SWOPblogger

Bill Weahkee 9-20-34 to 9-26-00.

Thanks for the reminder, Law.

Bill and Carol at SWOP's 1999 annual Holiday Party:

Sept. 26
karlos says: Happy birthday, Mom. I miss you.

photo credit: Adolphe Pierre-Louis
Top: Local artists show their stuff
Middle: Quetzal's Martha dances for the crowd
Bottom: Quetzal performs one of their jazzy tunes

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

An ad by the Coalition to Exhort Ballot Deception that ran in this Sunday's Journal is a case study in the slimy world of media front groups.

Under surely focus-group-tested names, powerful institutions and people masquerade as ordinary citizen watch dogs. In this case, institutions and businesses against an increase in the minimum wage are offering up a classic switcheroo. With classic distortion, deflection and deception.

Not once do pro low-wagers say they're against raising the minimum wage simply because they don't want to pay higher wages. Instead low-wage proponents say they're against an accountability clause that allows for workers to get simple information regarding the wage hike.

They'd really try to have folks believe that a simple wage hike will overturn every privacy law on the books.

The clause, low-wage backers say, "...allows complete strangers to enter your child's school."

I hope folks don't really believe this type of fear mongering. The truth is, no one can enter your child's school without getting permission by signing up as a visitor.

Not Military Recruiters. Not Community Organizers. Not even guest speakers.

The clause in question is as follows:

Section 5. Notice; Posting and Records.

(A) Notice to Employees. Every Employer shall post in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where any Employee works a notice published each year by the City Attorney informing Employees of the current Minimum Wage Rates and of their rights under this ordinance. Every Employer shall post such notices in English, Spanish and any other language spoken by at least five percent of Employees at the workplace or jobsite. Every Employer shall also provide each Employee at the time of hire the Employer’s name, address and telephone number in writing. Every Employer shall allow any member of the public to access non-work areas of the Employer’s business that are otherwise open to the public or customers generally, such as parking lots, sidewalks, and pedestrian areas, to inform Employees of their rights under this ordinance and other laws. [emphasis added for clarity]

Basically, all it says is that members of the pubic must have access to areas already open to customers and the public. How that turns into the slippery slope claimed by pro low-wagers, I'll never know.

Interestingly, the ordinance also allows for the wage hike to pass if by some radical interpretation some judge deems the accountability clause unconstitutional or invalid for any reason.

The language in the ordinance is as follows:

Section 10. Severability Clause. If any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word or phrase of this ordinance, or any requirement imposed or credit authorized pursuant to it, or the application therof to any person or circumstance, is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this ordinance, or their application to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared that this ordinance and each section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word or phrase therof would have been passed irrespective of any provision being declared unconstitutional or otherwise invalid.

So, if you believe full time employees deserve low wages, by all means vote against the ordinance.

But if you believe full time employees deserve a chance to support their families through dignified wages, vote for the ordinance.

Don't be fooled by low-wage proponents.

Technorati tags:
coalition to expose ballot deception
albuquerque living wage ordinance
living wage
minimum wage

karlos says: two must read articles from Counterpunch and Democracy Now!

Ned Sublette, a New Mexico native, has written a scathing critique of GW's "ghost written speech in front of the temporarily illuminated 1855 statue of slaveowner Andrew Jackson" for Counterpunch. And Jeremy Scahill's on-the-ground reporting for Democracy Now from New Orleans reminds me why independent, informative and insightful journalism is so desperately needed right now. And why I always wanted to be a journalist.

Counterpunch
September 16, 2005
Mr. Bush's Tuba
By NED SUBLETTE
September 16, 2005, 3 a.m.

Pretty much everything Mr. Bush has said since this crisis began has been
unspeakably insensitive. But tonight he topped himself. While reading his
ghost-written speech in front of the temporarily illuminated 1855 statue of
slaveowner Andrew Jackson, he used the most tasteless metaphor of all.
Speaking from the deserted city of New Orleans, he appropriated the image of
the jazz funeral. Read More.

Democracy Now!
September 16, 2005
The Militarization of New Orleans: Jeremy Scahill Reports from Louisiana

We go to Louisiana to speak with Democracy Now! correspondent Jeremy Scahill
who has been in New Orleans this past week. He has been looking into how the
city has changed to a militarized zone and what that means for the residents
who left.

AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about what you have been seeing, who you’ve been
talking to this week?

JEREMY SCAHILL: Well, I mean, in the days that have passed, the week or so
since you were here this past weekend, we have seen a real increase in the
militarization of the city. It's turned into a much greater state of
lockdown. You have more military checkpoints set up. You have less of a
civilian presence in large parts of the city and much more of a military
presence. I mean in fact, I still have only seen one FEMA vehicle, the
entire time I have been here. That wasn't even staffed. Read More:

technorati tags (added at 3pm)
ned sublette
journalism, media, culture, politics, Katrina, new orleans, george, bush, speech, jazz, funeral, Jeremy, scahill, racism, environment, blog

Legal Observer Training in Albuquerque, Thursday September 22, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

We need volunteers to observe the vigilante activity on the U.S. Mexico Border this October. A legal observer follows the Minutemen to ensure there is no violence. Training is free and a new DVD on vigilante activity will be shown. The DVD will also air at the Guild Cinema in Nob Hill on Saturday October 1 and Saturday October 15.

Training will be at St. Francis Xavier Church, 820 Broadway SE, Albuquerque, NM

For more information on this training or to schedule a future training, contact Kimberly Lavender at 266.4622 ext 6

Kimberly Lavender
Communications Manager
ACLU of New Mexico
PO Box 80915
Albuquerque, NM 87198
klavender@aclu-nm.org
go to our website at www.aclu-nm.org

###
----------------------------------

karlos says: the pic above is MMP's actual logo with a sheet over the guy's head.

minutemen
Immigration
ACLU
minute man project
racist
vigilante

(pic credit)

Channel 27 is calling on everyone in the community who is concerned about the increasing power of the media conglomerates, and who wishes to support the survival and flourishing of community media, to join us on September 17th at 3 p.m. here at our studios.

Currently there are three pieces of legislation marching through Congress, written by the large phone companies and supported by some of the cable companies. These would just about end access TV in the U.S. as well as severely hamper the public sector from ever being able to open up the media, wireless Internet etc. for wide spread public use.

We invite you to join us in an e-mail and letter writing avalanche to our Congressional and Senate representatives as well as local elected officials to oppose these bills (S1349, S1504 and HR 3146). We will be here at our studios that day to explain what this legislation would do, facilitate you immediately e-mailing elected officials through our computer lab and equipping you to do more if you wish greater involvement.

By the way, we will have food and refreshments.

Channel 27 is located on the Civic Plaza in downtown Albuquerque right next door to City Hall (in the old Bernalillo County Courthouse between the Plaza and 5th Street). Our entrance is on the Civic Plaza (East) side of the building up the wheel chair ramp. Call us at 243-0027 if you have any questions.


We hope to see you here.

Steve Ranieri

• ABC – Good Morning America (netaudr@abc.com); fax 212 456 7257 phone 212 456 5900

• ABC 20/20 (2020@abc.com); fax 212 456 0533 ph 212 456 2020
• ABC News - National (netaudr@abc.com); ph1(212 456 7777 ph2(212) 222-7777
• ABC Nightline (nightline@abcnews.com); ph 202 222 7000 - 1717 DeSales St., NW - Washinton DC 20036
• ABC Wold News Tonight (netaudr@abcnews.com); fax 212 456 2795 ph 212 456 4040
• ABQ Journal Newsroom (newsroom@abqjournal.com); fax (505) 823-3994 ph 505 832 3800
• ABQ Tribune - Frank Zoretich (fzoretich@abqtrib.com); fax 505-823-3689
• Alibi (tim@alibi.com,alibi@alibi.com); fax 505 256 9651
• Associated Press (Albuquerque) (apalbuquerque@ap.org); fax 505 828 0310 ph (505) 822-9022
• Associated Press (national) fax 212 621 7523 ph 212 621 1400 or 202 776 9400
• Carlsbad Current-Argus (argus@caverns.com); fax 505 885 1066 ph 505 887 5501
• CBS 60 Minutes fax 212 757 9675 ph 212 975 2006 or 212 975 6200
• CBS Evening News (evening@cbsnews.com); fax 212 975 1893 ph 212 975 3691
• CNBC (info@cnbc.com); fax 201 583 5453 ph 201 585 2622
• CNN (cnn.feedback@cnn.com); fax 404 827 1906 ph 404 827 1500
• El Paso Times fax 915 546 6415 ph 915 546 6100
• Editor (lobonews@unm.edu);
• Democracy Now (mail@democracynow.org);
• Taos News (editor@taosnews.com); fax 505 751 3026
• Hobbs News - Sun (editor@hobbsnews.com); fax 505 393 5724 ph 505 393 2123
• Jeff Radford (newstips@corralescomment.com);
• KOAT News Tips (newstips@thenewmexicochannel.com); ph 505 884 6324
• KOB TV News (news@kobtv.com); fax (505) 764-2456 ph 505 746 2453
• KRQE krqesoundoff@krqe.com; fax 505 842 8483KUNM (kunm@unm.edu); fax 505 277 8004
• LA Times (editor@latimes.com); fax 213 237 4712
• SF Chronicle (myi@sfchronicle.com); fax (415) 442-1847 ph 415-777-7100
• MSNBC (world@msnbc.com); fax 201 583 5453
• National Public Radio (ombudsman@npr.org); fax 202 513 3329 All Things Considered ph 202 513 2110
• NBC National fax 212 664 4426 ph 212 664 4444
• NBC Dateline (dateline@nbc.com); fax 212 664 7864 ph 212 664 7501
• NBC Nightly News (nightly@nbc.com); fax 202 362 2009
• NBC Today (today@nbc.com); fax 212 664 4426
• New York Times (nytnews@nytimes.com); fax 212 556 3690
• Newsweek (letters@newsweek.com); 212 445 5068
• PBS Newshour (newshour@pbs.org); 703 730 8458
• Rio Rancho Observer fax 505 892 5719
• Santa Fe New Mexican (editor@sfnewmexican.com); fax 505 986 9417
• Santa Fe Reporter (sfredit@sfreporter.com); fax 505 988 5348
• US News and World Report (letters@usanews.com); fax 202 955 2049
• USA Today (editor@usatoday.com) fax 703 854 2165

Mos Def's new song asks: Where the f--k is Bono and his famous friends now?

Check out Davey D's post at Daveyd.com about Mos Def's new song "Katrina Clap," a remake of Juvenile's "Nolia Clap." It has some great links to conscious music.


Technorati mos def
katrina, cleanup, environment, gulf coast, hurricane, hurricane relief, katrina, louisiana, new orleans, oodwater, red cross, relief, south, storms, toxic

from Louis:


Tune in evening to Afternoon Freeform on KUNM with Cynthia Hernandez to hear a live interview with Quetzal Flores of Quetzal, which along the B-Side Players, ill-kids.com and Kevlee will be performing tomorrow at the SWOP 25th Anniversary Party and Hurricane Benefit.

I hear Cynthia will also be giving away a pair of tickets to the event, which starts tomorrow night (Friday) at 8:00pm at El Rey Theater & Golden West Saloon.

That's this afternoon on KUNM - 89.9 FM Albuquerque and Santa Fe, 91.1 FM in Arroyo Seco, Cuba and Cimarron/Eagle Nest, and 91.9 FM Taos, Las Vegas, Socorro and Nageezi. Those outside northern and central New Mexico can catch it online at http://www.kunm.org/.

katrina, cleanup, environment, gulf coast, hurricane, hurricane relief, katrina, louisiana, new orleans, oodwater, red cross, relief, south, storms, toxic

The SouthWest Organizing Project was founded in 1980 with a mission to empower our communities in the Southwest to realize racial and gender equality, and social and economic justice. Our work is built on a foundation of direct community organizing - building personal and political relationships in the community, developing leadership, and taking action. We are a statewide community based organization and work throughout New Mexico in working class communities of color.

We are seeking applicants for the position of Youth Organizer. This position will work closely with and report to the Lead Organizer and the Executive Director. SWOP is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of national origin, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion. People of color, women and young people are encouraged to apply.

RESPONSIBILITIES

GENERAL DUTIES:

1. Ensure all activities are carried out in line with SWOP Mission Statement and with the involvement of membership.
2. Adhere to Staff Responsibilities Statement.
3. Work with the membership and staff to develop and implement strategic plans for campaigns, program efforts and organizational development.
4. Involvement in overall SWOP campaigns and program efforts.
5. Work to conduct regular system of reporting back to membership and incorporating membership into campaigns.
6. Assist in fundraising efforts by participating in donor recruitment, grassroots fundraising events and the development of foundation proposals and site visits.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

Coordinate Youth Rights Campaign: Work with SWOP youth core group to identify, develop and implement issues campaigns that work to create positive change for low income and young people of color. This includes scheduled outreach for and facilitation of youth member meetings; ongoing campaign development and planning; recruitment; strategic media planning; use of direct action; door to door member contacts and advocacy.

Coordinate SWOP Youth Summer Intern Program: Work with members and staff to develop and implement a youth summer intern program that works to train young people in community organizing. Supervise youth interns working on Youth Rights Campaign.

Political Education and Leadership Development: Oversee youth membership development program including political education and leadership development. Identify and address member development needs through trainings, workshops, conferences, mentorship and movement building activities. Work with youth and adult membership to promote integrated intergenerational organizational culture.

Collaborate with Jovenes Unidos Cultural Worker: Work with the cultural worker of Jovenes Unidos, a partner project to SWOP, to identify areas of collaboration between youth organizing and youth cultural efforts.

Supervise year-long youth intern: Assist youth intern in developing work plans, schedule and systems of accountability, including evaluation.

REQUIREMENTS:

*Bilingual is preferable but not required.
*Ability to organize materials efficiently and present effectively to small and large gatherings.
*Ability to challenge historical problems and traditional solutions and work toward finding creative and just solutions.
*Willingness to participate in training programs to upgrade skills as may be required by this job description.
*Must have reliable transportation with liability insurance.
*Ability to travel out of state and throughout state to achieve specific goals.
*Flexibility to work evenings and weekends.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

1. English literacy.
2. Good communication skills.
3. Basic computer literacy skills.
4. Experience in working with youth and/or community organizing work.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Starting salary range between of $25,000-$27,000 depending on experience including generous vacation and health benefits. Eligible to participate in a retirement plan after one year of employment.

Expected start date is October 15th. Please send cover letter and resume by September 23rd to:

SWOP
Attn: Hiring Committee
211 10th St. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Tomorrow night's concert is an Alibi Lucky Seven pick this week.

Thanks, Alibi! The city wouldn't be the same without you all either.

Friday 9/9 @ 8 PM El Rey Theater - downtown ABQ. Doors open at 7:30 pm.


Quetzal

from our friend, louis...who really should be blogging for the site.

http://wafb.com/Global/SearchResults.asp?qu=neville&x=0&y=0

How We Survived the Flood
By CHARMAINE NEVILLE

Counterpunch
September 7, 2005

http://www.counterpunch.org/
This is a transcription of an interview Charmaine Neville, of New
Orleans's legendary Neville family, gave to local media outlets on Monday,
September 5.

I was in my house when everything first started. When the hurricane came, it
blew all the left side of my house off, and the water was coming in my house
in torrents.

I had my neighbor, an elderly man, and myself, in the house with our dogs
and cats, and we were trying to stay out of the water. But the water was
coming in too fast. So we ended up having to leave the house.

We left the house and we went up on the roof of a school. I took a crowbar
and I burst the door on the roof of the school to help people on the roof.

Later on we found a flatboat, and we went around the neighborhood in a
flatboat getting people out of their houses and bringing them to the school.

We found all the food that we could and we cooked and we fed people. But
then, things started getting really bad.

By the second day, the people that were there, that we were feeding and
everything, we had no more food and no water. We had nothing, and other
people were coming in our neighborhood. We were watching the helicopters
going across the bridge and airlift other people out, but they would hover
over us and tell us "Hi!" and that would be all. They wouldn't drop us any
food or any water, or nothing.

Alligators were eating people. They had all kinds of stuff in the water.
They had babies floating in the water.

We had to walk over hundreds of bodies of dead people. People that we tried
to save from the hospices, from the hospitals and from the old-folks homes.
I tried to get the police to help us, but I realized they were in the same
straits we were. We rescued a lot of police officers in the flat boat from
the 5th district police station. The guy who was in the boat, he rescued a
lot of them and brought them to different places so they could be saved.

We understood that the police couldn't help us, but we couldn't understand
why the National Guard and them couldn't help us, because we kept seeing
them but they never would stop and help us.

Finally it got to be too much, I just took all of the people that I could. I
had two old women in wheelchairs with no legs, that I rowed them from down
there in that nightmare to the French Quarters, and I went back and got more
people.

There were groups of us, there were about 24 of us, and we kept going back
and forth and rescuing whoever we could get and bringing them to the French
Quarter because we heard that there were phones in the French Quarter, and
that there wasn't any water. And they were right, there were phones, but we
couldn't get through to anyone.

I found some police officers. I told them that a lot of us women had been
raped down there by guys, not from the neighborhood where we were, they were
helping us to save people. But other men, and they came and they started
raping women and they started killing, and I don't know who these people
were. I'm not gonna tell you I know, because I don't.

But what I want people to understand is that, if we hadn't been left down
there like the animals that they were treating us like, all of those things
wouldn't have happened. People are trying to say that we stayed in that city
because we wanted to be rioting and we wanted to do this and, we didn't have
resources to get out, we had no way to leave.

When they gave the evacuation order, if we could've left, we would have
left.

There are still thousands and thousands of people trapped in their homes in
the downtown area. When we finally did get into the 9th ward, and not just
in my neighborhood, but in other neighborhoods in the 9th ward, there were a
lot of people still trapped down there... old people, young people, babies,
pregnant women. I mean, nobody's helping them.

And I want people to realize that we did not stay in the city so we could
steal and loot and commit crimes. A lot of those young men lost their minds
because the helicopters would fly over us and they wouldn't stop. We would
make SOS on the flashlights, we'd do everything, and it really did come to a
point, where these young men were so frustrated that they did start
shooting. They weren't trying to hit the helicopters, they figured maybe
they weren't seeing. Maybe if they hear this gunfire they will stop then.
But that didn't help us. Nothing like that helped us.

Finally, I got to Canal St. with all of my people I had saved from back
there.

I don't want them arresting nobody else. I broke the window in an RTA bus. I
never learned how to drive a bus in my life. I got in that bus. I loaded all
of those people in wheelchairs and in everything else into that bus, and we
drove and we drove and we drove and millions of people was trying to get me
to help them to get on the bus, too.

Charmaine Neville is a member of the third generation of New Orleans's
legendary Neville musical family. She fronts the Charmaine Neville Band.

charmaine neville, katrina, cleanup, environment, gulf coast, hurricane, hurricane relief, katrina, louisiana, new orleans, oodwater, red cross, relief, south, storms, toxic

Karlos says: Looks like all the candidates have confirmed to be there. There will be time for questions from the audience. Come down and have your question read!

City Council Candidate’s forum
For Districts 1 and 3

When: September 6, 2005, 6:00pm

Where: Alamosa Community Center 6900 Gonzales SW Albuquerque NM 87121

Send Questions to Victoria(at)swop.net

Official candidates for:

District 1

Miguel A. Gomez
2804 El Tesoro Escondido NW
Albuquerque, NM 87120
839-6638

Ken Sanchez
6007 Central Ave. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87105
836-0000

District 3

Isaac Benton
204 Gallup Avenue SW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
764-9487

Diana Dorn-Jones
1108 Edith Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
842-5726

Victoria Rodriguez

SouthWest Organizing Project
211 10th St. SW • Alburquerque, NM 87102-2919
(505) 247-8832 • fax: (505) 247-9972
victoria@swop.net www.swop.net

George Bush hates you, too.

http://media.putfile.com/Kanye-West-at-the-Hurricane-Katrina-tele

kanye west katrina
katrina

You know, the really crazy thing about the whole Kanye West drama was not his hyperbole.

Though it did get the message across.

The crazy thing was how NBC openly admitted that they censored his speech.

from an article posted below:

The show, simulcast from New York on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and Pax, was aired live to the East Coast, enabling the Grammy-winning rapper’s outburst to go out uncensored. [empasis added]

There was a several-second tape delay, but the person in charge “was instructed to listen for a curse word, and didn’t realize (West) had gone off-script,” said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks.

NBC: 'Sorry, folks. We won't let it happen again. We had no idea people would be so angry about what's going on in the gulf coast - especially black people. Kanye West will never be allowed to speak on this Corporation's TV Station again.'

I hope everyone is catching my sarcasm.

I'm sorry, just really upset.

from SWOP's director:

"We want to make a personal connection, and offer our solidarity and financial contributions to local community, service and church groups and the people suffering on the ground in the gulf. We see ourselves in the streets of New Orleans. The visceral images of environmental racism and social injustice of the last week are the worst of my lifetime. Democracy means very little when the disenfranchised are left to die in a preventable, predicted crisis. The federal government and the Bush Administration's incompetence and lack of compassion, leadership and action have cost lives." Robby Rodriguez, SWOP Director

katrina
kanye west katrina
[pic from http://www.freewebs.com]

Crazy like a FOX...network, that is.

This just in!

Newt and O'Reilly, those two social justice experts over at FOX News, just called Kanye a racist.

Also related, they called Gandhi the 'most violent, war-mongering, hateful person of the 20th century.'

Tomorrow they've got a special report titled, 'Martin Luther King, Jr: Founding Father of the Klu Klux Klan.'
kanye west katrina

Tune in tonight to Raices on KUNM starting at 7:00pm for a chance to win a
pair of tix to the SWOP 25th Anniversary Party and Hurricane Benefit this
coming Friday at El Rey Theater & Golden West Saloon.

Also, check the interview with members of Quetzal, who along with the B-Side
Players and ill-kids.com will be entertaining and schooling us Friday night.

And tune in to Afternoon Freeform during the week for more chances to win
free tix to the event.

That's tonight on KUNM's Raices Program, 7:00pm MDT. KUNM-FM 89.9 FM
Albuquerque and Santa Fe, 91.1 FM in Arroyo Seco, Cuba and Cimarron/Eagle
Nest, and 91.9 FM Taos, Las Vegas, Socorro and Nageezi.

Those outside northern and central New Mexico can catch it online at http://www.kunm.org/.

you gotta see this!

http://media.putfile.com/Kanye-West-at-the-Hurricane-Katrina-tele

Stars offer heartfelt performances in benefit
Aaron Neville, Harry Connick, Faith Hill sing to help raise funds for
victims

The Associated Press/MSNBC.com
Sept. 3, 2005

LOS ANGELES - It began, fittingly enough, with jazz from New Orleans natives
Harry Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis.

But “A Concert for Hurricane Relief,” a heartfelt and dignified benefit
aired on NBC and other networks Friday night, took an unexpected turn thanks
to the outspoken rapper Kanye West. Appearing two-thirds through the
program, he claimed “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” and said
America is set up “to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as
slow as possible.”

The show, simulcast from New York on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and Pax, was aired
live to the East Coast, enabling the Grammy-winning rapper’s outburst to go
out uncensored.

There was a several-second tape delay, but the person in charge “was
instructed to listen for a curse word, and didn’t realize (West) had gone
off-script,” said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks.

As the show came to a close, host Matt Lauer noted that “emotions in this
country right now are running very high. Sometimes that emotion is
translated into inspiration, sometimes into criticism. We’ve heard some of
that tonight. But it’s still part of the American way of life.”

In a statement, NBC said, “Kanye West departed from the scripted comments
that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views
of the networks.

“It would be most unfortunate,” the statement continued, “if the efforts of
the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of
Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person’s
opinion.”


Lauer invited viewers to contribute to the American Red Cross Disaster
Relief Fund by phone or on the Web. Some 18 presenters performed musical
numbers or gave information on the tragedy’s huge scope.

Louisiana native Tim McGraw teared up as he told Lauer, “I know the citizens
that weren’t affected by this directly are gonna stand up and do good things
for people.” He sang two songs, then became the first of the evening’s stars
to sign a Gibson Les Paul Special guitar to be auditioned online.

Faith Hill, a Mississippi native, sang “There Will Come a Time,” with the
inspiring lyrics, “The darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong. Hold
on to your faith.”

New Orleans son Aaron Neville performed Randy Newman’s soulful “Louisiana
1927” with the memorable chorus, “they’re trying to wash us away, they’re
trying to wash us away.”

New York governor George Pataki presented the Red Cross with a check for
$2.5 million and promised, “This great state will do far more.”


“In terms of property damage,” said actress Hilary Swank, “the estimate is
at least $26 billion in insured losses and perhaps twice that in uninsured
losses over a 90,000-square-mile area — approximately the size of Kansas.”

Other speakers included Lindsay Lohan, Eric LaSalle, Glenn Close, Richard
Gere, John Goodman and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Comedian Mike Myers was paired with West for a 90-second segment that began
with Myers speaking of Katrina’s devastation. Then, to Myers’ evident
surprise, West began a rant by saying, “I hate the way they portray us in
the media. If you see a black family, it says they’re looting. See a white
family, it says they’re looking for food.”

While allowing that “the Red Cross is doing everything they can,” West — who
delivered an emotional outburst at the American Music Awards after he was
snubbed for an award — declared that government authorities are
intentionally dragging their feet on aid to the Gulf Coast. Without getting
specific, he added, “They’ve given them permission to go down and shoot us.”

After he stated, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people. Please
call —” the camera cut away to comedian Chris Tucker.

The concert ended with the entire ensemble performed “When the Saints Go
Marching In.”

Friday’s program was the first of several TV benefits planned through next
weekend.

NBC and the five other major commercial broadcast networks, along with PBS,
plan to unite next Friday for a special. The same night, BET will air a
benefit. And on Saturday, Sept. 10, the MTV networks will air a special.

© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2005 MSNBC.com

URL: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9146525/

kanye west katrina

"We want to make a personal connection, and offer our solidarity and financial contributions to local community, service and church groups and the people suffering on the ground in the gulf. We saw ourselves in the streets of New Orleans. The visceral images of environmental racism and social injustice of the last week are the worst of my lifetime. Democracy means very little when the disenfranchised are left to die in a preventable, predicted crisis. The federal government and the Bush Administration's incompetence and lack of compassion, leadership and action have cost lives." Robby Rodriguez, SWOP Director

katrina

from our friend louis:

The latest from Louisiana Governor's Kathleen Blanco, who warns residents of
New Orleans still in the city:

"These troops are fresh back from Iraq, well trained, experienced, battle
tested and under my orders to restore order in the streets. They have M-16s
and they are locked and loaded. These troops know how to shoot and kill and
they are more than willing to do so if necessary and I expect they will."

This applies even to people trying to get their hands on essentials.
Meanwhile, this from a resident:

“It's not about low income, this is not about rich people, poor people. It's
about people. Nobody wants to hurt anybody in this city. Nobody wants to
hurt these people who have these businesses. We need a little air and a
little food and water for god's sakes. That's it.”

katrina

Friday, Sept. 9, 2005, 8pm.

Tickets available through:
SWOP - 211 10th Street SW - 505 247 8832
Bookworks - 4022 Rio Grande Blvd 344 8139
Natural Sound - 3422 Central
UNM - Centro de la Raza 277 5020
Burning Paradise - 800 Central Ave 255 8295
Candyman - SF 851 St Michaels Drive 983 9309

karlos says:

Get 'em while they last!

$15 in advance, $20 at the door.

Live in Concert...
The B-Side Players, direct from San Diego.

Quetzal, direct from east LA.

Plus, Hip Hop Art Expo from ill-kids.com - featuring dancing, hip hop and live art exhibition.

Downtown ABQ - El Rey Theater and Golden West Saloon - 7th and Central.

It is a serious blow to our democracy when the fourth estate, our supposed independent media, covers the after shocks of the tragedy in Louisiana as a riot.

Civil Unrest? Looting? Rioting? Criminal Element?

"These people..." said Fox's Bill O'Reilly. "Why?" said Aaron Brown last night on CNN, "in god's name would people do that?"

Good fucking question, Aaron.

How 'bout because they were left to die? How 'bout because they were left to die because of their lot in life? Because of how much money they have?

America has failed the working poor in Louisiana. Before the hurricane and after.

Racism and Class in America determined the "hurricane refugees" fate.

Those that stayed simply did not have the resources to evacuate. What does that say for the richest country in the world? What does it say for democracy in the US when the most disenfranchised are so left out of the system that they are left to die when eveyone knew the thing was coming?

CNN called the first bus to arrive at the stupid astrodome the "renegade" bus. Renegade? What?

"Why are the poor people so upset?" I say mockingly.

Sick. A democracy in ruins. A city in ruins. Lives, ruined.

And an incompentent fool running the show.

George Bush: Good at politics, getting elected. Bad at governance.

"Tomorrow...we'll have..."

Tomorrow?

Embarassing.

Where have all the leaders gone? Someone to stand up and say: This is unacceptable. This is immoral. This is shameful.