Red Cross Shelter like a prison!

[Gold Metal Flake]

Heard an amazing account of a Red Cross shelter being run like a prison.

This morning, Rosa Clemente was on Democracy Now telling her account of her travels with a vidiographer and a lawyer in NOLA.

She spoke of being denied access to a Red Cross shelter by BR cops and NG while CNN was inside. Quite a stand-off ensued. Residents of the shelter related how they had very little access to information, no help with FEMA forms, little food, curfews, and, of course, "gang types" not being allowed to wear sneakers. Independant media is being shut out in favor of the corporate whores, by force!

I missed much listening to it above the rattle of my veg-powered diesel engine during my commute. Don't take it from me, wait a little while and then stream when they put the recording of the show up on the Democracy Now website, or catch one of the replays on Pacifica radio or Link TV.

http://www.democracynow.org

http://www.RosaClemente.com

[SteppingRazor]

1. Yeah, that's life in the indie media...

You keep your ethics and political stands, but you have to give up access.
To the National Guard, CNN are journalists. People like Clemente are nutters with cameras.

[ohio_liberal]

2. "gang types" not being allowed to wear sneakers

:wtf:

They're afraid riots will break out over shoes?

[Gold Metal Flake]

3. I believe that what was reported...

...is that, and verify this later, that if someone is "identified" (the method was not explained) by the RC or, I guess, any of the armed authorities present, their shoes were taken and prison slippers issued. I ASSume that it is because of certain shoes affiliated with certain gangs, or similar.

Just the idea of a vetting and confiscation process going on kinda pissed me off.

[ohio_liberal]

5. Well apparently the Red Cross is a bunch of morAns

That's just ridiculous. It's easier to identify a gang member by tatoos, grafitti or gang logos on personal belongings, or a predominance of one color in the clothing worn. Taking away shoes doesn't make anyone suddenly non-identifiable as a gang member. Doh!

[Mend]

4. I have posted this on another thread but it bears

repeating. We have lived in coastal Florida for over 25 years and we never evacuate. Shelters are like prisons. They and motels won't take our pets. Once out of your house, you can't get back in. Once in a shelter, you can't get out. If you can get up I-75 in time to leave the state, great, otherwise this old two-laner is a parking lot by the time we know the hurricane is going to hit.