John Walker's Electronic House

It’s a very strange day when I link to Fox News.

But there’s a very strange thing going on in New Orleans. Being out of the country during the revelation of the scale of the disaster meant for a confusing awakening upon return. It turns out that after 60 years of Polish jokes, the Poles aren’t so interested in America, and the truth of what had happened went unmentioned.

So last night as I caught up, seeing the change from Tuesday’s, “Phew, that was close,” to the true volume of the situation, it wasn’t the 80% destruction, or the phenomenal numbers of people killed by the storm that was most over-powering, but the sickly discovery that more people are dying because of inexplicable actions by the military than the hurricaine.

Currently there are tens of thousands of people locked in stadiums, surrounded by dead bodies and people dying, with no food and no medicine, when they are only a short walk from safety. Reporters from the extreme-right Fox News are screaming at their anchors, telling them to shut up and admit what’s happening. This video clip (the server is busy, keep trying – it really must be watched) shows Geraldo Rivera (of all people) and others in tears, as they stand in bemusement in the seeming genocide happening around them.

What is happening? For what possible reason have countless numbers of people been locked into stadiums, left to sit in their own shit, piss and dead friends and family, for four days, without any help, and fucking snipers positioned to prevent them from leaving?

Something is very wrong. When Fox reporters break the company line, they get fired. So these are reporters who have no interest in their jobs any more – just to put the report in perspective.

It gets worse.

The Red Cross are being refused entry to New Orleans by the National Guard, because their “presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.” These would be the people who are locked in to the disease-infested prisons, whom the RC would prevent from evacuating, presumably. The Red Cross state, “Access to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.”

What do the people in the stadiums have that those evacuated from the hotels do not? Black skin, it turns out. Kayne West, during an NBC telethon, suddenly deviated from his script, entirely flooring a completely fatuous and useless Mike Myers. A powerful speech on the attrocities being committed against black people in NO was followed by Myers’ lamely reading his autocue, to which West replied, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” Watch it here.

CNN report on the two versions of the events – the government version, and the “in-trenches” version.

Alternet report on how money to strengthen the levee that broke, flooding the city, was diverted into Iraq.

The mayor of NO gives up on the political crap, and speaks his mind.

“I don’t want to see anybody do anymore goddamn press conferences. Put a moratorium on press conferences. Don’t do another press conference until the resources are in this city. And then come down to this city and stand with us when there are military trucks and troops that we can’t even count.

Don’t tell me 40,000 people are coming here. They’re not here. It’s too doggone late. Now get off your asses and do something, and let’s fix the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country.”

There’s something like a revolution happening, and it’s a gradual one. Blogging has hit a critical mass, instant message means that a link reaches literally millions of people within minutes, and email catches up the rest. Cover-ups aren’t nearly as possible any more. And it’s beginning to get recognised by media outlets. The government line is that aid is arriving, all is well. The people of New Orleans are able to announce this lie instantly and loudly. The message gets spread powerfully. The lie is revealed, and even Fox News can’t keep it quiet. Blimey, it seems like democracy. For me, those people include Kieron, Richard, Tom B and most of all, Kim.

Something awful is happening. Make sure everyone knows.

EDIT: Nick points out that so far there is only Geraldo Rivera’s word to go on that people are locked into the stadiums, and it’s hard to find this reported anywhere else. Bearing in mind Rivera’s history, some more confirmation might be necessary.

EDIT #2: Here’s something.

“One 13-year veteran of the New Orleans police force said he and many fellow officers who had been at the Superdome since Sunday were equally outraged at what they saw as a lack of preparation that allowed the situation in the covered stadium to deteriorate so badly and so quickly.

‘You can’t be trapped in there for so long without going crazy. People were locked in the dome like prisoners,’ he said.”

EDIT #3: Kim finds another site reporting the “locked in” nature of the situation.

“Dirty, fearful and exhausted, they pressed their faces against the metal gates, begging and pleading for the chance to board a bus and get away from a refuge that is a nightmare.

Those lucky enough to get out told tales of rapes, child molestations, shootings, a man who jumped off the roof and a fire that broke out in the giant sport arena where up to 20,000 people had taken shelter from Hurricane Katrina.”