US Military Asks Anarchists for Help in New Orleans

[buzzsaw_23]

The situation in Algiers got a bit more surreal this week when the U.S. military asked the anarchists for help in providing basic services to local residents. A medical military clinic commander asked the folks running the Common Ground Clinic if they could lend a few medics and doctors to the military until the military sets up a “permanent” health clinic on Newton Avenue on Monday.

<snip>

“The military has been sending military Humvees around our neighborhood, blasting amplified messages in front of the clinic telling people to go to different places for care. The locations change each day and they never give our location. They’ve finally decided to set up a permanent clinic after being so disorganized. We don’t need people in combat gear to provide medical care. Nobody wants to get care from people dressed up in military gear who drive around in shiny new Humvees. They are scaring the shit out of people.”

<snip>

“We’ve opened up a clinic and are opening up a mobile clinic. We’ve set up a food distro that has fed 300-400 people. We’ve distributed around 500 personal hygiene kits. People have come together to found the Common Ground Collective. There are people from all over the world here: volunteers from Denmark, doctors from France, Veterans for Peace and Cindy Sheehan. We are doing whatever it takes to fill the void of the needs that exist.”

<snip>

“I have no opinion of him, FEMA or the Red Cross. They are challenging the work we are doing. We opened up the first medical clinic in Algiers . They've turned doctors around. Nobody from the state, federal, or local government is interested in helping us. Where were you? Why couldn't you evacuate people out of harm's way? Why can't you do it if Cuba can? Where are the hospital ships? Why is this like an occupation?"

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050916075223632

[...of J.Temperance]

1. Algiers is the place that I've heard

That some of those mercenaries are riding around after dark, in unmarked black vehicles frightened a bunch of people.

Fucking bastards.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. They should accept. The medics are helping people. Help is what is needed.

[...of J.Temperance]

3. They're frightening them, they don't trust them

These good people are not USED to living in a damn military zone. I'd be frightened as well. There are PLENTY of medical staff throughout Louisiana that would be GLAD to help their own people...for some sinister reason their own medical staff are being turned away.

[Demoiselle]

4. Why are they called "Anarchists!?"

Did I miss something in the article? They call themselves the Common Ground Collective. They are organized, have regular meetings...and are clearly effective. Anarchist has an enormously negative (bomb throwing!) connotation...it has always meant people who want to blow everthing up and engage in decidedly aggressive resistance.! WTF?

[Karmakaze]

5. Just like Liberal means...

take your guns and money and give them to gays and welfare queens...

Anarchist has NOT always meant the shit "they" say it means, no more than Liberal means the shit "they" say it means. Don't fall for their bullshit.

[BrewerJohn]

6. "Anarchism" doesn't mean "chaos" or bomb throwing

though that's the negative spin on it. From what little I've studied, it would be better labeled something like "Radical Decentralism". The idea is of people organizing themselves in small groups for mutual support, without benefit of a central governing authority. Technically, something like the Common Ground Collective could qualify, although they don't seem to self-identify as anarchist on their own site. The Infoshop News people may be claiming them as such on their own.

I'm sure a google on anarchism would be very enlightening. I'm not an anarchist myself, BTW...perhaps a bit of a sympathizer though.