What is happening in New Orleans right now is a tragedy.
More than 4,500 families are about to lose their homes – homes that are perfectly good and were undamaged by the hurricane. The public housing that mainly serves low in come people of color is about to be demolished by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make way for wealthier, whiter, housing. It is an attack specifically targets working class women of color and their children, who have been working to reclaim these units since Hurricane Katrina. With Hurricane Katrina survivors around the country unable to return to their homes, and the residents who are left being pushed out at every opportunity, this housing demolition is a blatant example of the ongoing ethnic cleansing that has taken place in New Orleans after authorities exploited hurricane Katrina to displace families, gentrify the area, and re-make the city into a very different place.
For more info see:
http://www.peopleshurricane.org/
http://www.defendneworleanspublichousing.org/ http://www.defendneworleanspublichousing.org/docs/HUD%20DEMOLITION%20FACT%20SHEET.pdf
the public housing. Last week the Katinra Solidarity Network held a solidarity demonstration in Oakland, alongside demonstrations in other cities across the country.
After a series of small victories in postponing the demolition, this morning was supposed to be a hearing on the demolitions of public housing. Residents and activists came out to City Hall, and were subsequently attacked by police. Residents and allies were peppersprayed, forced out of City Hall, many arrested, and then tasered outside. Many people are in need of medical attention.
This is an outrage. If you have even a few minutes and can get on the phone this morning, please IMMEDIATELY call members of the New Orleans City Council to let them know that tazering and pepperspray on peaceful residents is an outrage and that the country is watching them.
City Council Contact Information
Arnie Fielkow 504.658.1060 afielkow@cityofno.com
Jacquelyn Clarkson 504.658.1070 jbclarkson@cityofno.com
Stacy Head 504.658.1020 shead@cityofno.com
Shelly Midura 504.658.1010 smidura@cityofno.com
James Carter 504.658.1030 jcarter@cityofno.com
Cynthia Hedge-Morrell 504.658.1040 chmorrell@cityofno.comCynthia
Willard-Lewis 504.658.1050 cwlewis@cityofno.com
Oakland Action pictures from indybay:
praxis makes perfect 
Please check out the Tasler’s for Kids ad and that will wake everyone up as to the lethality of Tasers. The UN has declared the Taser a weapon of torture, worse than waterboarding. Anyone could die from just one tasering. These must be against the law. They are not being honest about the deaths and injuries from tasers. Someone with AIDs or a pacemaker, or many other diagnosed and undiagnosed diseases will die. It is torture.
The electric chair is outlawed, and Electric Shock treatment is outlawed, why not tasers? Because they can’t be traced and leave no evidence so the cause of death can be attributed to something else.
Barbaric
Barbara Registered Nurse
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE FREEDOM TO ASSEMBLE PEACEABLY?????
Welcome to the police state!