Views
Two Days in New Orleans
Two Days in New Orleans
by
Baruch Zeichner
Friday
2 December 2005
7:20 PM: Things are hopping here in New Orleans. Here's a rundown of the
last two days.
Yesterday, Thursday, December
1 was the first day residents of the lower ninth ward in New Orleans were
allowed back to their neighborhoods to see what was left, or in most cases
to see that nothing was left, of their homes. Contrary to representations
in corporate media, many of these people owned their homes. This was an
area populated by many professionals: doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc.
The corporate media and the government have portrayed the residents of
the lower ninth ward as impoverished urban blacks, when in fact they were
professional, economically stable people living in homes that had been
in some families for generations. This is just another example of the
way racial stereotypes are institutionalized and perpetuated in the United
States.
Common Ground Health Clinic had a
mobile clinic at the checkpoint/entry to the neighborhood. We were under
one of two large tents with tables and chairs, all provided by FEMA or
the city, I'm not sure. Traffic was directed alternately by local police
and National Guard wearing M-16's on shoulder straps to be prepared
for...what exactly? FEMA was there, the (now a profit corporation) Red
Cross, EPA, a prayer chapel in a trailer, the Salvation Army, Hand to
Hand had a clinic going. It was very hectic.
The clinic was staffed by a doctor,
a physician's assistant, two medical students, two nurses, a street medic,
a multi-talented "nonprofessional" and myself. The medic, the
multi-guy and I did intake with people, which was a great way to make
contact with people, have some time to talk with them and listen to them
while they waited for their turn with a practitioner. These folks had
either just seen the wreckage for the first time in person or were on
their way in. They came to us for tetanus shots, hepatitis B vaccine,
flu shots, blood pressure checks, one guy had a bad sore on his leg. From
10 AM to 2 PM we saw about 70 people.
I made contact with a lot of
people. Most of the people who were coming from having seen their house
wreckage were in shock, unable to concentrate, dazed, stunned. There were
hundreds of people around and a lot of them were walking in a daze. Some
people I saw were able to feel some (positiveness), and a few were absolutely
beaming with gladness to be alive. Some people were finding friends and
neighbors, and that was beautiful to witness; the excitement and joy.
There was one woman screaming to her friend across the parking lot, there
were four older women who were just all smiles seeing each other, taking
pictures of each other in pairs. All these people lost everything. Every
momento, every bit of physical connection to their lives other than their
bodies and the clothes on their backs.
I continue to hear from different
people their certainties that the levee was blown up, and that it wasn't.
That discussion continues to be spoken all around the city. Both arguments
are plausible. I don't know what to believe. I spent some time on the
phone with a person who was in crisis, did laundry, and now I'm finally
getting down to writing. All in all, two good days.
What I'm finding at the clinic
is that if I do massage with people, they usually talk, cry, laugh, and
it’s working as a way to make contact. The days of sitting in the
waiting room and doing impromptu counseling are done at least for now.
The massage is a great way to connect, I'm loving it.
In terms of my thoughts about
the bigger picture, I continue to see that the United States is essentially
winding down. The corrupt politicians and corporate greed and warmongers
are in control of so many resources, including the greatest one: the minds
of many of the people. The propaganda machine and the psychological effects
of the ways the lies are put out has so many people numbed and essentially
walking in lockstep, and yet there is a revolution happening in this country.
It's not a thing trying to happen, it's happening. This all with the backdrop
of, among other things, an ongoing war against people of color. I know
for a lot of white people, my saying that there is a war against people
of color may seem hyperbolic, but from what black people say to me, many
of them see that the United States is killing people of color around the
world, and certainly here at home. We all know who's on death row, and
it’s mostly men of color. The worldwide white supremacy movement
which Hitler was part of and which Bush & Co. are part of, rolls on.
The Bush family provided part of the financial support for the explorations
into eugenics at Yale University in the 1920's.
People are making new ways of
being in new kinds of communities. New Orleans is just one example. The
possibilities here are amazing. If some solar and wind power folks would
get jazzed about New Orleans and be willing to donate some good demo projects,
I'm sure that the projects would receive community support, fuck the politicians,
and the good will towards those who made the projects would be significant
nationally. If anyone reading this knows of folks like that, please talk
with them or email me or something.
"American" United
States culture is in such a state of decay, and yet nature uses decay
for food and makes new things from it, and I believe that is what's happening
here.
The above was reprinted with permission from Baruch's Blog. Baruch/Walter
Zeichner is a psychotherapist, bodyworker, permaculturist and former Vermont
resident. Read more at www.walterzeichner.com/Blog/index.html