This came to me this evening from a friend who is in the Green Party... everything below the next line was copied verbatim from my friend's e-mail.
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I know we're all being bombarded with this, but this is a perspective that, I think, is invaluable.
Forwarded to me from my friend Lynne. Leenie and I worked worked on political stuff together, at a distance mostly, but occasionally got to hang out. She's a wonderful person and I am overjoyed to know she's ok.
This is just some of what she had to say. Additionally, if you're not already, please visit the Indymedia site for New Orleans for a realistic view of what's going on:
http://neworleans.indymedia.org/++++
"Right now, I have several friends that are missing or trapped in New Orleans.
My friend, Adam Wilson, a fellow Louisiana Green, is currently holed up in the
American Can Building with another Green, Christina Kucera (of Planned
Parenthood Louisiana), her partner, Jordan Flaherty of New Orleans Palestinian
Solidarity and 2 other friends. For you Greens, Adam ran for State Rep last
December in New Orleans (www.electgreens.com). We have heard no word on their
current condition but talked to them about an hour or 2 before the storm hit.
Adam's girlfriend, Megan, another Green & friend, is up in Connecticut. They
are expecting a baby girl this October. If anyone knows anything, or any info
on the Can Bldg-anything, please let us know.
My other friend, & registered Green, RR Bill Crescenzo, and his immediate
neighbor, Charmaine Neville (sister of the Neville Bros.) have not been heard
from and we know they stayed. We also know that when they dynamited the levee
by the Industrial Canal in the 9th Ward, they used too much dynamite and
subsequently flooded the corridor of St. Claude Ave. in the Bywater neighborhood
which Bill and Charmaine and a Green Party member, Andrea Garland lives. Andrea
has learned that her house is seriously flooded. This was where we were putting
our Green Party Office. Means nothing now but we had a lot of projects we were
working on and this is the other side of our loss as well. She evacuated to the
Waco Peace House with her husband and cats and she is currently trying to get a
bus full of supplies put together and will be driving back to as close as she
can get into New Orleans with some members of Veterans for Peace.
I am terribly worried about RR Bill and Charmaine so if anyone knows anything,
please contact us. Bill is on medication and I know he will not leave his dog
behind at all.
I have a friend, Karim, holed up with 4 others in the Cafe Roma on Magazine St.
Their situation is getting dire. They have barricaded themselves in. They have
a land line and can receive incoming calls only. She can see outside on their
block several dead bodies in the street. They have food, no water but soft
drinks and a bar, they have cash from the register. There were 2 attempts by
armed thugs to break into the restaurant which they managed to hold off but
shots were fired. They are desperate to get out and need to know where to go.
They are afraid of leaving this "safe" spot until they know the route they are
on will get them out. If anyone can confirm for us whether or not the Crescent
City Connection Bridge to the Westbank is open-can they make it towards there
and walk across? What is the road open out of the city--I-10 West?
Another friend, Mike, active in the anti-war movement is low on water and in the
French Quarter. He says that the Quarter is safer than most places and he has
not left there. He said that today he witnessed hordes of people walk down N.
Rampart St towards the Superdome in hopes of being evacuated or trying to find
food. He says that there is no food. All of the supermarkets are now empty and
unfortunately, unless they get some aid in, he suspects that individual homes
will be targeted next as people are starving. Literally starving. He also has
witnessed many instances of the police looting in the stores and then leaving
them open to be finished off. The looting is almost entirely for food and the
national media is apparently trying to make it seem otherwise. He said looting
is occurring in all of the parishes, not just Orleans and the looters are
racially mixed-just like the neighborhoods that they are looting in and it's
mostly food stores and supplies like diapers and so forth that is being
targeted. He says he has experenced no tension amongst the fellow refugees. He
says there is tension towards the authorities and that the police are upset as
well that there is no food. He wants people to please start calling the media,
the govt., whoever and demand that they drop water and food to them. They are
very desperate. It's Friday and no one has received anything."
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