. history. And in the time since the flood, Mayor Ray Nagin and the New Orleans City Council made it a point to declare their support for demolition.


During this afternoon's meeting, Sharon Sears Jasper spoke before the council at approximately 2:41 p.m. Jasper powerfully addressed the council members reminded them about public housing residents deserve to be treated to like the human beings and denounced the council, the Housing Authority of New Orleans, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for denying public housing residents their human rights (refer to audio link).


While protesters rallied at the gate outside, it has been reported that NOPD officers manhandled activists and public housing residents while they demanded that they meeting be open to all the public. City authorities, it appears, were not interested in accommodating the needs and concerns of its citizenry and thus resorted to arrests. The number of people arrested is unknown at this time.

*******

In order to address the future of public housing and
to "Stop the Bulldozers", Common Ground has put out
a national call to action.

__________________________________
Sakura Kone'
Common Ground Relief
P.O. Box 6128
New Orleans, LA 70174

PHONE & FAX: [phone]
CELL PHONE: [phone]
[e-mail]

www.commongroundrelief.org
http://cghc.org

[Melissa G]

1. kick n/t

[Gloria]

2. And then there are the animals...I've been donating to the LSPCA

they've been struggling in a place without running water...Bless them all.

[Mnemosyne]

3. This needs serious

:kick::kick::kick:

[AzDar]

4. K & R...

:kick: