Dean, Conyers, McKinney expected at March to Gretna on Monday.

http://www.louisianaweekly.com/weekly/news/articlegate.pl?20051107q

March demands accountability of Gretna police action
November 7, 2005

"A March to Gretna in protest of the actions of the Gretna police in the aftermath of Katrina and in support of displaced African-Americans from New Orleans, who continue to be denied access to participation and opportunity in the reconstruction process is planned for Monday, November 7.

"While we honor the heroic activism of Rosa Parks, we cannot celebrate the end to racism or injustice in this country," said Reverend Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus when announcing the March on the same day that the nation buried Rosa Parks.

According to organizers of the March, fifty years after a forty-two year old woman defied the denial of access to public transportation, African-Americans continue to be denied access - to the public roads and personal safety.

In the aftermath of Katrina, New Orleans authorities directed people to evacuate the city by crossing the Crescent City Connection Bridge which spans the Mississippi River linking New Orleans to the west bank city of Gretna. It's alleged that if you were black or in the company of blacks, armed Gretna police with guard dogs blocked you from evacuating New Orleans. Reportedly, under orders from Gretna Police Chief Arthur S. Lawson, the bridge was sealed off and evacuees denied safe passage when Gretna police officers fired shots in the direction of the crowds.

The March to Gretna, organized by the Hip Hop Caucus and UP (United Progressives) for Democracy, will commence with a rally at the New Orleans Convention Center. It is expected to attract Howard Dean, Chairman, Democratic National Committee; Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, and Congressman John Conyers."

A concerted presense would make as dramatic and positive a statement as the cynical lack of concern by the Republicans made so dramatic a negative statement in Katrina's aftermath.


TC

I posted in LBN, but then did not see it for a long time. Now it is there. Crossposting was not intentional.

Anyway, it is an important event. I remember watching TV and crying when I heard about this.

Independent World Television is coming and now this!

Progressives are doing something about the fascist takeover!

Or I did get it. Just realized I have not gotten one in a long time. Wonder why?

15 minute "birthofanetwork" video!

http://www.iwtnews.com/videoplayer/birthofanetwork/dialup

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5280775

I just sent some money to them..first I heard about it:)

http://p076.ezboard.com/fpoliticalpalacefrm68.showMessage?topicID=129.topic

"The March to Gretna, organized by the Hip Hop Caucus and UP (United
Progressives)for Democracy, will commence with a rally at the New Orleans
Convention Center.Marchers to Gretna will feature Rev. Yearwood, Kim Gandy, Rev.
Lee and Ron Daniels and also include Howard Dean (Chairman, DNC), Rep. John
Conyers(invited), Van Jones (ColorofChange.org, Ella Baker Center for Human
Rights), "Cousin Jeff" Johnson (People for the American Way, BET), Curtis
Muhammad (Community Labor United), Angela Winfrey (People's Institute), Russell
Henderson (Rebuilding Louisiana Coalition), Shauna Sassoon (New Orleans
Network/League of Pissed Off Voters), Rosa Clemente (Malcolm X Grassroots
Movement), Malik Rahim (Common Ground), Joe Leonard(Black LeadershipForum) and Julia Butterfly (Circle of Life
Tour)."

Here is a short interview clip from November 2 when he had just found out about the march. He said the Democrats would be supporting, and it looks like he is. He mentioned the words he used at the convention in Miami when he said that "skin-color, age, and economics" were an issue after Katrina. He then said he got hate mail from all over the country. He said that anyone who thought racism was dead in this country is just not thinking at all.
http://www.odeo.com/audio/332322/view

Here is what got him the hate mail, words he said at a convention of African American
Baptists in Miami. They were carefully chosen words, well said. They were not worthy of hate mail. How sad.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9247380/

MIAMI - Race was a factor in the death toll from Hurricane Katrina, Howard
Dean told members of the National Baptist Convention of America on Wednesday
at the group’s annual meeting.

Dean, chairman of the Democratic Party, made the comments to the Baptists’
Political and Social Justice Commission. The National Baptist Convention,
with an estimated 3.5 million members, is one of the largest black religious
groups in the country.

“We must ... come to terms with the ugly truth that skin color, age and
economics played a deadly role in who survived and who did not,” Dean said.

Dean said Americans have a moral responsibility to not ignore the
devastating damage caused by Hurricane Katrina when it struck the Gulf
Coast.

The former presidential candidate said the government will be judged by how
it treats the old, the young and the poor.

‘They are not refugees’
“People are poor in different parts of the country. They are not refugees.
They are Americans,” he said.

Dean said that instead of considering proposed estate tax breaks, the Senate
should channel the money into disaster relief.

“Shall we give that to the wealthiest people in the country, or should we
rebuild New Orleans?” Dean said.
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