Notes from the Underground (Railroad)
Crossposted at My Left Wing, Booman Tribune, Daily Kos, and MyDD
One of the things I had hoped for this blog would be that it would be an opportunity for Dean-inspired activists to stay connected whether or not we still post or lurk on Blog for America. I want us to be able to easily find out what our fellow "Deaniacs" are up to, and how to support them if we feel so inclined. That's why I post things like Lauren in Tokyo's Sending Smiles project, mentioned here. It's why I have a blogroll consisting of links to our diaries or individual blogs, and it's why I post links to new diary posts when I find them, with the hope that we can help each other out with recommendations if we so choose. In that spirit, I'd like to share the most recent post by Quintus Jett of African Americans for Dean, posted over at the Underground Railroad. I think this is a discussion that many in the "liberal blogosphere" are interested in, but they may not know that this particular discussion is going on right now.
Quintus writes:
Like so many people, I am deeply concerned about the evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. What I think most about is how so many have had their political voices effectively cut off by being scattered to adjacent states and all around the country.
Presently, the way I look at it breaks down into three things:
1. Who are the evacuees? How can we get real data of who they are, capturing the variety of people who are out there? How can we get communicate who the evacuees are, in ways that break down any presumptions or stereotypes we may have?
2. What would it look like to have all kinds of evacuees reconnected with each other, wherever they may happen to be now? Surely, we know that this is happening already, due to the efforts of governments, churches, families, and numerous volunteer efforts. Is there some kind of order to these reunions that we can all opt-in to?
3. What would it look like to have evacuees speaking for themselves in a systematic way, despite being spread out all around the country? Could they be reconnected with the local and state politicians already elected to represent them? (I hear these officials are all congregated in Baton Rouge).
Are you motivated to work on any of these issues? Do you know others who are contributing to these issues already?
Today's (belated) comics:
ReplyDeleteSame Thing
Mission Accomplished
Pick Your Poison
Nihilism
Red State
Not For A Long Long Long Long...
Wile E. Bush
Deep
Even Deeper
Screwball
You Know
Common Thread
South By Southwest
Minstrel Show
I saw this link on Democratic Underground. We laughed so freaking hard I just had to share this (even though I don't normally like Andy Dick).
ReplyDeletePresidential Speechialist
Reuters Says Bush Photo Not 'Malicious,' Reports Wide Interest at Home and Abroad
ReplyDeleteWith confirmation that an accidental photo of President Bush at the United Nations on Wednesday, writing a note to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about a “bathroom break,” was indeed real, newspapers around the U.S. and abroad are now planning to run it widely. But many, it seems, will treat it as something more than a joke.
A source at the Washington Post tells E&P that the paper is considering it for prominent play, in the context that, at least in some minds, it raises questions about overall perception of the U.S. at the United Nations, right or wrong. Reuters reports extremely strong interest in the photo today.
The fact is, according to Reuters -- and this has not been widely reported -- President Bush did indeed take a bathroom break after passing the note to Rice.
This apparently raised some eyebrows around the room, because American representatives (among others) have a reputation for suddenly bolting, though normally for a far different reason than this latest one. Fair or not, the European press has already had a field day with the photo, often centering on the notion that Bush had to ask Rice for permission, or warning of a "leak at the U.N."
Click for more
Quintus is, of course, absolutely right. These are excellent idears. Seems to me I saw something, here? about efforts to reconnect evacuees with their electid reps. Since I can't actually do anything to help, would it be all right for me to put forward these idears on the PDAMA listserv, DAFD, and wherever else I can think of?
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid to even peek at BFA in light of what Renee says in her latest post here. What on earth is going on that's sooooooooooo horrible? Or, will I need to see it to believe it? I was thinking again last night that it's a pity we can't coopt Greg Green, he of the terrific posts, for the Shadow Blog. I sure hope the Shadow Blog gets lots of traffic. I don't know what I'll do if it goes under!!!
Catreona, I don't think it's especially bad today. I've just personally reached my limit of tolerance.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Renee and Quintus for posting on this subject.
ReplyDeleteThis dipersal makes me think of the diaspora, or even the Shoah, if that is the correct spelling. I hate it.
It would be so great if the New Orleans community could remain cohesive and retain its political and social voice. I wonder if the Jewish community would be able to help out, and if an old link between the black community and the Jewish community which has become frayed, could somehow be reknit around this issue.
Jaydean, I'd thought about that too. It may be possible for the old bond between Jews and Blacks that worked so well in the Civil Rights Movement to be reestablished. Certianly, it seems to me that the experience of the Jewish Diaspora is highly relevant here. Something has to be done. I saw a story on tonight's local news which mentioned that forty-to familys are here in Springfield, in western Mass. How can they maintain their cultural cohesion here, I wonder? The piece said they arre dependant on the Red Cross. Our local TV stations have been very lauditory of the Red Cross, to the exclusion of other groups. So, the mention of the forty-two families was just sort of an aside, reflecting yet morr glory on the RC. Pretty sick making, actually. There was no detail whatsoever about where the families are being housed, what arrangements are being made for the children's schooling or finding employment for the adults. Just how wonderful the RC is. I don't think they even give equal time to the Salvation Army, which is a much better org. IMO.
ReplyDeleteSigning off for tonight. See you guys over the weekend.
BTW did anyone know, today is POW/MIA Rememberence Day. I think that's a good thing. It doesn't glorify war in any way; quite the reverse.
Anyway, later, friends.
For those who don't read BFA, Demetrius gets my award for quote of the day.
ReplyDelete__________________________________
Demetrius wrote on September 16, 2005 09:38 PM:
We have to fight the hurricanes in Venezuela so we don't have to fight them *here*. The fact that they are loaded with oil has nothing to do with it.
Renee ~~ I'm getting awful close. I think it has more to due with the fact, at this point, that we will NOT be listened to.
ReplyDeleteMarion's workshop on bullying: Talked to Edwin about it ~~ he said he thought we should all chip in to send Tara, lol! But he was serious.
To pretend to be (or actually be) unable to dectect bullying, baiting, hurting on such a massive scale is beyond. . . .
A couple of weeks ago there was a terrible thread ~~ several people got timeouts. Robert, who'd pledged to Tara he'd quit with the "killing" thing, violated it, and was not touched.
Not as far as I'd hoped, either, jax
ReplyDeletepuddle, could you click my name and recommend this diary over at My Left Wing? Doesn't take as many recommendations as the other blogs, and I was hoping to get this back on the recommended list.
ReplyDeleteRenee, just love the speachialist!
ReplyDeleteDemetrius, you should submit your crack-me-up stuff to the Jon Stewart show. Seriously not kidding!
Puddle, if everyone would either leave or ignore when the blog destroyer appears, maybe something would be done by HQ. Because, BFA would fairly quickly come down to just the blog destroyer and its aliases and a few other people who like to "debate" the blog destroyer.
"jaydean said...
ReplyDeleteDemetrius, you should submit your crack-me-up stuff to the Jon Stewart show. Seriously not kidding!"
I'm pretty sure I *got* that from the Daily Show.
Hey, jaydean, jaxrook, and Holly, if you're still here. Didn't mean to ignore you, just knew that puddle was a member at My Left Wing.
ReplyDeleteEarlier in the day I was over at the Democratic party blog (click). There are some good post-speech entries there:
Bush's Speech: Tonight You're Not Alone, Two Weeks Ago I Was Busy Eating Cake
Bush's Speech: Touts Inspector Generals Overseeing Reconstruction, Doesn't Mention Karl Rove
Bush's Speech: Bush Touts New Jobs, Doesn't Mention Lower Wages
jaydean ~~ I do do that an awful lot. And so do a lot of others. I wuz hoping they'd come here on such occasions, but habits are very hard to break AND to set up.
ReplyDeleteThe catch is, once the BFA habit is broken, will it translate into a new blog "habit" or just to general apathy? To allow the "legacy" of Dean to be wasted like this is a crime, as far as I'm concerned.
In other news, there appears to be a teacher at our son's middle school unfamilar with such concepts as "pick your battles" and "is this the hill you want to die on?" Our son is unable, after 3 weeks of school, to tell us the name of that teacher, because that's how his brain works. Memorizing states and capitals at age 3--piece of cake. Learning teachers' names--not so much.
ReplyDeleteWith Demetrius having all the roof work to do, and then going right into a time where he was busy with projects, we just hadn't pushed for the IEP meeting yet. But Mr. X appears to be forcing our hand.
--
Another diary...
Katrina evacuees called 'yard apes' by college official by Pam in Durham
(click)
Thanks again Renee for setting this blog up.
ReplyDeleteBFA is getting to be too much for me to take.
♥ Jessica.
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations on being elected committee chair.
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Click for Brian Williams' blog. It is good to see news people actually holding this administration accountable. But it's still hard to read this sort of thing...
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I am duty-bound to report the talk of the New Orleans warehouse district last night: there was rejoicing (well, there would have been without the curfew, but the few people I saw on the streets were excited) when the power came back on for blocks on end. Kevin Tibbles was positively jubilant on the live update edition of Nightly News that we fed to the West Coast. The mini-mart, long ago cleaned out by looters, was nonetheless bathed in light, including the empty, roped-off gas pumps. The motorcade route through the district was partially lit no more than 30 minutes before POTUS drove through. And yet last night, no more than an hour after the President departed, the lights went out. The entire area was plunged into total darkness again, to audible groans. It's enough to make some of the folks here who witnessed it... jump to certain conclusions.
It is impossible to over-emphasize the extent to which this area is under government occupation, and portions of it under government-enforced lockdown. Police cars rule the streets. They (along with Humvees, ambulances, fire apparatus, FEMA trucks and all official-looking SUVs) are generally not stopped at checkpoints and roadblocks. All other vehicles are subject to long lines and snap judgments and must PROVE they have vital business inside the vast roped-off regions here. If we did not have the services of an off-duty law enforcement officer, we could not do our jobs in the course of a work day and get back in time to put together the broadcast and get on the air. As we are about to do.
"puddle said... 11:11 PM"
ReplyDeleteI do find that I post more on BFA than here just out of habit. I've gotten into a Full-On Klingon (sheath your ceremonial blade, cross your arms, turn your back) Discommodation Shun for the most obnoxious posters over there. So, I don't get as annoyed as would automatically break the habit for me. I do have to say I *love* the crowd here!
Hi, seashell! ♥s
ReplyDeleteI just quit DFA, in case anyone notices I'm gone.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it. jc had her post deleted this morning in the new thread.
ReplyDeleteI think the blog nanny needs a time out.
Would folks mind if I posted here for a while?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletejc you can't say you didn't give BFA the "old college try" you stuck there longer than most
ReplyDelete