Monday, December 3, 2007

Two Years Later...

Sam Jackson tells us that there is less care for mental patients; cops are shooting more and more of them, who are no longer institutionalized. Closed the only public hospital - there is no place to go if you don't have health care.

Homelessness is waaay up; the council wants to push the homeless out of the French Quarter (the traditional tourist spot - where you go to eat muffulattas [giant sandwiches] and hurricanes [red syrupy cocktails]).

Internally displaced citizens are supposed to be taken care of, under the U.N. guiding principles.

Gardner talks about how the U.N.'s principles - based on treaties the U.S. has signed - should make the government help people return to their homes following natural disaster. You have the right to return or voluntarily be resettled. You have the right to health care, an environmentally safe house.

Homes are being bulldozed, still. One man was trying to get his road-home money, got wrapped up in red tape. He finally got the money the day after his home had been demolished...

The public hospital will be reopened, but privatized. Disaster capitalism.

Gardner, in New Orleans, saw a sign for "Condominiums by Donald Trump." (More on infrastructural change in New Orleans.)

Gardner: "I think there is a plan to rebuild New Orleans." It just doesn't include the citizens of New Orleans.

Sam Jackson reports that his community still has no hope of returning "at this moment." Two years later.

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